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Antibiotic economies:the economisation of antibiotic use in Australia and implications for the mitigation of antimicrobial resistance
Get PDFThis paper examines how economic rationalities shape antibiotic usage with the aim of expanding options for the reduction of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Antibiotic usage is typically attributed to the individual behaviours of patients, pet owners and prescribers, an emphasis that has neglected sociological explanations, particularly the economic rationalities that are transforming healthcare. We used sociological theory of pharmaceutical capitalisation and economisation to explore in-depth interviews on antibiotic usage with scientists, policymakers, prescribers, patients and pet owners in Australia. Antibiotics attracted values in terms of cost to the patient and pet owner, profit for the clinic, how the drugs saved time away from work and childcare, and how they eased the pressures of self-care, parenting and pet ownership. Economic transactions that are only partially under individual patient and prescriber control shape antibiotic use. In these circumstances, antibiotic use is influenced by other social agents—for example, business managers and clinic owners—decentring prescriber authority. Adoption of socio-economic values of antibiotic usage and inclusion of its other economic agents is needed to improve AMR intervention effectiveness.</p
Conceptual PlayWorld intervention in a toddler playgroup:creating new conditions for parent-toddler collective imaginary play
Get PDFResearch affirms that when parents play with their toddlers in imaginary scenarios, the play of these infants becomes more sophisticated. From a Vygotskian perspective, the development of imaginary play supports formation of conceptual thinking. However, the majority of Australian parents report low confidence in their ability to support play, and advocate the desire to receive education about how to achieve this. Community playgroup settings offer an opportunity for parent education to be delivered with over a third of Australian children enrolling in this institution before school entry age. Drawing upon a system of cultural historical concepts, this paper reports on how Fleer's Conceptual Playworlds (CPW), an evidence informed model for imaginary play involving adults and children to support conceptual development, was introduced as an intervention into playgroup practice. Over a 6 month period, researchers demonstrated how to implement the approach and recorded the family interactions of two toddlers aged 14 and 15 months. The data shows families engaged with new pedagogic practices supporting children's imaginary play in the collective. We report that as a result of this intervention, parents developed a motive orientation towards imaginary play which created conditions for toddlers to participate in collective imaginary play.</p
A holistic framework for examining complex problems in energy transition solutions
Get PDFClimate change solutions are as complex as the problems they aim to address, yet holistic frameworks for identifying the social and environmental risks embedded within these solutions are rare. Scientists can be discouraged from openly critiquing widely accepted solutions owing to fears of being mischaracterized as obstructing progress toward decarbonization. However, critical research remains vital for uncovering the risks induced by seemingly viable solutions. In this perspective, we present a framework that aims to legitimate a “problems-in-solutions” research orientation to encourage a greater focus on the hidden or unintended consequences of climate action. Using Indonesian nickel production for electric vehicle batteries as a case study, we demonstrate how this orientation can highlight interconnected social and environmental challenges, including coal dependency and biodiversity loss. Our multidisciplinary, multiscale framework aims to foster a more open and comprehensive understanding of energy transition solutions and their associated trade-offs in support of equitable and sustainable strategies for addressing the climate crisis.</p
Gender identity and mental health inequalities 2001-2022:population-level evidence from an Australian cohort study
Get PDFBackground Trans, non-binary and gender-diverse (TGD) people experience poorer mental health relative to cisgender populations. However, we know little on how TGD mental health inequalities are changing over time. With newly available information on gender identity within Australia's largest longitudinal household survey, we aimed to provide the first nationally representative estimates of temporal trends in TGD mental health inequalities. Methods We used the 2001-2022 Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey, a national probability sample of Australian adults. Using questions about sex at birth and gender identity, asked in the 2022 wave, we compared temporal trends in mental health among TGD and cisgender respondents. Mental health was measured using the five-item Mental Health Inventory (MHI). Adjusting for age, income and other observable characteristics, we calculated annual population-weighted estimates of mean MHI Scores for TGD and cisgender respondents and corresponding TGD mental health inequalities. Results Across the 22-year period, TGD respondents consistently reported poorer mental health than cisgender respondents. Prior to 2010, differences in MHI Scores were more variable, but TGD MHI Scores were generally lower than cisgender respondents. From 2010 onwards, there was a trend of widening inequalities, with TGD-cisgender MHI inequalities ranging from -5.1 (95% CI -10.6, 0.3) in 2010 to -7.6 (95% CI -10.8, -4.4) in 2022, indicating clinically relevant differences in mental health. Effects were driven by younger populations. Conclusion TGD-cisgender mental health inequalities are increasing in Australia, with inequalities more apparent between 2010 and 2022. Policy action and greater protections for gender-diverse Australians are urgently needed.</p
A scoping review of the program components, practice components, and outcomes of behaviour support programs delivered to children and young people in out-of-home care
Get PDFChildren and young people (CYP) in out-of-home care (OOHC) are at risk of experiencing behavioural challenges that can impact their well-being and development. Despite the critical need for effective behaviour support in these settings, research has predominantly focused on educational and disability contexts, leaving a gap in understanding how behaviour support is provided to CYP in OOHC. We address this gap by conducting a scoping review to identify when, where, and how behaviour support programs have been provided to CYP in OOHC, and their outcomes. A total of 25 studies met the inclusion criteria. Studies were conducted in a range of OOHC settings, including foster care, residential care, clinics, and community-based environments. The programs evaluated varied across studies and included Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), and Positive Behaviour Support (PBS). Common program components included behaviour assessments, skills teaching interventions, and relationship-based interventions. Common practice components included child-centred planning and family/carer training. Fewer studies incorporated aspects of trauma-informed practice and culturally responsive practice. Outcomes were less often directly measured and varied across studies. Findings highlight the need for tailored behaviour support approaches that consider the diverse settings and unique needs of CYP in OOHC.</p
Headlining justice from coalfields to clean futures:How the Australian newsprint media frames a just energy transition
Get PDFIncorporating justice considerations into energy transitions dialogues is important. However, what constitutes what is (un)just is perceived differently by different actors and is subject to moral interpretations and influenced by broader landscape factors. The media in particular are considered salient in framing how particular issues are presented, understood and actioned upon. The current study used a framing approach to unpack the conceptualisation of just energy transitions in Australian newsprint media discourse. Australia is a useful case study because of its enduring history of socio-political struggles on climate and energy transition topics. The analysis points towards four underlying notions of justice in energy transition in the Australian context: ‘socio-political’ which places an emphasis on justice as a political responsibility; ‘socio-economic’ focuses on the unjust experiences faced by people and places both from powerplant and mine closures as a consequence of energy decarbonisation; ‘socio-spatial’ attends to social and spatial complexities as well as inequities from climate change, fossil-fuel energy production and use, plus the diverse impacts of energy transitions across different geographies; and ‘whole-of-energy-system’ considers current and future fossil-fuel as well as renewable energy system impacts. Implications include spatial and temporal injustices. The findings highlight that actors mobilized throughout these frames hold differing beliefs and considerations of what is (un)just, what needs to change and who should be involved. In conclusion, by linking theoretical considerations with empirical media analysis our research contributes to the growing just transition discourse by clarifying public debates plus actor positions, underscoring the plurality through which just energy transitions are understood.</p
Enhancing urban resilience through integrated flood policy and planning:a mixed-methods evaluation of retention ponds for flood mitigation in South Bandung
Get PDFThis study focuses on South Bandung, an area where flooding is a recurring problem, causing significant damage to infrastructure and displacing local residents. The region’s vulnerability stems from its geographical location, surrounded by rivers and low-lying areas, coupled with challenges such as the heavily polluted and sedimented Citarum River. This research examines the role of retention ponds in Andir and Cieunteung as a strategic response to these flood management challenges. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, integrating remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis with deep learning-based semantic segmentation techniques to evaluate the hydraulic performance of the retention ponds. Normalized difference water index and semantic segmentation approaches using multispectral images (red, green, and blue and near-infrared) from the PlanetScope constellation satellite are utilized to assess water bodies and flooding patterns, while field observations and stakeholder interviews provide qualitative insights into the operational effectiveness of these infrastructures. While this study highlights that the construction of retention ponds can help mitigate flood events, it also emphasizes the importance of an integrated approach combining urban planning, community engagement, and multi-scale infrastructure development in addressing the complex challenges of flood resilience and urban sustainability.</p
Testing for approximate measurement invariance of instructional quality in the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2018
Get PDFThis study investigates how consistently instructional quality is measured among secondary school teachers across 47 countries and economies using the TALIS 2018 teacher data (N = 127,607). We use two methods: the conventional approach (multiple group confirmatory factor analysis) and alignment optimization to test the comparability of instructional quality in an international large-scale survey. The results show that while basic (configural) and structural (metric) consistency is present, full comparability (scalar invariance) is not achieved using the conventional method. However, the alignment optimization method reveals partial comparability across countries. These findings imply that while comparisons of instructional quality can be made across most countries, caution is needed when interpreting results in certain cases. This study highlights the importance of testing measurement invariance in cross-national education research.</p
Creating equity for ethnically, linguistically, and religiously diverse students in school settings in the Myanmar public schools
Get PDFIn Myanmar, large diverse indigenous ethnicities exist, and, as a result, public schools consist of a multicultural and multilingual student population. Despite this, the education system proffers and embeds Myanmar’s dominant ideologies relating to culture, language and religion within all aspects of schooling. Students from minority backgrounds often struggle to gain legitimacy and build capital in a system that does not acknowledge diversity. Drawing upon Bourdieu’s concepts of social reproduction, field and capital, this study examines how multiculturalism and multilingualism are positioned within Myanmar’s education policies and how Myanmar’s school leaders and teachers reflect and respond to the needs of students from minority backgrounds within the complex political and educational setting. This qualitative case study captured the perspectives of five participants: two school leaders and three teachers. The findings reveal that students from minority backgrounds experience religious-based inequalities, cultural exclusion, and indifference towards their language backgrounds in public school settings
The human touch in a digital era:Culture, technology and capabilities at precursor assurance
Get PDFWhile technological advancements have reshaped numerous industries, the human factor remains paramount, providing unmatched advisory expertise. A central element of the storyline in this paper is the company Precursor Assurance. This local Singaporean accounting firm exemplifies how technological advancements, and the involvement of humans are seamlessly integrated. With KG Tan as its leader, the company promotes a work environment that values transparency, respect, and trust while emphasising grit and flexibility. The case depicts a scenario wherein technology amplifies human potentials in accounting rather than supplanting them.</p