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Introduction: Student‐led clinics can provide health services to marginalised groups where service offerings are sparse or difficult to access, such as rural areas. Offering these services to children and young people can promote health and well‐being by addressing the individual challenges and the social determinants of health. There is uncertainty, however, as to whether student‐led clinics can meet Australian accreditation standards for health professionals completing degree programs. Objective: This study aims to determine the capacity for health student placements in school‐based student‐led clinics to meet accreditation standards. Design: A systematic scoping review was conducted based on Arksey and O'Malley's framework and the PRISMA‐ScR statement. Setting: Several databases were examined, including Ebsco (Academic Source and CINAHL), ProQuest (PsycINFO, ERIC) and grey literature sources along with a desktop review of accreditation standards across seven health disciplines. Two independent reviewers screened eligible studies. Findings: The search retrieved 1037 records with 65 full‐text papers assessed for eligibility. Eleven papers met the inclusion criteria. Based on the evidence, both nursing and exercise and sports science accreditation standards were best suited to student‐led clinics. Discussion: Although broad categories of work‐integrated learning activities were applied, it appears feasible to expect accreditation standards for health disciplines at an Australian university to be a good fit for health student‐led school‐based clinics. Conclusion: Increasing health student placement opportunities within student‐led clinics can improve the health and well‐being of children and young people in regional, rural and remote (RRR) areas of Australia who may otherwise have limited access to allied health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The number of occupational therapy degree programs in Australia has increased substantially over the last decade. During this time, Australian academics have produced a significant amount of scholarship focussed on entry‐level education; however, the landscape of this scholarship has not been examined. The aim of this study was to review the literature on the scholarship of entry‐level Australian occupational therapy education programs, specifically the topics explored and methods employed. Methods: An extensive search of nine databases produced 1,002 papers related to occupational therapy education. Two researchers screened each paper using inclusion and exclusion criteria. Seventy‐six articles, published between 2000 and September 2019, were included. Data were extracted using a coding tool, and entered into NVivo, where data were analysed using queries and tallies of the characteristics of the articles. Results: Sixty‐eight articles were research and eight were other peer reviewed literature. Articles primarily focussed on student characteristics and perceptions. Quantitative research designs were predominant with surveys the most frequently used method. There were few articles that addressed the topic of teaching methods and approaches, and of these none addressed occupation‐centred teaching. No articles addressed the learning environment. Four articles reported on an educational intervention that targeted participation, and attitudes/perceptions or knowledge/skills of students and/or academics. These findings inform understanding about what has been completed so far in the scholarship; and what topic focus and research designs could address gaps in existing knowledge. Conclusions: This review elucidated topics that have been well researched (student focus), as well as gaps in the scholarship (teaching methods and approaches including occupation‐centred teaching, and the learning environment). It showed that quantitative designs were predominant, with qualitative approaches less frequently adopted. The results of this review could assist academics and researchers to focus their scholarship on topics that require further investigation and diversify research methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Short food questions are appealing to measure dietary intakes. Methods A review of studies published between 2004 and 2016 was undertaken and these were included in the present study if they reported on a question or short item questionnaire (≤50 items, data presented as ≤30 food groups) measuring food intake or food-related habits, in children (aged 6 months to 18 years), and reported question validity or reliability. Thirty studies met the inclusion criteria. Results Most questions assessed foods or food groups ( n = 29), with the most commonly assessed being fruit ( n = 22) or vegetable intake ( n = 23), dairy foods and discretionary foods ( n = 20 studies each). Four studies assessed food habits, with the most common being breakfast and meal frequency ( n = 4 studies). Twenty studies assessed reliability, and 25 studies determined accuracy and were most commonly compared against food records. Evaluation of question performance relied on statistical tests such as correlation. Conclusions The present study has identified valid and reliable questions for the range of key food groups of interest to public health nutrition. Questions were more likely to be reliable than accurate, and relatively few questions were both reliable and accurate. Gaps in repeatable and valid short food questions have been identified that will provide direction for future tool development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural medical education is known as one of the most effective strategies in improving rural recruitment and retention. The aim was to identify modes of delivery to improve access to rural postgraduate medical education. Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework was used for conducting scoping reviews. CINAHL, Google Scholar, ERIC, PsycINFO, Medline and PubMed were searched to identify peer‐reviewed English‐language literature published between 2000 and 2019 focusing on postgraduate rural and regional medical education. A total of 102 articles were identified, with 51 included in the final analysis after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. Outcome measures included: article type; research methodology; date of publication; country of origin; and study population. Through iterative reading, common themes were identified. A typology of 6 content themes emerged as follows: rural curriculum; procedural skills; rurally based learning; service delivery; workforce; and distance learning. The majority of articles focused on rural curriculum, and rurally based learning, with half originating from Australia or New Zealand. Although results strongly emphasised context and curriculum in rural environments, lack of specific and pragmatic approaches was noted. Surprisingly, few articles focused on rural distance learning utilising information and communication technology. Pathways to improve rural education access include recognition of the unique rural context in curriculums; development of rural educational faculty; and creation of opportunities for rural specialist training. Emphasis should be given for education provided through rural centres rather than urban facilities. Use of information technology could be increased, for example in remote trainee supervision programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This systematic review and meta‐analysis aimed to examine non‐pharmacological interventions for helping people with dementia who experience feeding difficulties in order to improve their nutritional status. Methods: The articles were searched using PsycINFO, Medline, PubMed, CINAHL and Cochrane. Two independent investigators critically appraised eligible studies. The PRISMA guidelines and checklist were used. The possibility of risk of bias was assessed using a tool to assess the quality of randomised control trials (RCT) and non‐RCT studies. A narrative synthesis was conducted as a method of synthesis. The Cochrane Review Manager (RevMan 5.4) was used for meta‐analysis. Results: The systematic review and meta‐analysis included seven publications. Six interventions were identified and categorised as: eating ability training for people with dementia, staff training and feeding assistance and support. The meta‐analysis found evidence of the effect of eating ability training on feeding difficulty, quantified by the Edinburgh Feeding Evaluation in Dementia scale (EdFED) with a weighted mean difference of −1.36 (95% confidence interval: −1.84 to −0.89, p < 0.001) and on self‐feeding time. A spaced retrieval intervention showed a positive effect on EdFED. The systematic review discovered that while feeding assistance had a positive effect on feeding difficulty, staff training had no effect. According to the meta‐analysis, these interventions had no effect on improving the nutritional status of people with dementia. Conclusions: None of the included RCTs met the Cochrane risk‐of‐bias criteria for randomised trials. This review found that direct training for people with dementia and indirect feeding support from care staff resulted in fewer mealtime difficulties. More RCT studies are needed to determine the efficacy of such interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Poor health outcomes amongst marginalized groups result in part from health inequities related to social and structural determinants of health. Marginalized people report higher incidences of comorbidities, chronic disease and adverse health behaviours than their nondisadvantaged peers. The objective of this review is to examine marginalized Australians' experiences of and access to community‐based primary health services in urban locations. Methods: A systematic search incorporating related MeSH terms and synonyms pertaining to marginalized Australian populations and their health‐seeking was conducted across seven databases. We included qualitative studies that reported experiences of health‐seeking within community‐based primary health care in metropolitan Australia. Participant populations experiencing marginalization due to social stigma and isolation, early‐life disadvantage, poor health and/or financial hardship were included. A meta‐ethnographic framework was used to synthesize themes across selected studies and researcher triangulation was employed to develop higher‐order themes. Results: Search results revealed 26 studies included for critical appraisal and synthesis. Seven higher‐order themes were developed describing experiences of health service engagement amongst marginalized groups: (1) Understanding the patient within the context of family and community, (2) Health and cultural beliefs influence health‐seeking, (3) Lack of information and poor cultural competence limit utilization of services, (4) Motivation for treatment influences health service engagement, (5) Accessing services, a spectrum of experience—from discrimination to validation, (6) Navigating a complex system in a complex society, (7) Preferences for health care and expectations for systemic change. Conclusion: Marginalized Australians experience health disadvantage across micro, meso and macro levels of health system navigation and commonalities in health‐seeking were identified across each of the distinct marginalized groups in our analysis. This review outlines important areas of consideration for health care provision and policy development essential to helping address health inequities for a diversity of marginalized populations. Patient or Public Contribution: Whilst patient voices were reported across all studies included within this review, no further patient or public contribution applies to this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This scoping review aimed to explore the extent of the evidence of experimental studies evaluating the cost effectiveness of dietary interventions in individuals with mental disorders. Methods: Five databases (CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Scopus) were searched to October 2020 for cost‐analysis studies of interventions aiming to improve dietary intake in people with mental disorders. No restriction was placed on participant age, mental disorder type or intervention design. Results are presented narratively. Results: Of 2753 articles identified, 13 articles reporting on eight studies were included. Studies were RCTs (n = 5), cluster RCT (n = 1), cluster preference RCT (n = 1), and pre‐post test (n = 1). Seven studies were in community settings (eg, outpatient clinics), and one study in the community housing setting. All studies were in adults, seven included male and female participants, and one included only females. Defined mental disorder diagnoses included serious/severe mental disorders (n = 3), major depression (n = 2), schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder or first‐episode psychosis (n = 1), any mental disorder (n = 1), and bulimia nervosa (n = 1). Five interventions were multi‐behaviour, two were diet only and one was eating disorder treatment. Cost analyses included cost‐utility (n = 3), cost‐effectiveness (n = 1), cost‐utility and cost‐effectiveness (n = 3), and a costing study (n = 1). Two studies (25%) reported positive results in favour of cost effectiveness, and four studies reported a mix of positive and neutral results. Conclusions: There is limited evidence evaluating the cost effectiveness of dietary interventions in individuals with mental disorders. Additional studies in various settings are needed to confirm cost effectiveness of different interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The COVID‐19 pandemic has disrupted the Australian food supply with potential ramifications on food security. This scoping review aimed to synthesise current evidence on the prevalence of food insecurity and changes to factors related to food insecurity during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Australia. Methods: A comprehensive search strategy was used to search seven databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, Global Health, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PsycINFO, Informit Online) and Google Scholar. Included studies were written in English, published in 2020–2021 and examined food security status in Australia during the COVID‐19 pandemic and/or factors associated with food insecurity in free‐living Australian residents. Articles with participants residing in institutional settings, where meals were supplied, were excluded. Results: A total of 700 records were identified from database, grey literature and hand searching, and nine articles were included. All studies indicated that the prevalence of food insecurity had increased due to negative changes to food availability, accessibility, usability and stability. The downturn in employment and economic circumstances following the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic appeared to create a new group of food‐insecure Australians consisting of newly unemployed, and international students. Conclusion: COVID‐19 has exacerbated vulnerabilities in the Australian food supply and food security. Suggested actions include ongoing data collection on the long‐term impact of COVID‐19 on food supply and security in addition to coordinated national and community responses that improve the stability of the local food supply and address underlying determinants of food insecurity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Inaccessibility of mental health services in rural Australia is widely reported. Community co‐produced mental health and well‐being initiatives could fill gaps and complement other services. Objective: This scoping review summarises findings from peer‐reviewed articles to identify the key features of co‐produced Australian rural mental health initiatives that engage communities in their design, delivery or evaluation processes. Design: Between 2009 and 2019 inclusive, 14 articles met inclusion criteria and were reviewed using Arksey and O'Malley's review methodology. Findings: Communities co‐produced initiatives through informing, collaborating and instigating them. Some initiatives operated in specific places, for example an art gallery, while others operated across regions. Only two initiatives involved community members in multiple activities targeting prevention, early intervention, education and service accessibility; other initiatives were more focused, for example designing a new service. Over half of initiatives found were targeted at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Most articles discussed evaluation approaches, though methods were diverse. Discussion: Published peer‐reviewed evidence about Australian rural community co‐produced mental health initiatives appears scant. Evidence found suggests they generate a range of supports that could complement or mitigate for lack of, public health services. The overall lack of evidence, diversity of initiatives and inconsistent evaluation makes it difficult to assess effectiveness and which activities might be scaled‐up for wider benefit. Conclusion: Rural communities have limited resources, and evidence of what constitutes best practice in co‐producing mental health services would help to avoid 'reinventing the wheel.' Greater efforts in evaluating and publishing about initiatives would be helpful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increase in our older adult population, there is a need for dementia training for informal and formal dementia caregivers. The objective of this scoping study is to assess dementia knowledge instruments utilized in educational programs and interventions intended for formal and informal dementia caregivers. Scoping review methodology was used to search PubMed, PsycInfo, CINAHL and Web of Science with tailored database search terms. The search yielded 8101 results, with 35 studies meeting inclusion. Studies were conducted in eight countries, had varying study designs (randomized controlled trials [RCTs] = 9, non‐RCTs = 6, one‐group study design = 20) and utilized previously published (19) and author developed (16) instruments. Furthermore, the studies were internationally diverse, conducted in the United States (n = 18), Australia (n = 7), UK (n = 3), China (n = 2), Canada (n = 2), Taiwan (n = 1), Brazil (n = 1) and multi‐country (n = 1). Only two studies focused on minority populations. While author‐developed instruments may be more relevant and timesaving, studies should strive to validate instruments or use previously published instruments to help standardize findings across studies and understand better the effects of educational programs on caregiver knowledge. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 397–413. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychotherapy services are limited in remote and rural areas in Australia and across the globe. Videoconferencing has become well established as a feasible and acceptable mode of psychological treatment delivery. Therapeutic alliance ( TA) is an essential factor underlying successful therapy across therapeutic models. In order to determine the state of knowledge regarding TA in psychotherapy via videoconferencing, a literature review was conducted on research studies that formally measured TA as primary, secondary or tertiary outcome measures over the past 23 years. The databases searched were Medline, PsycArticles, PsycINFO, PsycEXTRA and EMBASE. Searching identified 9915 articles that measured satisfaction, acceptability or therapeutic rapport, of which 23 met criteria for the review. Three studies were carried out in Australia, 11 in USA, 4 in Canada, 3 in Scotland and 2 in England. Studies overwhelmingly supported the notion that TA can be developed in psychotherapy by videoconference, with clients rating bond and presence at least equally as strongly as in-person settings across a range of diagnostic groups. Therapists also rated high levels of TA, but often not quite as high as that of their clients early in treatment. The evidence was examined in the context of important aspects of TA, including bond, presence, therapist attitudes and abilities, and client attitudes and beliefs. Barriers and facilitators of alliance were identified. Future studies should include observational measures of bond and presence to supplement self-report. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]