Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

At The Cultural Interface: A Systematic Review Of Study Characteristics And Cultural Integrity From Twenty Years Of Randomised Controlled Trials With Indigenous Participants, Tuguy Esgin, Rona Macniven, Alan Crouch, Alexandra Martiniuk

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose and aim: To identify and describe characteristics of Randomised Control Trial (RCT) design, implementation, and interpretation with a view tostrengtheningen the cultural integrity and scientific quality of this genre of research when used with, for and by Indigenous peoples. Issue: RCTs are widely regarded as the ‘gold standard’ method for evaluating the efficacy of an intervention. However, issues of cultural acceptability and higher attrition rates among RCT participants from diverse populations, including Indigenous participants, have been reported. A better understanding of cultural acceptability and attrition rates of RCTs has the potential to impact the translation of findings into effective …

Would You Like Fries With That? Investigating Fast-Food Outlet Availability Near Schools In Perth, Western Australia, Gina S. A. Trapp, Paula Hooper, Wesley Billingham, Lukar Thornton, Ainslie Sartori, Kelly Kennington, Amanda Devine, Stephanie Godrich, Ros Sambell, Justine Howard, Alexia Bivoltsis

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Issue addressed: Locating fast-food outlets near schools is a potential public health risk to schoolchildren, given the easy access and repeated exposure to energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods they provide. Fast-food outlet availability near schools has not been previously investigated in Perth, Western Australia. This study aimed to quantify fast-food outlet availability near Perth schools and determine whether differences in area-level disadvantage and school type exist. Methods: Fast-food outlet locations were sourced from Perth Local Governments in 2018/2019. All Perth Primary (n = 454), Secondary (n = 107) and K-12 (n = 94) schools were assigned an area-level disadvantage decile ranking based …

The Facilitators And Barriers To Exercise In The Noongar Aboriginal Population In Perth, Australia, Tuguy Esgin, Deborah Hersh, Kevin Rowley, Rona Macniven, Alan Crouch, Mark Halaki, Robert Newton

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Indigenous Standpoint Theory forms the epistemological foundation for this study and methodological choices were made within this theoretical framework to ensure culturally responsive research processes that engaged the Indigenous agenda of self-determination and rights. The objectives of this research were to determine: (i) Indigenous perceptions of the facilitators and barriers to exercise; (ii) The potential feasibility and sustainability of an exercise intervention. In this context, Participatory Action Research methods were used to design the data-gathering instrument for the study—a questionnaire, co-designed with the Noongar Aboriginal community of Perth, Western Australia. This self-administered questionnaire, distributed to participants by email, post and …

The Pharmacy Community Apgar Questionnaire: A Modified Delphi Technique To Develop A Rural Pharmacist Recruitment And Retention Tool, Daniel R. Terry, Blake Peck, Danny Hills, Jaclyn Bishop, Mark Kirschbaum, Kehinde O. Obamiro, Hoang Phan, Ed Baker, David Schmitz

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction: An adequate healthcare workforce remains essential for the health of rural communities. Strategies to address rural health workforce challenges have often centred on the medical and nursing workforce; however, addressing the rural pharmacist workforce also remains critical as they are often the first point of contact for health advice. Initiatives have increased pharmacist supply; however, key issues such as poor attraction, recruitment, and retention to rural areas remain. The aim of this study was to support the recruitment and retention of pharmacists in rural areas of Australia through the development of the Pharmacy Community Apgar Questionnaire (PharmCAQ).

Methods …

Bullied Because Of Their Teeth: Evidence From A Longitudinal Study On The Impact Of Oral Health On Bullying Victimization Among Australian Indigenous Children, Md Irteja Islam, Verity Chadwick, Tuguy Esgin, Alexandra Martiniuk

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Making life better for Indigenous peoples is a global priority. Although bullying and oral health have always been a topic of concern, there is limited information regarding the impact of this problem on the general population, with no evidence in this regard among the Australian Indigenous population. Thus, we aimed to quantify the relationship between bullying victimization and oral health problems by remoteness among 766 Australian Indigenous children aged between 10–15-years using data from the LSIC study. Bivariate and multilevel mixed-effect logistic regression analyses were employed. Findings indicated children self-reported bullying more than parents reported their children were being bullied …

Measuring Cancer Care Experiences Of Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander People In Australia: Trial Of A New Approach That Privileges Patient Voices, Monica Green, Joan Cunningham, Kate Anderson, Kalinda Griffiths, Gail Garvey

Patient Experience Journal

This study examined a new method for measuring the care experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer: the Indigenous People’s Experiences of Cancer Care Survey (IPECCS). The study assessed IPECCS’s: 1) performance; 2) ability to elicit information useful for service improvements; and 3) implementation potential. Three participant groups were recruited from five Australian cancer treatment sites: 1) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer (+/- support person); 2) interviewers; and 3) health services staff. Trained interviewers administered IPECCS to participants with cancer in audiotaped sessions. Paper forms and transcripts were compared to assess performance, and problems/potential …

Perceptions Of Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd) Etiology Among Parents Of Children With Asd, Wei-Ju Chen, Zihan Zhang, Haocen Wang, Tung-Sung Tseng, Ping Ma, Lei-Shih Chen

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social communication deficits and restricted or repetitive behaviors. Parental perceptions of the etiology of their child’s ASD can affect provider–client relationships, bonding between parents and their children, and the prognosis, treatment, and management of children with ASD. Thus, this study sought to examine the perceptions of ASD etiology of parents of children with ASD. Methods: Forty-two parents of children diagnosed with ASD were recruited across Texas. Semi-structured interviews were conducted individually. All interviews were recorded and later transcribed verbatim for content analysis utilizing NVivo 12.0 (QSR International, Doncaster, Australia). …

Global Journey To Post-Pandemic Normalcy And Revival, Andrzej Sankowski

Journal of Global Awareness

After a year of COVID-19, countries, societies, and individuals are longing for normalcy and beginning to consider what life will be like post-pandemic. Efforts and experiences of countries in the European Union, Asia, Asia-Pacific, Australia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the United States are examined as they face challenges to end the pandemic and prepare for the post-pandemic reality. What will be the post-pandemic "new normalcy"? What changes caused by the pandemic are permanent in societies and the world? What are the necessary reforms that have to take place as part of normalcy? Reflections on the impacts of vaccinations, …

Covid-19 Governance, Legitimacy, And Sustainability: Lessons From The Australian Experience, Michael Lester, Marie Dela Rama, Julie Crews

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

During 2020, Australia managed the global and systemic COVID-19 crisis successfully as measured by health and economic indicators. It marshalled the government’s delivery capacity to control the health crisis and put in place measures to offset the induced economic and social costs. At the same time, the crisis revealed long-standing structural weaknesses in a small, democratic, wealthy, and economically successful country that raised questions about post COVID resilience and sustainability. This paper examines that experience by applying a “co-production” governance model that sees success in “crisis management” as the striking of a balance between government capacity and its legitimacy in …

An Outbreak Of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H7n7) In Australia And The Potential For Novel Influenza A Viruses To Emerge, Andrew T. Bisset, Gerard F. Hoyne

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

In 2020, several geographically isolated farms in Victoria, Australia, experienced an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus H7N7 and low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) viruses H5N2 and H7N6. Effective containment and control measures ensured the eradication of these viruses but the event culminated in substantial loss of livestock and significant economic impact. The avian HPAI H7N7 virus generally does not infect humans; however, evidence shows the ocular pathway presents a favourable tissue tropism for human infection. Through antigenic drift, mutations in the H7N7 viral genome may increase virulence and pathogenicity in humans. The Victorian outbreak also detected LPAI …

Covid-19 And Management Education: Reflections On Challenges, Opportunities, And Potential Futures, Steve Brammer, Timothy Clark

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

COVID-19 is having profound impacts on tertiary education globally. Border closures, cuts to aviation capacity, mandatory quarantine on entering a country, restrictions on mass gatherings, and social distancing all pose challenges to higher education (HE) institutions. Business Schools (BSs) have larger and more internationally diverse cohorts of students and staff, generating particular challenges, but also often have more mature digital and remote education capabilities that enable responses to COVID-19. Therefore, exploring emergent evidence on how BSs are likely to be affected by COVID-19 over the short, medium, and long term is of significant importance to our community. In this commentary, …

Teachers’ Perceptions And Understanding Of Children’S Fluid Intake, Kristy Howells, Tara Coppinger

Publications

No public health data exists on elementary teachers’ perceptions of both their own fluid intake and of their elementary school aged children’s fluid intake. A total of 271 (20 males, 251 females) teachers in developed areas of Australia, Belgium, England, Ireland, United Arab Emirates, and the United States of America completed an online questionnaire (Feb–Mar 2019) on: (i) their fluid intake, (ii) their perception and understanding of children’s fluid intake and (iii) barriers in the school day that they felt prevented school children consuming fluids. Overall, the data indicated that teachers consume considerably lower amounts than recommended themselves, but have …

Promising Practices For Boating Safety Initiatives That Target Indigenous Peoples In New Zealand, Australia, The United States Of America, And Canada, Mitchell Crozier, Audrey R. Giles

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Boating-related incidents are responsible for a significant number of the drowning fatalities that occur within Indigenous communities in New Zealand, Australia, the USA, and Canada. The aim of this paper was to identify promising practices for boating safety initiatives that target Indigenous peoples within these countries and evaluate past and ongoing boating safety initiatives delivered to/with Indigenous peoples within these countries to suggest the ways in which they – or programs that follow them - may be more effective. Based upon evidence from previous research, boating safety initiatives that target Indigenous peoples in New Zealand, Australia, the USA, and Canada …

Australian Consumers Are Willing To Pay For The Health Star Rating Front-Of-Pack Nutrition Label, Sheri L. Cooper, Lucy M. Butcher, Simone D. Scagnelli, Johnny Lo, Maria M. Ryan, Amanda Devine, Therese A. O’Sullivan

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. The Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation has supported the recommendations set out in the 2019 Health Star Rating System Five Year Review Report. Specifically, the forum supported, in principle, Recommendation 9, to mandate the Health Star Rating if clear uptake targets were not achieved while the system is voluntary. Given that mandatory labelling is being considered, it is important to investigate how much consumers value the Health Star Rating in order to understand potential consumer uptake and inform industry. The aim of this study was to assess …

Perceptions And Experiences Of Emergency Department Staff During The Implementation Of The Four-Hour Rule/National Emergency Access Target Policy In Australia: A Qualitative Social Dynamic Perspective, Roberto Forero, Shizar Nahidi, Josephine De Costa, Daniel Fatovich, Gerry Fitzgerald, Sam Toloo, Sally Mccarthy, David Mountain, Nick Gibson, Mohammed Mohsin, Wing Nicola Man

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: The Four-Hour Rule or National Emergency Access Target policy (4HR/NEAT) was implemented by Australian State and Federal Governments between 2009 and 2014 to address increased demand, overcrowding and access block (boarding) in Emergency Departments (EDs). This qualitative study aimed to assess the impact of 4HR/NEAT on ED staff attitudes and perceptions. This article is part of a series of manuscripts reporting the results of this project. Methods: The methodology has been published in this journal. As discussed in the methods paper, we interviewed 119 participants from 16 EDs across New South Wales (NSW), Queensland (QLD), Western Australia (WA) and …

Lived Experiences And Insights Into The Advantages Important To Rural Recruitment And Retention Of General Practitioners, Daniel R. Terry, Hoang B. Nguyen, David Schmitz, Ed Baker

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction: Despite existing studies in this field, community factors behind recruiting and retaining rural general practitioners (GPs) are not fully understood. To address this issue, the Community Apgar Questionnaire (CAQ) was developed to extend the understanding of communities’ assets and capabilities that impact GP recruitment and retention. However, more in-depth insights are vital to develop a comprehensive approach.

Methods: This mixed methods study was administered using face-to-face structured interviews with a total of 40 health service representatives. All interviews lasted 35–40 minutes and were audio-taped. Qualitative data were generated from the extended responses to the structured questions of the CAQ …

Which Type Of Tobacco Product Warning Imagery Is More Effective And Sustainable Over Time?, Dien Anshari, Hua-Hei Yong, Ron Borland, Kamala Swayampakala, Jim Thrasher

Faculty Publications

Objective This study examined smokers’ responses to pictorial health warnings (PHWs) with different types of imagery under natural exposure conditions.

Methods Adult smokers from online panels in Canada (n=2357), Australia (n=1671) and Mexico (n=2537) were surveyed every 4 months from 2012 to 2013. Participants were shown PHWs on packs in their respective countries and asked about: (1) noticing PHWs; (2) negative affects towards PHWs; (3) believability of PHWs; (4) PHW-stimulated discussions; and (5) quit motivation due to PHWs. Country-specific generalised estimating equation models regressed these outcomes on time (ie, survey wave), PHW imagery type (ie, symbolic representations of risk, suffering …

A Tale Of Two Countries: Progress Towards Unaids 90‐90‐90 Targets In Botswana And Australia, Tafireyi Marukutira, Mark Stoove, Shahin Lockman, Lisa A. Mills, Tendani Gaolathe, Refeletswe Lebelonyane, Joseph N. Jarvis, Sherrie L. Kelly, David P. Wilson, Stanley Luchters

Population Health, East Africa

UNAIDS 90‐90‐90 targets and Fast‐Track commitments are presented as precursors to ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030, through effecting a 90% reduction in new HIV infections and AIDS‐related deaths from 2010 levels (HIV epidemic control). Botswana, a low to middle‐income country with the third‐highest HIV prevalence, and Australia, a low‐prevalence high‐income country with an epidemic concentrated among men who have sex with men (MSM), have made significant strides towards achieving the UNAIDS 90‐90‐90 targets. These two countries provide lessons for different epidemic settings. This paper discusses the lessons that can be drawn from Botswana and Australia with respect to their …

The Delivery Of Primary Health Care In Remote Australian Communities: A Grounded Theory Study Of The Perspective Of Nurses, Kylie Mccullough

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Around 85% of Australia’s landmass is remote and sparsely populated. Across these vast areas of desert, wilderness and tropical islands, nurses provide the majority of health care services. The residents of Australia’s remote communities have poorer health status than their metropolitan counterparts. The proportion of Indigenous people is high and health and social disadvantage is widespread. The characteristics of each remote community are unique and often reflect challenges associated with distance to tertiary health services and limited health resources. As a result, nursing practice within this context is very different to other nursing contexts. Despite recognition of Primary Health Care …

Vulnerable, Single And Living In Poverty: Women’S Challenges To Accessing Food In The Australian Capital Territory, Tanya Lawlis, Amanda Devine, Penney Upton

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objective: To explore challenges to food access faced by vulnerable women living in the Australian Capital Territory and surrounds.

Method: Qualitative study comprising semi‐structured interviews supplemented with quantitative demographic data.

Results:Forty‐one women, mean age of 43 years, living in government and community housing who had an income of

Conclusion: Access to safe, nutritious and healthy food is difficult for women living in poverty. Acknowledgement of challenges that contribute to women’s food insecurity by all stakeholders is essential to address the problem and build sustainable actions and solutions.

Implications for public health: Collaboration from all stakeholders within our food system …

Food Insecurity And Fruit And Vegetable Consumption Among Regional And Remote Western Australian Children: Determinants, Prevalence And Predictors, Stephanie Louise Godrich

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Living in a community with adequate availability of nutritious food, and the capacity to access and utilise it, are key food security determinants (FSD). However, inequities relating to these determinants exist between regional and remote Western Australian (WA) communities, particularly regarding fruit and vegetables (F&V). This negatively impacts vulnerable populations, especially children. In order to understand determinants, prevalence and predictors of F&V and food security (FS), three concepts were explored in this PhD; (1) F&V consumption among regional and remote WA children (including determinants of F&V consumption, quantities, types, varieties of F&V consumed); (2) FS among regional and remote WA …

Evaluation Of Acceptance And Efficiency Of Exercise For Indigenous Australians To Benefit Physiological, Anthropometric And Metabolic Syndrome Outcomes, Tuguy Esgin

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The proposed study will provide an increased understanding in a much-understudied area of how the Australian Indigenous community perceives physical activity and the beneficial effects for improving health outcomes.

The PhD will be made up of three studies:

1) To design an exercise prescription that is culturally appropriate and specifically addresses the major Indigenous health issues around metabolic syndrome.

The first will be a cross sectional study that surveys the motivators and barriers to physical activity within the Perth Noongar community. The results of this study will be used to enhance the intervention section of the PhD. It will provide …

Community Assets And Capabilities To Recruit And Retain Gps: The Community Apgar Questionnaire In Rural Victoria, Daniel R. Terry, Ed Baker, David Schmitz

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction: Rural communities continue to experience significant challenges recruiting and retaining physicians. The Community Apgar Questionnaire (CAQ) was developed in Idaho in the USA to comprehensively assess the characteristics associated with successful recruitment and retention of rural physicians. The CAQ has been utilised and validated across the USA; however, its value in rural Australia has not been examined. The objective of this study was to use the CAQ in rural Australia to examine its utility and develop a greater understanding of the community factors that impact general practitioner (GP) recruitment and retention.

Method: The project conducted structured face-to-face interviews with …

Does Reactance Against Cigarette Warning Labels Matter? Warning Label Responses And Downstream Smoking Cessation Amongst Adult Smokers In Australia, Canada, Mexico And The United States, Yoo Jin Cho, Jim Thrasher, Kamala Swayampakala, Hua-Hie Yong, Robert Mckeever, David Hammond, Dien Anshari, K. Michael Cummings, Ron Borland

Faculty Publications

Objective

Some researchers have raised concerns that pictorial health warning labels (HWLs) on cigarette packages may lead to message rejection and reduced effectiveness of HWL messages. This study aimed to determine how state reactance (i.e., negative affect due to perceived manipulation) in response to both pictorial and text-only HWLs is associated with other types of HWL responses and with subsequent cessation attempts.

Methods

Survey data were collected every 4 months between September 2013 and 2014 from online panels of adult smokers in Australia, Canada, Mexico, and the US were analyzed. Participants with at least one wave of follow-up were included …

Priority Setting In Indigenous Health: Why We Need An Explicit Decision Making Approach, Michael E. Otim, Ranmalie Jayasinha, Margaret Kelaher, Edward Shane Houston, Ian P. Anderson, Stephen Jan

Michael E Otim

Indigenous Australians have significantly poorer health outcomes than the non-Indigenous population worldwide. The Australian government has increased its investment in Indigenous health through the "Closing the Health Gap" initiative. Deciding where to invest scarce resources so as to maximize health outcomes for Indigenous peoples may require improved priority setting processes. Current government practice involves a mix of implicit and explicit processes to varying degrees at the macro and meso decision making levels. In this article, we argue that explicit priority setting should be emphasized in Indigenous health, as it can ensure that the decision making process is accountable, systematic, and …

A Qualitative Exploration Of The Emotional Wellbeing And Support Needs Of New Mothers From Afghanistan Living In Melbourne, Australia, Alana Russo, Belinda Lewis, Andrew Joyce, Belinda Crockett, Stanley Luchters

Population Health, East Africa

Background: The Afghan community is a priority population for many health and social services within the southeast region of Melbourne, which is home to the largest population of Afghanistan-born people within the state of Victoria. The majority of Afghan women arriving in Australia are of childbearing age, and evidence suggests that they are at increased risk of emotional challenges following birth as a result of the refugee and migration experience. This research aimed to explored the experiences of Afghan women living in Melbourne throughout pregnancy, birth, and early motherhood, and gain insight into the aspects of their experiences that they …

The Identity Of The Heart Patient In The Context Of The Gift Economy: Heartnet And Media Framing, Lynsey Uridge

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This health communication research examines the identity levels of the heart patient on a therapeutic website HeartNET through an empirical investigation of site interactions as manifestations of a gift economy. The thesis also explores the media’s representation of heart health in both television and print.

This research utilised a longitudinal qualitative ethnographic and netnographic approach involving twenty-six participants who completed two in-depth interviews. The first one-on-one interview occurred during the early stages of the participants’ heart journey, explored their heart story and use of interactive technology for heart health support. The second interview occurred six to twelve months later, and …

Weight Stigma In Maternity Care: Women’S Experiences And Care Providers’ Attitudes, Kate Mulherin, Yvette D. Miller, Fiona Kate Barlow, Phillippa C. Diedrichs, Rachel Thompson

Dartmouth Scholarship

Weight stigma is pervasive in Western society and in healthcare settings, and has a negative impact on victims' psychological and physical health. In the context of an increasing focus on the management of overweight and obese women during and after pregnancy in research and clinical practice, the current studies aimed to examine the presence of weight stigma in maternity care. Addressing previous limitations in the weight stigma literature, this paper quantitatively explores the presence of weight stigma from both patient and care provider perspectives. Study One investigated associations between pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and experiences of maternity care from …

Regulating Small Firm Safety Via The Supply Chain: Implications Of The Australian Work Health And Safety Act, Susanne Bahn, John Kitching

Research outputs 2013

The impact of the Work Health and Safety Act (WHS Act) highlights subcontractor working practices. By motivating contractors to influence subcontractor working practices, regulation influences the latter’s health and safety performance. Indirect routes of regulatory influence, working via supply chains, might prove to be a more effective means of improving small firm health and safety than placing obligations upon subcontractors directly, and limit contractor exposure to their new liability for subcontractor breach.

An Analysis Of Treatment Retention And Attrition In An Australian Therapeutic Community For Substance Abuse Treatment, Mark Robert Porter

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Research undertaken in the last three decades has consistently reported that the length of time spent in inpatient and outpatient alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment programs predicts treatment success (De Leon, Melnick, Kressel, & Jainchill, 1994; Hubbard, Craddock, & Anderson, 2003; Simpson, Joe, Fletcher, Hubbard, & Anglin, 1999). However, treatment attrition rates are high and present a major problem for improving treatment outcomes. Various factors that have been reportedly associated with increased AOD treatment attrition rates include being female, younger clients, clients using methamphetamines, and clients with elevated psychopathology scores. The aim of this thesis is to improve understanding …