50716 research outputs found
Sort by
Protecting children from tobacco products in retail environments: A review of Australian tobacco control laws
No full textIssuesTobacco retailing remains highly prevalent in Australia and so represents a potential source of exposure to tobacco marketing for children, despite national laws that restrict tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. This study sought to answer the question of how comprehensively the current Australian regulatory framework protects children from potential exposure to tobacco marketing in retail settings.ApproachWe reviewed and summarised Australian tobacco control laws (federal, state and territory) for provisions related to protecting children from supply or advertising/promotion of tobacco products in retail settings. We analysed the laws for differences between jurisdictions and considered how comprehensively they protect children from exposure to tobacco product marketing in retail environments.Key FindingsWe found several gaps in the laws that leave children exposed to tobacco product marketing in retail environments. For example, some jurisdictions allow children to sell tobacco products and some do not undertake controlled purchase operations to monitor compliance. No jurisdiction currently restricts the location or number of tobacco retailers, or the types of retailers who can sell tobacco (including toy stores).ImplicationsThere are opportunities to strengthen tobacco retailing regulations in Australia to better distinguish tobacco from everyday consumer products and to protect children from tobacco marketing in retail environments.ConclusionsEven in countries with strong tobacco advertising and promotion restrictions, such as Australia, weaknesses in tobacco laws leave children exposed to tobacco product retailing in ways that normalises tobacco product sales and use. Tobacco retailing laws should be strengthened to denormalise commercial tobacco products
Media Platforms and Protest Movements: An Analysis of the 2019 #Ikokwu4 Protests in Port Harcourt, Nigeria
No full textRecent protest movement studies have focused almost exclusively on the impact of social media platforms in the organization of protests movements. These inquiries contend that mainstream media platforms are stale and ineffective. They claim that the diffusion of social media technologies has rendered mainstream media platforms insignificant in influencing protest movements. However, these inquiries fail to unbundle these media platforms for a more succinct evaluation. These anecdotal illustrations are lacking in evidence which tests the validity of these claims. This study is commissioned to bridge that gap. This study examines the influence of different media platforms in contentious politics and solidarity building by evaluating how protesters learned about and planned the 2019 #Ikokwu4 protests in Port Harcourt, Rivers State of Nigeria. The study utilizes explanatory mixed methods research, comprising a survey of protesters (N = 384) in Port Harcourt and semi-structured interviews with participants who participated in the protests. Analyses of survey data indicate that protesters who used radio, Facebook, and WhatsApp to learn about and plan the 2019 #Ikokwu4 protests in Nigeria and who reported to have had previous protest experience were more likely to report joining on the first day of the protest. The study demonstrates the emancipatory aspects of radio as an instrument of protests. The study highlights the need to unbundle media platforms when studying how such media platforms influence protest movements
A pilot study examining the impact of a pragmatic process for improving the cultural responsiveness of non-Aboriginal alcohol and other drug treatment services using routinely collected data in Australia
No full textObjective: Routine health data has the potential to identify changes in patient-related outcomes, in close to real time. This pilot project used routine data to explore and compare the impact of changes to cultural responsiveness on service use by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereafter, Aboriginal) clients in Australia.Methods: The New South Wales Minimum Data Set (MDS) for alcohol and other drug use treatment services was provided for 11 services for a period of 30 months from March 2019 to September 2021 (four months prior to two years after the intervention; data were analysed between March 2022 to February 2023). Change in cultural responsiveness was assessed via practice audits of services at baseline and two years. The average change in audit rating was analysed using a linear mixed regression model. Generalised Linear Mixed Models were used to identify changes in service use by Aboriginal clients. Results: All 11 services showed increased audit scores at two years, with a statistically significant mean increase of 18.6 (out of 63 points; b = 18.32, 95% CI 12.42-24.22). No statistically significant pre-to post-changes were identified in: (1) the proportion of episodes delivered to Aboriginal versus non-Aboriginal clients (OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.94-1.40), (2) the number of episodes of care provided to Aboriginal clients per month (IRR = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.84-1.23), or (3) the proportion of episodes completed by Aboriginal clients (OR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.82-1.13). Conclusions: The lack of statistically significant impact on service use outcomes using MDS contrasts to the improvements in cultural responsiveness, suggesting further work is needed to identify appropriate outcome measures. This may include patient-reported experience measures. This project showed that routine data has potential as an efficient method for measuring changes in patient-related outcomes in response to health services improvements.</p
‘I Think That Is a Big Step From Here to There’:Exploring the Views of Service Providers About Delivering Drug- and Alcohol-Related Health Services to Aboriginal People in Rural New South Wales
No full textIntroduction: The higher rates of alcohol and other drug (AOD)-related harms in rural compared to metropolitan areas demonstrate the need for consideration of rural AOD health service delivery. We aim to explore the experiences of health service providers around delivering AOD services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereafter, Aboriginal) people in rural New South Wales (NSW) and opportunities to optimise services. Methods: Open-ended, semi-structured interviews or written responses were conducted with 18 Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal service providers at Aboriginal community-controlled health services, mainstream services or experts who work with Aboriginal people around AOD in rural NSW. Data were thematically analysed, led by an Aboriginal researcher. Results: Five themes were identified: (i) the role of family and community; (ii) the role of health services (particularly Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services) in building cultural connections with clients; (iii) inconsistent referral and communication procedures impact the continuity of care; (iv) difficulties hiring, training and retaining Aboriginal workers; and (v) the role of technology in enhancing service access. Discussion and Conclusions: Key opportunities to improve the delivery of health service to Aboriginal people in rural NSW include programmes to drive culturally meaningful care, in both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal services, systemic changes to increase access to AOD training among Aboriginal workers, and better remuneration. Shared clinical records and telehealth may enhance service delivery by increasing service access and referral processes; however, Aboriginal community leadership and cultural safety are crucial for safe design and delivery.</p
Single-nucleus RNA sequencing reveals HBV-driven metabolic reprogramming and TIMP1-mediated fibrosis in human-liver-chimeric mice
No full textIntroduction: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a leading cause of chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma worldwide. Despite advances in antiviral therapies, the mechanisms underlying HBV-induced metabolic reprogramming and liver fibrosis remain poorly understood. Methods: We employed single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) which is particularly suitable for hepatocytic sequencing to dissect the transcriptional landscape of HBV-infected and uninfected hepatocytes in humanized URG mice (Hu-URG). Results and Discussion: Chronic HBV infection was successfully established in Hu-URG mice, with progressive increases in serum HBV DNA, HBsAg, and HBeAg levels. snRNA-seq revealed distinct human hepatocyte clusters (clusters 9, 16, 23) characterizing elevated expression of metabolic genes (ALB, UGT2B17, CYP2A6) in HBV-infected cells, while HBV-uninfected cells exhibited upregulation of TIMP1 and pro-fibrotic pathways. Immunofluorescence and histological analyses confirmed that HBV-uninfected hepatocytes (HBsAg-) displayed higher TIMP1 expression and reduced albumin (hALB) levels, correlating with increased collagen deposition in HBV-hu-URG mice. Notably, this TIMP1+HBsAg-hALBlow phenotype was also observed in liver biopsies from chronic HBV patients, underscoring its clinical relevance. Our findings highlight HBV-driven metabolic adaptation and identify TIMP1 as a potential mediator of fibrosis in uninfected hepatocytes, offering novel insights into HBV pathogenesis and therapeutic targeting.</p
Harnessing Extended Reality for Safer Construction Sites: A Framework for Adoption and Implementation
No full textThe construction industry consistently records some of the highest rates of occupational injuries and fatalities, highlighting persistent challenges in workplace health and safety (WHS) management. Traditional safety management approaches have reached a plateau in reducing these incidents, prompting the need for innovative solutions. This study explores the untapped potential of Extended Reality (XR) encompassing virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality to enhance WHS practices in construction. The research aims to develop an XR adoption model to reduce occupational hazards effectively. Employing innovation adoption theory, a targeted literature review identified critical success factors (CSFs) across adoption stages. These findings were further analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling to validate the constructs and CSFs. Results indicate that XR significantly improves safety training and communication. Key stakeholders, including contractors, safety managers, design teams, and educational institutions, play vital roles in successful XR implementation. Essential preparatory steps include upskilling safety managers as XR champions and equipping construction offices with relevant skills. Continuous updates to risk management plans, competency development, and establishing data exchange platforms with clear liability agreements are also crucial. This framework offers a validated approach to integrating XR into construction safety, bridging the gap between research and practice. This study further validates a practical adoption framework and implementation roadmap to support industry transition towards immersive safety training environments
‘It’s upside down, as nearly everything is these days’:Mr Squiggle and Friends, National Museum of Australia
No full text
Interdisciplinary online simulation:A collaborative pilot innovation for health professional students
No full textInterprofessional learning prepares health graduates to work in collaborative multidisciplinary teams, a cornerstone of quality patient care. Synchronous online cross-institutional multidisciplinary simulation may address some barriers to interprofessional learning. Nineteen participants completed the pilot. Eleven clinical experts from seven health disciplines formed a reference group, and eight students from three disciplines (nursing, pharmacy and physiotherapy) trialed the intervention. This pilot online simulation included case development, reference group review, creation of vignettes, student trials and qualitative evaluation. The reference group validated the cases with some minor amendments for professional relevance. Educators confirmed suitability and feasibility. Preliminary findings support students’ development of role clarity and professional identity, with improved collaboration and strong support for interprofessional integration into their studies. The pilot demonstrated feasibility with positive initial feedback. An online interprofessional activity may offer a scalable model for IPL. Future work will explore broader implementation, assessing long term outcomes across diverse healthcare programs.</p
The influence of gender norms on post-migration men's sexual and reproductive health:A scoping review
No full textMigration exposes people to unfamiliar gender roles and sexual views, influencing the ways they care for their sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Migrant men’s health is overlooked in care and research, prohibiting culturally responsive care that acknowledges these changing beliefs. Thus, we aimed to synthesise the available evidence on the ways pre-established gender norms impact a man’s SRH in the setting of migration to a high-income country. We aimed to investigate how refugee and migrant men viewed gender and gender roles in their countries of resettlement and how they experience their SRH in this country. We systematically searched scientific databases and grey literature (published between 2000–2023), using a search strategy covering four major topics: CALD/migrants, men, gender and SRH. Two reviewers independently screened the titles and abstracts of 7,840 articles and reviewed the full text of 180 articles. Thematic analysis of 36 articles revealed three key themes: (a) depleted masculinity, (ii) sex and sexuality, and (iii) accessing SRH care in a new country, all influencing how migrant men viewed masculinity, engaged in SRH services and approached sexual relationships. Further, navigating new cultural norms and gendered expectations often resulted in feelings of depleted masculinity, impacting men’s wellbeing, intimate relationships and confidence to seek SRH care after migration. We found that migrant men largely carried pre-established beliefs of sex and gender roles from their home country to their host country. This had mainly negative repercussions on their relationships and SRH behaviours post-migration and should be acknowledged in future research and interventions.</p