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The approach of the Decade of the Ocean for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) provides a time to reflect on what we know about the complex interactions between the seas, oceans, and human health and well‐being. In the past, these interactions have been seen primarily within a risk framework, for example, adverse impacts of extreme weather, chemical pollution and increasingly, climate change. However, new research is expanding our concept of the ‘health’ of the ‘Global Ocean’, with a broader recognition of its essential and beneficial contribution to the current and future health and well‐being of humans. The seas and coasts not only provide an essential source of food, opportunities for trade and access to sustainable energy, but also the chance for people to interact with high‐quality marine environments which can lead to improvements in mental and physical health and well‐being, particularly of socio‐economically deprived individuals. By going beyond this risk framework and a purely extractive anthropocentric point of view, we can capture the true benefits, value and importance of these resources. Articulating a vision of how humans might better interact with marine ecosystems in the future, is a key first step in identifying a range of policy and management actions that can deliver our goals of fostering health and well‐being through the establishment of more sustainable interconnections with the Global Ocean.

Mature minor consent only became available in Australia in 2007. There is neither an explicitly defined protocol, nor a clear definition evident in the literature relating to use of the mature minor concept in health research. Due to difficulties in defining fixed age ranges to varying levels of maturity and vulnerability, there is a lack of clarity surrounding when it might be reasonable and ethical to apply for or grant a waiver for parental consent. This paper describes the challenges faced and solutions created when gaining approval for use of mature minor consent in a respondent-driven sampling (RDS) study to explore the social norms and alcohol consumption among 14-17-year-old adolescents (n = 1012) in the community. The University's Human Research Ethics Committee granted mature minor consent for this study, and the techniques applied enabled recruitment of adolescents from community-based settings through use of RDS to achieve the required sample. This paper has relevance for research that requires a waiver for parental consent; it presents a case study for assessing mature minors and makes recommendations on how ethical guidelines can be improved to assist human research ethics application processes.

In January 1964 the Smoking and Health Report of the Advisory Committee to the SurgeonGeneral of the PublicHealth Service of the United States was released, identifying the adverse health effects of tobacco smoke. Since then the World Health Organization (WHO) has attributed almost 6million deaths per year to tobacco smoking, including those caused by second-hand smoke. For over four decades the health promotion and public health community have worked tirelessly to reduce smoking and curb the adverse health outcomes through actions such as smoke-free policies, tobacco taxes, advertising bans, social marketing campaigns, plain packaging and provision of cessation services, with adult daily smoking rates in Australia reducing from 35% in 1983 to 13% in 2013. However, the situation has now changedwith the emergence of e-cigarettes (ECs), and the debate is on as to whether this new nicotine delivery device has the potential to exacerbate nicotine addictions, or play a part in harm reduction and smoking cessation.

Issue addressed: Australian university students consume large amounts of alcohol. There is little published information about personal and academic problems associated with this behaviour. We sought to estimate the prevalence, and identify variables associated with, alcohol-related problems among undergraduate hazardous drinkers. Methods: The control group members (942 undergraduates, 53.3% male, mean age 19.4 years) of an internet-based intervention trial, who scored 8 on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, completed two validated questionnaires about their experience of alcohol-related problems in the preceding 4 weeks. Regression models were used to identify associations between individual characteristics and alcohol-related problems. Results: One-quarter of participants had missed a class (25.6%) and/or had been unable to concentrate in class (25.7%), and 45% reportedthattheirdrinkinghadimpactednegativelyontheirlearningorgrades.Themostfrequentnon-academicproblemswere hangovers (74.8%), blackouts (44.8%), emotional outbursts (30.5%), vomiting (28.1%), arguments (20.2%) and drink-driving (23.2%). Malegender,lowerage,beingasmoker,beingintheFacultyofHealth(versusHumanities)andlivinginsharedhousing(versuswith parents/guardians) were each associated with alcohol-related problems, whereas year of study had no association. Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of preventable alcohol-related problems among undergraduates drinking at hazardous levels and a need for restriction of the availability and promotion of alcohol as well as intervention for individuals at high risk. So what? Universities have a duty of care to large populations of young people drinking at hazardous levels and should make greater efforts to address hazardous alcohol consumption.

Introduction and Aims. Despite growing evidence of the efficacy of electronic screening and brief interventions for reducing unhealthy alcohol use, there is no published work describing the development of such interventions. We describe the process of developing and implementing an electronic screening and brief intervention in a large university population. Design and Methods. Thematic analysis of seven focus groups, involving a total of 69 students, informed the content and design of THRIVE (Tertiary Health Research Intervention Via Email). Pilot testing was conducted through usability analysis with a further 16 students. A random sample of 13 000 undergraduates was invited to complete screening and hazardous drinkers were randomised to receive Web-based assessment and feedback or screening alone. Participants' use of THRIVE was examined through server log analysis and responses to questions on instrument design/usability during follow-up assessment 6 months later. Results. A total of 7237 students (56% of those invited) completed screening; 2435 (34%) screened positive for unhealthy drinking; 1251 were randomly assigned to receive the intervention; and 1184 served as controls. In total, 99% of participants found THRIVE easy to complete, 76% said it provided personally relevant information and 55% said they would recommend it to a friend with a drinking problem. Thirty per cent sought additional information on support services through the site. Discussion and Conclusions. Key design elements include ease of access (e.g. via an emailed hyperlink), length ( Language: en

Investment, bipartisan support and involvement from affected communities have characterised Australia's HIV response, and helped maintain a low prevalence epidemic. Patterns of HIV acquisition are changing, with an increasing number of infections acquired overseas by migrant and mobile populations. A coordinated national response is required to address HIV acquisition in the context of population mobility.

Many have commented on the potential of community pharmacy as a health promotion setting, due to accessibility, high level of use, and the respect afforded to pharmacists. Community pharmacy could be a setting through which to address risk and protective health behaviours relevant to Australia’s National Health Priority Areas. However, apart from some studies on smoking cessation, there is scant evidence on its involvement in other healthy behaviours. This paper discusses how to increase research and interventions on healthy behaviours in community pharmacy. This includes placing community pharmacy’s role within a broader health promotion context, expanding community expectations of pharmacists, and addressing barriers to performing a health promotion role. J Pharm Pract Res 2007; 37: 42-4.