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Development of the Nurse practitioner role and the specialisation of practice is an increasing focus in healthcare. To date, a bibliometric evaluation of scholarly work referring to Nurse Practitioners, has not been located in the published literature. With the aim of identifying the top 100 cited articles in the Nurse Practitioner domain, the Scopus™ database was searched for Nurse Practitioner studies during 2007–2021. Using bibliometric analysis we identified prolific authors; annual trend; citation rates; countries of origin; and study design. There were 1768 papers identified across 360 peer reviewed journals in 33 countries. Finding from this analysis provides evidence of an evolving research area of inquiry which contributes to knowledge of the Nurse Practitioner role and scope of practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Internet of Things (IoT) is expanding rapidly and can potentially be a huge data source. This study aimed to close the knowledge gap about possible IoT applications in health care. English-language academic publications from the Web of Science (WoS) were used for the present study. Bibliometric networks were used to analyze pertinent publications to examine the connections between authors, nations, and affiliations. Papers on digital health care have been published in more than 1195 sources, among which the most popular was the Journal of Medical Internet Research. Six top institutions were from the Netherlands, making the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam the most productive institution after Australia and England. This study provides an overview of IoT-related research conducted in digital health care, helping academic researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to better understand the development of digital health care research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Actual accounts of the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples since colonization remain largely misunderstood and misrepresented within Australian education systems and the broader social consciousness. Culturally sensitive practice and ethnic diversity are challenging topics to teach social work students when truth-telling is absent. Social workers need to develop an understanding of intergenerational trauma experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, critically reflect on perpetuated stereotypes, and confront internalized beliefs about peoples of diverse ethnic and cultural identities in preparation to work respectfully with Indigenous communities. A course focused on building students' knowledge and skills for culturally responsive practice is described in this paper, along with suggestions for enhancing teaching and learning. The paper argues for the importance of truth-telling about Australia's continuing racism in social work education to create cultural safety for service users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic low back pain is a leading cause of disability worldwide. A clinical model for its cause is lacking. Defining a cause based clinical model and a framework of understanding back pain in terms of peripheral structural and central functional pain is essential for optimal management. We describe the results of the largest published audit of 41 chronic low back pain patients, receiving outpatient sublingual ketamine therapy for defined central functional pain along with conventional peripheral structural pain management. Our clinical model assigns Movement Dysfunction as the primary cause for low back pain symptoms and restores it with Movement Therapy focused rehabilitation which is also defined. Patients were derived from a tertiary single neurosurgical specialist practice in Brisbane Australia over a three year period. Severe pain and disability measurements more than halved and only 13% of patients ceased ketamine prematurely due to predominantly non-sinister side effects common to all pharmaceutical therapies. All other surveyed metrics of utility were highly favourable in this challenging cohort of chronic back pain patients biased to poor outcomes. Outpatient ketamine maintains high efficacy and safety used in conjunction with a unique clinical model that describes chronic low back pain. This paper builds on our previous publications that describe the disease of movement dysfunction as an integral factor to the development of a cause based clinical model for the condition of chronic low back pain symptoms. Our clinical application of this model, applying the necessary dual approach of controlling symptoms arising from peripheral structural pain and central functional pain in conjunction with elimination of root causation has shown favourable outcomes in patients with high levels of pain and disability based on their tertiary referral origin and high Oswestry Disability Scores. Removing chronic low back pain from its position as one of the world's leading causes of pain and disability is more likely if the rehabilitation industry can replicate and test treatment algorithms based around established clinical models of disease which is the important subject of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assistive technologies (AT) perform an important social role, interacting with cultural systems to produce or hinder accessibility to biosocial environments. This interaction profoundly shapes not only how an individual body can be experienced by users but also produce and hinder accessibility to biosocial environments. AT users have historically been viewed through a medical model, which deems them disabled by their impairments and by dominant ableist narratives. Therefore, this paper serves to provide an insight into the importance of ageing with and into AT. This paper aims to investigate polio survivors' and diabetic amputees' experiences of assistive technologies in order to better understand impacts upon narrative and identity. By applying an anthropological and sociological lens, a holistic view of the experiences of polio survivor and amputee AT users is developed. This paper draws on 16 in-depth interviews with polio survivors and diabetic amputees in the United States (US) and Australia, which were analysed using an experience-centered narrative approach. Both projects were approved by ethics boards. All participants provided written consent. Five themes were identified: a) disruption to biographies, which reflected AT impact on how narratives become altered; b) impacts to autonomy, which reflected the importance of regaining previous daily activities; c) re-engaging with community life, which highlighted how AT supported participation in valued activities; d) self-perceptions of assistive technologies, which act in opposition to external perspectives and challenge ableist narratives; and e) an intergenerational comparison of new and older AT users highlights the importance of temporalities. This paper offers new perspectives on ageing with assistive technologies, with a focus on identity and narrative. The importance of this paper is to contribute to the existing literature that demonstrates the cultural implications that arise through embodiment and assistive technologies. The use of assistive technology can help individuals regain function, but the individual circumstances require consideration The use of assistive technology is a complex entanglement of bodies, environments, biographies, and imagined futures. The use of assistive technology can provide participants autonomy over their narratives and assist with maintaining their identities [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper explores the mental health and wellbeing outcomes of a massed community choir program in Australia. Methods: This study employed a mixed methods approach. Data were collected via a survey of choir participants (N = 305), four qualitative interviews and focus groups with facilitators and participants (N = 22), and two workshops with organising staff (N = 5). Questions were derived from a co-designed program logic, and data were triangulated and analysed thematically. Results: Participants reported feeling a sense of connectedness (psychological), but also experiencing connection (social) with their fellow singers. Psychological outcomes included the sensations of affect, arousal, and affirmation. Social outcomes included experiencing belonging, inclusion, and sharing. These positive psycho- social experiences promoted positive mental health and wellbeing outcomes in the large group of participating singers. Conclusions: This paper addresses gaps in our understanding about the mental health and wellbeing outcomes fostered by community choirs at scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have witnessed growing acceptance of gender and sexuality diversity in Australia; yet, its inclusion in the school curriculum remains contentious. Despite evidence to the contrary, there is a commonly held belief that parents consider the inclusion of such topics inappropriate. In the light of this, this paper focuses on an analysis of three qualitative items from an Australian national survey of parents of children attending government-funded schools. Informed by the responses to these questions, we sought to better understand the concept of age-appropriateness present in the discourses deployed by a (minority) number of Australian parents who did not support gender and sexuality diversity-inclusivity in the curriculum. Thematic data analysis identified three key themes used by parents to warrant gender and sexuality diversity curriculum exclusion based on age inappropriateness: namely, inclusion is 'confusing'; children are too 'immature'; and children are too 'easily influenced'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses a drama-based method to illustrate the responses of healthcare and legal systems to women experiencing coercive control. This approach involved writing a play using the first-person narrative voice of a victim-survivor. We presented the play at the Stop Domestic Violence Conference (Gold Coast, Australia) in 2021. The central character, 'Kate', provided an embodied performance that enabled the conference participants to see, feel and understand experiences of coercive control from a personal perspective. We followed the trajectory of coercive control from the beginning of an intimate relationship to the time of separation. We showed how the process of coercive control escalates from love bombing, reproductive coercion, isolation, and technology-facilitated abuse until a point of police intervention. As Kate told her story, the conference audience witnessed the barriers and challenges faced by survivors of coercive control, and the emotional, financial, and psychological impacts that are intensified in geographically remote environments. They watched Kate navigate health and other systems meant to help women experiencing domestic and family violence, but that ultimately failed to deliver. Finally, the drama-based approach allowed us to present a feminist embodiment of coercive control and an innovative method for communicating inter-disciplinary research findings on domestic abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emergency situations such as pandemics typically widen inequities, and Australian children and young people with disability already face significant inequities in the education system. In this paper we draw on survey data from over 700 respondents exploring education experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many families reported being left behind, finding it difficult to access education remotely, and that this was having a significant impact on wellbeing and mental health. We find that of all support offered by schools, social supports have a stronger association with learner engagement than educational interventions. This finding indicates the importance of social and emotional supports in learning. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted education for most learners; There is good evidence to suggest this impact is felt more keenly by students with disability, because there is disability discrimination in the Australian education system; This paper reports survey responses from over 700 families of students with disability exploring the impact of COVID-19 on education; Many families report being left behind and that students found it difficult to learn away from the school campus, which for many students and families led to poorer wellbeing and mental health; Our results suggest that supporting students to have social contact with peers made the biggest impact on students with disability feeling engaged with learning during this time. This shows it is important for teachers and schools to pay attention to social as well as educational aspects of school life when thinking about how to educate students with disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For hospitals and other health-care services, identifying older people experiencing abuse remains a challenge. Social workers at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne (SVHM) used a clinical data mining approach to retrospectively audit electronic medical records containing 466 episodes of care over a five-year period where elder abuse was identified based on a system of alerts. The findings highlight key characteristics of the vulnerable older persons, the perpetrators, their social contexts, and interventions undertaken, clarifying a range of vulnerability and risk factors in the sample. Half were aged 80 years and over; two thirds lived with the person of concern; two thirds were from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and a third had cognitive impairment. A high proportion were assessed as being at moderate to high levels of risk, requiring urgent to prompt intervention. Audit findings strengthened knowledge and led to improvements in elder abuse responses by social workers, which included policy development, training, risk management and safety planning processes, resourcing, and research initiatives. This paper describes how social workers engaged in data collection and analysis to inform their practice within a health-care setting and contributed to service evaluation and improvements. IMPLICATIONS This paper demonstrates how social workers can conceptualise and engage in research to better understand a social problem: in this case, it was responding to elder abuse, within a hospital setting. This paper highlights how social workers can use evidence from practitioner-driven research to inform practice and improve service outcomes for those they work with. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of children's consistency of word production allow identification of speech sound disorder. Inconsistent errors are reported for two groups of children: childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) due to difficulty with the motoric precision and consistency of speech movements; and inconsistent phonological disorder (IPD) attributed to impaired phonological planning. This paper describes the inconsistent productions of children with IPD in comparison to typically developing children. In two studies of suspected SSD (N = 135), 22 children pronounced ≥40% of 25 words inconsistently on three repeated trials. No participant had symptoms of CAS. They were monolingual and spoke Australian- or Irish-English. Assessment determined the proportions of words said consistently (i.e. the same across productions: all correct or with the same error) or inconsistently (i.e. differently across productions: at least one correct and one error or different errors in productions). Qualitative analyses examined error types and explored the effect of target words' characteristics on inconsistency. Children with IPD produced 52% of words with different errors. While 56% of all phoneme errors were developmental (age appropriate or delayed), atypical errors typified inconsistency: default sounds and word structure errors. Words with more phonemes, syllables and consonant clusters were vulnerable to inconsistency, but their frequency of occurrence had no effect. TD children and those with IPD had different quantitative and qualitative error profiles, confirming IPD as a diagnostic category of SSD. Qualitative analyses supported the hypothesised deficit in phonological planning of words' production for children with IPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little research has investigated professional identity in Australian clinical psychology postgraduate students. The current study examined potential predictors of professional identity for these students. Anonymous, self-report cross-sectional surveys for Australian postgraduate clinical psychology students were distributed via online survey links sent by their institution's Program Director. Respondents reported professional identity, motivation, engagement, satisfaction with program, resilience, burnout, demographics, and enrolment type. Data from 77 respondents were analysed. Students reported an average 4.25/5 for sense of professional identity as a psychologist. Age, work experience, and stage of program were not associated with professional identity. In multivariate analyses, higher student satisfaction, lower burnout, and lower engagement with "student" aspects of postgraduate study were associated with stronger professional identity. Levels of professional identity were relatively high and showed little influence of demographic variables. However, there is likely to be a reciprocal relationship between satisfaction with postgraduate study and professional identity for students, which would need to be evaluated in a different design to understand directions of association. Results also suggest that supporting postgraduate students in self-care and helping students to balance professional responsibilities and academic aspects of study are likely to assist in fostering postgraduates' professional identity. What is already known about this topic: Professional identity provides a sense of self in relation to membership of a specific profession. Students in health and social services professions, including psychology, have demonstrated emerging professional identities in their areas of study. In working professionals, professional identity has been found to be important for wellbeing and for relationships with colleagues and clients. What this paper adds: Professional identity amongst a sample of Australian postgraduate students in clinical psychology was independent of demographic variables such as age, gender, and previous work experience. Stronger professional identity in the current sample correlated with higher satisfaction with the program of study and lower level of burnout. In multivariate analysis, higher satisfaction with the program of study, lower burnout, and lower engagement with "academic" aspects of the program each independently predicted higher level of professional identity. From these cross-sectional findings, potential causal associations between predictors and professional identity remain to be clarified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Australia, like many high-income countries, food insecurity is associated with increased risks of chronic diseases, sub-optimal development outcomes in children, and mental health conditions including depression and anxiety. Food insecure households employ a range of strategies, including the use of food charity, to help alleviate hunger and meet cost of living pressures. The aim of this paper is to investigate the lived experience of food insecurity for welfare-dependent households, and to examine these experiences within a structural violence framework. Structural violence investigations seek to understand the distal causal factors that can help explain poor health patterns and inequities. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with customers (n = 78) of food pantries, soup kitchens, and community development programs (June 2018 to January 2019) in the state of Victoria, Australia. Thematic analysis established evidence of controlling, demeaning and depriving practices in the interactions between the participants and the services and staff at national welfare providers and food charities. The same providers and charities nominally set up to address the exact situations in which participants found themselves. The findings of this study suggest that food and social services are an on-the-ground setting through which structural violence is enacted and experienced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluate the utility of brief online training for facilitating mental health professionals' perceived knowledge, confidence, and comfort in working with non-binary clients, and building positive attitudes. Baseline participants were 79 Australian registered mental health professionals, of whom 38 completed online training and a one-week follow-up assessment. Participants completed an assessment of attitudes, comfort, confidence, and perceived knowledge pertaining to non-binary people before and after completing online training. The training (30-minute average completion time) provided information on non-binary people's lives using text, images, embedded video, and links to optional resources. Follow-up measures completed one-week post-intervention indicated engagement in the training may lead to increased perceived knowledge, confidence and comfort. Attitudes were positive at baseline and were not significantly different at follow-up. Providing brief online training for working with non-binary people in mental health might improve practitioner perceived knowledge, confidence and competence at low cost and with easy access. Future research is required to account for limitations and build on current outcomes. Key Points What is already known on this topic: Little is known about the effects of brief online training regarding non-binary genders on mental health practitioner's attitudes, confidence, comfort, and perceived knowledge. Previous research has shown that brief training can increase positive attitudes for, knowledge of, behavioural intent, and cultural competence for working with sexual and gender minorities, though has not specifically focused on non-binary people. Previous literature has highlighted positive associations between practitioner knowledge and the well-being of non-binary people accessing health services. What this paper adds: This paper adds to the ongoing genesis of options for training mental health practitioners about non-binary people and relevant issues. Findings suggest beneficial outcomes from both prior professional training in this area and the brief training used in the study. The brief online training used in the study was associated with higher perceived knowledge, confidence, and comfort for working with non-binary clients, but further research is needed to understand reasons for change in these variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consistency of word production contributes to carers' ability to understand children's speech. Reports of the proportion of words produced consistently by typically developing preschool children, however, vary widely from 17% to 87%. This paper examines the quantitative (consistency count) and qualitative (e.g. phonemic analysis) characteristics of word consistency in 96 children aged 36–60 months. Children named 15 pictures twice, in separate trials, in the same assessment session. The mean consistency of the production for the whole group was 82%. Older children were more consistent than younger children. Girls were more consistent than boys. Words produced correctly in one trial and in error in another may indicate resolving error patterns. Words produced in error in two different ways provided useful evidence about the nature of inconsistent word production in typically developing children. The clinical and theoretical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the environmental, interpersonal, and personal outcomes of music performance in a hospital oncology setting. An original, qualitative research study examined the impact of live music for staff, patients, and carers. Data were collected using a multi-method approach of observations and semi-structured interviews and were analysed using inductive and theory-driven theming that was shaped by a determinants of health framework. The research found that live music promoted stronger relationships and calmer environments, among other environmental, social and individual outcomes. Improved communication between staff through the creation of a more supportive environment was a pertinent finding of the research. No negative effects were reported. We discuss research findings in the context of relevant literature and suggest recommendations for future hospital-based live music programs. Results of this study indicate that live music interventions impacted individual, interpersonal, social and environment factors that led to health and wellbeing outcomes for participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the need, feasibility and acceptability of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) implementing a systematic, routine, unmet social needs identification and referral pathway, as a means of promoting health equity and addressing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Quality Improvement methodologies were used to adapt and pilot an unmet social needs identification and referral pathway for use with parents/carers of children with communication disabilities referred to an urban Australian speech-language pathology service. SLPs were surveyed about the acceptability and feasibility of this practice. The majority of parents/carers, 289 of 293 (99%), agreed to participate in the study, with 31 of the 289 (11%) reporting concerns about unmet social needs. The most common unmet need related to household bills (n = 17, 28%), followed by childcare (n = 12, 20%), employment (n = 10, 16%), food (n = 8, 13%), housing (n = 7, 11%), and parent/carer education (n = 7, 11%). The majority of these families, 26 of 31 (84%), requested referral to, or information about, local community services/resources. SLPs reported high levels of acceptability (93%) and feasibility (98%). This study demonstrates the need, feasibility and acceptability of SLPs implementing an unmet social needs identification and referral pathway, and the potential to scale this initiative across other speech-language pathology services and allied health contexts. This paper focusses on SDG 1, SDG 2, SDG 3, SDG 4, SDG 8, SDG 10, SDG 11, SDG 16, and also addresses SDG 17. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Foundations of Early Literacy Assessment – Northern Territory (FELA-NT) was funded, developed, and implemented as part of a strategy designed to address the English literacy learning needs of the Northern Territory's Aboriginal student population. In this paper we question whether the FELA-NT English literacy learning benchmarks are representative of remote and very remote Aboriginal students since many speak English as an Additional Language (EAL) or Dialect (EAD). Using a new data set of scores from 72 Aboriginal students from remote, very remote, and outer-regional communities on the FELA-NT, we demonstrate that it is the student's experience with Standard Australian English, not their remoteness, that impacts their early literacy development. We use this example to illustrate how current practices and policies homogenise the Australian Aboriginal student population, silencing linguistic diversity in the process. We call for clinical practitioners and educators to shift their practices to assessments and tools that recognise children and youths' diverse linguistic skills and pathways. We talk about what empowerment, participation, and inclusion might really mean in current Australian educational and clinical contexts. We argue here that we need to fundamentally rethink how we work with children with diverse language and literacy knowledge, skills, and backgrounds if we are to reduce inequalities (SDG 10), honour quality education (SDG 4), and support sustainable communities (SDG 11). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increasing focus in aged care policy is supporting older people to age at home. However, there is little recognition of the health and independence of older private renters living in a space they do not own or control. This paper draws on in-depth interviews and assessments undertaken in the homes of 27 older tenants in the Brisbane environs aiming to understand how renting privately influenced their ability to meet their basic needs. An analysis of the findings highlights the disadvantage experienced by many older private renters. Most older private renters were unable to meet their basic needs given unaffordable rent whilst reliant on the aged pension. Further, with limited access to community aged care including home modifications, the health and independence of older private renters was found to be at risk. IMPLICATIONS Community aged care is difficult for older private renters to utilise in Australia, with unaffordable services and tenancy law limiting access to community aged care services including home modifications. It is vital social workers advocate for the community aged care needs of older private renters in practice and policy settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated a 60-item version of the Multidimensional Inventory of Dissociation (MID) with the potential to capture the full range of dissociative symptoms that characterize each of the dissociative disorders (DD). The 28-item Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) was designed to capture a wide range of dissociative phenomena, but college population studies indicate it may not be adept at identifying the full range of dissociative symptoms and disorders. The 218-item MID has the advantage of capturing the full range of dissociative symptoms and has diagnostic capabilities for all DSM-5 DD, but the disadvantage of taking considerably longer than the DES to complete. Using university students and staff (N = 313), this paper investigated a 60-item version of the MID with the potential to capture the full range of dissociative symptoms that characterize each of the DD. Results indicate the MID-60 has a nearly identical factor structure to the full MID, excellent internal reliability, and content and convergent validity. Using the MID-60, at least 8% of participants at an Australian university were positive for a DD and, on average, participants self-reported having dissociative experiences 13% of the time. The present study's findings suggest the MID-60 is a promising alternative to the DES, with results about the prevalence of DDs and dissociative experiences consistent with those found using clinical interviews and the DES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: COVID-19 has caused significant disruption. This has been particularly evident within the university student population where their traditional ways of learning were abruptly reorganised and support structures removed. Objective: This paper aims to explore undergraduate student nurses' perceptions of the support required from the university during COVID-19 using the Achievement Goal Theory framework. Design: Data were collected via an online survey of undergraduate student nurses from an Australian university. This paper is reporting the data from a single open-ended item asking participants about their support needs from the University. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Of the 178 students who responded 206 individual statements were provided about the support they would like from the university. Four primary themes emerged, Support beyond academia, Academic support, Online learning readiness and Clinical practice units and clinical placement. The students identified that their needs during this pandemic include financial needs, social isolation, needs for more communication and unpreparedness for online teaching. Conclusion: Several factors were identified by participants about the additional support required from the university during COVID-19. Understanding and addressing these factors have the potential to improve student support during COVID-19 and support students in future crises. Impact statement: Understanding what support students perceive they require from the university during significant disruption will assist in future crisis management planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate determinants of willingness to adopt telerehabilitation, willingness of technology use, core affect regarding using telerehabilitation, and digital competencies in rehabilitation professionals in Austria and Germany before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional paper-based and online survey was conducted before and during COVID-19, respectively, with three cohorts of rehabilitation professionals. Outcomes were the willingness to adopt telerehabilitation evaluated using the extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology; willingness of technology use using the short scale for assessing the willingness of technology use; digital competencies and core affect using the Digital Competence Framework and semantic differential, respectively. Multivariate ordinal regression analysis was performed to determine predictors. Included were 603 rehabilitation professionals. Analysis revealed differences between Austria and Germany and before and during the pandemic for most outcomes. German residency, the pandemic, and a higher educational level were most important predictors of higher willingness to adopt telerehabilitation, willingness of technology use, digital competencies, and positive core affect. The pandemic increased most aspects of willingness to adopt telerehabilitation, willingness of technology use, digital competencies, and positive core affect. Results confirm that rehabilitation professionals with higher degrees are more prone to adopt innovations in healthcare.Registration: German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00021464) The willingness to adopt telerehabilitation is associated with external factors increasing the need for alternative rehabilitation delivery, such as COVID-19, and with financial facilitators, such as reimbursement. As the willingness to adopt telerehabilitation is higher among speech and language therapists and dietitians, efforts are necessary to enhance its use in physiotherapists and occupational therapists. As a higher willingness to adopt telerehabilitation was observed in younger rehabilitation professionals and those with higher education, increasing the importance of telerehabilitation in education curricula and further knowledge transfer into practice for those already working in the field seems necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to identify socio-demographic determinants, risky behaviors and type of drug use, and the association with visiting by general practitioners (GP) in the last 12 months or outpatient service use among people who inject drugs (PWID). Studies in English published before November 1 2021, were searched for on PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science to identify primary studies on the factors associated with visiting by GP or outpatient service use among PWID. After a detailed assessment of over 17,348 papers, a total of 13 studies met the eligibility criteria. Greater odds of visits to the GP in the last 12 months or outpatient service use was associated with (i) being younger, (ii) being female, (iii) employment status, (iv) having public health insurance, (v) individuals who shared needles, (vi) individuals who were prescribed benzodiazepines, (vii) history of taking prescribed mental health medications, (viii) individuals who got methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) and (X) individuals who had used primary care services. The present research findings highlighted that a significant proportion of the study participants used GP or outpatient service use/outpatient psychiatrist, suggesting that the focus should not be restricted to PWID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited studies exist exploring employers' capacity in hiring and supporting employees on the autism spectrum, and even fewer have considered interventions targeting employers' skills and knowledge in enhancing employment opportunities. In response to this need, the Integrated Employment Success Tool (IESTTM) was developed and its effectiveness established in a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Furthermore, a process evaluation was conducted to determine the usability and implementation of the IESTTM. The process evaluation was conducted to determine employers' perceived usability, implementation, and perceived barriers and facilitators in using the IESTTM. Employers (N = 29) provided their feedback via an online questionnaire. Of these, 11 participants were interviewed, further exploring their experiences. Data were analysed via descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. While employers' frequency and usage of the IESTTM varied across workplaces, it was predominantly used to increase employers' knowledge of autism and implement workplace strategies. A major barrier was the paper-based format of the intervention, with more than 60% of employers indicating the need for an online version. The process evaluation was a critical step in understanding why the IESTTM was effective, and how it could be further optimized for prospective employers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the scholarly impact of social work research can inform strategies to strengthen the profession's research foundations. This study examined research productivity and academic impact using h-indexes for a sample of 112 Australian social work researchers according to the stage of their career. Annual research output was calculated using Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) data. The average h-index for all social work researchers in the sample was 6.39 (Scopus) and 12.5 (Google Scholar). Web of Science was not used due to the number of inaccurate researcher profiles. One hundred and thirty-nine publications received 100 or more citations, but there were many never-cited publications. A social work benchmark for the number of publications is around 1.4 publications per year, depending upon a person's stage of career and workload profile. Citation analysis can supplement peer review in evaluating research quality, but there are disciplinary differences in publication and citation practices, so it is useful to know where social work is positioned. IMPLICATIONS Citation analysis is used to assess research productivity and quality alongside qualitative assessment, such as peer review. It is imperative for researchers to check, correct, and claim Google Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science records, and to link these to their ORCID profile. A citation benchmark for social work would be in the range of h-index 3.2 for early-career researchers to 15.8 for research-focused positions (Scopus) or h-index 6.1–25.0 (Google Scholar). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the potential effect of Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) advertising on consumers' behavioral intentions in relation to a medical issue. Using an online experiment, 1295 people were randomized to two information conditions. One group watched an advertisement for a hypothetical cold sore medicine, while a second (control) group did not view the advertisement, before both groups answered questions on symptoms. The responses were analyzed based on group allocation and the respondents' experience with cold sores. Results indicate that those who viewed the advertisement were more likely to choose the product, and the advertisement had larger effects based on consumer experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To design and evaluate the effectiveness of a stimulus material in eliciting the N400 event related potential (ERP). A set of 700 semantically congruent and incongruent sentences was developed in accordance with current linguistic norms, and validated with an electroencephalography (EEG) study, in which the influence of age and gender on the N400 ERP magnitude was analysed. Forty-five normal-hearing subjects (19–57 years, 21 females) participated in the EEG study. The stimulus material used in the EEG study elicited a robust N400 ERP, with a morphology consistent with the literature. Results also showed no statistically significant effect of age or gender on the N400 magnitude. The material presented in this paper constitutes the largest complete stimulus set suitable for both auditory and text-based N400 experiments. This material may help facilitate the efficient implementation of future N400 ERP studies, as well as promote standardisation and consistency across studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Family violence causes brain injury and trauma for many victim survivors. Neuropsychologists play a central role in helping with these issues. We aimed to evaluate rates of family violence training, knowledge and clinical skills in Australian neuropsychologists. Method: An online, brief, self-report survey of psychologists practicing clinically in the area of neuropsychology Australia wide. The survey assessed prior training, knowledge and confidence together with awareness of specific family violence clinical skills, and barriers to competent practice. Results: Responses were received from every state and territory and represented more than 10% of the total registered endorsed clinical neuropsychology workforce (N = 92). Over 90% of respondents had undertaken family violence training, however 57% reported having little or no knowledge and 67% little or no confidence working clinically in the area. Knowledge of specific family violence skills was reduced, with only 20% indicating that they knew how to respond, when clients disclosed experiencing family violence. Conclusions: Further work is needed to improve the ability of the Australian neuropsychology workforce to respond to this important health issue. Response of neuropsychologists may be sub-optimal, particularly in regard to the provision of psychological support following disclosures a central tenant of World Health Organization guidelines. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: Family violence is a significant public health issue in Australia. Family violence can cause both brain injuries and psychological trauma and attenuated cognitive functioning has been associated with both of these conditions. Clinical neuropsychologists commonly work with clients who experience cognitive attenuation. What this paper adds: This paper is the first, to our knowledge, to survey training, knowledge, confidence levels and specific family violence clinical skills in Australian neuropsychologists. Over 10% of the endorsed clinical neuropsychology Australian workforce participated in this self-report online survey. Results indicated that most had received some family violence training, however, self-rated knowledge, confidence and awareness of specific family violence skills were relatively low and further training and professional development in this area is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Like in many countries, the Australian Government has conducted an inquiry into child sexual abuse that occurred in institutional settings (The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse). Drawing on the findings from a qualitative study commissioned by the Royal Commission, this paper explores the perceptions of victim/survivors1 of the ways in which institutions (or individuals within them) responded supportively when sexual abuse was reported. While researchers and inquiries have reported on inadequacy of institutional responses, this paper addresses a research gap by investigating responses that victims/survivors perceived as helpful, while mindful of the overwhelmingly negative nature of their experiences. The paper contributes to the literature on institutional responses to child sexual abuse methodologically – by reporting on the challenges of a study of this type – and theoretically, by proposing a framework indicating how different helpful elements of an institutional response to child sexual abuse relate to each other in the victim/survivors' experiences. The findings are relevant for research on best practice in institutional responses to child sexual abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of dementia is increasing with more healthcare workers being required to care for people living with this progressive neurological disorder. The knowledge level and attitude of healthcare workers caring for those living with dementia need to be assessed and resources targeted effectively to ensure best quality care is provided. Healthcare workers for the purpose of this paper include anyone employed to care for those living with dementia. Aim: To investigate the attitudes of healthcare workers towards people living with dementia. Methods: A survey of 110 healthcare workers was undertaken between October 2016 and December 2017, using the Dementia Attitude Scale to measure attitudes towards people living with dementia. Demographic data were collected by a survey to explore whether a person's age; cultural background; qualification level; or experience level had an impact on their attitude towards people living with dementia. Results: The full survey was completed by n = 85 healthcare workers with the majority having strongly positive views about people living with dementia, with an average score of 88.31/100. However, a large number reported being afraid of people living with dementia (n = 76, 89.4%) and would avoid people with dementia who were agitated (n = 51, 61.4%). While 100% (n = 85) agreed or strongly agreed that it was possible to enjoy interacting with people living with dementia, they were more ambivalent with n = 26 (31.6%) strongly agreeing with the statement that working with people living with dementia is rewarding. A significant difference in attitude was found using one-way analysis of variance within groups due to age (p <.000) and cultural background (p <.035). Conclusions: Healthcare workers within this study had mainly positive attitudes towards people with dementia as demonstrated by the high attitude scores. However, this paper has shown that healthcare workers may require further education to improve attitude and care towards those living with dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and asexual (LGBTQA+) Australians are vulnerable to religion-based attempts to change or suppress their sexuality and/or gender identity, including conversion ideology messaging in school-based sex education. Conversion bans are currently being debated across the country. This paper reports on a critical survivor-driven study which retrospectively explored Australian LGBTQA+ youth exposure to conversion practices both within and outside of education settings. It privileges the perspectives of self-titled 'survivors' of conversion ideology and practices through the use of a reference group and constructivist grounded theory. Qualitative data were collected 20 from Australian LGBTQA+ conversion ideology and/or practice survivors aged 18 years and over, using focus groups and 35 individual interviews between 2016 and 2020. In conversion-promoting religious contexts including education institutions and groups, messages concerning sexuality and gender changed as individuals grew older and were drawn into more/enclosed settings in which core conversion messages of LGBTQA+ 'brokenness' were prevalent. While individuals progressed through the conversion experience in different ways, their experience was characterised by the absence of any form of affirming LGBTQA+ education – enabling conversion itself to become their LGBTQA+ (mis)information source. School policy addressing conversion, alongside enhanced provision of affirmative age-appropriate gender and sexuality education, may mediate this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing number of children on the autism spectrum entering mainstream schools requires classroom teachers with the knowledge and skills to create supportive and inclusive environments in which these students can thrive. This paper reports the perspectives offered by 33 teachers who volunteered to trial an Early Years Model of Practice (EY-MoP) designed to provide information and guidance on foundational practices supportive of students on the spectrum. All teachers worked in Australian primary schools and had at least one student on the spectrum in their early years classrooms. In pre-and post-trial interviews, teachers shared their impressions of, and experiences with, the EY-MoP. In general, they endorsed the model as a resource outlining foundational practices for working with students on the spectrum. Insights shared pointed to the positive impact that this kind of comprehensive, foundational resource can have on teaching practice both in everyday planning and as a reflective tool. Responses also indicated that the model enhanced teachers' knowledge and confidence in supporting students on the spectrum. Taken together, these teacher data provide preliminary evidence for the viability of the EY-MoP as a resource to support both beginning and experienced teachers in their work with young children on the spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the findings of a quantitative study of 1,698 public library websites in Australia, Canada, and the United States over a period of three years using a spreadsheet protocol. The purpose of the research was to evaluate public library websites, available online sources, and whether library staff were available to respond to users' questions and concerns regarding the website. Descriptive statistics are used to report the results. The study provides public library website information regarding which protocol criteria each country's libraries attained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All papers in this special edition ofMental Health, Religion & Cultureutilise data sets from the 2011 round of the Australian National Church Life Survey (NCLS). This paper presents a methodological overview of the NCLS, including data collection methods, survey instruments and demographic descriptions of church attender and leader data sets. The data sets have good national coverage and denominational diversity, although Pentecostals are under-represented. The data sets may be further affected by self-selection by participating churches; however, the content of the surveys is unlikely to have triggered self-selection biases at the level of individuals. The paper also provides details concerning the measurement of quality of life in the present collection, concentrating on the Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI) which is featured in four of the five empirical papers. Mean PWI scores for churchgoers and leaders were similar to the Australian populace at large, although there was greater variability among churchgoers. The domain of spirituality/religion makes a significant contribution to well-being in these Australian Christian sub-populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: For parents who have experienced childhood maltreatment, parenting an adolescent may trigger memories of abuse or neglect, intensifying parent-adolescent conflict. This paper extends an earlier report of outcomes from a pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) of Tuning Relationships with Music™, an intervention for parent-adolescent dyads where parents have a trauma history and dyads are experiencing conflict, in order to look systemically at dyads' emotion regulation during their musical representation of nonverbal conflict interaction (NCI). Method: The RCT randomly allocated 26 parent-adolescent dyads into intervention or control conditions, and analysed dyads' self-report and observation measures completed at baseline and 4-month post-baseline follow-up. Aims of the current paper were (1) to examine relationships between parents' trauma history, parent-adolescent conflict, parents' reactivity and responsiveness, and dyads' emotion regulation, consistency and predictability during NCI; and (2) whether a systemic music intervention focused on nonverbal communication (NVC) and emotion regulation would change the dynamics of dyads' relational conflict. Results: Higher parents' childhood betrayal trauma and adolescent-reported conflict scores were correlated with predictable NVC sequences whilst dyads were emotionally dysregulated, and parents' reactivity was correlated with dyads' inconsistent NVC during NCI. Post-intervention dyads were more emotionally regulated, consistent and predictable during NCI, reported lower levels of conflict and showed increased parent emotional responsiveness and reduced reactivity. Discussion: Findings indicate that where parents have experienced childhood maltreatment, conflictual parent-adolescent dyads may benefit from intervention focusing on skills that promote emotionally regulated, predictable and consistent NVC during conflict interactions. Trials with a larger sample are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young people with severe and complex depression experience substantial social connectedness difficulties. The aim of this qualitative study was to evaluate the role of social connectedness in a novel group therapy (Relate) for youth living with severe and complex depression from clinicians' perspectives. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 clinicians practicing at Orygen's Youth Mood Clinic in Melbourne. Eight of the 11 clinicians were female, with the sample aged 30–42 years (M = 34 years, SD = 3.6 years) and having an average 4.5 years clinical experience at Orygen. Four key themes were identified by codebook thematic analysis. The first theme pertained to clients' difficulties with social engagement, which impacted their attendance of Relate, but were addressed by the intervention. In the second theme, clinicians identified Relate as providing a safe space. In the third theme, clinicians identified opportunities for positive relational experiences. In the fourth theme, clinicians observed social and clinical improvements in Relate clients, but marked recovery did not always occur after attending. Findings provide initial support for the continuation of Relate. Recommendations for future iterations of Relate include refining the intake criteria for referring clients to Relate and potentially lengthening the program's duration. What is already known about this topic: Group interpersonal therapy is an effective intervention for depression and interpersonal functioning in young people. Few studies have evaluated treatments for young people with severe and complex depression and high suicide risk. Few studies have evaluated group programs within early intervention services. What this paper adds: A relationally-focussed group therapy could improve social connectedness and interpersonal functioning for youth living with severe and complex depression. The Relate group emphasises a safe environment for sharing and social risk-taking, providing opportunities for positive relational experiences with similar others which might be particularly useful for youth with complex social difficulties. Identified issues with engagement suggest clients could benefit from an explicit rationale for how their participation in the group benefits their depression treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reach cervical cancer elimination targets it is necessary to increase screening rates among underserved populations such as LGBTQ communities. This paper examines rates of attendance and associated factors of cervical screening in LGBTQ communities. Data from 2,424 people aged 25 to 74 years and assigned female at birth were drawn from an online national Australian survey of LGBTQ adults. Over half of the sample had accessed cervical screening in the past 2 years. Using a multivariable logistic regression analysis, significant associations were found between screening, sociodemographic traits and health-care access. Trans men were least likely to access cervical screening, while bisexual, pansexual and queer identified participants were most likely to access screening. People who lived outside inner-suburban areas and those who had a disability were less likely to have had screening. Evidence of trusting relationships with a general practitioner (having a regular GP and GP's knowledge of the individual's LGBTQ identity) increased the likelihood that participants had screened, as did recent access to a medical service that was LGBTQ-inclusive or catered specifically to LGBTQ communities. The findings suggest the importance of training health providers, as well as targeted public health messaging for increasing uptake of cervical screening among LGBTQ people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arts-based learning in the context of clinical placement is rarely discussed in the literature, yet storytelling is potentially a valuable tool for students to reflect on the multi-dimensional experience. Clandinin and Connolly's approach to narrative inquiry provided the methodology to explore students' experiences of storytelling as a learning strategy. Narrative inquiry is a relationship-based methodology, used to study the nature of people's experience. The approach is like that of clinical facilitators who work collaboratively with students to understand and provide mentorship through placement experiences. Creative writing and storytelling sessions with students were conducted throughout placement. Data included creative writing, oral stories, and researcher journal entries, collected over six placement blocks with 26 nursing students. Analysis identified that students engaged enthusiastically with storytelling; stories highlighted moments of student-patient interactions; the value of a positive clinical facilitator-student relationship; the complexity of registered nurse-student relationships; and students from cultural and linguistic diverse backgrounds experienced feelings of isolation from staff. The simple tools of pen and paper were a powerful medium for students to reflect on their interactions with patients. Facilitating the process of storytelling provided the researcher with insight into intrinsic and extrinsic obstacles and opportunities which may impact students' engagement with patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on findings of the Sex Ed Dads survey which sought Australian fathers' perspectives on communicating with their young children about relationships and sexuality, as informal sexuality educators. Given the majority of existing family-based sexuality education research draws on the experiences of mothers, gaining insights from fathers is a much needed first step in designing resources to support paternal engagement in sexuality education. A diverse sample of 612 Australian fathers completed an online survey about their views on sexuality education and their role within it. Participating fathers valued sexuality education for their children and believed that their own informal contribution to its provision was important. Fathers reported high levels of comfort discussing a wide range of topics with their child at the age they deemed appropriate, although a gap between what fathers believed they should discuss and what they actually discussed was found. Findings offer insights for schools, resource developers and sexuality education providers seeking to support increased engagement of fathers in the sexuality education domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia's National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is associated with disability sector growth. A skilled and competent disability professional workforce is needed. Developmental Educators (DEs) are university qualified disability specialists; however, the profession (est.1983) has been under recognised. Due to the multi-skilled nature and broad scope of this profession, there is little evidence associated with the exact roles of DEs once they complete their degree and enter the disability workforce. This paper presents a mixed methods self-assessment investigation of DEs' current job roles and responsibilities, and DEs' perceptions of the understanding of their profession. Data were gathered from DEs (N = 121) using an online survey. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. DEs reported working with people with disabilities across the lifespan in various settings including: employment, accommodation, recreation, education, positive behaviour support, and skill development. Though there were widespread perceptions from DEs that their profession was under recognised, many DEs reported being employed prior to or immediately after graduation from their degree. The next step for this research is to investigate the views and perceptions of people with disabilities and their family members who receive service and support from DEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Between 55–65% of residents living in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) experience dysphagia and are prescribed texture-modified diets by a speech-language pathologist (SLP). The aim of this study was to assess current adherence to prescribed texture modification for people with dysphagia; and explore barriers to implementation in a rural aged care setting. Method: Meal texture audits (N = 42) were completed with residents with dysphagia in a rural RACF who were prescribed texture-modified diets or fluids by a SLP. Semi-structured focus groups were conducted with nursing and food preparation staff (N = 11) to identify barriers to implementation. Result: Mealtime texture audits identified that 54.8% (n = 23) of residents' food modification requirements were incorrectly documented in the manual entry database (kitchen form) and 64.3% (n = 27) of meal trays contained foods that did not meet residents' dysphagia management plans. Focus group data revealed seven main themes impacting on the ability of staff to implement prescribed texture-modified diets. Complicated processes and communication between nursing, food services and SLP staff were identified as major barriers. These were complicated further by time pressures experienced by staff as well as staffing issues, resourcing of the kitchen, accommodating individual dietary preferences and the variety/presentation of dietary options at the aged care facility. Conclusion: There was low adherence to SLP prescribed texture-modified diets and fluids in the participating rural RACF. This study identified major barriers to implementing SLP prescribed texture-modified diets including complicated processes, communication breakdowns, time pressures and limited staffing. Implementation of an online menu management system and regular dysphagia-specific training may address barriers to communication and complicated paper-based menu systems and should be a priority for health services to ensure adequate dysphagia management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the findings from a study exploring the efficacy of a training program for child protection practitioners. The training aimed to improve understanding of the sociohistorical context that underpins interactions between the welfare system and Aboriginal communities, the impact of past and present child protection laws, and the importance of trauma theory to guide practice when working with Aboriginal families. A pre–post survey design study was conducted. Findings demonstrated the preferred theoretical approach to practice was guided by attachment theory. No participant listed trauma theory as guiding their work with Aboriginal families. The study found the lack of skills and knowledge deficit of trauma-informed principles and the limited understanding of trauma theories can be and should be addressed in vocational training. As a result of the training, participants' knowledge about trauma significantly improved, as did their understanding of key concepts such as the difference between past and current welfare laws, assimilation, intergenerational trauma and trauma-related behaviours. Findings point to the need for high quality training in entry-level and professional development for welfare practitioners to support best practice in working with Aboriginal families, and the importance of rigorous evaluation of training to ensure that it is impactful. IMPLICATIONS Welfare practitioners do not necessarily understand trauma theory and trauma-informed practice and do not understand the impact of trauma on Indigenous Australians. Mandatory in-service training about the past and ongoing traumatic impact of previous child welfare system laws, must be provided to welfare practitioners. Trauma theory needs to guide child protection practice when working with Aboriginal families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Group-based parenting programs can effectively improve parenting and child wellbeing; however, these programs are predominantly attended by mothers. Actively involving both parents has the potential to maximize program outcomes, as it allows the coparenting relationship to be targeted alongside parenting practices. Researchers suggest that one way of achieving this is to integrate coparenting content into existing, evidence-based parenting programs. Tuning in to Kids is an emotion-focused parenting program that provides an effective foundation for adaptation, given the benefits of the program and the nature of the content (i.e., parents learn the skill of emotion coaching that may also benefit the coparenting relationship). This paper outlines the process of adapting Tuning in to Kids through the integration of coparenting content and increased focus on the family system. The process was guided by the Medical Research Council framework for complex intervention development (i.e., identifying the evidence, developing a theoretical model, modeling the intervention process) and resulted in the development of Tuning in to Kids Together (TIK-Together). The program adaptation was designed to target Australian coparents and was informed by Australian evidence. TIK-Together aims to improve the coparenting relationship, in addition to supporting parenting practices and child emotional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Validity test failures within neuropsychological assessments are common. This study aimed to assess current practise. Method: Australian psychologists completed an online survey evaluating their approach to validity issues. Results: There were 102 participants (75% female, mean age 41.68 (11.72), 88% clinical neuropsychologists or registrars, 35% conducting 10+ assessments in medico-legal settings, 88% conducting 10+ assessments in clinical settings). Performance validity tests were used by most clinicians in a medico-legal setting, but in less than 50% of assessments in clinical settings. Symptom validity tests were used significantly more frequently in medico-legal settings as compared to clinical settings. Less objective methods (e.g., qualitative observation) were more frequently used to evaluate validity in clinical settings. Conclusions: Overall, validity testing in Australia is not consistent with published North American guidelines or practise trends. In Australia, psychologists practising in clinical settings appear to be relying on subjective judgements more frequently than on objective test findings. Australian guidelines that reflect recent research findings regarding validity test failure rates in clinical settings are required. The most frequently cited reason for not including validity tests was insufficient time, so future research should continue to examine time-efficient ways of incorporating validity testing. Key Points What is already known about this topic: (1) Performance validity and symptom validity test failure occur in both medico-legal and clinical settings. (2) Professional guidelines for validity testing published by professional bodies in North America emphasise the importance of validity tests in medico-legal and other settings. (3) Validity test use varies between countries, with high rates in North America but lower rates in Europe and New Zealand. What this paper adds: (1) Based on North American guidelines, performance validity tests are used less frequently than recommended in clinical settings in Australia, whilst symptom validity tests are used less frequently than recommended in both clinical and medico-legal settings. (2) Lack of time is the biggest barrier to incorporating validity tests into neuropsychological assessments; more time-efficient validity testing methods would help redress this issue. (3) There is an urgent need for Australian guidelines for validity testing in neuropsychological assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in the management of chronic diseases, combined with an aging population, have escalated the prevalence of people with life-limiting conditions and demand for palliative care. In Australia, this has prompted calls for change in policy frameworks, service systems and funding models that underpin care. The complex social, cultural and policy transformation required to enact these changes has been problematic. This paper reports on qualitative research into a unique, Australian Community Palliative Care program reflecting these aspirational changes. The research examined the program design and its implementation through the perspectives of program staff and volunteers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper contributes an Australian focus to the growing body of research on trans and gender diverse people's family and romantic relationships. A survey designed by the authors was completed by 160 trans or gender diverse Australians. A negative correlation was found between discrimination from families of origin and perceptions of support, and conversely a positive correlation was found between perceptions of support and emotional closeness. Analysis of open-ended responses suggested that support was primarily constituted by (1) emotional support, (2) utilising correct pronouns and names, and (3) financial support. Discrimination by families of origin was primarily constituted by (1) refusal to use correct pronouns and names, (2) exclusion from family events, and (3) pathologising responses. The findings in regard to romantic relationships suggest that trans women were more likely than trans men or gender diverse people to experience challenges in negotiating romantic relationships. A negative correlation was found between difficulties in negotiating romantic relationships and belief in the likelihood that an “ideal” romantic relationship would occur in the future. Difficulties in negotiating romantic relationships were primarily described in terms of (1) anxiety over potential responses, (2) discrimination from potential partners, and (3) lack of self-acceptance. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of these findings for clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: In spite of the healthy immigrant effect, the prevalence of lifestyle-related chronic diseases among migrants is reported to approximate that of the host country with longer duration of stay. For example, higher rates of chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and hypertension have been observed among Filipino migrants and these have been linked to acculturation. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of Filipino-Australian migrants in managing their chronic health conditions in a Western host country. Design: This paper reports on qualitative findings of a mixed methods study that used an explanatory sequential design. Nine focus group discussions were undertaken with 58 Filipino-Australian migrants with chronic disease. Thematic analysis was undertaken using a five-stage general purpose thematic framework ensuring that themes closely identified key participants’ experiences. Results: Findings revealed that health benefits provided by the health system in Australia were considered advantageous. However, a lack of social and instrumental support compounded isolation and disempowerment, limiting self-management strategies for chronic illnesses. Cultural beliefs and practices influenced their knowledge, attitude to and management of chronic disease, which health service providers overlooked because of perceived acculturation and English language skills. Overall this study has clearly identified recognition of cultural beliefs, language needs and support as three core needs of Filipino-Australian migrants with the elderly the most vulnerable. Conclusion: This paper highlights that self-management of chronic disease among elderly Filipino immigrants may be adversely affected by host language difficulties, a lack of social support and cultural issues, impacting on access to services, health-seeking behaviours and participation in health promotion initiatives. Language, culture-specific health interventions and resources and enhancing social support are likely important strategies in promoting chronic disease self-management among the elderly. These interventions have the potential to empower and encourage individuals to take control and better manage their chronic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Group singing has been reported to enhance quality of life (QoL) and mental health in older people. This paper explored whether there are differences in the effects of group singing intervention on people with Parkinson's (PwPs) in Australia, UK and South Korea. Methods: The study included PwPs (N = 95; mean age = 70.26; male 45%) who participated in a standardised 6-month weekly group singing programme. Parkinson's health-related QoL measure (PDQ39) and mental health assessment (DASS) were administered at baseline and follow-up. ANOVAs were performed with significance set as p <.05. Results: ANOVAs revealed main effects of Time on the Stigma and Social Support subscales of PDQ39; both showed a small but significant improvement over time. However, the social support reduction was moderated by country; social support was improved only in South Korean participants. The reduction in stigma was greater than previously reported minimal clinically important differences, as was the social support reduction in South Korean participants. In terms of mental health, ANOVAs revealed that the scores of Anxiety and Stress domains of DASS significantly decreased from pre-test to post-test with small effect sizes. Conclusion: This first international singing study with PwPs demonstrated that group singing can reduce stigma, anxiety and stress and enhance social support in older adults living with Parkinson's. The findings are encouraging and warrant further research using more robust designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heart failure is a chronic condition with various implications for individuals and families. Although the importance of implementing palliative care is recommended in best practice guidelines, implementation strategies are less clear. This study sought to; (1) determine Australian and New Zealand cardiovascular nurses and physicians' end of life care attitudes and specialist palliative care referral in heart failure and; (2) determine self-reported delivery of supportive care and attitudes towards service names. An electronic survey was emailed to members of four peak bodies and professional networks. Participants were also recruited through social media. Paper-based versions of the survey were completed by attendees of the 66th Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand Annual Scientific Meeting, August 2018. There were 113 completed responses included in the analyses. Participants were nurses (n = 75), physicians (n = 32) and allied health professionals (n = 4). Most (67%) reported they were comfortable with providing end of life care; however, fewer respondents agreed they received support for their dying patients and one-third experienced a sense of failure when heart failure progressed. Most (84–100%) participants agreed they would refer a heart failure patient later in the illness trajectory. There was a more favourable attitude towards the service name 'supportive care' than to 'palliative care'. Comfort with end of life discussions is encouraging as it may lead to a greater likelihood of planning future care and identifying palliative care needs. Peer support and supervision may be useful for addressing feelings of failure. The use of needs-based assessment tools, adopting the service name 'supportive care' and further research focusing on primary palliative team-based approach is required to improve palliative care access. Cardiovascular nurses and physicians are comfortable providing end of life care, but referrals to palliative care in the later stages of heart failure persists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delivering effective healthcare requires healthcare professionals to reflect on their own cultural background and their patient's cultural needs. Culture is a determinant of health and if not considered, negative health outcomes can result. This is of particular importance when working with Aboriginal communities and caring for Aboriginal people whose views have been excluded from healthcare models, funding, and policy. Non-indigenous healthcare professionals, such as pharmacy students, benefit from understanding Aboriginal peoples' healthcare needs and models of holistic healthcare, as well as reflecting on their own cultures, assumptions, and experiences on placement. This article explores students' views to inform the development of a Toolkit to support students' learning prior to engaging in placements in Aboriginal communities. The study involved collaboration with students, Aboriginal community members, educators experienced in Indigenous health and allied health education. This paper is within a series exploring the development and evaluation of the 'Working Respectfully with Aboriginal People (WRAP): Student Toolkit'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]