Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Mental Health Presentations To Acute Psychiatric Services: 3-Year Study Of Prevalence And Readmission Risk For Personality Disorders Compared With Psychotic, Affective, Substance Or Other Disorders, Kate L. Lewis, Mahnaz Fanaian, Beth Kotze, Brin F. S Grenyer

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background The relative burden and risk of readmission for people with personality disorders in hospital settings is unknown. Aims To compare hospital use of people with personality disorder with that of people with other mental health diagnoses, such as psychoses and affective disorders. Method Naturalistic study of hospital presentations for mental health in a large community catchment. Mixed-effects Cox regression and survival curves were generated to examine risk of readmission for each group. Results Of 2894 people presenting to hospital, patients with personality disorder represented 20.5% of emergency and 26.6% of in-patients. Patients with personality disorder or psychoses were 2.3 …

'Our Lives' And 'Life Happens', From Stigma To Empathy In Young People's Depictions Of Sexual Health And Relationships, Kate Senior, Laura Grozdanovski, Richard D. Chenhall, Stephen Minton

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This article describes qualitative research undertaken to explore young people's understanding of sex and relationships that used a scenario-driven body-mapping technique. This art-based method was designed to allow young people to think deeply about the subject and build upon each other's ideas through the medium of decorating a life-sized human body. Although this method produced rich information the depictions of young people tended to be highly stigmatized. We further refined the method to encourage young people to empathize with the character that they created and the resultant research became the basis for the sexual health resource 'Life Happens'.

Parental Perceptions Of Barriers To Mental Health Services For Young People, Wendy Iskra, Frank P. Deane, Tim Wahlin, Esther Davis

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Aim: This study explores a range of barriers that parents encountered in accessing mental health services. The study also explored whether parents experienced similar barriers to accessing services in 2003 and 2013. Methods: One hundred and thirty-four parents of young people attending an initial assessment at a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) or headspace centre completed a questionnaire assessing 10 general barriers to care. These data were compared to those collected from 129 participants at CAMHS in 2003. Results: The ranking of barriers to mental health care for their children was similar for both survey years, with 'wait …

Health Literacy And Health-Promoting Behaviours Among Australian-Singaporean Communities Living In Sydney Metropolitan Area, Tze Gek Ho, Hassan Hosseinzadeh, Rahman Rahman, Mohamud Sheikh

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: Health literacy affects how individuals navigate and make decisions within the healthcare system and has been recognized to influence health behaviours. However, less is known about its associations with health-promoting behaviours amongst Australian migrant populations. This study is an attempt to fill this gap by investigating the level of health literacy and its associations with physical activity, healthy diet, smoking and health services utilization among Australian-Singaporean communities. Methods: A total of 157 participants were recruited from Singaporean communities living in Sydney metropolitan areas, New South Wales, Australia. Data was collected through a cross-sectional online survey from January 2016 to …

Opportunities And Challenges To Improving Antibiotic Prescribing Practices Through A One Health Approach: Results Of A Comparative Survey Of Doctors, Dentists And Veterinarians In Australia, Annie Zhuo, Maurizio Labbate, Jacqueline M. Norris, Gwendolyn L. Gilbert, Michael P. Ward, Beata Bajorek, Christopher J. Degeling, Samantha J. Rowbotham, Angus Dawson, Ky-Anh Nguyen, Grant A. Hill-Cawthorne, T C. Sorrell, Merran Govendir, Alison M. Kesson, Jon Iredell, Dale Dominey-Howes

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objectives: To explore and compare the knowledge, attitudes and experiences of doctors, dentists and veterinarians (as prescribers) in relation to antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance (AbR), and to consider the implications of these for policy-making that support a One Health approach. Design: A cross-sectional survey conducted online. Setting: Doctors, dentists and veterinarians practising in primary, secondary or tertiary care in Australia. Participants: 547 doctors, 380 dentists and 403 veterinarians completed the survey. Main outcome measures: Prescribers' knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of AbR, the extent to which a range of factors are perceived as barriers to appropriate prescribing practices, and perceived …

Rabies Response, One Health And More-Than-Human Considerations In Indigenous Communities In Northern Australia, Christopher J. Degeling, Victoria Brookes, Tess Lea, Michael P. Ward

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Australia is currently canine rabies free; however, the spread of rabies in eastern Indonesia poses an increasing risk to northern Australia. Domestic dogs are numerous in East Arnhem Land (EAL) and the Northern Peninsular Area (NPA), usually unrestrained and living in close relationships with humans. The response to any rabies outbreak on Australian territory will focus on dog vaccination, controlling dog movements and depopulation. A One Health approach to zoonotic disease control should seek to co-promote human and animal health, whilst also seeking to accommodate the preferences of affected communities. We report on 5 collaborative workshops and 28 semi-structured interviews …

Factors Associated With Under-Five Mortality In Bhutan: An Analysis Of The Bhutan National Health Survey 2012, Tashi Dendup, Yun Zhao, Deki Dema

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: As an important marker for health equity and access, under-five mortality (UFM) is a primary measure for socioeconomic development. The importance of reducing UFM has been further emphasized in an ambitious target under Sustainable Development Goals. The factors influencing UFM are not adequately understood in Bhutan. Methods: The most recent dataset of the Bhutan National Health Survey (BNHS) 2012 was used in this study. Multiple logistic regression analysis using a backwards elimination approach was performed to identify significant factors influencing UFM. All statistical analyses were adjusted for the complex study design due to the multistage stratified cluster sampling used …

Trends In Prevalence Of Leisure Time Physical Activity And Inactivity: Results From Australian National Health Surveys 1989 To 2011, Josephine Chau, Tien Chey, Sarah Burks-Young, Lina Engelen, Adrian E. Bauman

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective: To examine trends in leisure time physical activity and inactivity in Australians aged 15 years or older from 1989 to 2011.

Method: We used data from six Australian National Health Surveys conducted from 1989/90 to 2011/12 in which physical activity was assessed using comparable questions. Analyses examined trends in the prevalence of sufficient physical activity (≥150 minutes/week moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity) and of inactivity (<30 minutes/week moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity).

Results: The proportion of sufficiently active adults was 39.2% in 1989 and 40.7% in 2011 with an overall declining trend of 0.2% per year (p=0.012). The prevalence of inactivity was 38.7% in 1989 …

Personality Disorder: A Mental Health Priority Area, Brin F. S Grenyer, Fiona Y. Ng, Michelle L. Townsend, Sathya Rao

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Personality disorders have received limited recognition as a public health priority, despite the publication of treatment guidelines and reviews showing effective treatments are available. Inclusive approaches to understanding and servicing personality disorder are required that integrate different service providers. This viewpoint paper identifies pertinent issues surrounding early intervention, treatment needs, consumer and carer experiences, and the need for accurate and representative data collection in personality disorder as starting points in mental health care reform.

Impact Of A Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis On Mental Health, Quality Of Life, And Social Contacts: A Longitudinal Study, Xiaoqi Feng, Thomas E. Astell-Burt

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Aims The aim was to examine whether a type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) diagnosis increases the odds of psychological distress, a worsening in overall quality of life, and a potential reduction in social contacts.

Method Longitudinal data were obtained from the 45 and Up Study (baseline 2006–2008; 3.4±0.95 years follow-up time). Fixed effects logistic and negative binomial regression models were fitted on a complete case on outcome sample that did not report T2DM at baseline (N=26 344), adjusted for time-varying confounders. The key exposure was doctor-diagnosed T2DM at follow-up. Outcome variables examined included the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, self-rated quality …

Mental Health Workers' Values And Thier Congruency With Recovery Principles, Bianca Glajz, Frank P. Deane, Virginia Williams

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Recovery in mental health emphasises the empowerment of clients to discover and develop hope and a more satisfying life often in presence of ongoing symptoms of mental health.

Knowledge And Attitudes To Sexual Health And Sti Testing For Students At An Australian Regional University: A Cross-Sectional Study, Catherine L. Mac Phail, Tinashe Dune, Gina Dillon, Saifur Rahman, Rasheda Khanam, Laura Jenkins, Marnie Britton, Bernie Green, Christine Edwards, Annette Stevenson

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Notifications for sexually transmitted diseases in young people in Australia are increasing. Young people are a priority population within the National Sexually Transmissible Infections Strategy, yet their knowledge of sexual health issues is limited. In the context of Health-Promoting Universities, we examined sexual health knowledge and access to care of both on and off-campus students at a regional university. In late 2012, 418 tertiary students aged 18-29 years completed an online baseline survey on their recent sexual behaviours and attitudes. In mid-2014, 956 students aged 18-31 years, of which 105 had completed the 2012 survey, completed the same or "endline" …

The Delaying Effect Of Stigma On Mental Health Help-Seeking In Sri Lanka, Sunera M. Fernando, Frank P. Deane, Hamish J. Mcleod

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: Mental health stigma has been associated with delays in seeking treatment. Aims: To describe perceived stigma experienced by patients and carers in Sri Lanka and to determine the effects of stigma on help-seeking delay. Methods: Survey of outpatients and family carers (n = 118 dyads) attending two psychiatric hospitals in Sri Lanka, using the Disclosure and Discrimination subscales of the Stigma Scale. Results: Stigma was positively related to help-seeking delay for carers but not patients. Public stigma experienced by carers accounted for 23% of the variance in help-seeking delay. Conclusion: Reducing stigma may reduce help-seeking delays during the course …

Cultural Relativism, Emergent Technology And Aboriginal Health Discourse, Kishan A. Kariippanon

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The incorporation of mobile phones and social media by Indigenous youth (Senior and Chenhall, 2016; Carlson, Farelli, Frazer & Brothwick, 2015; Kral, 2014) has prompted a migration of online engagement and social marketing interventions in health promotion programs according to Brusse, Gardner, MacAulley & Dowden (2014). According to Kral (2014 p. 4) “the rapid development of new information and communication technologies, an increase in affordable, small mobile technologies” including research by Taylor (2012) on the increase in Telstra’s Internet enabled ‘Next G’ connections over the vast remote regions in the Northern Territory of Australia, has created “an explosion of new …

Targeting Population Nutrition Through Municipal Health And Food Policy: Implications Of New York City's Experiences In Regulatory Obesity Prevention, Jana Sisnowski, Jackie M. Street, Annette J. Braunack-Mayer

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Obesity remains a major public health challenge across OECD countries and policy-makers globally require successful policy precedents. This paper analyzes New York City’s innovative experiences in regulatory approaches to nutrition. We combined a systematic documentary review and key informant interviews (n = 9) with individuals directly involved in nutrition policy development and decision-making. Thematic analysis was guided by Kingdon’s three-streams-model and the International Obesity Task Force’s evidence-based decision-making framework. Our findings indicate that decisive mayoral leadership spearheaded initial agenda-change and built executive capacity to support evidence-driven policy. Policy-makers in the executive branch recognized the dearth of evidence for concrete …

Geographic Variation In Health Service Use And Perceived Access Barriers For Australian Adults With Chronic Non-Cancer Pain Receiving Opioid Therapy, Amy Peacock, Suzanne Nielsen, Raimondo Bruno, Gabrielle Campbell, Briony K. Larance, Louisa Degenhardt

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective. Rates of chronic non-cancer pain are increasing worldwide, with concerns regarding poorer access to specialist treatment services in remote areas. The current study comprised the first in-depth examination of use and barriers to access of health services in Australia according to remoteness. Methods. A cohort of Australian adults prescribed pharmaceutical opioids for chronic non-cancer pain (n = 1,235) were interviewed between August 2012 and April 2014, and grouped into 'major city' (49%), 'inner regional' (37%), and 'outer regional/remote' (14%) according to the Australian Standard Geographical Classification based on postcode. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine geographical differences …

A School-Based Intervention Incorporating Smartphone Technology To Improve Health-Related Fitness Among Adolescents: Rationale And Study Protocol For The Neat And Atlas 2.0 Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial And Dissemination Study, David R. Lubans, Jordan J. Smith, Louisa Peralta, Ronald Plotnikoff, Anthony D. Okely, Jo Salmon, Narelle Eather, Deborah Dewar, Sarah G. Kennedy, Chris Lonsdale, Toni A. Hilland, Paul Estabrooks, Tara Finn, Emma Pollock, Philip J. Morgan

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Introduction Physical inactivity has been described as a global pandemic. Interventions aimed at developing skills in lifelong physical activities may provide the foundation for an active lifestyle into adulthood. In general, school-based physical activity interventions targeting adolescents have produced modest results and few have been designed to be 'scaled-up' and disseminated. This study aims to: (1) assess the effectiveness of two physical activity promotion programmes (ie, NEAT and ATLAS) that have been modified for scalability; and (2) evaluate the dissemination of these programmes throughout government funded secondary schools. Methods and analysis The study will be conducted in two phases. In …

Are Respiratory Protection Standards Protecting Worker Health Against Ultrafine Diesel Particulate Matter Emissions? An Australian Perspective, Kerrie Burton, Jane L. Whitelaw, Alison L. Jones, Brian Davies

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Poster presentation made at the 20th ETH-Conference on Combustion Generated Nanoparticles, 13-16 June 2016, Zurich, Switzerland.

Aim: Ultrafine diesel engine emissions are known to cause adverse health impacts including lung cancer, cardiovascular and irritant effects (World Health Organisation 2012). Respiratory protective devices are commonly used to mitigate worker exposure to many hazardous contaminants, especially in heavy industry such as mining and refining. Current standards to evaluate penetration through respirator filter media may not consider ultrafine particles due to the diameter of the challenge aerosol and the detection limit of the instrument (Eninger et al. 2008). Nor do they test penetration …

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 …

Moving Beyond Body Image: A Socio-Critical Approach To Teaching About Health And Body Size, Jan Wright, Deana Leahy

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Concerns about young people's (read, young women's) body dissatisfaction in schools have resulted in the introduction of programs promoting positive body Image in an effort to reduce eating disorders. These programs, informed by psychological or socio-psychological notions of the relations between self and bodies, seem to have considerable credibility in schools and in the academic Iiterature because of their authoritative underpinnings. In this chapter, we want to examine the ways in which such programs engage with discourses around bodies, fat, and size. For example, do they challenge discourses of weight-based oppression, create safe spaces for learning about weight and size, …

Adesão Ao Tratamento Nas Perturbações Psiquiátricas: O Impacto Das Atitudes E Das Crenças Em Profissionais De Serviços De Psiquiatria E Saúde Mental Em Portugal. Parte I: Aspetos Conceptuais E Metodológicos, Ana Cardoso, Mitchell K. Byrne, Miguel Xavier

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Introduction Among the chronic health diseases are psychiatric disorders and it is well established that within this population there is a particularly high prevalence of non‐adherence to treatment. Methods Narrative review, of relevant literature. Results The majority of the research has focused primarily on the factors related to the patient that interfere with treatment adherence. However, there are studies that seem to indicate that the responsibility for increasing adherence is more related with the health professional than the patient. Conclusions Through the identification of factors associated with clinicians, we enable the development strategies to increase skills in mental health professionals …

Objectively Measured Sedentary Behaviour And Health And Development In Children And Adolescents: Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Dylan P. Cliff, Kylie Hesketh, Stewart A. Vella, Trina Hinkley, Margarita D. Tsiros, Nicola D. Ridgers, Alison Carver, Jenny Veitch, Anne-Maree Parrish, Louise L. Hardy, Ronald Plotnikoff, Anthony D. Okely, Jo Salmon, David R. Lubans

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Sedentary behaviour has emerged as a unique determinant of health in adults. Studies in children and adolescents have been less consistent. We reviewed the evidence to determine if the total volume and patterns (i.e. breaks and bouts) of objectively measured sedentary behaviour were associated with adverse health outcomes in young people, independent of moderate-intensity to vigorous-intensity physical activity. Four electronic databases (EMBASE MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, PubMed and Scopus) were searched (up to 12 November 2015) to retrieve studies among 2- to 18-year-olds, which used cross-sectional, longitudinal or experimental designs, and examined associations with health outcomes (adiposity, cardio-metabolic, fitness, respiratory, bone/musculoskeletal, …

The Integrated Mental Health Atlas Of Western Sydney, Luis Salvador-Carulla, Ana Fernandez, Cailin Mass, Jennifer Smith-Merry, James Gillespie, Thomas E. Astell-Burt, Xiaoqi Feng

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Australians living with serious and continuing ill-health face bewilderingly complex health and social care systems. Even experienced health professionals have trouble navigating this health care maze. The mental health service system poses some of the greatest navigation challenges. The recovery of individuals living with mental health issues, requires a smooth link between acute and domiciliary health care, housing and other social care agencies. The need for simple rules of navigation is strong, but fragmentation and gaps in services remain great, confounding attempts to understand and organise appropriate care and support. The need for deeper knowledge about the mental health system …

Analysis Of Health Service Amenable And Non-Amenable Mortality Before And Since China's Expansion Of Health Coverage In 2009, Xiaoqi Feng, Yunning Liu, Thomas E. Astell-Burt, Peng Yin, Andrew Page, Shiwei Liu, Jiangmei Liu, Lijun Wang, Maigeng Zhou

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective To explore early impacts of China's health reforms in 2009 on mortality. Methods Annual mortality counts were obtained from 161 counties across all 31 provinces of mainland China between 2006 and 2012. We examined time-series of health service amenable mortality counts, including separate analyses for deaths from stroke and ischaemic heart diseases (IHD). Non-amenable mortality counts, including separate models for oesophageal and pancreatic cancers, were also analysed as part of a negative-outcome strategy to provide stronger foundations for falsification. Deaths due to amenable causes were hypothesised to decrease, whereas non-amenable causes of mortality would remain uninfluenced. All analyses were …

Hpe Teachers' Negotiation Of Environmental Health Spaces: Discursive Positions, Embodiment And Materialism, Nicole Taylor, Jan Wright, Gabrielle H. O'Flynn

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

A National Curriculum in Health and Physical Education (HPE) has recently been developed in Australia. This new curriculum reflects, among other educational priorities, both environmental sensitivities and a commitment to the enhancement of young people's health and wellbeing. HPE is one of the key sites in the curriculum where a focused consideration of the relationship between the environment and health is possible. However, to date no research has considered the ways that HPE teachers might recognise and negotiate these spaces. The research described in this paper addresses this gap through an analysis of semi-structured interviews with generalist primary and specialist …

Respiratory Protection - Are Our Standards Protecting Worker Health Or Providing A False Sense Of Security?, Kerrie Burton, Jane L. Whitelaw, Alison L. Jones, Brian Davies

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

To determine whether currently utilised respirator filters effectively filter out Diesel Particulate Matter and provide worker protection; by testing respirator filters used in mining workplaces against DPM, and by measuring the sizes of particles that are penetrating the filters to determine whether that poses an additional health risk for workers.

Ethical Justifications In Alcohol-Related Health Warning Discourse, Emma Muhlack, Jaklin Eliott, D Carter, Annette J. Braunack-Mayer

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Cancer is the second most common cause of alcohol-related death in both men and women in Australia. In view of this and other health risks, mandatory health warnings on alcoholic beverages have been proposed in Australia and introduced elsewhere. This paper reviews academic literature and statements from selected advocacy groups to identify the ethical justifications that are used in relation to mandatory health warnings on alcoholic beverages. The paper then analyses how these justifications relate to the ethics of public health interventions in the context of cancer prevention. This involves examining the potential tension between the utilitarian nature of public …

A Cluster-Randomised Controlled Trial Of Values-Based Training To Promote Autonomously Held Recovery Values In Mental Health Workers, Virginia Williams, Frank P. Deane, Lindsay G. Oades, Trevor P. Crowe, Joseph Ciarrochi, Retta Andresen

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background The implementation and use of evidence-based practices is a key priority for recovery-oriented mental health service provision. Training and development programmes for employees continue to be a key method of knowledge and skill development, despite acknowledged difficulties with uptake and maintenance of behaviour change. Self-determination theory suggests that autonomy, or a sense that behaviour is self-generated, is a key motivator to sustained behaviour change, in this case practices in mental health services. This study examined the utility of values-focused staff intervention as a specific, reproducible method of autonomy support. Methods Mental health workers (n = 146) were assigned via …

Large-Scale Investment In Green Space As An Intervention For Physical Activity, Mental And Cardiometabolic Health: Study Protocol For A Quasi-Experimental Evaluation Of A Natural Experiment, Thomas E. Astell-Burt, Xiaoqi Feng, Gregory Kolt

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Introduction 'Green spaces' such as public parks are regarded as determinants of health, but evidence from tends to be based on cross-sectional designs. This protocol describes a study that will evaluate a large-scale investment in approximately 5280 hectares of green space stretching 27 km north to south in Western Sydney, Australia. Methods and analysis A Geographic Information System was used to identify 7272 participants in the 45 and Up Study baseline data (2006-2008) living within 5 km of the Western Sydney Parklands and some of the features that have been constructed since 2009, such as public access points, advertising billboards, …

Relational Conceptions Of Paternalism: A Way To Rebut Nanny-State Accusations And Evaluate Public Health Interventions, Stacy M. Carter, Vikki A. Entwistle, Miles Little

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objectives 'Nanny-state' accusations can function as powerful rhetorical weapons against interventions intended to promote public health. Public health advocates often lack effective rebuttals to these criticisms. Nanny-state accusations are largely accusations of paternalism. They conjure up emotive concern about undue governmental interference undermining peoples' autonomy. But autonomy can be understood in various ways. We outline three main conceptions of autonomy, argue that these that can underpin three different conceptions of paternalism, and consider implications for responses to nanny-state accusations and the assessment of public health interventions. Study design and methods Detailed conceptual analysis. Results The conceptions of paternalism implicit in …