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Lived experience perspectives about gaps and barriers in services for those living with, and those providing care, for people with young-onset dementia in Australia: Findings from the Joint Solutions Project
No full textIntroduction: Young-onset dementia (YOD) is a dementia where symptom onset occurs at less than 65 years of age. There has been increased recognition of YOD with improved diagnostic assessments and the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The Joint Solutions project aimed to evaluate the gaps and barriers along the pathway of care in Australia from a range of stakeholder perspectives to investigate access to services from those who have YOD and those who provide care for them.Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative approach was used, with questionnaires designed in consultation with general practitioners (GPs), clinicians, people with YOD, caregivers and community service providers.Results: 313 people responded, including 45% lived experience (n = 33 people with YOD; 105 caregivers), 30% clinicians (n = 7 GPs; n = 86 clinicians), and 25% community providers. All states of Australia were represented, with Victoria having the largest proportion of respondents (39%). Time to diagnosis was 12 months from symptom onset for 70% of caregivers. Up to 90% of caregivers reported their family member with YOD had cognitive testing and neuroimaging. Access to age-appropriate post-diagnostic support varied, with 40% of caregivers reporting their family member received allied health and psychological support. There was limited information provided on employment, driving, legal and financial issues. Sixty percent of people with lived experience stated they had difficulties accessing the NDIS.Discussion: There is improvement in the diagnosis of YOD but access to and availability of post-diagnostic support varies. More work is needed to improve equity and collaboration between service providers and clinicians and those affected by YOD
The development of single-item measures of Flourishing:the Brief Scales of Flourishing (BS-F)
No full textThe Brief Scales of Flourishing (BS-F) comprise single items to assess flourishing and languishing on a continuum and derives classification of these states. The convergent and criterion validity of the BS-F was compared against established flourishing measures using samples from the United States (n = 303) and United Kingdom (n = 301). There was strong concordance between the BS-F flourishing and languishing status in comparison with status derived from the Mental Health Continuum Short Form; 77.5% and 85.3% of participants were, respectively, correctly classified as flourishing and languishing. Continuum measures reported large correlations with existing flourishing scales. The criterion validity of the BS-F was supported with comparable performance in predicting key outcomes (e.g. mental health, work–life balance, alexithymia). The BS-F items reliably capture individual differences and accurately classify individuals. The BS-F offers a practical alternative to longer measures in time-constrained settings including longitudinal studies and population monitoring where brief assessment is essential.</p
Conflict considerations in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s National Adaptation Plans
Get PDFMany places affected by violent conflict are also those with the lowest capacity to respond to the impacts of climate change and, therefore, some the most vulnerable. Consequently, it is here where climate change most likely results in social tensions that could escalate into or sustain conflicts. This double burden of compounding conflict and climate risks suggests an urgent need for climate adaptation interventions. However, so far adaptation agendas are often poorly aligned with those reducing conflict risk. Seeking to overcome this gap, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process has been highlighted as an important opportunity to align adaptation and peacebuilding agendas. Based on qualitative analysis of the ten least peaceful countries’ NAPs (submitted by November 2022), and developing a novel analytical framework on climate, conflict and adaptation interactions, the paper examines whether and to what extent countries bring conflict considerations into their NAPs, and account for interactions between climate change, conflict and adaptation. Findings suggest that by and large, conflict considerations are not systematically brought into adaptation planning – an omission that might ultimately prove irresponsible, highly costly and dangerous. The paper concludes with recommendations that countries faced by the double-burden of climate change and fragility, and international actors supporting them in their NAP process, could employ
Beer and spirits are too expensive, Mr Dutton!
Get PDFIt’s no secret that Labor and the Greens want you to ‘eat ze bugs’. The way our economy is going, eating insects will soon be all we can afford. Steve McQueen was the epitome of cool, but a real-life version of his bug-eating prisoner in Papillon is not the ideal I aspire to. And while McQueen managed to escape by jumping off a cliff, all we have to do to be free from tyranny is get Mr Dutton to shout us a few drinks. I’d vote for that
Digital Transport Infrastructure and Environmental Sustainability: STIRPAT Perspective based on China's Evidence
No full textDigital transport infrastructure (DTI) assets efficiently support people's daily activities of an economy. However, there remains limited research into examining how they impact environment. Acknowledging this gap, we identify the influence mechanisms of DTI comprising population size, economic growth and data flow under an expanded STIRPAT, and then examine them by developing the fixed- and mediation-effect econometric models. The results reveal that DTI can reduce pollution emissions at the national level within the economically developed regions, while its effect on the less developed economy is insignificant. Empirical evidence also indicates that there is an inverse relationship between the population size/data flow and air pollution, which however is aggravated by the economic growth. Moreover, the inhibitory effects of the population size and data flow on environmental emissions was positively changing (i.e., from insignificant to significant) during the period of 2006-2021. This research sets forth a platform to rethink the implications of environmental policies for DTI development within the long-term context
Increased age and reduced physical activity level worsen thermoregulatory pacing behaviour in men during walking exercise in the heat
Get PDFOlder adults are vulnerable to heat-related morbidity and mortality due to reduced thermoregulatory function associated with aging. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between age and thermoregulatory behaviour during walking exercise in Control (22 °C; 40% relative humidity [RH]) and Hot (35 °C, 40% RH) conditions. Thirty-six healthy males (age 46 ± 20 (range 19–86) years; stature 177 ± 7 cm; body mass 75.7 ± 11.3 kg; BMI 24.2 ± 2.9 kg m−2; Ʃskinfolds 33.3 ± 10.5 mm; mean ± SD) each completed two experimental trials, one in Control and one in Hot conditions. Each trial consisted of three bouts of 10 min walking at a rating of perceived exertion (RPE) of 13, interspersed with 5 min of seated rest. Thermoregulatory behaviour was assessed as the ratio between distance walked in the Control and Hot trials. Participants walked 3.8% less in the Hot (2.63 ± 0.46 km) than in the Control (2.73 ± 0.4 km) condition (t(36) = −2.38, p = 0.023, d = 0.26). Regression analysis demonstrated that age was the primary predictor of thermoregulatory pacing behaviour, explaining 23% of the variance (Std β = −0.475, p = 0.003). Including physical activity levels (PASE) increased the variance accounted to 32% (age Std β = −0.396, p = 0.011; PASE Std β = 0.319, p = 0.038). In conclusion, thermoregulatory pacing behaviour was impaired with increased age and reduced physical activity when undertaking walking exercise at a perceived exertion of ‘somewhat hard’ in hot ambient conditions.</p
Relationship Between Self-Compassion, Thwarted Interpersonal Needs, and Suicidal Thoughts Among Indonesian Young Adults
No full textObjectives: Risk and protective factors for suicide are under-researched in developing Asian countries. This study investigated the potential protective role of self-compassion and its subscales (compassionate and uncompassionate self-responding) in moderating the relationship between thwarted interpersonal needs and suicide ideation in young adults. Method: Indonesian university students (n = 510; age = 18–25 years) completed an online questionnaire that measured thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, recent suicide ideation, depressive symptoms, self-compassion, and demographic factors. Hierarchical linear regression models tested possible moderation effects. Results: Significant correlations were found between suicidal ideation, thwarted interpersonal needs (i.e., perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness), depressive symptoms, and self-compassion (including both the positive and negative subscales of compassionate and uncompassionate self-responding), all in the expected directions. A three-way interaction was observed between compassionate self-responding, perceived burdensomeness, and thwarted belongingness in determining suicidal ideation severity. The findings suggest that individuals with high levels of compassionate self-responding tend to experience lower levels of suicidal ideation, even in the presence of high perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. Conclusions: Compassionate self-responding (i.e., responding to life stressors with self-kindness, a sense of common humanity, and mindfulness) may be an important protective factor in buffering the adverse effects of thwarted interpersonal needs on young people’s suicidal ideation. Therefore, interventions that enhance individuals’ ability to treat themselves with compassion may help reduce suicidal ideation. Preregistration: This study is not preregistered.</p
Green Steel? Go woke, go broke
Get PDFAfter the Premier of South Australia put Whyalla Steelworks into administration, Mr Albanese found another $2.4 billion of taxpayers’ money to bail out the failed company. The Albanese government has since appeared ready to double-down on the production of ‘green steel’ at the plant. This has all the hallmarks of a bottomless pit. Without nuclear, green steel is another Labor unicorn that will reinforce what is now well-known wisdom: Go woke, go broke
Comparing the mental health of Australian university students with that of young people who are not in higher education
No full textCompared with their non-student counterparts, young adults engaged in higher education are often reported to be at greater risk for mental health concerns. However, research directly comparing university student and non-student populations is limited. This study uses a community sample to investigate differences in the mental health and wellbeing of young Australians (17–25 years) engaged in university study (n = 828) compared with their age-matched non-studying peers (n = 880). Comparisons are made on mean levels of psychological distress, wellbeing, resilience, and loneliness, as well as the proportion of individuals meeting commonly used classifications for mental health and wellbeing. We then examine the role of employment on reported distress and wellbeing. While a substantial proportion of the sample reported high to very high distress, our study found no overall substantive difference in levels of distress or wellbeing between students and non-students. An examination of employment status revealed a more nuanced result. Full-time employment was associated with greater psychological distress in students, where otherwise students reported better wellbeing and lower distress than their non-student peers. These findings challenge the common discourse of tertiary students as having a greater risk of distress than the general community. However, attempting to combine full-time work with full-time study is challenging, and the pressures of such work can increase distress. Increased financial assistance for tertiary students is needed to ease work pressures, along with greater understanding of the flexibility needed to balance work and study commitments