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The term Non-Medical Surgical Assistant (NMSA) encompasses all roles where healthcare clinicians without a medical degree provide clinical services during the perioperative cycle. The role of NMSA is gaining momentum within Australia. It is timely to ascertain who is preforming the role and quantify the practice setting and scope of practice to enable a nationally recognised platform for role evolution. For two months in 2015 a NMSA Practice Audit was available online. Sampling was initially of a convenience modality. A total of 83 clinicians responded. The majority of NMSAs were experienced RNs [>11yrs]; held post-graduate qualifications [80%], practiced predominantly in metropolitan areas [65%] and had been performing the role for 8 years or less. The specialty with the highest uptake of the NMSAs is orthopaedic surgery. This paper provides an overview of NMSAs practicing in Australia and provides cost effective evidence of the need for this service in Australian healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loneliness research has tended to focus on mainstream and older populations despite evidence that non‐mainstream groups, like those experiencing homelessness, may experience loneliness differently. Limited existing research indicates that (a) people who have been homeless experience loneliness as multidimensional (as a pluralistic, non‐unidimensional emotion, experienced specific to lacked relationships) and (b) mainstream loneliness scales may be inappropriate for this group. The current study piloted and appraised the feasibility the short version of the Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for Adults (SELSA‐S) among 129 Australian adults with a lived experience of homelessness. Exploratory Factor Analysis and an observational questionnaire appraisal were used to assess factorial and content validity and showed the measure did not fit this sample as well as in mainstream samples. Removal of items that participants found difficult to comprehend/answer improved the factorial fit of the scale. In conclusion, the SELSA‐S may be inappropriate for measuring loneliness among people who have experienced homelessness. Further research needs to explore the potentially different structure of loneliness among marginalised groups so that a better understanding of loneliness can be reached. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Emotional distress, which includes stress, anxiety and depression, is considered a substantial mental health problem among university students because of its effects on academic achievement and well-being. The purpose of this paper is to examine levels of emotional distress, self-esteem, social support and coping methods and predicted emotional distress in undergraduate students across year levels in two semesters. Design/methodology/approach: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a regional university with 117 and 118 students, respectively, the majority of whom were from the Faculty of Science. Announcements posted on the university website in two semesters were used to recruit convenience samples of participants who completed a battery of four self-administered questionnaires online. Findings: Findings showed significant differences across year levels for emotional distress total (F(2, 107)=3.90, p=0.02), and social support total (F(2, 107)=3.57, p=0.03), especially in semester 1. Almost all maladaptive coping approaches led to risk of heightened emotional distress in both semester cohorts, ranging from using self-distraction (adjusted OR=4.54) to denial (adjusted OR=32.05). Interestingly, the use of active coping and high self-esteem appeared as risk factors rather than protective factors for mental distress, adjusted ORs=11.27 and 8.46, respectively. Originality/value: Although adaptive coping skills did not alleviate students' mental distress, encouraging students to use adaptive coping and social support may help students face the challenges of university life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measures of self-forgiveness that merely focus on the outcome of positive self-regard risk neglecting the process through which offenders restore it. They may thus tap pseudo self-forgiveness where offenders downplay their responsibility for the wrongdoing. For genuine self-forgiveness, the process should instead involve an attenuation of the negative link between responsibility acceptance and positive self-regard. In this paper, we examine how acts of value reaffirmation facilitate genuine self-forgiveness. In Study 1, a role-play experiment (N = 90), participants either confessed their wrongdoing to the victim or not. Although responsibility acceptance was strongly negatively related to reported self-forgiveness (i.e., self-regard), this relationship was tempered when participants confessed their wrongdoing to the victim and, through this, reaffirmed the violated values. In Study 2, a longitudinal study referring to self-reported transgressions (N = 74), responsibility acceptance was negatively related to self-forgiveness measures as well as self-esteem when offenders showed little value reaffirmation, but not when they more strongly reaffirmed the violated values. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is consensus in the partner abuse prevention education literature that a skills-focus is needed. However, appropriate instruments for evaluating the effectiveness of skills-focused programs do not exist. Against this background, and based on the dyadic slippery slope model of partner abuse, the Tendency to Resist or End Abusive Dynamics (TREAD) scale was developed. TREAD is defined as one's tendency to respond assertively or protectively in situations involving warning-sign (potentially hurtful or controlling) behaviors by a partner. The scale's development drew on the input of three Australian samples: mixed-gender adolescent focus groups, 426 young female respondents to an online survey, and 152 adolescent girls participating in a school-based program trial. When tested with the 152 adolescent girls, the TREAD scale had acceptable internal consistency and high inter-rater reliability. Principal components analysis identified three interrelated TREAD subscales (i.e., Conflict-Retaliation TREAD, Denigration TREAD, and Dominance-Possessiveness TREAD) all of which were negatively associated with frequency of exposure to warning-sign behaviors. This paper charts the preliminary development of the TREAD scale, presenting evidence supporting its validity as a change-target for partner abuse prevention education with adolescent girls and, potentially, boys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

scott k., white k., johnson c. & roydhouse j.k. (2011) Knowledge and skills of cancer clinical trials nurses in Australia. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(5), 1111-1121. Abstract Aims. This paper is a report of the development and testing of a questionnaire measuring knowledge and skills of cancer clinical trials nurse in Australia. Background. The role of cancer clinical trials nurse, widely acknowledged as an integral member of the clinical research team, has evolved in recent years. Elements of the clinical trials nurse role in cancer have previously been described. To evaluate specific cancer clinical trials nurse educational and training needs, the development of a valid and reliable tool is required. Methods. In 2009, a study was conducted in three stages. Stage I: questionnaire development and pilot testing; stage II: focus group; stage III: national survey. Internal consistency reliability testing and multi-trait analysis of item convergent/divergent validity were employed. Regression analysis was used to identify predictors of clinical trials nurse knowledge and skills. Results. The national survey was a 48-item questionnaire, measuring six clinical trial knowledge and seven skills sub-scales. Of 61 respondents, 90% were women, with mean age 43 years, 19 years as a Registered Nurse and 5 years as a cancer clinical trials nurse. Self-reported knowledge and skills were satisfactory to good. Internal consistency reliability was high (Cronbach's alpha: knowledge = 0·98; skills = 0·90). Criteria for item convergent/divergent validity were met. Number of years as cancer clinical trials nurse was positively related to self-reported knowledge and skills. Conclusion. Preliminary data suggest that the national survey is reliable and valid. Data have contributed to better understanding the knowledge and skills of cancer clinical trials nurse in Australia and development of a postgraduate course in clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

gardner g., gardner a., middleton s., della p., kain v. & doubrovsky a. (2010) The work of nurse practitioners. Journal of Advanced Nursing 66(10), 2160–2169. Aim. This paper is a report of a study of variations in the pattern of nurse practitioner work in a range of service fields and geographical locations, across direct patient care, indirect patient care and service-related activities. Background. The nurse practitioner role has been implemented internationally as a service reform model to improve the access and timeliness of health care. There is a substantial body of research into the nurse practitioner role and service outcomes, but scant information on the pattern of nurse practitioner work and how this is influenced by different service models. Methods. We used work sampling methods. Data were collected between July 2008 and January 2009. Observations were recorded from a random sample of 30 nurse practitioners at 10-minute intervals in 2-hour blocks randomly generated to cover 2 weeks of work time from a sampling frame of 6 weeks. Results. A total of 12,189 individual observations were conducted with nurse practitioners across Australia. Thirty individual activities were identified as describing nurse practitioner work, and these were distributed across three categories. Direct care accounted for 36·1% of how nurse practitioners spend their time, indirect care accounted for 32·0% and service-related activities made up 31·9%. Conclusion. These findings provide useful baseline data for evaluation of nurse practitioner positions and the service effect of these positions. However, the study also raises questions about the best use of nurse practitioner time and the influences of barriers to and facilitators of this model of service innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In search of Kipling's six honest serving men in upper limb rehabilitation after stroke, we sought to investigate clinicians' perspective of when and where to begin therapy, how much and what therapy to provide, and who and why (or not) to provide therapy. Materials & methods: Within-participant case cross-over experiments were nested within an anonymous web-based questionnaire (21 questions, three cases). Graph theory-based voting to produce ranked ordered lists and mixed-effect logistic regression were performed. In total, 225 Australian stroke clinicians responded: 53% occupational therapists, 61% working in acute/inpatient stroke setting. Most respondents indicated they did not have a protocol/expectation regarding when (62%), how much (84%) or what (60%) therapy to provide in their setting. Respondents ranked 24-h to 7-days post-stroke as the optimal time to commence therapy, and 30- to 60-min per day as the optimal dose to provide. Within-participant experiments demonstrated that greater motor recovery as time progressed increased the odds of offering therapy, while lack of motor recovery, shoulder pain, neurological decline and sole therapist reduced the odds. We need to develop an evidence base concerning Kipling's six honest serving men and equip clinicians with clinical decision-making skills aligned with this focus. Most clinicians did not have access to a protocol / clinical pathway which defines when, how much and what upper limb therapy to provide after stroke, which may be improved by providing individual clinicians with organisational support to make therapy decisions. To improve the personalisation of upper limb rehabilitation in clinical practice, we need to understand when and where after stroke to begin therapy, how much and what therapy to provide, as well as who and why (clinical decision-making) to provide therapy. Clinicians perceive clinical trials as successful if the therapy can demonstrate recovery that is greater than a minimal clinical important difference (MCID). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching is a key role for nurses in contemporary clinical practice. Consequently, peer-assisted learning continues to gather momentum in nursing education in tertiary and professional education settings. In this study, we investigated the factor structure of the Peer Teaching Experience Questionnaire when completed by a group of nursing undergraduates from a large Australian university. Data from the 14-item Peer Teaching Experience Questionnaire completed by third year undergraduate nursing students were analyzed using factor analysis. A total of 257 final (third)-year undergraduate nursing students participated in the study. Factor analysis of the 14 items revealed three factors with eigenvalues above 1, accounting for 47.3% of the total variance. Items with loadings greater than ± 0.40, with the factor in question, were used to characterize the factor solutions. Findings from the exploratory factor analysis provide preliminary results that the Peer Teaching Experience Questionnaire has adequate dimensionality and reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HALKETT G.K.B., COX J., ANDERSON C. & HEARD R. (2012) European Journal of Cancer Care 21, 31-40. Establishing research priorities for Australian radiation therapists: what patient care priorities need to be addressed? Much of the research conducted in radiotherapy focuses on technology advances; however, research may also be warranted in the area of patient care. The aims of this paper are to (1) identify patient care-related research priorities in radiation therapy and (2) describe similarities and differences in radiation therapists' responses to research priorities related to patient care by subgroups revealed through cluster analysis. A Delphi process was used, examining problems in research that radiation therapists face. Three hundred and seventy-four problems were identified. These were translated into 53 research areas which were then prioritised. Participant subgroups were identified using a hierarchical cluster procedure. Agreement and disagreement between subgroups for the subscale of 'Patient Care' were analysed with ANOVA and post hoc Scheffe multiple comparisons. The three subgroups had varying degrees of research interest in patient care. The groups agreed on the importance of research in relation to patient care in reducing and managing side effects, patient education and support, and treatment techniques. However, there was disagreement about the importance of conducting research into the role of radiation therapists, radiation therapists communicating and educating patients, and psychosocial support. Further research is warranted to determine radiotherapy patients' priorities and improve evidence-based practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To evaluate the nutrition knowledge of elite Australian athletes, and to obtain feedback from sports dietitians on the Platform to Evaluate Athlete Knowledge of Sports Nutrition Questionnaires' (PEAKS‐NQ) suitability. Methods: Sports dietitians from the National Institute Network across Australia recruited athletes to complete the online, 50‐item PEAKS‐NQ which contained two sections (General Nutrition and Sports Nutrition). Sports dietitians provided feedback on the PEAKS‐NQ using a 14‐item questionnaire (with two open‐ended items). The main outcome measures were nutrition knowledge score and tool suitability (usefulness, acceptability and feasibility) scores. For knowledge scores, independent t‐tests, ANOVA and Chi‐square tests were used to evaluate differences between groups. Suitability was evaluated using descriptive statistics. Results: Twelve sports dietitians from the National Institute Network in Australia recruited a convenience sample of 240 athletes (21.3 ± 4.3 years, 63.5% female, 63.3% competed internationally). Athletes scored 70.7 ± 10.5%, with better general vs sports nutrition knowledge. Females had higher overall scores (P <.001) with no differences for age or sport played. University‐educated athletes scored higher than non‐tertiary educated athletes (P =.004). Knowledge gaps were identified in fats (role and food sources), recovery nutrition and managing body composition. Sports dietitians rated suitability of PEAKS‐NQ positively with complete agreement on 8 of 12 items. Conclusions: Athletes have greater understanding of general nutrition compared to sports nutrition concepts and may benefit from education on applying nutrition in sports‐specific contexts. Sports dietitians' responses showed PEAKS‐NQ was a highly acceptable, feasible and useful measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug use has been shown to interact in complex ways with the occurrence and prevalence of family and domestic violence (FDV), with illicit drug use being associated with an increased risk for FDV. The current study aims to extend upon the literature by investigating the role of illicit drugs in intimate partner violence (IPV), family violence (FV), and other violence (violence between people other than partners or family) within a representative Australian sample (n = 5,118). Participants were recruited through an online survey panel and completed an online self-report survey assessing the role of alcohol and other drugs on violence, with a specific focus on FDV. Binary logistic regression showed that respondents who reported having used any illicit drug in the past 12 months (with or without alcohol use) had over three times the odds of experiencing any violence in the past 12 months (OR = 3.18, 95% confidence interval (CI) = [2.25, 4.48]) compared with those not using illicit drugs. Furthermore, drug involvement in FDV (IPV or FV) was significantly more likely than other violent incident types (OR = 1.65, 95% CI = [1.25, 2.19]). For the most recent FDV incident, age group was the only significant demographic predictor of drug involvement at this incident; younger age groups were over twice as likely to report drug involvement than those over 65 years of age. Drug involvement at the most recent FDV incident was also associated with over twice the odds of injury (OR = 2.38, 95% CI = [1.67, 3.38]) and significantly greater negative life impact. The findings that drug use increases both the risk for and impact of FDV indicate the need for policy that advocates for interventions addressing both drug use and violence in combination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children's play and leisure participation is often assessed by occupational therapists. As such, it is essential that therapists utilize play and leisure scales that are valid, reliable and responsive. Aim: To examine the convergent validity between the Children's Leisure Assessment Scale (CLASS) and Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment and Preferences for Activities of Children (CAPE/PAC). Methods: Forty healthy Australian children (60% female; mean age 9.2 ± 2.01 years) completed the CLASS and CAPE/PAC. Spearman's rho correlations with bootstrapping were completed. Results: A number of the CLASS and CAPE/PAC subscales were significantly correlated. The CAPE's overall scale scores and CLASS's instrumental indoor activities, outdoor activities and games and sport activities subscales were significantly correlated (p > 0.05). The CAPE's Social domain showed several significant correlations with the CLASS's instrumental indoor activities, outdoor activities and self-enrichment activities domains (p < 0.05). Statistically significant relationships were found between the CLASS's outdoor activity preference and the PAC's recreational, physical, formal, informal and overall performance scores (r = 0.466–0.773, p < 0.05). Conclusions and Significance: Preliminary evidence in support of the convergent validity between the CAPE/PAC and CLASS was obtained. Limitations include a small sample size and convenience sampling. Further investigation of the psychometric properties of the CAPE/PAC and CLASS are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Validity is a dynamic process and as part of a continual process of evaluation of tools, this study aimed to evaluate content validity of the WorkHab functional capacity evaluation, a tool used in occupational rehabilitation. Methods: A cross sectional survey of health professionals who conduct FCEs investigated their ratings of item relevance and item difficulty across different categories of work and injuries. The survey also explored the relationship of the WorkHab FCE items with the physical demand items of the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT). Results: The majority of items of the WorkHab FCE were rated as relevant for manual work and vocational retraining with over 90% agreement between the 106 respondents. Therapists identified the WorkHab items of climbing, crawling and balance as less relevant for sedentary work. Lifting items were perceived as the most difficult for those with a lower back injury, or an upper limb injury. Sixteen of the 18 WorkHab FCE items had 100% agreement with the equivalent items on the DOT. The WorkHab FCE items that had poor agreement with the DOT were mainly sensory items such as see, feel, talk and hear. Conclusions: The findings of this study support the content validity for the WorkHab FCE specifically in relation to manual work and for vocational retraining purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/aim: Parent proxy reports are well used in occupational therapy, yet historically parent report instruments of motor skill have not required parents to report on the same motor skills that their children are assessed on. The aim was to examine how well a parent report of children's fundamental movement skill (FMS) was associated with children's actual FMS. Method: A sample of 100 children aged 7–9 years from Melbourne, Australia, were recruited. Parents/guardians completed proxy report (parent version of the 'Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence' (PMSC)) and children's actual motor skills were assessed ('Test of Gross Motor Development' 3rd edition (TGMD‐3)). Data were first analysed using Pearson's correlation coefficients and then hierarchical linear stepwise regression was conducted with actual skill as the outcome variable in each model. Results: The PMSC‐Parent (r = 0.36, P < 0.001) was moderately associated with children's actual skill. After age and sex adjustment, the PMSC‐Parent explained 11.4% of variance in total skills. Parent report of their children's object control scores (PMSC object control scale) was significantly associated with children's actual object control (B = 0.36, P < 0.001) and explained 11.3% of the variance. Parent report of children's locomotion scores (PMSC locomotion scale) was associated with children's actual locomotor skills (B = 0.27, P = 0.007) and explained 6.2% of the variance. Conclusion: Parents are able to report to some degree on their children's FMS competency, in particular, their object control competence. Parent proxy report of FMS may help inform occupational therapists to identify children with low FMS competency to develop interventions targeting FMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/aim: Occupational therapists offer a unique perspective regarding the contribution of the environment to occupational performance. Therefore, a scale that measures the unique characteristics of the primary school classroom environment where children complete their daily schoolwork occupations is needed. The aim of this study was to develop and psychometrically evaluate a new teacher‐report questionnaire that measures a number of environmental characteristics of primary school classrooms. Methods: Participants (N = 117) completed the Classroom Environment Questionnaire (CEQ), which utilises a 4‐point Likert scale where teachers rate 51 environmental characteristics of their classroom. Teachers also rate the extent to which they believe the physical, social, temporal, institutional and cultural classroom environmental domains contribute to students' schoolwork performance using a 10‐point scale. The structural validity of the CEQ was examined using principal component analysis (PCA). Inter‐item correlations were examined using Pearson r correlations, while the internal consistency of the CEQ was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Results: PCA revealed the CEQ to be multidimensional, with 31 items loading onto nine viable factors, representing the unique nature of classroom environments. Based on the PCA results, 20 items were removed from the CEQ. Cronbach's alpha and correlation analysis indicated that most CEQ subsections had acceptable internal consistency (alpha range 0.70–0.82), with four subsections demonstrating a lower level of internal consistency (alpha range 0.55–0.69). Conclusion: Preliminary structural validity and internal consistency analysis findings confirm that the CEQ has potential to be a useful scale for professionals wishing to examine the unique characteristics of primary school classrooms that influence the occupational performance of students. Ongoing analyses will be undertaken to further explore the CEQ's validity and reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore Registered Nurses' attitudes and behaviour towards patients' use of complementary therapies. Background: Despite high rates of use of complementary therapies by the general population, little is known of how nurses respond to patients' use of these therapies. Design: A two-phase sequential exploratory mixed methods design. Methods: Nineteen Registered Nurses working in Australia participated in a semi-structured interview in 2015-2016 and emerging themes informed the development of a quantitative survey instrument administered online nationwide in 2016. Findings: Emerging key themes "Promoting safe care"; "Seeking complementary therapies knowledge";" Supporting holistic health care"; and "Integrating complementary therapies in practice" were reflected in survey results. Survey responses (N = 614) revealed >90% agreement that complementary therapies align with a holistic view of health and that patients have the right to use them. Most nurses (77.5%) discussed complementary therapies with patients and 91.8% believed nurses should have some understanding of the area. One-third did not recommend complementary therapies and there was a lack of overall consensus as to whether these therapies should be integrated into nursing practice. Nurses with training in complementary therapies held more positive views than those without. Conclusion: Nurses were generally supportive of patients' interest in complementary therapies, although their primary concern was safety of the patient. Despite broad acceptance that nurses should have a basic understanding of complementary therapies, there was a lack of consensus about recommendation, integration into nursing practice and referral. Further research should explore how nurses can maintain safe, patient-centred care in the evolving pluralistic healthcare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the psychometric properties, validity and reliability of a newly developed measure of food insecurity, the Household Food and Nutrition Security Survey (HFNSS), among an Australian population.Design: Cross-sectional study.Setting: Metropolitan areas of Melbourne, Australia, identified as very high, high or medium vulnerability in the 2008 Vulnerability Assessment for Mortgage, Petrol and Inflation Risks and Expenditure index.Subjects: A convenience sample of 134 adults (117 females and fifteen males, aged over 18 years).Results: Rasch modelling and factor analysis identified four items for exclusion. The remaining items yielded excellent reliability among the current sample and assessed three underlying components: the adult experience of food insecurity (component one), initial/periodic changes to children's food intakes (component two) and progressive/persistent decreases in children's food intakes (component three). Compared with the widely used US Department of Agriculture Food Security Survey Module, the HFNSS identified a significantly higher proportion of food insecurity; this is likely due to the HFNSS's identification of food insecurity due to reasons other than (and including) limited financial access.Conclusions: The HFNSS may be a valid and reliable tool for the assessment of food insecurity among the Australian population and provides a means of assessing multiple barriers to food security beyond poor financial access (which has been identified as a limitation of other existing tools). Future research should explore the validity and reliability of the tool among a more representative sample, as well as specifically among vulnerable population subgroups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports the validation of the Chinese versions of the Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale (SIDAS), the short form of Stigma of Suicide Scale (SOSS), and the short form of Literacy of Suicide Scale (LOSS) among 57 Chinese and English bilinguals and 224 Chinese university students. All the translated scales showed high correlations with the original versions. The translated SIDAS and refined SOSS demonstrated robust factor structures, good internal consistency, and convergent validity. Chinese students with self-reported depression symptoms tended to have higher glorification of suicide and lower suicide literacy. These brief scales fill an important gap in evaluating suicide outcomes in Chinese-speaking societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nursing students have reported bioscience to be challenging and difficult to understand. This might have a negative impact upon their ability to understand patients' clinical conditions and nursing practice. We sought information about students' experiences with bioscience. A total of 126 final year nursing students completed a questionnaire. The findings showed that the majority of participants considered bioscience subjects to require more work compared to nursing subjects (65.9%), and that they would like a better understanding of bioscience (73.8%), but understood that bioscience forms the foundation of nursing practice (76.2%). Younger participants without secondary school science rated bioscience harder than nursing subjects and spent more time studying bioscience compared to older participants. Participants without any secondary school science lacked an ability to apply bioscience concepts to patient conditions. These results showed that nursing students, especially those without secondary school science, would benefit from improved bioscience integration with nursing practice. Nursing and bioscience educators should consider greater alignment of bioscience with nursing practice subjects, especially earlier in the curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A balanced diet informed by sound nutrition knowledge is key for operational readiness and the health of military personnel. Unfortunately, research suggests that military personnel have inadequate dietary intakes. This study assessed general nutrition knowledge, diet quality and their association in Australian military personnel. A convenience sample of male military personnel (n 211) including Army soldiers and officers completed a validated general nutrition knowledge questionnaire (GNKQ) and FFQ. The GNKQ assessed knowledge of dietary guidelines (Section A), sources of nutrients (Section B), choosing everyday foods (Section C) and diet-disease relationships (Section D). The Australian Recommended Food Score (ARFS) was used to assess diet quality from FFQ data. Statistical analyses included the χ² test, Spearman's correlation test, t test, median test, ANCOVA and ordinal logistic regression. The mean total GNKQ score was 52⋅7 %. Participants performed best on Section A (58⋅5 %) followed by Sections B (57⋅3%) and C (57⋅0%) and worst on Section D (31⋅0 %). Overall, officers scored significantly higher than soldiers (58⋅7 v. 51⋅9%, P = 0⋅001). Age was weakly but positively correlated with GNKQ total scores (r 0⋅307; P < 0⋅0005), with no significant effects seen for level of education (P = 0⋅463) or living arrangement (P = 0⋅167). Overall ARFS was 37⋅6 (SD 7⋅7) (50⋅8%) with officers scoring significantly higher than soldiers (54⋅7 v. 50⋅3%, P = 0⋅040). No demographic variables influenced total ARFS. The total GNKQ score had a significant, positive but weak relationship with total ARFS (r 0⋅179; P = 0⋅009). Given the importance of nutrition to personnel health and operational readiness, initiatives to improve nutrition knowledge and diet quality are recommended in this population, especially in soldiers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fundamental movement skills (FMS) competence is low in adolescent girls. An assessment tool for teachers is needed to monitor FMS in this demographic. The present study explored whether the Canadian Agility and Movement Skill Assessment (CAMSA) is feasible for use by physical education (PE) teachers of Australian Year 7 girls in a school setting. Surveys, focus group interviews, and direct observation of 18 specialist PE teachers investigated teachers’ perceptions of this tool. Results indicated that the CAMSA was usable in a real-world school setting and was considered a promising means to assess FMS in Year 7 girls. However, future iterations may require minor logistical alterations and further training for teachers on how to utilize the assessment data to enhance teaching practice. These considerations could be used to improve future design, application, and training of the CAMSA in school-based PE. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Effective parenting self-regulation is purported to promote positive parent and child mental health and behavioural outcomes. This study aimed to develop and validate a brief and easy-to-administer measure of parents' perceptions of their self-regulation related to parenting. In the absence of any specific quantitative means to measure this construct, we developed a 16-item self-report scale in an Australian context for clinical and research use. The scale measures global beliefs about self-efficacy, personal agency, self-management, and self-sufficiency, thought to constitute parent self-regulation perceptions. Based on existing literature, we developed an initial 71-item scale which we subsequently tested in a representative sample of Australian parents (220 mothers, 80 fathers) recruited by random digit telephone dialling. With a strong theoretical framework, confirmatory factor analysis with adequate fit supported a final 16-item, four-factor scale as hypothesised entitled 'Me as a Parent' (MaaP). Three-month test-retest reliability was demonstrated with a subset of the sample ( n = 126). Further development of the MaaP, its potential for clinical and research use, and future assessment and validation through field-testing is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Handwriting processes deteriorate with age and following neurological conditions. Improving handwriting is often a focus of rehabilitation. Yet knowledge of handwriting legibility in the elderly is limited. This study describes the distribution of handwriting legibility scores in healthy older adults, relationships between handwriting legibility, age and writing task, and reliability of rating procedures. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used involving 120 healthy older Australians. Tasks included writing sentences, shopping lists and transcribing a telephone message. Legibility was scored using the modified Four Point Scale—version 2. Results: Legibility differed between tasks but was not related to increasing age. Conclusions: Impaired handwriting legibility in the elderly is less likely due to the effects of aging than the required task or medical conditions. Findings from this study may help therapists set intervention goals and measure legibility changes during handwriting retraining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Feeding practices are commonly examined as potentially modifiable determinants of children's eating behaviours and weight status. Although a variety of questionnaires exist to assess different feeding aspects, many lack thorough reliability and validity testing. The Feeding Practices and Structure Questionnaire (FPSQ) is a tool designed to measure early feeding practices related to non-responsive feeding and structure of the meal environment. Face validity, factorial validity, internal reliability and cross-sectional correlations with children's eating behaviours have been established in mothers with 2-year-old children. The aim of the present study was to further extend the validity of the FPSQ by examining factorial, construct and predictive validity, and stability. Methods: Participants were from the NOURISH randomised controlled trial which evaluated an intervention with first-time mothers designed to promote protective feeding practices. Maternal feeding practices (FP) and child eating behaviours were assessed when children were aged 2 years and 3.7 years (n = 388). Confirmatory Factor analysis, group differences, predictive relationships, and stability were tested. Results: The original 9-factor structure was confirmed when children were aged 3.7 ± 0.3 years. Cronbach's alpha was above the recommended 0.70 cut-off for all factors except Structured Meal Timing, Over Restriction and Distrust in Appetite which were 0.58, 0.67 and 0.66 respectively. Allocated group differences reflected behaviour consistent with intervention content and all feeding practices were stable across both time points (range of r = 0.45-0.70). There was some evidence for the predictive validity of factors with 2 FP showing expected relationships, 2 FP showing expected and unexpected relationships and 5 FP showing no relationship. Conclusions: Reliability and validity was demonstrated for most subscales of the FPSQ. Future validation is warranted with culturally diverse samples and with fathers and other caregivers. The use of additional outcomes to further explore predictive validity is recommended as well as testing test-retest reliability of the questionnaire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Undergraduate psychology students have been largely excluded from interprofessional education (IPE) initiatives. In contrast to many health professions, undergraduate psychology students do not engage in work placements as part of their degree, and many enter careers outside the health care context. However, the collaborative skills gained through an IPE experience may well be beneficial to students who work in this wider context. This research examines whether undergraduate psychology students' views of IPE vary according to their planned career directions, and if so, whether the perceived relevance of IPE mediates the relationships. A sample of 188 Australian university undergraduate psychology students completed an online questionnaire following completion of a first-year IPE health sciences program. Path analysis indicated that psychology students' attitudes towards IPE are associated with both professional identification and practitioner orientation, fully mediated through the perceived relevance of IPE to future career and study plans. Stronger professional identification and practitioner orientation were associated with greater perceived relevance and more positive and less negative attitudes towards IPE. Placing a stronger emphasis on the generalizability of IP skills taught may increase students' awareness of the relevance outside of the health context, reducing disengagement of students planning alternative careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments are challenged by the need to ensure that ageing populations stay active and engaged as they age. Therefore, it is critical to investigate the role of mobility in older people's engagement in out-of-home activities, and to identify the experiences they have within their communities. This research investigates the use of transportation by older people and its implications for their out-of-home activities within suburban environments. The qualitative, mixed-method approach employs data collection methods which include a daily travel diary (including a questionnaire), Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking and semi-structured interviews with older people living in suburban environments in Brisbane, Australia. Results show that older people are mobile throughout the city, and their car provides them with that opportunity to access desired destinations. This ability to drive allows older people to live independently and to assist others who do not drive, particularly where transport alternatives are not as accessible. The ability to transport goods and other people is a significant advantage of the private car over other transport options. People with no access to private transportation who live in low-density environments are disadvantaged when it comes to participation within the community. Further research is needed to better understand the relationship between transportation and participation within the community environment, to assist policy makers and city and transportation planners to develop strategies for age-friendly environments within the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To develop and psychometrically test the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit-Nursing Knowledge and Skills Test - a multiple-choice test for measuring the key nursing knowledge and skills required for safe, competent practice. Background Intensive care graduate nurse residency or orientation programmes are key strategies in the development of safe and competent practitioners. Essential to these programmes is an evaluation of knowledge and skills. Multiple-choice examinations provide a valuable way of evaluating broad knowledge and skills; however, there has been limited work in this area to date. Design Psychometric evaluation. Methods The instrument was administered to 79 nurses from four paediatric intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand over 18 months between 2008-2010. Internal consistency using Kuder-Richardson 20, item analysis and construct validity using the 'known groups' technique were explored. Results Kuder-Richardson 20 reliability estimate for the 109-item test was 0·85. Instrument scores were significantly higher amongst nurses with postgraduate education and more years of paediatric intensive care experience. Item difficulty indices ranged from 0·08 to 1, with a mean item difficulty of 0·66. Item discrimination ranged from 0·2-0·8. Conclusion Testing of the instrument demonstrated encouraging psychometric properties. With additional refinement, this tool could provide educators and managers with an instrument to assist in the assessment of knowledge and skill acquisition. The instrument requires further testing in different samples of paediatric intensive care nurses to enable validation in other settings and cross-cultural comparisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous Australians have been known to be disadvantaged in many ways although higher art and physical self-concepts have been reported with Indigenous samples. Given recent research demonstrating the reciprocal effects of achievement and self-concept in academic domains, Indigenous students may experience further disadvantages in both academic performance and self-concept. A sample of Indigenous and non-Indigenous students (N = 1,342) from schools in New South Wales (NSW), Australia were asked to respond to a survey measuring: five domains of self-concept (i.e., school, reading, mathematics, art, and physical abilities), two learning-related factors (enjoyment and participation), and a self-assessment of their school work. Their scores in a NSW state-wide assessment of students’ literacy and numeracy were also obtained. Confirmatory factor analysis established the self-concept and learning-related factors. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) using a 2 (identity: Indigenous vs. Non-Indigenous) × 2 (region: urban vs. rural) design found significant effects of identity for all variables except for art self-concept. That is, non-Indigenous students scored higher than Indigenous students in literacy and numeracy tests, self-concepts, learning-related factors, and self-ratings of school work, irrespective of region. The results did not support previous research demonstrating a relatively higher art self-concept for Indigenous children based on stereotypical perspectives. These results imply that school personnel would be well advised to not assume stereotypic differences between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian students or assume a great difference between Indigenous students from urban and rural school settings. However, there seems to be a need for improving the school environment so as to promote Indigenous students’ performance and enjoyment of school life. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Carers are important to the recovery of their relatives with serious mental disorder however, it is unclear whether they are aware of, or endorse recent conceptualisations of recovery. This study compared carers' and mental health workers' recovery attitudes, and undertook multivariate predictions of carers' wellbeing, hopefulness and recovery attitudes. Participants were 82 Australian family members caring for a relative with psychosis. Carers' average recovery attitudes were less optimistic than for previously surveyed staff. Carers' recovery attitudes were predicted by perceptions that their relative's negative symptoms were more severe. Hopefulness and wellbeing was predicted by more positive and less negative caregiving experiences. Hopefulness was also predicted by less frequent contacts with their affected relative, and unexpectedly, by perceptions of more severe psychotic symptoms. Carers' wellbeing was further predicted by having a partner and having no lifetime history of a mental disorder. Hope and wellbeing are affected by everyday challenges and positive experiences of caregiving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative, explorative study provides an insight into intercountry-adoptive parents’ knowledge, beliefs, and experiences about their children's speech and language development. Eleven parents who lived in Australia and adopted a child aged 3 to 6 years from an overseas country in the past five years completed an online questionnaire. Six consented to participate further in a semistructured interview. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to report on the parents’ experiences with their adopted children, the challenges they faced, the services they accessed, and their recommendations for future services. The results provide a direction for the development of evidence based service and support to meet the specific needs of this population. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Working with terminally ill patients places palliative care and hospice nurses at risk of chronic stress, mental health problems and burnout. Aim: This study investigated the source and level of workplace stress experienced by palliative care nurses in Australia. Methods: Seventy-one palliative care nurses completed a self-report questionnaire based on the Nurse Stress Index and the Nursing Stress Scale. Information was collected about aspects of work-related stress and level of stress. Results: While the overall level of participants' stress was low, older participants experienced significantly less stress than younger participants. More than 50% of participants experienced 48 of the 53 stressors. The main sources of stress related to 'death and dying', 'workload' and 'dealing with patients and relatives'. The two stressors experienced by all participants were 'watching a patient suffer' and 'dealing with patient and family conflict'. Conclusions: These findings have implications for managers, educators and policymakers in relation to adequate nurse-to-patient ratios, education for staff and an evaluation of how palliative care nurses are supported in the workplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]