Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Exploring Australian Women's Level Of Nutrition Knowledge During Pregnancy: A Cross-Sectional Study, Khlood Bookari, Heather Yeatman, Moira J. Williamson

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) for pregnancy provides a number of food- and nutrition-related recommendations to assist pregnant women in optimizing their dietary behavior. However, there are limited data demonstrating pregnant women’s knowledge of the AGHE recommendations. This study investigated Australian pregnant women’s knowledge of the AGHE and related dietary recommendations for maintaining a healthy pregnancy. The variations in nutrition knowledge were compared with demographic characteristics. Methods: A cross-sectional study assessed eight different nutrition knowledge domains and the demographic characteristics of pregnant women. Four hundred women across Australia completed a multidimensional online survey based on validated and …

Challenges Experienced By Japanese Students With Oral Communication Skills In Australian Universities, Miho Yanagi, Amanda Ann Baker

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Due to ever-increasing demands to acquire effective communicative abilities in the English language, increasing numbers of international students choose to study in Western tertiary institutions; however, they frequently encounter difficulties in performing satisfactorily in English. This study aims to identify specific challenges that Japanese students face with oral communication skills while studying in Australian universities. Results from questionnaire data collected from 33 undergraduate and postgraduate Japanese students in Australia and interview data from five TESOL postgraduate students indicate that Japanese students have greater difficulty with speaking than with listening and pronunciation. It also sheds additional insight into two areas of …

Incorporating Health Literacy In Education For Socially Disadvantaged Adults: An Australian Feasibility Study, Danielle M. Muscat, Sian Smith, Haryana M. Dhillon, Suzanne Morony, Esther Davis, Karen Luxford, Heather L. Shepherd, Andrew Hayen, John Comings, Don Nutbeam, Kirsten Mccaffery

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background Adult education institutions have been identified as potential settings to improve health literacy and address the health inequalities that stem from limited health literacy. However, few health literacy interventions have been tested in this setting. Methods Feasibility study for an RCT of the UK Skilled for Health Program adapted for implementation in Australian adult education settings. Implementation at two sites with mixed methods evaluation to examine feasibility, test for change in participants' health literacy and pilot test health literacy measures. Results Twenty-two socially disadvantaged adults with low literacy participated in the program and received 80-90 hours of health literacy …

Evaluation Of An Australian Alcohol Media Literacy Program, Chloe Gordon, Steven J. Howard, Sandra C. Jones, Lisa K. Kervin

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective: A 10-lesson alcohol media literacy program was developed, underpinned by the message interpretation processing model, inoculation theory, and constructivist learning theory, and was tailored to be culturally relevant to the Australian context. This program aimed to increase students' media deconstruction skills and reduce intent to drink alcohol. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the program in achieving these goals through a short-term quasi-experimental trial. Method: Elementary schools were assigned to either the intervention group (83 students) or a wait-list control group (82 students). Student questionnaires were administered at three time points (baseline, after the …

Use Of Mobile And Cordless Phones And Cognition In Australian Primary School Children: A Prospective Cohort Study, Mary Redmayne, Catherine L. Smith, Geza Benke, Rodney J. Croft, Anna Dalecki, Christina Dimitriadis, Jordy Kaufman, Skye Macleod, Malcolm R. Sim, Rory Wolfe, Michael J. Abramson

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: Use of mobile (MP) and cordless phones (CP) is common among young children, but whether the resulting radiofrequency exposure affects development of cognitive skills is not known. Small changes have been found in older children. This study focused on children's exposures to MP and CP and cognitive development. The hypothesis was that children who used these phones would display differences in cognitive function compared to those who did not. Methods: We recruited 619 fourth-grade students (8-11 years) from 37 schools around Melbourne and Wollongong, Australia. Participants completed a short questionnaire, a computerised cognitive test battery, and the Stroop colour-word …

Australian Pregnant Women's Awareness Of Gestational Weight Gain And Dietary Guidelines: Opportunity For Action, Khlood Bookari, Heather Yeatman, Moira J. Williamson

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background. Excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) can negatively impact on maternal and foetal health. Guidelines based on Institute of Medicine (IOM) encourage managing GWG by following healthy eating recommendations and increasing physical activity. This study investigated pregnant women’s knowledge of their optimal GWG and recommended dietary approaches for GWGmanagement. Method. English-speaking pregnant women were recruited from five hospitals in New SouthWales (Australia) and an online link. Prepregnancy Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated from self-reported height and prepregnancy weight. Participants identified their recommended GWG. A survey assessed practical dietary knowledge and asked about broad dietary recommendations to prevent excessive GWG. …

Australian Women's Experiences Of The Subdermal Contraceptive Implant: A Qualitative Perspective, Kumiyo Inoue, Marguerite Kelly, Alexandra Barratt, Deborah Bateson, Alison Rutherford, Kirsten I. Black, Mary Stewart, Juliet Richters

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

Background The number of prescriptions for contraceptive implants has steadily increased in Australia, but implant use is still low. Objectives The objectives of the study were to describe women's nuanced responses, and characterise their multidimensional and complex reasons for (dis)continuing use of the contraceptive implant. Method A descriptive qualitative approach was used for this study. A larger qualitative study using in-depth, open-ended interviews, conducted in New South Wales between 2012 and 2013 with 94 women aged 16-49 years who had used contraception, included 10 interviews containing accounts of implant use. The 10 interviews were analysed thematically in the present study. …

Bioelectromagnetics Research Within An Australian Context: The Australian Centre For Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research (Acebr), Sarah P. Loughran, Md Shahriar Hossain, Alan Bentvelzen, Mark Elwood, John Finnie, Josip Horvat, Steve Iskra, Elena Ivanova, Jim Manavis, Alireza Lajevardipour, Boris Martinac, Robert L. Mcintosh, Raymond J. Mckenzie, Mislav Mustapic, Yoshitaka Nakayama, Elena Pirogova, M. Harunur Rashid, Nigel A.S. Taylor, Nevena Todorova, Peter M. Wiedemann, Robert Vink, Andrew J. Wood, Irene Yarovsky, Rodney J. Croft

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.

Playing With Grammar: A Pedagogical Heuristic For Orientating To The Language Content Of The Australian Curriculum: English, Beryl Exley, Lisa K. Kervin, Jessica Mantei

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

In this article we introduce a heuristic for orientating to the language content of the Australian Curriculum: English. Our pedagogical heuristic, called 'Playing with Grammar', moves through three separate but interwoven stages: (i) an introduction to the learning experience, (ii) a focus on learning, and (iii) an application of new knowledge where students read and/or write with grammar in mind. We draw on aspects of Bernstein's sociological theories to consider the implications of keeping the content of the Language, Literature and Literacy strands together or apart. We also theorise different pedagogical approaches where teachers or learners control the sequence and …

The Normative Power Of Food Promotions: Australian Children's Attachments To Unhealthy Food Brands, Bridget Kelly, Becky Freeman, Lesley King, Kathy Chapman, Louise A. Baur, Timothy P. Gill

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The formation of food brand associations and attachment is fundamental to brand preferences, which influence purchases and consumption. Food promotions operate through a cascade of links, from brand recognition, to affect, and on to consumption. Frequent exposures to product promotions may establish social norms for products, reinforcing brand affect. These pathways signify potential mechanisms for how children's exposure to unhealthy food promotions can contribute to poor diets. The present study explored children's brand associations and attachments for major food brands. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted. Fourteen study brands were used, with each child viewing a set of seven logos. …

The Impact Of Electronic Health Records On Risk Management Of Information Systems In Australian Residential Aged Care Homes, Tao Jiang, Ping Yu, David M. Hailey, Jun Ma, Jie Yang

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

To obtain indications of the influence of electronic health records (EHR) in managing risks and meeting information system accreditation standard in Australian residential aged care (RAC) homes. The hypothesis to be tested is that the RAC homes using EHR have better performance in meeting information system standards in aged care accreditation than their counterparts only using paper records for information management. Content analysis of aged care accreditation reports from the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency produced between April 2011 and December 2013. Items identified included types of information systems, compliance with accreditation standards, and indicators of failure to meet …

Cloud Computing Services Adoption In Australian Smes: A Firm-Level Investigation, Salim Al Isma'ili, Mengxiang Li, Qiang He, Jun Shen

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Cloud computing services can boost the competitiveness of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and leverage countries' economies. In the Australian context, there is an emerging trend that SMEs begin to embrace cloud technology in their traditional business activities. However, prior studies did not pay much attention to investigating the factors that influence the cloud computing adoption among Australian SMEs. To fill the research gap, this paper investigates the influential factors that affect the decision on adopting cloud computing services for Australian SMEs. Protocol data collected from fifteen firm-level semi-structured interviews with practitioners are presented and discussed. The protocol analysis indicates …

Cloud Computing Adoption Determinants: An Analysis Of Australian Smes, Salim Al Isma'ili, Mengxiang Li, Jun Shen, Qiang He

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

In Australia, there is an emerging tendency among SMEs towards the adoption of cloud computing. However, there are limited studies investigating the factors that influence cloud computing adoption within Australian SMEs. To fill the research vacuum, we developed a research model based on the diffusion of innovation theory (DOI), the technology-organisation-environment (TOE) framework, and our prior exploratory study to investigate the determinants that influence the adoption of cloud computing. An organizational-level survey was conducted across Australia to collect data from technology decision makers in SMEs. Data collected from 203 firms are used to test the related hypotheses. This study contributes …

Students' Perceived Understanding And Competency In Probability Concepts In An E-Learning Environment: An Australian Experience, M Zamalia, Anne L. Porter

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Student understanding and competency in probability have been investigated from different perspectives. Competency is often measured in the form of tests. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether perceived understanding and competency can be calibrated and assessed together using Rasch measurement tools. The study comprised 44 students who enrolled in the STAT131 Understanding Uncertainty and Variation course at University of Wollongong, Australia. Their voluntary participation in the study was through the e-learning Moodle platform where tests and assessment were administered online. Data were analysed using the Rasch measurement models. The study revealed majority of the students had little …

Evaluating Women's Knowledge Of The Combined Oral Contraceptive Pill In An Australian Rural General Practice Setting, Sharna Kulhavy, Teresa M. Treweek

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

Background: In addition to the contraceptive action of the combined oral contraceptive pill (COCP), there are a number of other benefits to its use such as menstrual cycle regulation. However, COCP use is also associated with a higher risk of thromboembolism. Despite the prevalence of COCP use, studies have indicated that overall women have poor knowledge of the COCP.

Aim: To evaluate women's knowledge of the COCP in a rural general practice setting. The extent of knowledge was assessed in several domains including: COCP use and effectiveness, mechanism of action, and the risks and benefits of COCP use. …

Demonstrating Retrofitting: Perspectives From Australian Local Government, Robyn Dowling, Pauline M. Mcguirk, Harriet Bulkeley

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Cities are critical to transitions to low carbon futures, not only because of the large and growing global urban population but also because global resource consumption is concentrated in cities (Gossop, 2011:208; Hodson, Marvin, Robinson, & Swilling, 2012; Monstadt, 2007). Ensuring that new urban spaces, such as new housing or new city precincts, are low or zero carbon is central to these transitions (Hodson & Marvin, 2010). Yet, equally important to reducing urban carbon consumption is the retrofitting of existing urban planning frameworks and imaginaries, infrastructure, built form and patterns of daily life (Eames et.al., 2013; Pincetl, 2012). Retrofitting involves …

Australian Midwives And Provision Of Nutrition Education During Pregnancy: A Cross Sectional Survey Of Nutrition Knowledge, Attitudes, And Confidence, Jamila Arrish, Heather Yeatman, Moira J. Williamson

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: Maternal nutrition during pregnancy affects the health of the mother and the baby. Midwives are ideally placed to provide nutrition education to pregnant women. There is limited published research evidence of Australian midwives' nutrition knowledge, attitudes and confidence. Aim: To investigate Australian midwives' nutrition knowledge, attitudes and confidence in providing nutrition education during pregnancy. Methods: Members of the Australian College of Midwives (n = 4770) were sent an invitation email to participate in a web-based survey, followed by two reminders. Findings: The completion rate was 6.9% (329 of 4770). The majority (86.6% and 75.7%, respectively) highly rated the importance …

Nutrition Education In Australian Midwifery Programmes: A Mixed-Methods Study, Jamila Arrish, Heather Yeatman, Moira J. Williamson

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Little research has explored how nutrition content in midwifery education prepares midwives to provide prenatal nutrition advice. This study examined the nature and extent of nutrition education provided in Australian midwifery programmes. A mixed-methods approach was used, incorporating an online survey and telephone interviews. The survey analysis included 23 course coordinators representing 24 of 50 accredited midwifery programmes in 2012. Overall, the coordinators considered nutrition in midwifery curricula and the midwife's role as important. All programmes included nutrition content; however, eleven had only 5 to nutrition, while two had a designated unit. Various topics were covered. Dietitians/other nutrition experts were …

A Comparison Of Chinese And Australian University Students' Attitudes Towards Plagiarism, John Ehrich, Steven J. Howard, Congjun Mu, Sahar Bokosmaty

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Student plagiarism is a growing problem within Australian universities and abroad. Potentially exacerbating this situation, research indicates that students' attitudes toward plagiarism are typically more permissive and lenient than the policies of their tertiary institutions. There has been suggestion that this is especially so in Asian countries relative to Western countries; however, very little research has sought to empirically validate this suggestion. Moreover, existing research in this area has typically compared international and domestic students studying in Western countries. As yet, no studies have directly compared Chinese and Australian university students' attitudes toward plagiarism, as they exist within their native …

Investigations Into The Identification And Control Of Outburst In Australian Underground Coal Mines, Dennis J. Black

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part B

Australian coal mines currently use gas content to assess outburst risk. The gas content threshold values for each mine are indirectly determined from measurement of gas volume liberated from 150 g coal samples during Q3 residual gas content testing. It has been more than twenty (20) years since this method, known as DRI900, was presented to the Australian coal industry, and in that time there have been significant changes in mining conditions and the outburst threshold limits used at the benchmark Bulli seam mines.Current coal mining legislation in both Queensland [7] and New South Wales [6] provide little guidance in …

The Role And Positioning Of Numeracy In Australian Universities - Does It Matter?, Lesley Wilkins

Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) - Papers

Numeracy has been problematic for practitioners. It has been difficult to de-termine a consistent definition of the term; moreover, there has never been real agreement on its role, or position, within society, or within higher edu-cation. Many students who find mathematics "challenging", but who need to pass a non-specialist mathematics subject in order to graduate, consult Learning Development lecturers in order to obtain assistance with mathemat-ics. Students present with a variety of difficulties ranging from gaps in their schooling, especially senior school mathematics, through to more fundamen-tal mathematics topics. Many students confess to being "bad at maths"; are openly negative …

Lassi: An Australian Evaluation Of An Enduring Study Skills Assessment Tool, James Gt Marland, Joanne Dearlove, Jennifer Carpenter

Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) - Papers

This study assesses the reliability and validity of the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI), an American survey instrument, in an Australian context. The results of this study were compared with those generated by a comparison study held at a different Australian university and also against other internationally published research. There was a high degree of similarity between the LASSI scores from the students at the two Australian universities, however these scores were considerably different from norms published in the LASSI manual. The students' scores in this study were also compared with data on their gender and age and the …

Moocs' Contribution To Staff Development And Capacity Building: Australian University Case Study, Irit Alony, Stuart B. Kaye, Sarah R. Lambert

Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) - Papers

This paper demonstrates how engaging in the development of MOOCs produces benefits beyond student learning and reputational benefits to the institution. The Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS), a University of Wollongong (UOW) specialist centre in ocean law and policy research, developed a MOOC as a first step towards a fully online Masters program, despite the team's limited experience with online teaching technologies. This small scale pilot suggests that engagement in the development of MOOCs supports not only staff skills' development, but also stimulates capacity-building - both within the academic unit and within the broader institution - …

Developing Responsive Resource Sharing Services At An Australian Regional University: University Of Wollongong Library, Rebecca Daly

Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) - Papers

Purpose

In 2013 the University of Wollongong (UOW) Library completed a review of its Resource Sharing services in order to provide a financially viable service relevant to the research support needs of University clients. This paper provides an update of the service two years on.

Design/methodology/approach

UOW Library has been attentive to global changes in the resource sharing industry and document supply services. Unmediated resource sharing options are growing and assuming an increasing portion of requests received from clients. UOW’s involvement in new services has focused attention on the value of its collection, particularly the last national copy of a …

Framing Overdiagnosis In Breast Screening: A Qualitative Study With Australian Experts, Lisa M. Parker, Lucie Rychetnik, Stacy M. Carter

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background The purpose of this study was to identify how the topic of overdiagnosis in breast cancer screening is framed by experts and to clarify differences and similarities within these frames in terms of problems, causes, values and solutions. Methods We used a qualitative methodology using interviews with breast screening experts across Australia and applying framing theory to map and analyse their views about overdiagnosis. We interviewed 33 breast screening experts who influence the public and/or policy makers via one or more of: public or academic commentary; senior service management; government advisory bodies; professional committees; non-government/consumer organisations. Experts were currently …

Values In Breast Cancer Screening: An Empirical Study With Australian Experts, Lisa M. Parker, Lucie Rychetnik, Stacy M. Carter

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective To explore what Australian experts value in breast screening, how these values are conceptualised and prioritised, and how they inform experts' reasoning and judgement about the Australian breast-screening programme. Design Qualitative study based on interviews with experts. Participants 33 experts, including clinicians, programme managers, policymakers, advocates and researchers selected for their recognisable influence in the Australian breast-screening setting. Setting Australian breast-screening policy, practice and research settings. Results Experts expressed 2 types of values: ethical values (about what was good, important or right) and epistemological values (about how evidence should be created and used). Ethical values included delivering benefit, avoiding …

The Role Of Communication In Breast Cancer Screening: A Qualitative Study With Australian Experts, Lisa M. Parker, Lucie Rychetnik, Stacy M. Carter

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background One well-accepted strategy for optimising outcomes in mammographic breast cancer screening is to improve communication with women about screening. It is not always clear, however, what it is that communication should be expected to achieve, and why or how this is so. We investigated Australian experts' opinions on breast screening communication. Our research questions were: 1 What are the views of Australian experts about communicating with consumers on breast screening? 2 How do experts reason about this topic? Methods We used a qualitative methodology, interviewing 33 breast screening experts across Australia with recognisable influence in the Australian mammographic breast …

Curriculum, Collateral And Collaboration: Addressing Alcohol And Social Norms In An Australian High School Setting, Kelly Andrews, Stephen Hudson, Hayley Dean, Danika Hall, Ashleigh Kunze, Sandra C. Jones

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

There is a commonly held perception that the majority of Australian teenagers drink alcohol, and a perceived 'social norm' among teenagers that their peers are drinkers and expect them to be drinkers. However, results of the Australian Secondary Schools Alcohol and Drug (ASSAD) Survey, conducted every three years since 1984, show a decline in the proportion of teenagers who are regular drinkers; from 30% of 12-15 year olds in 1984 to 11% in 2011, and 50% of 16-17 years olds in 1984 down to 33% in 2011 (White & Bariola, 2012). The 'Alcohol and Social Norms Project' conducted in a …

Why Are Young Australian Unis Punching Above Their Weight?, Christopher R. Gibson

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The latest Times Higher Education rankings of universities under 50 years old paints a positive picture for the Australian higher education sector. Of the Top 100 Under 50, Australia has more high-ranking universities (16) than any other country. What is it about the Australian higher education system that allows new universities to flourish more so than in the US or UK? What does the THE Top 100 Under 50 result say about our "need" for reform in the higher education sector? To put this result into perspective, the UK, with nearly triple our population (64 million) and well over triple …

Ethnically Diverse Transport Behaviours: An Australian Perspective, Natascha Klocker, Stephanie Toole, Alexander Tindale, Sophie-May Kerr

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Rates of car ownership in Australia are among the highest in the world. Private cars have shaped the urban form of Australian cities and the daily routines of their residents, making it possible to fulfil geographically stretched responsibilities for work, family, and social lives. But the dominance of the private car in Australian lives and landscapes should not be confused with universality. Aggregate, population-wide statistics of car ownership and use mask the fact that not all Australians are equally car dependent. In this paper, we report on the results of a household sustainability survey conducted in metropolitan Sydney and Wollongong. …