Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Improving Awareness, Attitudes And Uptake Of The Australian Physical A Ctivity G Uidelines Among Primary School Students, Their Teachers And Parents, Lyn Phillipson, Danika Hall

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Abstract presented at the International Social Marketing Conference 2014, 17-18 July 2014, Melbourne, Australia

Smoking Mull: A Grounded Theory Model On The Dynamics Of Combined Tobacco And Cannabis Use Among Men, A Banbury, Avigdor Zask, Stacy M. Carter, Eric Van Beurden, R Tokley, Megan Passey, Jan Copeland

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Issue addressed Australians' use of cannabis has been increasing. Over a third of Australians (35.4%) have used cannabis at some time in their lives and 10.3% are recent users. Almost two‐thirds of cannabis users combine cannabis with tobacco. The aim of this study was to understand the process of mulling - smoking tobacco and cannabis together - using a grounded theory approach. Methods Twenty‐one in‐depth semistructured interviews were conducted with men aged 25-34 and living on the North Coast of New South Wales. Interviews explored participants' smoking practices, histories and cessation attempts. Results A model describing mulling behaviour and the …

Individual And Contextual Factors Shaping Teachers' Attitudes And Responses To Bullying Among Young Children: Is Education Important?, Philippa Small, Cathrine Marguerite Neilsen-Hewett, Naomi Sweller

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This study examined how pre- and post-service early childhood teachers' beliefs and responses to bullying among young children differ by level of qualification, type of bullying and whether or not it was witnessed. Results showed 1st and 4th-year student- and diploma-qualified teachers perceived acts of physical bullying to be more serious than verbal or relational bullying to a greater extent than did degree-qualified teachers. Degree-qualified teachers were less susceptible to bullying type and indicated they would be more likely to intervene than the other three groups. Results are discussed in relation to their implication for teaching practice and the content …

Associations Between Body Mass Index And Musculoskeletal Pain And Related Symptoms In Different Body Regions Among Workers, Isabel Moreira-Silva, Rute Santos, Sandra Abreu, Jorge Mota

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Obesity rates are high among employed adults and have shown a consistent increase over the past few decades. Musculoskeletal disorders related to work are a major cause of disability in working individuals. The objective of this study was to verify the associations between weight status and musculoskeletal pain and related symptoms in different body regions among workers. The sample comprised 203 factory workers. Anthropometric measures were assessed with standardized protocols and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Participants were classified as nonoverweight (BMI ≤ 24.9 kg/m²) or overweight/obese (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m²). Musculoskeletal pain and related …

Help-Negation Among Telephone Crisis Support Workers: Impact On Personal Wellbeing And Worker Performance, Taneile Kitchingman, Coralie J. Wilson, Peter Caputi, Alan Woodward

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Paper presented at the National Suicide Prevention Conference, 24-26 July 2013, Melbourne, Australia.

Telephone counsellors (TCs) provide front line mental health support to callers in crisis. TCs often support callers with suicidal thoughts, depression and anxiety, and the caller's experience of the call will influence whether they will seek help from a helpline in the future. Despite their important role, little information on TCs' mental health and help-seeking behaviours exists - a structured literature search returned 2 papers. This paper presents the results of a study that answered three research questions: 1. Do telephone counsellors experience symptoms of suicidal ideation, …

Patterns Of Food Safety Knowledge Among Australians: A Latent Class Approach, Anthony Worsley, Wei Wang, Stephanie Byrne, Heather Yeatman

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This study aimed to examine food safety knowledge and its associations among Australians. An Internet-based nationwide survey of 2,022 consumers was conducted in 2011. Quota sampling was used to ensure that the age, gender, educational background, and state of residence of the respondents were representative of the Australian population. A list of 10 food safety knowledge items was administered along with questions about the respondents' food attitudes, demographics, school education, and diet practices. Overall, the results showed that safety knowledge was relatively poor. Latent class analysis identified two groups of respondents with different levels of food safety knowledge. Poor knowledge …

Social Media Use Among Pre-Service Primary Teachers, Wendy S. Nielsen, Rachel Moll, Teresa Farrell, Nicole Mcdaid, Garry F. Hoban

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This research explores preservice science teachers' social media practices as a first step in considering how to better utilize these tools in preservice teacher education. This is an important issue as these teachers will work with the next generation of students, who are likely to be even more connected through technology tools. We report data from a survey called the Social Media and Science Learning Survey that collects information about proficiencies and frequencies of use for a variety of social media tools for learning science. Results are from a cohort of 119 Australian primary teacher-education students in the context of …

The Interrelations Among The Perception Of Parental Styles And Psychological Well-Being In Adolescence: A Longitudinal Study, Farnaz Shahimi, Patrick C. L Heaven, Joseph Ciarrochi

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This longitudinal study aims to examine the relationships between the perception of parental style, hope, self-esteem and Eysenck's psychoticism dimension throughout the span of four years. The sample was composed of 884 students from the Wollongong Youth Study, which commenced when students entered high school. During the course of the 4 years of the study, each participant completed the test booklets each time data was collected. Data was analyzed using one way ANOVA, Post-hoc test, Repeated Measurement, Pearson and Partial Correlation and General Linear Model in order to provide the aims of the study. The mean score of hope and …

Longitudinal Levels And Bouts Of Sedentary Time Among Adolescent Girls, Valerie Carson, Dylan P. Cliff, Xanne Janssen, Anthony D. Okely

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background Adolescent girls are one of the most sedentary demographic groups. A better understanding of their accumulation of sedentary time is needed to inform future interventions. The purpose of this study was to examine the longitudinal levels and bouts of objectively measured sedentary time accumulated during different days of the week and periods of the weekday among a large sample of adolescent girls. Methods The results are based on 655 adolescent girls from the Girls in Sport Intervention and Research Project. Levels and bouts of sedentary time were derived from accelerometer data collected at baseline and 18-month follow-up. Total, weekday, …

Effect Of Air Pollution And Racism On Ethnic Differences In Respiratory Health Among Adolescents Living In An Urban Environment, Thomas E. Astell-Burt, Maria J. Maynard, Erik Lenguerrand, Melissa Whitrow, Oarabile R. Molaodi, Seeromanie Harding

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Recent studies suggest that stress can amplify the harm of air pollution. We examined whether experience of racism and exposure to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 µm and 10 µm (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀) had a synergistic influence on ethnic differences in asthma and lung function across adolescence. Analyses using multilevel models showed lower forced expiratory volume (FEV₁), forced vital capacity (FVC) and lower rates of asthma among some ethnic minorities compared to Whites, but higher exposure to PM_2.5, PM₁₀ and racism. Racism appeared to amplify the relationship …

A Hitchhiker's Guide To Assessing Sedentary Behaviour Among Young People: Deciding What Method To Use, Louise L. Hardy, Andrew P. Hills, Anna Timperio, Dylan Cliff, David Lubans, Philip J. Morgan, Barry J. Taylor, Helen Brown

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

To provide a user's guide for selecting an appropriate method to assess sedentary behaviours among children and adolescents. While recommendations regarding specific instruments are not provided, the guide offers information about key attributes and considerations for objective (accelerometry; inclinometers; direct observation; screen monitoring devices) and subjective (self-report; parent report; and time use diaries/logs) approaches to assess sedentary behaviour Attributes of instruments and other factors to be considered in the selection of assessment instruments include: population (age); sample size; respondent burden; method/delivery mode; assessment time frame; physical activity information required (data output); data management; measurement error; cost (instrument and administration) and …

'It's Good To Have Wheels!': Perceptions Of Cycling Among Homeless Young People In Sydney, Australia, Belinda Crawford, Christopher Rissel, Rowena Yamazaki, Elise Franke, Sue Amanatidis, Jioji Ravulo, Jeni Bindon, Siranda Torvaldsen

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Participation in sporting or recreational programs can be unattainable for many disadvantaged young people. Encouraging regular cycling is an important public health strategy to increase participation in physical activity and expand personal transport options for marginalised youth. Perceptions and attitudes toward cycling were explored in eight focus groups, involving 47 young people who were experiencing or at risk of homelessness in central and south-western Sydney, Australia. The benefits of cycling for physical activity, personal transport, independence and social inclusion were recognised. Barriers to regular cycling included compliance with mandatory helmet legislation; a lack of cycling skills and experience; a paucity …

Improving Cancer Outcomes Among Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Communities: A Rapid Review Of The Literature, Lyn Phillipson, Karen Larsen-Truong, Sandra Jones, Leissa Pitts

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This Evidence Check review examined the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of Chinese, Vietnamese and Arabic speaking communities in Australia in relation to cancer, its causes, screening, treatments, perceptions of susceptibility, and perceived outcomes. The review explores fear, stigma, taboos, and the role of family, as well as the evidence of effectiveness of cancer prevention, detection and treatment interventions. There are significant gaps in the evidence base.

Increasing Awareness Of Sun Protection Among Australian Adolescents: Results Of A Community-Based Intervention, Sandra C. Jones, Melinda Williams, Peter Caputi, Donald C. Iverson

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.

Adolescent Sun Protection: An Examination Of The Prevalence Of Uv Exposure Indicators Among Brand Loyalty Segments, Melinda Williams, Sandra C. Jones, Donald C. Iverson, Peter Caputi

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.

Influence Of Muscle Fitness Test Performance On Metabolic Risk Factors Among Adolescent Girls, Jorge Mota, Susana Vale, Clarice Martins, Anelise Gaya, Carla Moreira, Rute Santos, Jose Ribeiro

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background The purpose of this study was to examine the association between muscular fitness (MF), assessed by 2 components of Fitnessgram test battery, the Curl-Up and Push-Ups tests and the metabolic risk score among adolescent girls. Methods A total of 229 girls (aged 12-15 years old) comprised the sample of this study. Anthropometric data (height, body mass, waist circumference) were collected. Body mass index (BMI) was also calculated. Muscular strength was assessed taking into account the tests that comprised the FITNESSGRAM test battery, i.e. the curl-up and the push-up. Participants were then categorized in one of 3 categories according the …

Early Coital Debut And Associated Hiv Risk Factors Among Young Women And Men In South Africa, Audrey Pettifor, Katie O'Brien, Catherine L. Mac Phail, William Miller, Helen Rees

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

CONTEXT Young people in South Africa are at high risk of HIV infection. Because first sexual experiences may influence a young person's HIV risk, a better understanding of coital debut is needed. METHODS Data from a nationally representative survey that included 7,692 sexually active South African youth aged 15-24 were used to assess characteristics related to sexual debut and to respondents' first sexual partner. Poisson regression analyses were conducted to identify relationships among these characteristics and partner age differences, early coital debut (i.e., before age 15), forced sex with one's first partner and nonuse of condoms at first sex. RESULTS …

Keep Them In School: The Importance Of Education As A Protective Factor Against Hiv Infection Among Young South African Women, Audrey Pettifor, Brooke Levandowski, Catherine L. Mac Phail, Nancy S. Padian, Myron Cohen, Helen Rees

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective To identify risk factors for HIV infection among young women aged 15-24 years reporting one lifetime partner in South Africa. Design In 2003, we conducted a nationally representative household survey of sexual behaviour and HIV testing among 11 904 young people aged 15-24 years in South Africa. This analysis focuses on the subset of sexually experienced young women with only one reported lifetime sex partner (n = 1708). Methods Using the proximate determinants framework and the published literature we identified factors associated with HIV in young women. The associations between these factors and HIV infection were explored in multivariable …

Contraception Use And Pregnancy Among 15-24 Year Old South African Women: A Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Survey, Catherine L. Mac Phail, Audrey Pettifor, Sophie Pascoe, Helen Rees

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background Adolescent reproductive health has not continued to receive the attention it deserves since the start of the HIV epidemic. In South Africa, high numbers of adolescent women report pregnancies that are unwanted and yet few have accessed available termination of pregnancy services. Enabling contraception use is vital for meeting the goals of HIV prevention. Methods A nationally representative survey of South African 15-24 year olds was undertaken. Participants completed a questionnaire on sexual behaviour and provided an oral fluid sample for HIV testing. Analysis of the data was restricted to women (n = 6217), particularly those who reported being …

Factors Associated With Self-Efficacy For Condom Use And Sexual Negotiation Among South African Youth, Jennifer Sayles, Audrey Pettifor, Mitchell D. Wong, Catherine L. Mac Phail, Sung-Jae Lee, Ellen Hendriksen, Helen Rees, Thomas Coates

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objectives: To use logistic regression modeling to identify factors associated with high self-efficacy for sexual negotiation and condom use in a sample of South African youth. Methods: The Reproductive Health and HIV Research Unit (RHRU) National Youth Survey examined a nationally representative sample of 7409 sexually active South African youth aged 15 to 24 years. We used logistic regression modeling in this sample to identify factors associated with the main outcome of high self-efficacy. Results: Among female respondents (n = 3890), factors associated with high self-efficacy in the adjusted model were knowing how to avoid HIV (odds ratio [OR] = …

Schema Construction Among Pre-Service Teachers And The Use Of It In Mathematics Teaching: A Case Study, Mohan Chinnappan

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Recent developments about cognitions underlying mathematical learning are beginning to suggest that the activation and appropriate use of prior knowledge by students is, to a large measure, controlled by the quality of organisation of that knowledge. Thus, teaching needs to support the construction of well-connected mathematical knowledge. An important assumption here is that teachers need to construct a repertoire of subject-matter knowledge that is rich and well connected before they can help their students build similar mathematical knowledge. Thus, mathematics knowledge building is an important issue in teacher preparation programs. This paper reports on a study about the knowledge state …

Relative Risk Of Hiv Infection Among Young Men And Women In A South African Township, Catherine L. Mac Phail, Brian G. Williams, Catherine Campbell

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The prevalence of HIV infection in Africa is substantially higher among young women than it is among young men. Biological explanations of this difference have been presented but there has been little exploration of social factors. In this paper we use data from Carletonville, South Africa to explore various social explanations for greater female infection rates. This paper reports on data from a random sample of 507 people between 13 and 24 years old. Subjects were tested for HIV, as well as other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and answered a behavioural questionnaire. The age-prevalence of HIV infection differs between men …

'I Think Condoms Are Good But, Aai, I Hate Those Things': Condom Use Among Adolescents And Young People In A Southern African Township, Catherine L. Mac Phail, Catherine Campbell

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Levels of heterosexually transmitted HIV infection are high amongst South African youth, with one recent survey reporting levels of 18.9% amongst 17-20 year olds and 43.1% amongst 21-25 year olds. In these groups levels of knowledge about HIV are high, but perceived vulnerability and reported condom use are low. Much existing research into youth HIV in developing countries relies on survey measures which use individual knowledge, attitudes and reported behaviour as variables in seeking to explain HIV transmission amongst this group. This paper reports on a focus group study that seeks to complement existing individual-level quantitative findings with qualitative findings …