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Linking Primary Health Care Researchers In South Australia: A Network Strategy, Sarnet, Raechel L. Waters, Kathryn M. Weston, Elizabeth Farmer

Graduate School of Medicine - Papers (Archive)

In response to the changing definitions of primary care delivery there is a growing need for research to be practitioner-driven and multidisciplinary. This paper addresses the strategies used to enhance multidisciplinary participation and capacity building in research in the South Australian Primary Health Care Research Network (SARNet). This network has 198 members currently. Membership is strongly multidisciplinary and spans all levels of research expertise. The services offered by the network are member-driven and include competitive bursary funding for research and evaluation skills development, writing groups, training events, access to web-based resources and information, special interest groups, and email alerts. Potential …

Comparative Records Of Occupation In The Keep River Region Of The Eastern Kimberley, Northwestern Australia, Ingrid Ward

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

This paper considers the record of occupation in the Keep River region of the eastern Kimberley, and whether archaeological records are equally preserved within as well as between regions. Luminescence dating, radiocarbon dating and archaeological evidence from eight rock shelter sequences provide only late Holocene (5 - 0 ky BP) occupation sequences, whereas luminescence dating and archaeological evidence for three sand-sheet sequences indicate occupation dating to 18 ky BP. Given that rock shelters and sand sheet excavations can produce such different chronologies, it is questioned to what extent the representative records for the eastern Kimberley, and the adjacent western Kimberley, …

High Prevalence Of Hepatozoon Spp. (Apicomplexa, Hepatozoidae) Infection In Water Pythons (Liasis Fuscus) From Tropical Australia, Beata Ujvari, Thomas Madsen, Mats Olsson

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Molecular methods were used to identify blood parasites frequently observed in blood smears of water pythons (Liasis fuscus) captured in our study area in the Northern Territory of Australia. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers amplifying the 18s ribosomal RNA (rRNA) nuclear gene resulted in a short PCR product (180 bp) matching this region in the genus Hepatozoon. However, because of the short sequence obtained. 2 new primers were designed based on 18s rRNA sequences of 3 Hepatozoon taxa available in GenBank. Using these primers, approximately 600 bp of the parasite's 18s rRNA gene was amplified successfully and …

Gay And Lesbian Public History In Australia, Andrew Gorman-Murray

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Although scholarly interest in gay and lesbian history broadly defined is relatively young, research has increased significantly since the early 1990s. This was largely stimulated by the gay liberation movements of the 1970s and 1980s which both encouraged collective self-awareness amongst gays and sought acceptance from the broader straight society. During the 1990s gays became a significant 'consumer' group targeted by various companies and non-commercial organisations as a niche market. One need only scan through gay community periodicals such as SX or Sydney Star Observer to appreciate the number of businesses and non-commercial groups servicing the gay community. ln light …

Litho- And Chronostratigraphy Of Holocene Sedimentary Successions Preserved In Lake Illawarra, Nsw, Australia, Craig R. Sloss, Brian G. Jones, Colin V. Murray-Wallace

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Using a Holocene barrier estuary, Lake Illawarra, New South Wales, Australia, as an example, a detailed litho- and chrono-stratigraphy of the Holocene estuarine deposits has been investigated. Forty kilometres of seismic surveys, 61 vibracores, supplemented by auger drill holes and trenches, and faunal analysis were used in this study. A detailed chronology of the infilling of the barrier estuary has been established using 121 aspartic acid derived ages and 14 radiocarbon ages. The results provide a detailed chronology for the deposition of marine transgressive deposits between ca. 8 and 5 ka years ago. Barrier growth, initiated with rising sea levels …

Recent Sedimentation And Geomorphological Changes, Lake Illawarra, Nsw, Australia, Craig R. Sloss, Brian G. Jones, Colin V. Murray-Wallace, Bryan E. Chenhall

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Assessing recent changes in landforms associated with Lake Illawarra was achieved by identifying changes in geomorphological features observed in early mapping of the region, aerial photographs and satellite imagery. Quantifying rates of sedimentation associated with prograding fluvial bay-head deltas and within the central basin of Lake Illawarra was established within the framework of amino acid racemisation, radiocarbon, and cesium 137 dating. Results indicate that sedimentation rates associated with fluvial bay-head deltas range from 31 mm/yr proximal to the delta front and fall to between 3 and 7 mm/yr in the pro-delta region. This is a significant increase in sedimentation rate …

Anabranching And Maximum Flow Efficiency In Magela Creek, Northern Australia, John D. Jansen, Gerald C. Nanson

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

[1] Anabranching is the prevailing river pattern found along alluvial tracts of the world's largest rivers. Hydraulic geometry and bed material discharge are compared between single channel and anabranching reaches up to 4 times bank-full discharge in Magela Creek, northern Australia. The anabranching channels exhibit greater sediment transporting capacity per unit available stream power, i.e., maximum flow efficiency (MFE). Simple flume experiments corroborate our field results showing the flow efficiency gains associated with anabranching, and highlight the prospect of a dominant anabranch, which is found in many anabranching rivers. These results demonstrate that anabranching can constitute a stable river pattern …

Physiotherapy In Australia - Where To Now?, Janet C. Struber

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

The physiotherapy profession in Australia appears to have been caught unawares by the rapidly changing demography of health services and now seems to lack a clear identity and vision. Despite being a highly competitive profession to enter, attrition rates are high. This paper reflects on the history of physiotherapy in Australia and the dichotomy of paradigms it now faces, and suggests a possible option for the future, given that existing physiotherapy roles appear difficult to sustain in our current health care climate.

Heavy Minerals In Modern Sediments Of The Minnamurra Estuary And Shelf Environment, Nsw, Australia, Rabea Haredy, Brian G. Jones, Adrian C. Hutton

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Provenance and sediment distribution have been investigated in the Minnamurra estuary and the adjacent shelf in NSW, Australia. Heavy mineral assemblages in the sand fractions (63-250 f.lm) of 110 surficial sediment samples were assessed using microscopic and microprobe analyses. In addition to the dominant opaque minerals, twelve translucent heavy mineral species were identified. The translucent assemblage is dominated by pyroxene, zircon, tourmaline and hornblende. Statistical cluster analysis of heavy mineral percentages in the surficial sediments revealed the existence of five mineralogical facies: the upper fluvial part of the estuary, the Minnamurra spit and elevated inner sand terrace, the estuary inlet …

The Evolution And Experience Of Stomal Therapy Nurses In Australia 1959-2000, Keryln Carville

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In Australia, stomal therapy nurses are registered nurses who have undertaken an educational programme in the care, counselling and rehabilitation of persons-who have, or who could potentially have, a wound, an ostomy (that is an artificial opening into a body cavity) or incontinence of bodily waste. The genesis of stomal therapy nurses in Australia as a specialty group within the broader nursing profession was in 1971, when 11 founding members established an association for registered nurses with an interest in the care of patients with stomas. However, the serendipitous event that pre-empted the formation of this special interest group, can …

Is It 'Too Bloody Late'? : Older People's Attitudes To Physical Activity And To The Recommendations In The National Physical Activity Guidelines, Joan Jackson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Participation in physical activity confers many health benefits by reducing the risk factor for a number of lifestyle related diseases such as diabetes, colon cancer, and heart disease. Other benefits include improved mental and physical well-being. For older people the benefits are even more important; engagement in physical activity extends to such health benefits as reduction in the risk of falls and related potential injuries. However the most significant benefit to older people is that physical activity enables older people to live independently for longer and with a greater sense of well-being. This study explores, through qualitative research, older people's …

Aims, Separation And Attitudinal Factors In Mediation: An Exploratory Investigation, Darryl Frank Menaglio

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The general aim of this research was to explore issues regarding mediation in family law about which there appears to be uncertainty. Study I investigated: (a) what stakeholders (practitioners and separated spouses) believe the aims of mediation should be; (b) what they believe are the effects of the separation factors, that is, perceived mutuality (whether the decision to separate was made by one or both spouses), perceived status (whether spouses view themselves as Ieavers, lefts or neither), and the attribution and strength of blaming someone for the decision to separate on attitudes towards engaging in mediation; and (c) stakeholders' views …

Occupational Hazards And Radiation Safety In Veterinary Practice Including Zoo Veterinary Practice In Australia, Joseph S. Jeyaretnam

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis contains reviews and research on the occupational hazards of zoo veterinary practitioners in Australia. Although occupational hazards have long been recognised in the veterinary profession, little information is available on the number and magnitude of injuries to veterinarians in Australia, the United Kingdom or the United States. Apart from anecdotal accounts and some limited data, most of the available information is on occupational zoonoses, generally well recognized by veterinarians. Other occupational hazards to which veterinarians are exposed have received scant attention. The veterinary practitioner in a zoo environment has to treat a range of captive wild species which …

The Edge Effect And Ecotonal Species: Bird Communities Across A Natural Edge In Southeastern Australia, Jack Baker, Kris French, Robert Whelan

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Ecotones have been considered as unique environments, and the concepts of edge effect and ecotonal species have been widely used, especially in avian community ecology. We studied the patterns of bird densities across heath-wood edges at replicated sites in three locations in southeastern Australia. Multivariate analysis showed that the bird community in the ecotone was intermediate between the heath and wood communities, indicating that the ecotone contained a mixing of species rather than a unique bird community. ANOVA showed a modest increase in bird density at the wood side of the ecotone, which may be partly due to sampling biases …

A Study Of The Cultural Appropriateness Of Service Delivery Models In The Australian Mental Health System, Mong L. Connell

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study is an attempt to examine the cultural appropriateness of the mental health system in relation to the Vietnamese refugee community in Australia. Culture and mental health, as widely acknowledged in the field of transcultural psychiatry, are closely linked. No aspect of the diagnosis or treatment methods can be justified without reference to the cultural traditions of the mental health system and the client. In a country like Australia, where multiculturalism is a dominant feature of the society, the need is even greater in incorporating culture into every aspect of the mental health system, if it desires to provide …

Risk Factors For Coronary Heart Disease And Mediation By Socio-Economic Status : An Analysis Of The 1995 National Health Survey, Natalie J. Sherriffs

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

As the leading cause of death and disease in Australia, Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) places a significant burden on society. There are many lifestyle factors that are known to increase the risk of CHD. This study looks at both risk factors and protective factors of CHD. Research also shows CHD prevalence to be predicted by socio-economic status (SES) variables. This study aims to identify the extent to which risk and protective factors predict CHD prevalence in an Australian National survey and whether the association between risk factors and CHD is confounded by SES variables. This study used data from the …

Ground-Based Measurements Of Tropospheric Co, C2h6, And Hcn From Australia At 34 S Latitude During 1997-1998, Curtis P. Rinsland, Arndt Meier, D W T Griffith, Linda S. Chiou

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

High spectral resolution (0.004 cm⁻¹) infrared solar absorption measurements of CO, C₂H₆, and HCN have been recorded with the Fourier transform spectrometer located at the Network for the Detection of Stratospheric Change complementary station at the University of Wollongong, Australia (34.45°S, 150.88°E, 30 m above sea level). The time series covers March 1997 to February 1998. Profile retrievals with maximum sensitivity in the upper troposphere show distinct seasonal cycles for all three molecules with maxima during October-December 1997. Best fits to the time series of daily averages yield peak 0.03–14 km columns (molecules cm …

A Pilot Study Of An Employee Developed Observational Tool As A Valid And Reliable Measure Of Organisational Safety, Matthew Wallace

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Given the increasing high social and economic costs of occupational injury and illness to the Australian community, identification of initiatives to reduce the burden is urgently required. Paramount to reversing this trend is the need to identify and address the causes of the injury and illness. Employee involvement in occupational health and safety has for some time been espoused as an essential element in any occupational health and safety program, but its relationship with safety performance still remains unexplored. Although various theories suggest that the involvement of employees will increase their sense of ownership, there is little research to suggest …

History, Culture And Alcohol: Drinking Patterns In Poland And Australia, Barbara Wolska

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

It is a widely held view in Poland that for centuries those in power have promoted heavy drinking among their subjects in order to achieve their various goals and that this contributed to the development of Polish drinking patterns. There is some empirical evidence that the political economy of alcohol in Poland promoted heavy drinking among the Polish population. Drinking alcohol in Poland was an important aspect of social situations. The most popular beverage was vodka(s). Social pressure to drink in the extreme was attributed to the tradition of hospitality. Cultural norms encouraged very heavy drinking among men and imposed …

Centred Voices : A Study Of The Lived Experience Of Women's Health Centre Coordinators, Jodie L. Moyle

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore and describe the lived experience of women's health centre coordinators. In addition to the intrinsic value of telling these women's stories, this research provides data which can he used to strengthen the economic, political, organisational and social position of women’s health centres and the women who work in them. Four women managers from regional urban women's health centres in Australia were interviewed about their subjective experiences with respect to their current working roles. Interviews were audio taped, transcribed and coded to produce themes and to preserve anonymity. Data was analysed using …

The Meaning Of Quality In Living Service Environments: An Analysis Of The Experiences Of People With Disabilities, Elderly People And Service Workers, Ruth Marquis

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of the study was to examine the experiences of both people with disabilities and elderly people and to identify their perceptions of quality as it relates to living in a service or being supported by a service to live in the community. The study was naturalistic in design and used a phenomenological approach and inductive analysis. It involved immersion in living services for a two year period, in-depth interviews with people living and working in services and participant observation. Fifty service users between the ages of twenty-one and ninety-six, and twenty-six service workers between the ages of twenty-six …

Perceptions Of Discharge Planning Needs : A Study Of Discharge Planning In The Mental Health Setting, Michael P. Finn

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Major mental disorder, with prolonged periods of dysfunction that require long term care, is an issue of concern amongst mental health professionals. Although substantial effort and resources are devoted towards returning mentally ill individuals to the community, one of the most distinctive and consistent features of the persistently mentally ill (PMI) is their high rate of readmission to hospital. Existing studies into discharge planning revealed that no research had been undertaken to determine if this is the case in Western Australia. This study sought to investigate perceptions of discharge planning held by patients, carers, nurses and allied health workers involved …

Factors In The Non-Recognition Of Overseas Qualifications: The Case Of Medical Practitioners, Christine V. Farag

Theses : Honours

The overseas qualified doctor is a potential threat to the state-sanctioned control practising doctors have over medical knowledge in Australia. The nonrecognition of qualifications of many migrant and refugee doctors, in particular from non-English speaking background (NESB) countries, presses them into a subordinate relationship lo that of registered practitioners. The ownership of medical knowledge is limited lo state-recognised practitioners, thus allowing them to maintain significant economic and social advantage within the general community. The relationship between qualified practitioners and the state is indicative of a particular dynamic in which some individuals are able to exclude others by mechanisms of social …

Kuru, Scott Turner

Honors Theses

The paper begins with a discussion on the discovery of kuru, a degenerative disease of the central nervous system. This is followed by a look at the cultural life of the Fore tribe, the natural hosts of kuru. The clinical characteristics, laboratory data, post-mortem findings and histopathology of kuru victims are also discussed.

The extensive transmission experiments involving kuru is the next topic presented. Next, a classification of disease, the origin of kuru the infectious agent involved, the etiology, the epidemiology and a possible genetic basis for kuru is given.

The paper ends with a look into some of the …

The Animal Quarantine Service, R K. Kent

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Exotic diseases are a constant threat to Australia's animal industry and there are many reasons for the uncompromising ban on the import of certain animals from overseas.

Such diseases as foot and mouth and blue tongue would cost Australia a tremendous amount of money if they became established here.

Just how Australia protects itself against the introduction of exotic diseases is described by Veterinary Surgeon, R. K. Kent, M.R.C.V.S., in this article .

Ticks Affecting Animals In Australia, J Shilkin

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

WHILE there are many external parasites affecting animals in Australia, information in regard to their geographical distribution and incidence is far from complete.

However, there is little doubt that the ticks, and in particular, the cattle tick, are the most important of these parasites in Australia.

We are fortunate that many species are not present in this country, as some of them are carriers of serious diseases of both man and animals.