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Meeting students' expectations associated with the provision of feedback is a perennial challenge for tertiary education. Efforts to provide comprehensive, timely feedback within our own first year undergraduate public health courses have not always met students' expectations. In response, we sought to develop peer feedback activities to support the development of "self-evaluative strategies" that would acknowledge the centrality of students in the feedback process. We describe these activities, their staged development and the qualitative and quantitative data gathered from students and the teaching teams to evaluate this. Our first steps towards embedding peer feedback with first year students indicated they are willing to engage in the process and appreciated the opportunity to provide and receive feedback, but the quality and extent of the peer feedback was largely superficial. Students' reflections on the feedback received were also shallow. Supporting students to develop self-evaluative skills cannot be achieved in the short term, but must be embedded in courses and consistently reinforced, with greater emphasis placed on the development of a dialogue around feedback that connects students with peers and educators.

Residential aged care facilities (RACFs) face severe challenges in the provision of high-quality end of life care. A pilot of a nurse-led end-of-life palliative care consultative service (CiMaS) supporting RACFs was conducted in three RACFs in the West Moreton Region of Queensland, Australia, from May 2018. We conducted a mixed method evaluation comprising: a chart audit of deaths in the 12 months before and after the intervention; focus groups with RACF staff; and interviews with facility directors, primary family members and GPs. Quantitative and Qualitative data were assessed separately with statistical and thematic analyses respectively. The RACFs cared for 277 residents. There were 24 pre-intervention deaths and 44 in the intervention period (28 (64%) referred to CiMaS). There was widespread support for the service. Families felt supported and knowledgeable about what was happening. Care plans were almost always recorded in health records. Patients' symptoms appeared to be better recognised and managed. Staff and Facility managers felt more support than previously, with more responsive and reliable out of hours support. There were significant care improvements in patients not referred to CiMaS, suggesting a learning effect. GPs observed improvements in nursing staff confidence and support to families. Transfers to hospitals fell by two-thirds for both referred and non-referred patients compared with the year before implementation. The program was both efficient and effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the aging population, the tide of chronic disease is rising with attendant increases in health service need. Integrated care and patient-centred approaches, which established partnerships between a regional Hospital and health service (HHS), the local primary health network and local general practitioners (GPs), were identified as exemplars of an approach needed to support growing community health needs. This paper summarises the findings from a process evaluation of four GP–specialist care integration programs with the aim of identifying recommendations for embedding integrated GP–specialist care into routine practice within the HHS. The process evaluation of the integration programs drew on input from a multidisciplinary expert advisory group and data collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, as well as surveys of participating GPs and patients. Overarching findings were identified and grouped under six themes: interdisciplinary teamwork; communication and information exchange; the use of shared care guidelines or pathways; training and education; access and accessibility; and funding. Within each theme, key challenges and enablers emerged. The findings of this study highlight benefits and challenges associated with the establishment of integrated care between primary and secondary care providers, leading to the development of key recommendations for routine integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Issue Addressed: Gender and sexually diverse young people (GSDYP) are an important target group for HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention and there is an immediate need to explore ways to make testing interventions accessible and appropriate for this group.Methods: We used a modified World Café workshop with 14 GSDYP in Brisbane Australia, to inform the development of a pilot community-based testing intervention.Results: The workshop identified the key features of an ideal service, which would include multiple, accessible sites that offer holistic, affordable services and confidential care by respectful and knowledgeable providers. The service would allow young people to engage in decision-making processes, have a culturally inclusive, comfortable and friendly atmosphere, and provide free sexual and reproductive health technologies.Conclusion: When designing HIV/STI testing interventions for key groups, health promotion practitioners need to be cognisant of localised and nuanced expectations and ensure that services are tailored to the needs and experiences of the local population. SO WHAT?: This study provides insights into the needs and expectations of HIV/STI testing interventions for GSDYP in Australia, a key at-risk group whose perspectives are not adequately voiced in sexual health research and intervention design.Summary: This study explores facilitators and current barriers to HIV/STI testing with a group of gender and sexually diverse young people in Brisbane, Australia. Outcomes provide insights into the needs and expectations of HIV/STI testing services for this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines nurse navigation as a model of integrated care operating across primary and secondary healthcare settings. A two-phase qualitative study involving a focus group with seven nurse navigators (NNs) to explore their understandings and perceptions of the role, followed by in-depth interviews with three NNs to examine current practice, was undertaken in Queensland, Australia. NNs' role spanned a continuum of patient and population care, and involved engagement in clinical integration, coordinating patient care and providing education and points-of-contact for healthcare professionals. NNs also engaged in professional integration, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, education and connections between healthcare professionals, while promoting integrated care across care settings. NNs were enabled through the establishment of relationships, trust and shared communication between stakeholders. NNs' work transcended traditional clinical boundaries, operating horizontally across silos and specialties, which allowed them to avoid (some) system shortfalls. By contributing to a culture of integration, NNs can potentially support more sustainable integrated care practices that extend relationships between healthcare professionals and beyond individual patients. Increasing our understanding of nurse navigation as a model of integrated care, this study illustrates the complexity, diversity and breadth of the role and its ability to contribute to broader, system-wide integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to accreditation of our Master of Public Health program, integration of Indigenous public health competencies, and implementation of the health promotion practitioner accreditation in Australia, we designed a core Master of Public Health promotion course. In this article, we begin by describing the three sets of competencies that informed our course development. Despite consensus that reflexivity is central to effective health promotion practice, there was limited reference to reflexive practice within established competencies. However, given our broader alignment with Freire's philosophy of "conscientization," we came to realize that reflexivity was central to our pedagogical framework. In what follows, we describe the conceptualization of reflexivity that guided course development and how reflexivity was integrated into the lecture and assessment content. We highlight how reflection, as part of the assessment, was applied as a means of engaging students in their journey through understanding the inextricably social, political, economic, and cultural nature of health and health promotion practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the willingness to use and pay for HIV Self-testing (HIVST) among Australian gay and bisexual men (GBM). Bivariate and univariate multinominal logistic regression of data from an online survey was performed. Thirty-one (13%) had never HIV tested and 41.9% (88) were testing sub-optimally by Australian guidelines. Half (58.4%, 136) had never heard of HIVST, however, 56.2% (131) reported willingness to use HIVST, with sub-optimal (OR=2.13; p < 0.01) and never-testers (OR=2.01; p < 0.10) significantly more likely to do so than optimal-testers. Most were confident (51.7%, 119) or somewhat confident (29.1%, 67) accessing support following a reactive result, however, never-testers were significantly less confident compared to previous testers (OR=3.47; p< 0.05). Less than a quarter (23.6%, 57) were willing to pay for a kit with AUD$15 (R2 = 0.9882) the estimated preferred price. This research confirms that HIVST is an important and accepted adjunct to established HIV testing modalities, particularly among sub-optimal and never-testers and that online (61.6%, 143) or clinic-based (61.6%, 143) dissemination are preferred. Research examining how best to disseminate HIVST in a range of safe and effective models needs to continue to ensure HIVST is part of a comprehensive strategy that facilitates usage and linkages to care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The success of 'treatment as prevention' (TasP) to control HIV relies on the uptake of testing across priority population groups. Innovative strategies including; rapid HIV testing (RHT) in community and outreach settings, engaging peer service providers, and not requiring disclosure of sexual history have been designed to increase access. This paper reports on the implementation of 'RAPID', a community-based testing program in Queensland, Australia that employs these strategies to increase access to testing.Methods: Service data, including client registration forms and a satisfaction survey from all clients attending RAPID between August 2014 and July 2015 were analysed.Results: In 2014/2015 1,199 people attended RAPID to receive a free HIV test. The majority were urban-based gay men. 17.1% were first-time testers and 20.1% of participants were not eligible to access Medicare, Australia's universal health care scheme.Conclusions: RAPID's evidence-based strategies appear to facilitate access to HIV testing, particularly among those who have never tested before; however the implications for the ongoing treatment and care of people ineligible for Medicare, who test positive to HIV warrants careful consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AimConsumer health organisations (CHOs) are non-profit or voluntary sector organisations that promote and represent the interests of patients and carers affected by particular conditions. The purpose of this study was to examine, among patients with chronic disease, what differentiates those who contact CHOs from those who do not and what stops people from making contact.BackgroundCHOs can enhance people’s capacity to manage chronic disease by providing information, education and psychosocial support, but are under-utilised. Little is known about barriers to access.MethodsData were from a baseline telephone survey conducted as part of a randomised trial of an intervention to improve access to CHOs. Participants constituted a consecutive sample of 276 adults with diagnosed chronic disease recruited via 18 general practitioners in Brisbane, Australia. Quantitative survey items examined participants’ use and perceptions of CHOs and a single open-ended question explored barriers to CHO use. Multiple logistic regression and thematic analysis were used.FindingsOverall, 39% of participants had ever contacted a CHO for their health and 28% had contacted a CHO specifically focussed on their diagnosed chronic condition. Diabetes, poorer self-reported physical health and greater health system contact were significantly associated with CHO contact. The view that ‘my doctor does it all’ was prevalent and, together with a belief that their health problems were ‘not serious enough’, was the primary reason patients did not make contact.ConclusionAttitudinal and system-related barriers limit use of CHOs by those for whom they are designed. Developing referral pathways to CHOs and promoting awareness about what they offer is needed to improve access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This research aimed to investigate the impacts of the Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble Prison Project (QSEPP) on the health and wellbeing of participants, specifically with regard to social support. Design/methodology/approach – Semi-structured interviews were conducted with prisoners participating in the project to gain insight into perceived sense of support within the QSEPP and across the prison context more broadly. Findings – The QSEPP encouraged participants to foster a range of support networks through the development of relationships built on trust, respect and shared experiences. Participants also developed communication skills which may assist with establishing and maintaining supportive relationships inside and outside of prison. Research limitations/implications – This research highlights the inevitable challenges for researchers working within the prison context, including: correctional services' limitations, time and space restrictions and small sample sizes. This research offers some potentially innovative ways to combat such challenges. Practical implications – The study highlights the potential of theatre-based interventions in the prison context and their role in fostering social support and enhancing wellbeing. Social implications – The research explores the potential role theatre may play in improving the health and wellbeing of a disadvantaged and marginalised group, providing skills to enhance access to supportive networks inside and outside prison. Originality/value – To the best of our knowledge this is the first research of its kind and provides valuable insights into the role that theatre may play in fostering social support in the prison context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the convergence and challenge to human rights on welfare services in Australia. Notions of consumer satisfaction and service efficiency; Complexity of social relation; Sociology of consumption.

Abstract: Support networks promote care engagement and prevent social isolation for people living with HIV (PLWH). This study examined the personal support networks of recently diagnosed PLWH and explored how these networks change over time. We developed qualitative social network maps with 10 recently diagnosed PLWH in Queensland and identified unique and dynamic support networks. Network changes over time were influenced by changing support needs and experiences of stigma. Some support networks grew, whereas others remained small and close-knit or became sparse. The pivotal role of peers for information and emotional support was revealed. Socially isolated PLWH also described substantial reliance on long-term professional support. Others described reasons why health professionals were excluded from support networks, revealing the importance of nonjudgmental attitudes and HIV literacy among health professionals. Facilitating ongoing links with peers and professionals are crucial strategies to help PLWH foster effective and sustainable networks for comprehensive long-term support., (Copyright © 2022 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care.)

The redefining of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from an acute disease to a manageable chronic illness has reshaped the focus of care, emphasising clinical outcomes and sidelining the complex social barriers many people living with HIV (PLHIV) still face. This parallels changes in the location of HIV care in Australia, with many PLHIV seeking care from private general practitioners whose ability to address complex social issues is constrained by limitations of time and resources. In response, peer navigation has emerged as a model of care implemented by some HIV-based community health organisations seeking to support PLHIV's biomedical and psychosocial needs. However, there is limited understanding of how peer navigation operates in community settings or of the way these programmes integrate with primary care. This paper is the first to explore peer navigation from the perspective of general practitioners (GPs), with experience in treating PLHIV, to understand the role they see for peer navigators (PNs) in supporting PLHIV. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with six GPs (11.5% of specialty HIV GPs in Queensland, Australia) to examine their views and experiences of peer navigation in the context of HIV care. GPs highlighted the complexities of care for PLHIV and the need for additional resources and supports for psychosocial care. GPs valued peer navigation as part of a patient support network and bridge to health and social care systems. PNs normalised HIV, alleviating fear and stigma, educating and translating clinical information for patients. However, a key challenge was the absence of direct communication pathways with PNs. Peer navigation has clear potential in supporting the care of PLHIV, to alleviate constraints in GP settings and expand HIV care beyond the clinic., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)