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Objective: This study examines the effectiveness and costs of follow-up phone calls in improving response rates to a community survey. Methods: Non-responders to a postal survey were randomly allocated to receive a phone call or no phone call. The resources used for the development and implementation of the survey were documented. The response rates and cost per level of follow-up contact examined. Results: Follow-up phone calls led to a statistical significant increase in the number of responses to a community-wide survey, relative to no phone call. This relative increase in responses (n=62 for the follow-up phone call group versus n=l for controls), did not increase the absolute survey response rate sufficiently (from 38.5% for two mailed surveys to 39.8% for two mailed surveys plus a phone call) to justify the phone call costs. Scenario analyses show increasing the initial response rate by 10% and conducting a second mailed survey achieves greater marginal cost savings than increasing the response rate to the second mailout or the follow-up phone calls. Conclusions: These results suggest a follow-up phone call was not cost effective. Survey research ought to primarily focus on obtaining optimal initial response rates by using strategies identified in a Cochrane meta-analytic review. Key words: response rate, non-response, survey, follow-up, cost, randomised controlled trial. Aust NZ J Public Health. 2010; 34:508-12 doi: 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2010.00598.x

Objective: To assess the prevalence and predictors of perceived unmet needs among women diagnosed with breast cancer, with a particular focus on the impact of location (rural/urban). Method: A random sample of women in NSW diagnosed with breast cancer was surveyed during 1995-96. The Breast Cancer Patients' Needs Questionnaire (BR-CPNQ) explores patients' perceived needs across five domains: psychological, health information, physical/daily living, patient care/support and interpersonal communication. Items assessing breast cancer specific needs and access to services and resources were included. Of 235 eligible rural women, 134 (57%) consented to participate and 129 (55%) returned completed surveys. Of 196 eligible urban women, 102 (52%) consented to participate and 100 (51%) returned completed surveys. Results: For 12 of the 52 items, at least one-third of the sample reported ever having a moderate/high need for help. Of the 15 highest moderate or high unmet needs, 10 related to health information and three to psychological needs. There were few differences in the prevalence of needs reported by rural and urban women. Only in the physical/daily living domain were rural women more likely than urban women to report some need for help (OR=2.59, 95% CI 1.21-5.52). Conclusions: Unmet needs, particularly in the information and psycho-social domains, are reported by both rural and urban women with breast cancer, with sub-groups experiencing different types of needs. Implications: There is a need to develop and trial targeted and innovative strategies to meet the health information and psychological needs of women with breast cancer, and the physical/daily living needs of rural women diagnosed with breast cancer.

Results of a study suggest a growing inequity exists in Australia in the spending on anti-smoking activities vs revenues from cigarette sales to minors. The research was to determine whether changes in government revenue from sale of cigarettes to minors and the proportion of the revenue spent in an effort to prevent adolescents from taking up the habit, 1990-93. One who starts smoking at 14 or before is five times as likely to die of lung cancer as one who starts at 24 or later and 15 times as likely to die of lung cancer as never-smokers.

Interventions with retailers to cut down on cigarette sales to minors in Australia have been studied in a randomized controlled trial. Neither intervention achieved significant improvements for the two key behavioral outcomes, which were requiring proof of age and displaying a warning sign. Knowing about the law was not shown to have an intervention effect. Interventions may have been partly successful in modifying attitudes of retailers. One group received an educational letter and the other received a threat of enforcement of laws followed by a visit from a public health officer.

Keywords: elderly people, home environmental hazards, injuries Introduction In both the United States and Australia, injury ranks sixth as a cause of death and morbidity in older people [1, 2]. [...]

Objectives. Outdoor workers are at high risk of developing skin cancer. Primary prevention in this group can potentially reduce the incidence of skin cancer, and also potentiates the spontaneous remission of existing solar keratoses. A randomized controlled trial was conducted to evaluate a solar protection intervention targeting outdoor workers. Methods. Outdoor workers are randomly allocated to an intervention (n = 65) or control group (n =77). The intervention group received individual skin screening by a dermatologist and participated in an education session. Pre- and posttest outcome measures included solar protection behavior (assessed using a validated diary), knowledge, and attitudes. Results. There was a significant increase (16%) in the percentage of outdoor workers who were using a high level of solar protection at posttest compared to pretest in the intervention group, but there was no change in the control group. Although both groups improved in their knowledge score, the intervention group showed a significantly greater improvement at posttest. No changes in attitudes were detected. Conclusions. The findings suggest that changes in solar protection are achievable with outdoor workers. (Am J Public Health. 1994;84:77-81), Preventive screening and education appear to be effective interventions for increasing outdoor workers' use of sun protection. Researchers assigned 65 workers to receive individual skin screening and education and 77 workers to no intervention for comparison. Pre-test skin damage, sun protection behavior and knowledge did not differ among the two groups. After the study, 66% of the intervention group used sun protection measures such as clothing/hats, shade and sunscreen lotion, compared to 49% of the comparison group. The proportion of workers using high levels of sun protection increased by 16% in the intervention group, while remaining stable in the comparison group. Both groups improved significantly in their average knowledge scores after the study. However, the intervention group significantly increased their scores by an average of 62%, compared to 58% in the comparison group. Neither group experienced attitude changes.

Print materials are common tools for public health education in New South Wales, but their effectiveness is rarely evaluated. A survey of sample materials showed the most cost-effective means to develop such materials were not commonly used, and their effectiveness was unreported. Health educators and administrators will need to note these results.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence, type, location of and injuries from home accidents, including falls and other accidents, and to explore whether variables including socio-demographic characteristics, medication use and home hazards were associated with all home accidents and falls. Method: 657 older people were interviewed about accidents in the previous four weeks. For a subsample (n=425), a home hazard check was completed. Results: Of the 10.1 accidents reported, 51% (n=51) were falls and 50% (n=50) were other accidents. The most common location for all accidents was outside (30%). Most resulted in minor injury to the legs (43%) or arms (39%). Medical treatment was sought for 14% of accidents. Having more than five hazards and infrequent home visits by healthcare providers were associated with having at least one accident and at least one fall. Use of a walking aid was also associated with falling. Conclusion: Rates of falls and other accidents are considerable. Implications: Work is required to confirm the importance of the relationships suggested and to provide data on the burden of injury associated with non-fall accidents. (Aust N Z J Public Health 2000; 24: 633-6)

There is currently uncertainty regarding the relative performance of a retrospective diary (RD) and a quantity–frequency index (QFI) measure of weekly alcohol consumption. While some previous studies have found more consumption reported on an RD than a QFI, others have found the reverse. As yet, however, no study has compared computerized versions of these two measures. This cross-sectional study involved administration of a computerized survey in a community-based drug and alcohol treatment setting. Five hundred and eighty-six clients (420 males) attending counselling for a range of drug- and alcohol-related issues agreed to participate in the study. The major finding was that more alcohol consumption was reported on the RD, than on the QFI. Similarly, the RD detected a greater proportion of both heavy and high-risk drinkers than the QFI. It is argued that the RD may be preferable to the QFI as a measure of weekly alcohol consumption, for use in community-based treatment settings. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]