Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Content Analysis Of Disease Awareness Advertisements In Popular Australian Women's Magazines, Danika V. Hall, Sandra C. Jones, Donald C. Iverson

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective: To examine the nature of disease awareness advertising (DAA). Design: Therapeutic advertisements in six popular Australian women’s magazines were monitored between April 2006 and March 2007. A subset of advertisements was included in the study based on criteria derived from a definition of DAA. Unique advertisements were analysed by four independent coders. Main outcome measures: Types of advertisements and their sponsors, the types of disease information present, and the persuasive techniques utilised. Results: Of 711 advertisements identified, 60 met the inclusion criteria for DAA, and 30 of these were unique. Over one-third of the advertisements were classified as “unbranded …

Disease Awareness Advertisements In Australian Magazines: An Analysis Of Content And Compliance, Danika Hall, Sandra C. Jones, Donald C. Iverson

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

In Australia, Direct to Consumer Advertising (DTCA) of prescription medicine is prohibited; however pharmaceutical companies can communicate directly with consumers via Disease Awareness Advertising (DAA). DAA can contain information about a disease including treatment information, but cannot mention the name of a particular product or brand. DAA is currently regulated by the industry body Medicines Australia (MA). In the current study, content analysis methodology was used to determine the extent and nature of DAA in popular Australian women’s magazines which were monitored for 12 months. Findings relating to the use of visual appeals in the imagery and rational appeals in …

Whose Standards? An Examination Of Community Attitudes Towards Australian Advertising, Sandra C. Jones, Katherine Eagleton

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

There is considerable ongoing debate in Australia, as in other countries, about the ethicality of current advertising practices. In recent years there has been an increase in the public focus on offensive or unacceptable advertising – such as overt sex appeals, racial vilification, and promotion of unsafe use of consumer products – arguing that many of these advertisements (ads) are contrary to community standards. The industry, on the other hand, argues that it produces ads that are designed to meet and appeal to community standards. There is no comprehensive data on the nature of community standards in relation to advertising, …

Action Or Inaction? Food And Nutrition In Australian Local Governments, Heather Yeatman

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective: To determine the current level of activity of Australian local governments in twenty-nine food and nutrition action areas and whether the level of activity had changed between 1995 and 2007.Design: A cross-sectional study utilising a postal survey was undertaken of all local governments in Australia. The same instrument and protocol were used in 1995 and 2007.Setting: Australian local governments.Results: Local governments in Australia continue to be engaged in food and nutrition activities. This involvement has constricted in range in the last 12 years but higher levels of engagement are reported for several areas. The levels of involvement of local …

An Evaluation Of The Thermal Protective Clothing Used By Six Australian Fire Brigades, Pete Kerry, Anne Van Den Heuvel, Martin Van Dijk, Gregory E. Peoples, Nigel A.S. Taylor

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Individuals working in hot environments experience an increase in body core temperature due to the combined influences of physical activity, which elevates metabolic heat production, and external heat sources, which impede heat loss. Since dry heat exchanges are dependent upon thermal gradients, then hotter environments restrict heat dissipation, particularly when the air temperature approaches and exceeds that of the skin. Heat loss will now become progressively more reliant upon the evaporation of sweat, which is also gradient dependent.

Comparison Of Computerised Dietary Assessments With Diet History And Food Record Data At Baseline In An Australian Food-Based Clinical Trial, Yasmine Probst, Virva Sarmas, Linda C. Tapsell

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: Food-based clinical trials are vital to advance the scientific evidence for the impact of food on health. These trials reqUire stringent dietary assessment to substantiate effects. We are evaluating the use of a self-administered computerised dietary assessment (DietAdvice) in a current food based weight loss trial. Objective: This cross sectional study aims to compare data from DietAdvice with diet history (DH) and food record (FR) dietary assessments measured at baseline. Materials and Methods: Baseline data for n=71 overweight (23-60 years, BMI 25-37 kg/m2) participants was utilised. Macronutrient data for matched dietary assessments from n=32 participants was obtained for the …

Water Shortage In Australian Fast Food Outlets, Lesley King, Bridget P. Kelly, Joey Ho, Libby Hattersley

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.

Variation Of The Omega-3 Content Of Australian Food Products, Yasmine Probst, Rebecca L. Thorne, Jane E. O'Shea, Holley-Anne Jones, Riikka Karkkainen, Sophie Guenon, Linda C. Tapsell

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Abstract from the 2008 Annual Scientific Meeting of the Nutrition Society of Australia, 30 November - 3 December 2008, Glenelg, Australia.

Toward The Science-Informed Practice Of Clinical Supervision: The Australian Context, Craig J. Gonsalvez, Hamish Mcleod

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Although supervision of clinical practice is mandatory for trainee psychologists, surprisingly little is known about the key ingredients of effective supervision and the relationship between supervision and patient outcomes. The purpose of this paper was to review current regulations that shape supervision in Australia and explore the links between these regulations and the components of effective supervision. Although recent developments including supervisor training and other quality control programs are an indication of progress, there are several empirical and conceptual issues in the supervision literature that require resolution. The second part of this paper identifies the gaps in the supervision literature …

Dietary Validation Of A New Australian Food-Frequency Questionnaire That Estimates Long-Chain N-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, Bethany L. Sullivan, Janelle Brown, Peter Williams, Barbara Meyer

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Currently, there is no FFQ designed to capture the intakes of the long-chain (LC) n-3 PUFA. The objectives of this study were to validate a new LC n-3 PUFA FFQ by comparison with 3 d weighed food records (FR) and to determine its reproducibility assessed 4 to 6 weeks apart. Healthy male and female subjects (n 53) were recruited from Wollongong and the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. The FFQ and FR were analysed for LC n-3 PUFA intakes using a nutrient analysis software package and these intakes were compared using Wilcoxon signed rank tests and Spearman …

Do Australian Primary School Environments Affect Children's Playground Physical Activity Levels?, Anne-Maree Parrish, Donald Iverson, Kenneth Russell, Heather Yeatman

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.

Testing The Validity Of The Recovery Assessment Scale Using An Australian Sample, Mandy Mcnaught, Peter Caputi, Lindsay G. Oades, Frank P. Deane

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective: Mental health services in Australia are increasingly becoming recovery orientated. However, there are varying meanings for recovery and few measures that specifically target recovery outcomes. The current study aimed to assess the construct and concurrent validity of a patient self-report measure, the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS).

Method: Participants were 168 individuals with severe and persistent psychiatric disability who were participants in the Australian Integrated Mental Health Initiative (AIMhi) project. They completed self-report recovery and other mental health measures and their case workers completed the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were carried out to …

A Pilot Study Investigating Of The Nature Of Point-Of-Sale Alcohol Promotions In Bottle Shops In A Large Australian Regional City, Sandra C. Jones, Melissa Lynch

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective: The promotion of alcohol by retailers and media can contribute to a culture of excessive alcohol consumption, but the effect of non-advertising alcohol promotions has largely been neglected. This study sought to gather initial data on this important area.Method: An observational study of alcohol point-of-sale promotions in the Wollongong CBD area, conducted in July-August 2005.Results: We identified 17 different promotions in three categories: gift with purchase; competitions; and buy some, get some free.Conclusions: Given previous research demonstrating the relationship between increased alcohol consumption and both ownership of alcohol-related merchandise and reduced per unit price, it appears that point-of-sale promotions …

Developing A Tool To Measure 'Magnetism' In Australian Nursing Environments, Joanne T. Joyce-Mccoach, Patrick A. Crookes

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The magnet hospital concept, developed in the United States of America (USA) in the early eighties, identified characteristics successful in attracting and retaining nursing staff. The nursing profession in Australia is currently focused on issues of recruitment and retention; therefore it is relevant and timely to consider the significance of the magnet concept to Australian health facilities. The project was undertaken in two stages: one using focus groups to revise the tool for use in Australia; and a second, using a questionnaire to test the reliability, validity and usability, of this revised tool, in a sample of Australian hospitals. The …

Prevalence Of Low Serum Folate And Vitamin B12 In An Older Australian Population, Victoria M. Flood, Wayne T. Smith, Karen L. Webb, Elena Rochtchina, Valerie Anderson, Paul Mitchell

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective: To examine the prevalence of low serum folate and vitamin B12, in association with elevated serum homocysteine, in a representative sample of older Australians. Methods: During 1997-2000, 3,508 persons aged 50+ years were examined in a population-based cohort study conducted in two postcodes, west of Sydney, Australia. Of these, 2,901 participants (82.7%) provided fasting blood for estimates of serum folate, vitamin B12 and total homocysteine. Results: Low serum B12 (<185 pmol>/L) was found in 22.9% of participants and low serum folate (<6.8 nmol/L) in 2.3% of participants. Among those people with very low serum vitamin B12 (<125 pmol/L) and low serum folate, 51% had elevated homocysteine. Conclusions: Low serum levels of vitamin B12 and elevated serum homocysteine are relatively frequent in older Australians. Implications: Appropriate public health action should be considered to reduce the prevalence of low serum vitamin B12 and elevated homocysteine in older Australians.

Do We Encourage Health Or Illness? A Survey Of Exercise Rehabilitation Practices For Patients In Australian Renal Units, Y. White, B. Grenyer

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: People with end stage renal disease (ESRD) have been reported as having low levels of physical activity. Sedentary behaviours increase illness risks which may lead to burdens on the public health system which include costs of medical care. Research has established that exercise is reported to improve general health and wellbeing. Benefits include better aerobic tolerance, maintenance and improvement in physical function and capacity, and improvement in self-concept and well-being. These same improvements also occur in an exercising ESRD population, even though the improvements might be of less magnitude. Renal unit staff can have a major impact on patients …

Can Motivational Signs Prompt Increases In Incidental Physical Activity In An Australian Health-Care Facility?, A L. Marshall, A E. Bauman, C Patch, J Wilson, J Chen

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This study aimed to evaluate whether a stairpromoting signed intervention could increase the use of the stairs over the elevator in a health-care facility. A time-series design was conducted over 12 weeks. Data were collected before, during and after displaying a signed intervention during weeks 4–5 and 8–9. Evaluation included anonymous counts recorded by an objective unobtrusive motion-sensing device of people entering the elevator or the stairs. Self-report data on stair use by hospital staff were also collected. Stair use significantly increased after the first intervention phase (P 0.02), but after the intervention was removed stair use decreased back towards …