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Objective: Consumer-centred care is fundamental to high-quality health care, with allied health professionals playing a pivotal role in hospital settings. Allied health typically operates within standard weekday working-hours. Consumer preferences for receiving allied health services are largely unexplored but could inform whether weekend and/or out-of-hours services are required. This study aims to understand consumer preferences for hospital-based inpatient and outpatient allied health services. Methods: Using a cross-sectional survey and convenience sampling approach, consumers of a public health service in Melbourne, Australia were surveyed about preferences for allied health service delivery. Electronic health record reviews compared the accuracy of self-reported service delivery times. Descriptive statistics, concordance and predictive values were calculated. Responses to free-text survey items were analysed using content analysis. Results: Of 120 participants (79% response rate), most (69%) received allied health services, however, almost half of inpatient responders (44%) were unsure of the specific allied health professional involved. Audit results found moderate–high concordance overall (range, 77–96%) between self-reported and audit-identified allied health services by profession. Most inpatient responders had no strong day of week preference, equally selecting weekdays and weekend days, with most preferring services between 8 am and 4 pm. Outpatient responders (81%) preferred a weekday appointment between 8 am and 12 pm or before 8 am (29%) to complete scheduled activities early in the day. Conclusion: While provision of allied health services during standard working-hours was preferred by most consumers, some inpatient and outpatient consumers are receptive to receiving weekend and out-of-hours services, respectively. Decisions about offering these services should consider operational capacity and research evidence. What is known about the topic? Research on consumer acceptance of out-of-hours or weekend allied health services is lacking, with an assumption of consumer willingness and demand for these service models. What does this paper add? Hospital inpatients are generally indifferent to the day of allied health services, preferring weekday or weekend day equally, typically between 8 am and 4 pm, while outpatients favour weekday mornings. Although consumers reported that their needs were met by allied health services, there was a lack of awareness about the specific services they received. What are the implications for practitioners? Results highlight the importance of not only aligning service delivery with consumer preferences for timing, but also enhancing awareness and understanding of the available allied health services for consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although seafood is considered to be an important part of a balanced diet, many national food consumption surveys suggest that seafood is not consumed in sufficient amounts. As consumers are moving to diversify their diet from animal-based protein, it is important to understand the factors influencing consumption of marine foods. This review aims to assess the characteristics of seafood consumers as well as the influences on seafood consumption in Europe, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Systematic search strategies were used to identify relevant journal articles from three electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science and Embase). Three searches were carried out and identified 4405 unique publications from which 121 met the criteria for the review process. The reviewed studies revealed that seafood consumers were more likely to be older, more affluent and more physically active and were less likely to smoke compared with non-seafood consumers. Sex and BMI did not appear to have a directional association with seafood consumption. The most commonly reported barriers to seafood consumption were cost, followed by sensory or physical barriers, health and nutritional beliefs, habits, availability and cooking skills. The most commonly reported influences were beliefs about the contribution of seafood to health, environmental influences and personal preferences. Based on the findings of this review, future intervention strategies to increase seafood consumption may need to consider affordability and education in terms of health, nutrition and cooking skills. More research is needed to explore the effectiveness of specific interventions at increasing the consumption of seafood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of consumer and community engagement in health service planning, quality improvement and programme evaluation in Australia, and key components and importance of a strong suite of tools for achieving effective outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: This paper is a non-systematic review of Australian national, state and territory websites in relation to policy commitment to consumer engagement, best practice framework for consumer engagement and recent project example. Findings: Consumer engagement is a recognised component of the Australian health system. It is reflected in the national and state health policy and is a mandatory requirement of hospital accreditation. The application of co-design principles is gaining increasing popularity in health service planning and programme evaluation. Co-design is an important enabler of patient/community-centred service planning and evaluation; however, on its own it may lead to poorer outcomes. Co-design must occur within a broader systemic framework. Practical implications: The research identifies a conceptual framework, approaches and tools of value to health service management and planners. Originality/value: Consumer and community engagements are critical to the development of consumer-centric services. However, this should complement and add value to, not divert attention away from established principles of service planning, continuous quality improvement and programme evaluation. To do so may result in poorer quality health and well-being outcomes, reduced efficiency and ultimately reduced consumer and community satisfaction with services. This paper examines consumer and community engagement within the broader planning and quality improvement framework and practical implications for keeping planning, research and evaluation on track. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption is associated with a reduced risk of developing chronic diseases; however, only one in 16 Australian adults consume F&Vs at the recommended two servings of fruit and five servings of vegetables per day. What and how much people eat is influenced by their social and physical environments. Supermarkets are a key setting influencing food purchases, and as such, they can shape consumption patterns of F&Vs. Implementing effective strategies to increase F&V intake is crucial. The objective of this research was to test the feasibility of modifying shopper purchasing behaviour to purchase more F&Vs using the Australian Dietary Guidelines 2&5 education message covering one‐half of the base of shopping trolleys. Placards giving the message that eating 2 fruits and 5 vegetables every day for good health were placed at the base of shopping trolleys as an educational nudge. Applying an intervention research design, 30 out of ~100 trolleys were fitted with the placards and shopper purchases were measured by collecting paper sales receipts to measure the weight (kg), total spending and F&V‐specific spending (Australian dollars) for intervention versus control trolleys for one Saturday. We also conducted a short intercept survey that was administered independently from the research study day on non‐trial shoppers. Shoppers who selected trolleys with the 2&5 education nudge placards (n = 101) purchased 1.66 kg less weight of F&Vs (Intervention: mean = 3.89 kg, SD = 3.40 kg, 95% CI = 3.21 kg, 4.56 kg, vs. Control: mean 5.55 kg, SD = 4.16 kg, 95% CI = 4.73 kg, 6.37 kg, p = 0.002) and spent less on F&Vs compared to shoppers in the control group (n = 102; Intervention: mean = $26.00, SD = $21.60, 95% CI = $21.78, $30.32 vs. Control: mean $36.00, SD = $27.00, 95% CI = $30.72, $42.36, p = 0.004). Intervention group shoppers also spent less in total spending between groups (Intervention: mean = $115.40, SD = $68.30, 95% CI = $101.95, $128.95 vs. Control: mean $151.30, SD = $79.40, 95% CI = $135.73, $166.93, p = 0.001). The 2&5 education nudge placard had the opposite effect as intended on shoppers' purchases to buy more F&Vs, although there may have been other differences between the intervention and the control groups since they were not randomised. Larger studies are required to elucidate and confirm these findings over the longer term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increasing focus in aged care policy is supporting older people to age at home. However, there is little recognition of the health and independence of older private renters living in a space they do not own or control. This paper draws on in-depth interviews and assessments undertaken in the homes of 27 older tenants in the Brisbane environs aiming to understand how renting privately influenced their ability to meet their basic needs. An analysis of the findings highlights the disadvantage experienced by many older private renters. Most older private renters were unable to meet their basic needs given unaffordable rent whilst reliant on the aged pension. Further, with limited access to community aged care including home modifications, the health and independence of older private renters was found to be at risk. IMPLICATIONS Community aged care is difficult for older private renters to utilise in Australia, with unaffordable services and tenancy law limiting access to community aged care services including home modifications. It is vital social workers advocate for the community aged care needs of older private renters in practice and policy settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a study that aimed to understand how remote area nurses implemented primary health care principles in the Australian remote health care setting. Twenty-four Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners who worked in remote health services without inpatient facilities were interviewed using constructivist grounded theory methods. Findings revealed that nurses in this study aimed to practice in a way that was guided by Indigenous empowerment and social justice. However, some nurses questioned elements of their practice such as 'chasing' people for appointments or routine screening required by clinical guidelines that may not reflect the values of Indigenous peoples. Nurses expressed concern that they may be reinforcing past colonising practices and their actions may be considered paternalistic rather than empowering. Nurses in this study wanted to develop partnerships and provide nursing care that aligned with the health and wellbeing expectations of communities. However, ways of communicating the needs of communities and the development of partnerships between health providers and communities need to be developed. The present study calls for further research from the perspective of remote community members in order to develop ways of sharing knowledge about health and wellbeing between remote area nurses and communities. Remote Area Nurses provide all aspects of care for communities including acute care and health promotion. However, some nurses question whether their priorities and actions are in line with that of communities. This paper discusses nurses concerns about whether their actions are best practice or paternalistic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate complaints from patients, their families, and caregivers concerning nursing and midwifery care using the Healthcare Complaints Analysis Tool. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study with data coded against the domains and categories outlined in the Healthcare Complaints Analysis Tool. Complaints were received between June and December 2020 to nursing and midwifery services of a health service in Melbourne, Australia. Data were extracted, and complaints de-identified. The content was analysed using the Healthcare Complaints Analysis Tool, including three main domains and seven problem categories. Results: A total of 69 written complaints were received: 45% were from patients, 49% from family members, and 6% from friends. Coding of complaints against the taxonomy in the Healthcare Complaints Analysis Tool resulted in 214 complaint categories. Almost half (49.5%) of the complaints pertained to the Relationship domain (including aspects of Patients' Respect and Rights, Communication, and Listening), 34.6% to the Clinical domain and 15.9% to Management. The severity of the incidents described in the complaints were: 32.6% low severity, 51.6% medium severity, and 15.8% high severity. Despite having been categorised by the health service as relating to nursing or midwifery, 38% included other healthcare professionals, and 13% of the complainants (n = 9) did not refer to nurses or midwives at all. Conclusions: Assessing consumer complaints with a validated taxonomy may offer ways to target areas of care and service provision that need improvement and highlight other areas performing well. Ongoing data collection and analysis may also inform training and information needs at the individual or service management level. What is known about this topic? Complaints to healthcare services, an important data source to inform quality and safety of healthcare provision, are generally addressed on a case-by-case basis, and their collective use is under-utilised for service improvement. What does this paper add? The Healthcare Complaints Analysis Tool (HCAT) allowed for a nuanced analysis of the common communication problems in nursing and midwifery health care enabling a more comprehensive response. What are the implication for practitioners? Assessing consumer complaints with the HCAT provides opportunities to target areas of care and service provision that need improvement and highlight other areas that are performing well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose As libraries are required to become more accountable and demonstrate that they are meeting performance metrics, an assessment website can be a means for providing data for evidence-based decision making and an important indicator of how a library interacts with its constituents. The purpose of this paper is to share the results of a review of websites of academic libraries from four countries, including the UK, Canada, Australia and the USA.Design/methodology/approach The academic library websites included in the sample were selected from the Canadian Association of Research Libraries, Research Libraries of the United Kingdom, Council of Australian University Libraries, Historically Black College & Universities Library Alliance, Association of Research Libraries and American Indian Higher Education Consortium. The websites were evaluated according to the absence or presence of nine predetermined characteristics related to assessment.Findings It was discovered that “one size does not fit all” and found several innovative ways institutions are listening to their constituents and making improvements to help users succeed in their academic studies, research and creative endeavors.Research limitations/implications Only a sample of academic libraries from each of the four countries were analyzed. Additionally, some of the academic libraries were using password protected intranets unavailable for public access. The influences of institutional history and country-specific practices also became compelling factors during the analysis.Originality/value This paper seeks to broaden the factors for what is thought of as academic library assessment with the addition of qualitative and contextual considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the engagement of Australian consumers when buying and drinking Champagne. Design/methodology/approach – The paper identified seven variables a priori that were expected to influence consumers' decisions and then used exploratory interviews to investigate how Champagne consumers were influenced by these. The authors interviewed Champagne marketers, sellers, educators, connoisseurs and aspirational consumers. The interview protocol allowed respondents to identify other variables. Findings – The paper identified two new variables that, inter alia, influence Australian consumers in their Champagne selection. These were the kudos that comes from the people they serve or give it to and their sentimentality about previous experiences of Champagne consumption. The two new variables are the focus of this paper. Research limitations/implications – The exploratory nature of this research means larger studies are needed to confirm the preliminary findings, particularly in other, non Anglo-Saxon cultures. Practical implications – Champagne houses could place greater emphasis on kudos and sentimentality in their marketing campaigns; additionally cultural issues could affect how the two factors operate in different markets. Originality/value – Kudos and sentimentality have not been previously emphasised in the wine consumer behaviour literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australians want to live at home as they age and seek support from health and social care services to achieve this. The consumer driven market‐based approach to community services in Australia has resulted in an increases in user's expectations of quality. What constitutes a quality service from the consumer's perspective is an important agenda to understand as the focus of care delivery moves to the domiciliary setting. This paper presents one aspect from a grounded theory PhD study, the aim of which was to understand the lived experience of receiving services in the home and its impact on the meaning of home. Participants were 11 people with dementia and 18 family supporters living in the state of Victoria, Australia. Data were collected between 2015 and 2017 through multiple interviews, photographic images, field notes and memos. NVIVO 10 qualitative analysis software program was used to support constant comparative analysis. Using a grounded theory approach, this study found that the decision to engage with community services was driven by the need to maintain autonomy, self‐identity and home life. Participants sought quality services but discovered a dichotomy of positive and negative aspects in the way services were delivered. The most common reaction to the experience of poor‐quality care was to reflect on their expectations for care quality; and manage the reality of what was delivered. Team work and service responsiveness were positive characteristics but were offset by service limitations and inefficiencies caused by poor communication and poor staff retention. The interpersonal relationships that participants developed with staff was highlighted; trust was an important factor whereas unreliable, task orientated and poorly trained staff would be rejected. The implications for policy and practice are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing recognition of the importance of addressing the mental health needs of young people attending university. Anonymous, scalable, and evidence-based online interventions can help to reduce burden on university services and increase access to care for marginalised or disconnected students. This paper reports the participatory design methods used to develop the Uni Virtual Clinic (UVC), a comprehensive online programme that was designed to prevent and treat mental health problems and related issues in university students. Data evaluating the participatory design process is also presented. The potential for the implementation of the UVC within university-based counselling services is strong, and has potential to reduce the prevalence of mental disorders in a high-risk group of young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments worldwide have launched various schemes to promote recycling by individuals, from legislation to voluntary and mandatory policies, waste charging, kerbside collection, waste separation bins, and promotional campaigns. Much remains to be done, however, in terms of understanding the psychological relationships among consumers' attitudes, intentions, and behaviours when it comes to recycling. This study was designed to examine recycling intention through the lens of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). Using online survey, we recruited participants (n = 827) through an online survey platform (mturk.com). The results show that TPB can predict consumers' intention to recycle. It was further found, however, that attitude towards recycling did not predict intention to recycle. The findings presented here have significant implications for policymakers and practitioners who are interested in inculcating recycling intention and behaviours in members of the public. This study extends the TPB in the context of recycling. There is a need to examine the theories' explanatory power in different research settings and context. Moreover, regulations and policies on recycling continue to evolve. For example, recently in 2018, Australia is banning plastic bag. Consequently, the new policy will affect people's perception towards recycling. Hence, continued research on recycling is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite growing numbers of people engaging in embryo donation for the purposes of family building, public access to information about the process may be limited. As such, support and counselling – both formal (i.e. through clinics) and informal (i.e. through online communities) – can play an important role in information provision. This article draws on a sub‐sample of nine people from a qualitative study of embryo donation and receipt in Australia undertaken in 2017–2018. Themes developed suggest that formal support and counselling provided by clinics can be useful, though can require persistence to access and may not sufficiently address needs. In terms of informal support, themes developed suggest that sharing lived experiences in online communities can be important; however, there may also be challenges associated with differing viewpoints and threats to anonymity. The article concludes with a discussion of the ongoing importance of formal support and counselling while also suggesting that informal support is an avenue requiring further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumer trust in the modern food system is essential given its complexity. Contexts vary across countries with regard to food incidents, regulation and systems. It is therefore of interest to compare how key actors in different countries might approach (re)building consumer trust in the food system; and particularly relevant to understanding how food systems in different regions might learn from one another. The purpose of this paper is to explore differences between strategies for (re)building trust in food systems, as identified in two separate empirical studies, one conducted in Australia, New Zealand and the UK (Study 1) and another on the Island of Ireland (Study 2). Interviews were conducted with media, food industry and food regulatory actors across the two studies (n  = 105 Study 1; n  = 50 Study 2). Data were coded into strategy statements, strategies describing actions to (re)build consumer trust. Strategy statements were compared between Studies 1 and 2 and similarities and differences were noted. The strategy statements identified in Study 1 to (re)build consumer trust in the food system were shown to be applicable in Study 2, however, there were notable differences in the contextual factors that shaped the means by which strategies were implemented. As such, the transfer of such approaches across regions is not an appropriate means to addressing breaches in consumer trust. Notwithstanding, our data suggest that there is still capacity to learn between countries when considering strategies for (re)building trust in the food system but caution must be exercised in the transfer of approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: Contemporary mental health policy stipulates consumer participation in all aspects of mental health services including service evaluation and other forms of mental health research.Research is identified as underpinning quality mental health services, and therefore, consumers researchers could enhance the mental health sector by contributing to the quality, credibility and relevance of mental health research. What this paper adds to existing knowledge?: Non‐consumer researchers generally supported the concept of a consumer expert reference group for researchers at the individual and institutional level.A consumer expert reference group should reflect diversity and offer expertise relevant to the topic of research and may represent one way to normalize partnerships with consumer researchers and realize the benefits they can bring to research. What are the implications for practice?: Quality mental health services are underpinned by robust research evidence. It is crucial that consumers are active participants in research activity.The availability of a consumer expert reference group could facilitate collaborations between consumer and non‐consumer researchers and contribute to a stronger consumer focus embedded in mental health research. Introduction: Contemporary mental health policy identifies consumers as active participants in all aspects of mental health services from design to evaluation. Consumer researchers should be actively involved in mental health research and contribute to quality service delivery. Aim: To gain a snapshot of mental health researcher views on strategies for increasing research by or with consumers in mental health through the establishment of an Expert Consumer Researcher Group (ECRG). Methods: Cross‐sectional survey of 41 non‐consumer mental health researchers from Australia or New Zealand. Results: The introduction of an ECRG was considered an effective strategy for linking consumer and non‐consumer researchers and providing specialist advice on research design and methodology. The most suitable location for this group was identified as within consumer advocacy agencies (71%), universities (66%) or research funding bodies (66%). Participants rated their likelihood of seeking advice from the ECRG as high. Discussion: Research participants supported the value of an ECRG. They emphasized the importance of ensuring the group reflected a diversity of views and offered specialized expertise related to the specific topic. The ECRG could benefit both individual researchers and larger research organizations. Implications for practice: An ECRG could facilitate collaborations with consumer researchers and in turn enhance the quality of mental health research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address a long-standing gap in current research on intercultural service encounters, by exploring the direct and indirect roles of four personal cultural orientations (PCOs) [independence, interdependence (INT), risk aversion (RSK) and ambiguity intolerance (AMB)].Design/methodology/approach A 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design with customers in two countries (Australia and China) using scenarios to manipulate service outcome (failure or success) and photos of foreigners as customer or employee to prime perceived cultural distance (PCD).Findings Customers with higher (vs lower) independence perceive greater interaction comfort, service quality and satisfaction (SAT) and are affected to a lesser extent by PCD and service outcome, but those with higher (vs lower) RSK or AMB perceive lower interaction comfort, service quality and SAT and are affected more strongly by PCD and service outcome.Research limitations/implications The authors used an “experimental” design with “imaginary” service scenarios to collect data in “two” countries using “four” PCOs for greater control in this paper, but all of these choices may restrict the generalizability of the findings.Practical implications Service managers need to look beyond visible cultural differences, such as ethnicity, nationality and language, and focus more on the invisible cultural differences in customs, values and norms, as reflected by the four PCOs in this paper.Originality/value The authors extend prior research on intercultural service encounters by exploring the moderating effects of PCOs on the influence of service outcome and PCD on interaction comfort, service quality and SAT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Patient reported experience measures (PREMs) are tools often utilised in hospitals to support quality improvements and to provide objective feedback on care experiences. Less commonly PREMs can be used to support consumers choices in their hospital care. Little is known about the experience and views of the Australian consumer regarding PREMs nor the considerations these consumers have when they need to make decisions about attending hospital. This study aimed to explore consumer awareness of PREMs, consumer attitudes towards PREMs and the utility of PREMs as a decision-making tool in accessing hospital care. Methods: Qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews conducted over the phone. Participants (n = 40) were recruited from across Australia and purposively sampled according to key characteristics: holding private health insurance, > 30-years of age, may have accessed private hospital care in the past year, variety of educational and cultural backgrounds, and if urban or rural residing. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed thematically. Results: Four overarching themes and six subthemes were identified from the data. Major findings were that prior awareness of PREMs was limited; however, many had filled in a PREM either for themselves or for someone they cared for following a hospital stay. Most respondents preferred to listen to experience of self or family/friends or the recommendation of their physician when choosing a hospital to attend. Participants appeared to be more interested in the treating clinician than the hospital with this clinician often dictating the hospital or hospital options. If provided choice in hospital, issues of additional costs, timeliness of treatment and location were important factors. Conclusion: While PREMs were considered a possible tool to assist in hospital decision-making process, previous hospital experiences, the doctor and knowing up-front cost are an overriding consideration for consumers when choosing their hospital. Consideration to format and presentation of PREMs data is needed to facilitate understanding and allow meaningful comparisons. Future research could examine the considerations of those consumers who primarily access public healthcare facilities and how to improve the utility of PREMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known of the subject: Consumer participation in mental health services is an expectation articulated through mental health policy.Consumers as researchers could contribute significantly to mental health services. Barriers to participation are significant and limit consumer involvement. What the paper adds to existing knowledge: Enhanced understandings of collaborative relationships between consumer and nonconsumer researchers.Researchers from the health disciplines find value in consumer involvement in mental health research.These researchers can support and facilitate consumer research by being allies to consumer researchers. What are the implications for practice: Understanding the role of allies is necessary to strengthen their capacity to support consumer researchers.Involving consumers in mental health research is likely to lead to improved practice. Introduction: Australia and New Zealand mental health policy requires consumer participation in all aspects of mental health services. Systemic participation informs and improves the quality of mental health services. Collaboration with consumer researchers should be similarly required. Enhanced understandings of collaborations are needed. Aim: To enhance understanding of the perspectives and experiences of nonconsumer researchers in working collaboratively with consumers as researchers. Method: This qualitative exploratory study involved interviews with nonconsumer mental health researchers who have worked collaboratively with consumers in research. Interviews were conducted with participants from Australia and New Zealand. Results: "Allyship" emerged as a major theme. This describes nonconsumer researchers playing an actively supportive role to facilitate opportunities for the development and growth of consumer research roles and activities. Seven subthemes were identified: establishing and supporting roles, corralling resources, guiding navigation of university systems, advocacy at multiple levels, aspiring to coproduction and consumer‐led research, extending connections and partnerships, and desire to do better. Discussion: Allyship may have an important role to play in the broader consumer research agenda and requires further consideration. Implications for practice: Embedding meaningful consumer participation within mental health services requires active consumer involvement in research. Allies can play an important facilitative role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim It has been demonstrated previously that consumer attitudes about food issues influence and shape consumer behaviour. The aim of this paper was to identify demographic and socioeconomic variables associated with a range of consumer opinions regarding the importance of four pre-selected food issues. Methods A national survey conducted in Australia (random sample n = 1109; response rate 41.2%) was undertaken in 2009 to investigate consumer opinions regarding food issues that may influence food choice and behaviour. Respondents were specifically asked whether the following were important food issues in society; additives, genetically modified ( GM) foods, unhealthy eating and food allergies. Results Most respondents considered unhealthy eating (96.1%) and food allergies (92.1%) to be important issues in society. Fewer participants, but still the majority, regarded additives (78.5%) and GM foods (67.7%) as important. The study identified that specific food issues were of particular concern to women, older respondents, respondents with an income between $A30 000 and $A60 000, and respondents living in a household of five or more people. Concerns about GM foods and additives were associated with the greatest number of demographic and socioeconomic variables studied. Conclusions This paper has confirmed that the food issues studied were important to the participants surveyed. Demographic and socioeconomic factors were predictive of consumer opinion on the importance of individual food issues and may be useful to inform strategies and campaigns to address consumer concerns and public worries about food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

McIntyre M, Francis K, Chapman Y. International Journal of Nursing Practice 2012; 18: 36-43 Critical discourse analysis: Understanding change in maternity services This paper provides an example of the use of critical discourse analysis (CDA) in the area of maternity care policy and describes the process of CDA as an effective research method for understanding the influences of change in the context of Australian maternity services. CDA is a methodological approach that examines how discourse is formed and given power, as a result of how power is used, who uses it and the context within which this usage takes place. The application of CDA is described in this study for the purpose of examining key-stakeholder use of knowledge and power for the purpose of influencing the direction of the maternity services reform. The CDA theoretical framework guided discourse identification and analysis of the purpose behind the discourse through examination of power relationships between key stakeholders. The use of a theoretical lens in the form of neoliberalism to supplement the theoretical framework facilitated the exposure of forces intrinsic to the maternity care context driving change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The primary objective of this paper is to investigate the attitudes, feelings and perceptions of Australian consumers towards service frontline employees with accents that differ from Standard Australian English, taking into consideration service-country image and customer emotions. Design/methodology/approach – This paper reports on a qualitative study designed to uncover the attitudes and perceptions of Australians towards service personnel with foreign accents. Findings – The findings revealed that hearing a service provider with a foreign accent, particularly in services encounters without face-to-face contacts, often evokes a negative predisposition to certain accents, reduces the customers' level of tolerance and increases the perception of the service provider's lack of understanding. This negative stereotype bias seems to be moderated by the accent (a proxy of ethnicity) and service-country image and influenced by customer emotions in the service interaction. Research limitations/implications – Future studies could also use a controlled experimental design where accent could be used as a sensory cue to further test the validity and reliability of the current findings while controlling for factors such as ethnic background, employment, education and age. Further research should also take service types and service outcomes into consideration in examining the effect of accents on customer service evaluation. Practical implications – Accent as a service employee attribute influences customers' evaluation of the service encounter because of the stereotype customers have. Training in language skills, cross-cultural interpersonal skills and authority to deviate from the script should be given to minimise the negative effect of service employee accent. Service firms also need to develop strategies to manage customer emotions and reactions. Originality/value – This paper contributes to the service literature about service employee attributes and is particularly relevant to economies such as the USA, Canada, the UK, New Zealand and Australia where immigrants are a large part of the service workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the shadow of the global financial crisis, the issue of the marketing of credit has become an increasing concern in the past 12 months. Outstanding personal debt in the UK currently stands at £1479 billion and is rising by £1 million every 10.6 min. In Australia, there is currently $44.6 billion worth of outstanding credit card debt, and in the US, $2596 billion was owed on credit cards in 2008. At present, the banking sector utilizes sophisticated research methods to profile consumers, including those who might be considered financially vulnerable. However, the policy frameworks in most industrialized countries do not account for this form of target marketing when considering how to protect vulnerable groups. This paper is an initial attempt to examine the different methods by which profiling is conducted and the policy implications of this sophisticated form of segmentation and targeting. We argue that current consumer policies are inadequate in protecting vulnerable consumers from these marketing techniques, and recent recommendations from the Federal Reserve Bank of the United States, and the Australian Law Reform Commission to allow banks and lenders to ‘pre-screen’ potential customers will exacerbate personal debt levels, rather than reducing them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper aims to understand the motivational factors that influence the purchase of mobile phone content among young Australians. Design/methodology/approach - An interpretive qualitative analysis of focus group data is used to explore the topic. Focus group participants were strategically selected from a larger sample to be representative on a broad range of demographic variables. Findings - There is considerable negativity associated with spending money on mobile content owing to the following factors: The mobile phone is perceived primarily as a communication tool. Money spent on the mobile phone for uses not related to communication is often perceived as wasted. The mobile phone is seen as an inferior channel for entertainment and information when compared to television, magazines, and the internet. Consumers are wary of deceptive advertising practices for mobile content. Many consumers are able to access "free" content. Research limitations/implications - Future research should focus on comparisons to consumers in other countries and on the relative pervasiveness of the factors identified in this study in the general population. Practical implications - Considerable negativity towards spending money on content suggests problems with revenue models relying on direct sales of content. However, "free" content is often perceived very positively. Advertiser-sponsored models and branded "value add" models may prove to be effective ways of leveraging this positive sentiment. Originality/value - The paper provides a unique examination of the link between perceptions of mobile content and the perceived role of the mobile phone in everyday life, and draws important conclusions regarding the implementation of successful revenue models. The conclusions reached are likely to be of interest to mobile application developers, content aggregators, content owners, and mobile telecommunication companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The present research aims to focus on sibling effects and birth order on preteen children's perceptions of influence in family purchase decision making. It also aims to examine the accuracy of children's perceived influence as compared to their parents. These areas have received little attention from consumer behavior researchers and, although there is research on sibling effects from broader sociological and psychological perspectives, there is very little empirical research from a marketing perspective. This research seeks to begin to fill that gap. Design/methodology/approach - A key methodological contribution of the paper is that data were collected from triads as opposed to the more common dyadic mother/child data. Surveys were used to collect the data. Subjects, which consisted of children and their parents, were recruited through an elementary school in a mid-sized city in the southeastern USA. A total of 184 triads were approached to participate and 94 completed the surveys from each member of the triad were received. Data were analyzed using SPSS and four a priori hypotheses were tested. Theoretically the paper draws from research on sibling effects. Findings - The paper finds that preteens in the study perceived they had significant influence on purchase decisions. Key results of interest include the finding that the mere presence of siblings weakened the perception of influence, yet interestingly, results indicate that later-born/only children have more influence on certain purchases than firstborns. In addition, results indicate that preteens felt they have more influence on purchases that are intended for their use as opposed to purchases that are for family use. Parents also felt that children have more influence on purchases for the child, but parents did not perceive the levels to be as high as their children did. Research limitations/implications - If later-borns and only children have more influence and as such get their way more often, does this affect their ability to be competent adult consumers? Are there more instances of compulsive shopping and other decision-making problems because they have become accustomed to getting what they want? In addition, if children overestimate influence, is it because they are not yet able to fully understand persuasion and the use of influence? From a public policy perspective there have often been concerns raised about children's ability to deal with influence, and if very subtle forms of influence are used, children may not be equipped to recognize these attempts and as a result may be more susceptible to them. Originality/value - Research examining sibling effects on children's perceived influence is virtually non-existent. According to Commuri and Gentry, who conducted a thorough review of research in family decision making, sibling influence has not been systematically examined in consumer research. Research in this area is important as marketers seek to fully understand the impact children have on family purchase decisions, the roles children play in the decision-making process, and the factors affecting children's degree of influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — This paper aims to explore how relational constructs (total interdependence, trust, commitment, cooperative norms and conflict) impact the buyer's relationship satisfaction across the relationship lifecycle. Design/methodology/approach — Data were collected through mail survey from a sample of 162 Australian buyers. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to purify the measurement scales and multiple regression analysis techniques using dummy variables were used to test the hypotheses. Findings — The results indicate that interdependence and trust are associated with higher relationship satisfaction in the build-up and maturity phases while commitment is associated with higher relationship satisfaction in the maturity phase. Unexpectedly, cooperative norms are found to drive relationship satisfaction in both the build-up and maturity phases. Conflict, however, is not found to affect relationship satisfaction in the decline/deterioration phase. Research limitations/implications — A limitation of this study is the unequal sample size in each of the relationship phases. It would be desirable to run a model consisting of the five relational constructs for each of the three phases. Originality/value — Literature has suggested that the effects of relational constructs on outcomes vary across relationship phases. While this notion has been established theoretically, there has been little attempt to measure it empirically. This paper provides an empirical test of the important, yet unexplored, question of how different relational constructs have different effects on buyer satisfaction depending upon the relationship phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite there being considerable research and knowledge surrounding the risks of climate change on agricultural productivity, fewer studies have examined risks from a whole-of-chain perspective (i.e. from producer to consumer) and the perceptions of consumers about the climate adaptation strategies of food businesses. This paper presents the findings of a survey of 1532 Australian consumers and how they might respond to a food company's climate adaptation strategy. Three respondent archetypes, ' Eco-warriors' ( n = 557), ' Undecideds' ( n = 600) and ' Abdicators' ( n = 375), were identified based on their perceptions of risks associated with climate change and their attitudes towards climate adaptation. Further analysis was carried out to understand how each group of respondents would respond to adaptation strategies employed by food companies. Based on the findings of this study, two main challenges are presented for food value chains: (1) translating consumer needs and preferences to niche opportunities arising from adaptation and (2) understanding how best to communicate adaptation benefits based on varying attitudes and information needs. By addressing these challenges, synergies between adaptation goals and competitive strategies in food value chains may be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Understanding decision-making about health service provision is increasingly important in an environment of increasing demand and constrained resources. Multiple factors are likely to influence decisions about which services will be provided, yet workforce is the most noted factor in the rural physiotherapy literature. This paper draws together results obtained from exploration of service level decision-making (SLDM) to propose 'conceptual' models of rural physiotherapy SLDM. Method A prioritized qualitative approach enabled exploration of participant perspectives about rural physiotherapy decision-making. Stakeholder perspectives were obtained through surveys and in-depth interviews. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and reviewed by participants. Participant confidentiality was maintained by coding both participants and sites. A system theory-case study heuristic provided a framework for exploration across sites within the investigation area: a large area of one Australian state with a mix of regional, rural and remote communities. Results Thirty-nine surveys were received from participants in 11 communities. Nineteen in-depth interviews were conducted with physiotherapists and key decision-makers. Results reveal the complexity of factors influencing rural physiotherapy service provision and the value of a systems approach when exploring decision-making about rural physiotherapy service provision. Six key features were identified that formed the rural physiotherapy SLDM system: capacity and capability; contextual influences; layered decision-making; access issues; value and beliefs; and tensions and conflict. Conclusions Rural physiotherapy SLDM is not a one-dimensional process but results from the complex interaction of clusters of systems issues. Decision-making about physiotherapy service provision is influenced by both internal and external factors. Similarities in influencing factors and the iterative nature of decision-making emerged, which enabled linking physiotherapy SLDM with clinical decision-making and placing both within the broader healthcare context. The conceptual models provide a way of thinking about decisions informing rural physiotherapy service provision. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examined the impact of midwife endorsement on stated choice preferences in one of the highest volume baby care product categories, diapers. An online survey was conducted testing 12 alternatives of which six were midwife endorsed. A total of 215 responses were analyzed using best–worst and multinomial logit modeling. Results indicate that package size, price, and brand are more sensitive predictors of stated choice preferences than midwife endorsement. Respondents were willing to pay 2.3% more for a diaper that was endorsed by midwives. These findings suggest that midwife endorsement should be pursued by health marketers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine changes in accommodation payments to residential aged care facilities following the introduction of consumer choice reforms in 2014. These reforms have allowed residents to choose between making lump sum refundable deposits and/or rental‐style payments. Methods: Quantitative analysis was undertaken for facility‐level quarterly data of 136 separate facilities, which were operated by six providers over the period under study. Results: While the total pool of payments has grown strongly, consumers have increasingly favoured rental‐style payments over lump sum refundable deposits. Conclusion: Consumer choice has changed the landscape of accommodation payment receipts in the provision of residential aged care services. Greater understanding is needed on how consumer preferences impact on the financial risk borne by providers and their ability to invest in future capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the growing body of evidence demonstrating the positive health effects of the Mediterranean diet, it is not routinely recommended in practice and adherence is low in the general population in Australia. The knowledge-attitude-behaviour model explains how health behaviours are supported through a process of acquiring knowledge, developing attitudes, and forming behaviours. Evidence has suggested that having a high level of nutrition-related knowledge is associated with more positive attitudes, which is directly linked to positive dietary behaviours. However, reports of knowledge and attitudes towards the Mediterranean diet, and how these directly relate to behaviours in older adults, are lacking. This study explored Mediterranean diet-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours among community-dwelling older adults in Australia. Participants were adults aged 55 years and older who completed an online survey that contained three parts: (a) knowledge – Mediterranean Diet Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (Med-NKQ); (b) nutrition-related attitudes and behaviours, and barriers and enablers to dietary change; (c) demographics. The sample included 61 adults who ranged in age from 55 to 89 years. The overall knowledge score was 30.5 out of a possible 40 points, with 60.7% classified as having a high level of knowledge. Knowledge was lowest for nutrient content and label reading. Attitudes and behaviours were generally positive and were not associated with level of knowledge. The most common barriers to dietary change were perceived cost and lack of knowledge, and motivational factors. There are a number of key gaps in knowledge that should be addressed through targeted educational programs. Strategies and tools to overcome perceived barriers and improve self-efficacy are needed to facilitate positive dietary behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore discharge planning with a range of key stakeholders in subacute care, including consumers. Design: Qualitative descriptive study. Methods: Patients (n = 16), families (n = 16), clinicians (n = 17) and managers (n = 12) participated in semi‐structured interviews or focus groups. Following transcription, data were analysed thematically. Results: The overarching facilitator of effective discharge planning was collaborative communication, leading to shared expectations by all stakeholders. Collaborative communication was underpinned by four key themes: patient‐ and family‐centred decision‐making, early goal setting, strong inter‐ and intra‐disciplinary teamwork, and robust patient/family education. Conclusion: Effective planning for discharge from subacute care is enabled by shared expectations and collaborative communication between key stakeholders. Implications for the profession and/or patient care: Effective discharge planning processes are underpinned by effective inter‐ and intra‐disciplinary teamwork. Healthcare networks should foster environments that promote effective communication between and within multidisciplinary team members as well as with patients and their families. Applying these principles to discharge planning may assist in reducing length of stays and rates of preventable readmissions post‐discharge. Impact: This study addressed a lack of knowledge about effective discharge planning in Australian subacute care. It found that collaborative communication between stakeholders was an overarching facilitator of effective discharge planning. This finding impacts subacute service design and professional education. Reporting method: COREQ guidelines were followed in reporting this study. Patient or public contribution: No patient or public contribution in the design, data analysis or preparation of the manuscript. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first objective of this study was to identify Australian consumers' decision-making styles for automobile purchases. Second, adding an innovation consciousness scale to the original consumer styles inventory (CSI) to assess Australian consumers' car purchase behaviour. Based on a sample of 214 respondents from Australian automobile consumers, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was conducted on Sproles and Kendall's (1986) CSI adapted for automobile purchases. As such, the validity of the CSI in the context of high-involvement purchases was tested. The results found that only two factors, ‘brand’ and ‘habitual consciousness’, of the original model were retained and other factors such as ‘investigation process’, ‘information search’, ‘value within budget’ and ‘innovation consciousness’ factors were confirmed for automobile purchase decision-making styles. ‘Innovation consciousness’ was proven to be one of the most reliable and valuable scales for automobile purchase decision-making styles in relation to Australian consumers. The paper also discusses suitable marketing strategies for automobile consumers in Australia. The current research should prove valuable not only to academic researchers but also to automobile companies/managers. The findings will also provide insight into how automobile companies could position themselves with respect to their marketing strategies in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aim of this study was to examine the role of mindfulness in consumer behavior and service marketing in Australia and Malaysia. Two studies were conducted; first to identify and characterize consumers on the basis of mindfulness, and to obtain data on the dimensions of relationship quality and consumer loyalty from the groups. Results from a standard analysis of data confirmed five of the six hypotheses tested. There are significant differences in the three dimensions of relationship quality (i.e., trust, satisfaction, and commitment), and in two of three dimensions of consumer loyalty (namely, attitudinal and behavioral loyalty) between the two consumer groups-high and low mindful consumers. There is no significant difference in consumer switching restraint between the groups. These findings lead to research and managerial implications that conclude the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large proportion of traditional Australian homes contained timber floors and timber exterior cladding until the advent of the standard concrete slab/brick veneer house. Up to 95% of new homes are built by project home companies and the majority of these contain an external envelope consisting of concrete flooring, clay brick walls and concrete tile or steel sheet roofing. This design is currently driven by consumer's expectation of low cost, durable homes that are completed within restricted time limits. There is now a price premium on bespoke housing projects that differ materially or otherwise from a limited set of designs offered by project home firms. The adoption of concrete and brick homes originated from a perceived advantage of longevity, low maintenance and thermal comfort. Innovation in wood treatments, wood protection and insulation has provided solutions to these issues so that timber is now a viable option with added benefits such as environmental sustainability and erection speed. Australian consumers have a growing awareness and desire to live in a way that is sustainable and are making choices that reflect this attitude. This has been demonstrated through the high adoption rate of recent government-supported schemes such as subsidized insulation and solar panel installation. This paper aims at investigating homeowner's perception of timber as a sustainable building product, the desire of homeowners to use sustainable building products, and the willingness of homeowners to pay a premium to live sustainably. This paper highlights Australian homeowners reluctance to use the most sustainable building materials even when they are willing to pay for a more environmentally sustainable home. This paper presents the results of a questionnaire survey to homeowners in the city of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and some strategies on how to increase the use of timber in new housing projects in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a comprehensive review of the key dimensions of access and their significance for the provision of primary health care and a framework that assists policy-makers to evaluate how well policy targets the dimensions of access. Access to health care can be conceptualised as the potential ease with which consumers can obtain health care at times of need. Disaggregation of the concept of access into the dimensions of availability, geography, affordability, accommodation, timeliness, acceptability and awareness allows policy-makers to identify key questions which must be addressed to ensure reasonable primary health care access for rural and remote Australians. Evaluating how well national primary health care policies target these dimensions of access helps identify policy gaps and potential inequities in ensuring access to primary health care. Effective policies must incorporate the multiple dimensions of access if they are to comprehensively and effectively address unacceptable inequities in health status and access to basic health services experienced by rural and remote Australians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a survey on smokers that assessed if the relationship between beliefs and smoking behaviors was in consistent with Cognitive Dissonance Theory. It included adult smokers from Canada, U.S., Great Britain and Australia. The findings revealed that smokers with no intetion of quitting across the three waves, were inclined towards the highest levels of rationalizations for smoking. It suggests studies to determine if the change in beliefs has any effect on intentions to quit.

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the drivers and barriers to seafood consumption in Australia and to investigate attitudes toward pre-packaged fresh chilled seafood products. Design/methodology/approach – A two-stage study of seafood consumption in Australia was conducted comprising ten focus groups across six states (n=60) and a national online consumer survey (n=1,815). Findings – The main drivers for seafood consumption in Australia are health, taste, convenience, and a desire for diet variety. The main barriers to seafood consumption are price, concerns regarding origin, concerns about freshness, difficulty in evaluating seafood quality, and not liking the taste or texture of fish. The main appeals of pre-packaged fresh chilled seafood products are convenience and ease of preparation, while barriers include price and concerns about origin and freshness. Research limitations/implications – The survey focussed on the main or joint grocery buyers in households and thus may not be representative of the entire Australian population. Practical implications – The findings provide important insights for the Australian seafood industry in developing and delivering seafood offerings that will appeal to Australian consumers and thus stimulate seafood consumption. This knowledge will also assist the Australian Government and health educators to more effectively campaign to encourage increased seafood consumption. Originality/value – While research on antecedents to seafood consumption in Europe has been extensive, research into the drivers and barriers to seafood consumption in Western countries such as Australia and strategies for increasing seafood consumption is less evident. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION Innovations in tobacco control interventions are required to ensure continued reductions in global tobacco use, and to minimise attributable morbidity and mortality. We therefore aimed to investigate the perceived effectiveness of current cigarette packaging warnings and the potential effectiveness of cigarettestick warnings across four countries. METHODS An online survey was distributed to adult smokers in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Participants rated (using a 5-point Likert scale) and commented on the effectiveness of current cigarette packaging warnings and text warnings on eight cigarette sticks that prompted smokers to quit. Ratings were analysed using proportional odds logistic regression, and comments were analysed using content analysis. RESULTS Participants (N=678, mean age=44.3 years) from all four countries perceived cigarette packaging warnings as being minimally effective in prompting smokers to quit, citing desensitisation and irrelevance of the warnings, with US participants particularly critical of the text-only warnings. Compared to packaging warnings, the cigarette-stick warnings describing the financial costs of smoking and the effect of smoking on others, were the highest rated in all four countries (OR=3.42, 95% CI: 2.75--4.25, p<0.001 and OR=2.85, 95% CI: 2.29--3.55, p<0.001, respectively) and cited as strong messages to reduce smoking. Half of the participants either 'agreed' or 'strongly agreed' to the use of cigarette-stick warnings. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study suggest that cigarette packaging warnings may experience a loss of effectiveness over time, eventually resulting in minimal impact on smoker behaviour. Health and non-health focused warnings and messages on individual cigarette sticks represent a novel and potentially effective method for reducing tobacco use. This would complement tobacco control interventions currently employed, resulting in public health benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose and test a model concerning broadband adoption in a rural setting. Design/methodology/approach – A computer-aided telephone survey was conducted to collect data to validate the proposed model in rural Australia. Findings – It was found that relative advantage, utility outcomes, and facilitating conditions play a crucial role in explaining broadband adoption behavior amongst rural Australian households. Practical implications – The key challenges to stakeholders involved in promoting broadband adoption in these settings are discussed in light of the findings. Originality/value – A more realistic approach at household level was adopted to investigate broadband adoption in a rural setting. The theoretical framework offers a comprehensive view of broadband adoption applicable to rural Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, only the United States and New Zealand allow direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription medicine. In other countries where DTCA is not allowed, including Australia and the United Kingdom, pharmaceutical companies undertake disease awareness advertising (DAA). In DAA, advertisements do not name a drug directly, but provide general information about diseases and treatments, and encourage consumers to talk to their doctor. Similar debate surrounds these two forms of advertising, yet while past research has explored consumers' attitudes and behaviour in response to DTCA, little consideration has been given to DAA. This paper compares Australian consumers' perceptions of DAA with New Zealand consumers' perceptions of DTCA. Despite differences in the type and extent of advertising, respondents perceived similar benefits including heightened awareness of treatment options and improved discussions with doctors. New Zealand respondents associated many negative outcomes with DTCA including unbalanced information, inappropriate requests to doctors and consumer confusion. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents findings of an innovative study, which involved the thematic and content analyses of discussions held by deaf people, hearing people and interpreters about signed language interpreting in Australia. Six focus groups yielded eight hours of data, which was analyzed to identify themes that emerged about participants' perceptions about interpreters and interpreting. Examples are given to compare how participants view the signed language interpreting profession, and to discuss the expectations of all parties of signed language interpreter-mediated encounters. The focus of analysis is on key themes that were evident from the most frequently used words/signs. The findings provide a clearer understanding of the relationship between consumers and interpreters, and attitudes towards signed language interpreters and interpreting in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During an Australian qualitative and empirical study looking at lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender client's experiences of counseling, and counselor's experiences of working with minority clients, a large body of unsolicited data emerged related to experiences of religious-based homophobia. Analysis of the data suggests that a lifelong process of posttraumatic recovery for many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people follows prior experiences of religious-based homophobia. This paper discusses the sociological debate related to how counselors find themselves at the crossroad between a healthy lifestyle model of homosexuality based in well established contemporary professional ethics versus long standing religious-based attitudes and constraints toward homosexuality. This intersection of conflicting beliefs generates a controversial social and political environment in which counselors must make a basic decision to either support minority clients according to ethical guidelines or to side with socially conservative constructs that, rightly or wrongly, rely largely on Western religious traditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines the findings of a study employing a partial least squares (PLS) structural equation methodology to test a customer satisfaction model of the drivers of student satisfaction and loyalty in higher education settings. Drawing upon a moderately large sample of students enrolled in four ‘types’ of Australian universities, the findings suggest that student loyalty is predicted by student satisfaction, which is in turn predicted by the perceived image of the host university. While the perceived quality of “humanware” (e.g., people and process) and “hardware” (e.g., infrastructure and tangible service elements) has an impact on perceived value, this was found to be weak and indeterminate. Of most importance was the impact of the institution’s institutional image, which strongly predicted perceived value, and to a lesser extent student satisfaction. The findings have implications for newer, less prestigious universities seeking to compete in a more deregulated, market driven environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose.- The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect that the acquisition of a shopping centre by a corporation had on individual retailers in the complex. It examines how imposed directive change impacted on the internal customers, namely the retailers operating within the shopping centre. Design/methodology/approach - Four methods are used. to. procure the data, namely, observations, content analysis, interviewing and a questionnaire survey. Findings - Key findings are that the majority of retailers feel that the nature of the change is transitional or transformational, are negative about it and many do not resist it because they feel helpless to do so. However, some resistance to the acquisition, cynicism and rumours about it, are present. Retailers feel that communication, education, participation and negotiation would help to reduce these negative reactions to change. Practical implications - To improve the outcome of a similar acquisition in the future, The paper recommends extensive consultation with retailers before' the change programme begins. Suggestions regarding how, a. similar acquisition could be more successfully' implemented in the future are provided. Originality/value - This paper contributes to the current body of academic literature on change management and shopping centre management practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of the current research is to determine if status and non-status seeking Australian teenagers differ in their attitudes toward buying domestic and foreign (i.e. Italy, Japan, China) luxury brand apparel. Design/methodology/approach - A total of 365 teenagers participated in this study through a self-completed questionnaire. Fishbein's Multi-Attribute Attitude Model was used to measure and compare attitudes toward buying domestic and foreign made apparel. Repeated measure ANOVA and t-tests were utilized to examine whether the groups differed with regards to their attitudes toward buying luxury brand apparel, using a comparison of apparels "Made in Australia" with those "Made in Italy", "Made in Japan" and "Made in China". Findings - The research findings indicate that status-seeking teenagers have overall, a more positive attitude toward foreign luxury brand apparel as compared to Australian luxury brands, with the exception of Chinese brands. On the other hand, non-status seeking teenagers reported that they have more positive attitude towards Australian brands than foreign brands, and consider Australian luxury brands superior to all three foreign brands with regards to ease of care and comfort. Research limitations/implications - The findings is only limited to Australian teenagers and cannot be generalized to other nationalities or age cohorts. Practical implications - The study suggests that the Australian apparel industry should concentrate its marketing strategy on enhancing the attributes of "fashionable" and "brand name" of Australian apparel that both status and non-status seeking teenagers prefer in foreign apparel. Originality/ value - The paper fills a gap in the literature by validating the study in Australia and focusing on the attitudes of status (and non status) seeking teenagers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding consumer practice is important for contextualising the material culture of the past. Previous studies on trade networks and shopping in Australia have demonstrated this contribution. This paper aims to contribute further by examining the consumer behaviour of an upper middle-class family. Analysis of the artefact assemblage from the Viewbank homestead, Melbourne, provides an excellent case study for this aim. The homestead was occupied by wealthy doctor Robert Martin and his family from 1844 to 1874. This paper examines the trade networks utilised by the Martin family, and compares this with the networks used by working-class people at Casselden Place, to illustrate how these networks indicate the social and economic structure of Melbourne. It also examines how the Martins were shopping and what this reveals of the factors of necessity and price in the context of a wealthy family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While qualitative surveys regarding consumers’ attitudes about gene technologies and their application to food production are plentiful, quantitative studies are less so. The present paper reports choice modelling methods to examine the conditions under which Australian consumers are willing to purchase genetically modified (GM) foods, if at all, and examines those preferences within the context of the food system as a whole. This allows us to compare consumer attitudes towards gene technology to consumer preferences for other features of the food they consume. The results of the choice modelling analysis suggest consumers require a discount on their weekly food bill before they will purchase GM food. Gene technology using animal as well as plant genes was found to be more objectionable to respondents than that using plant genes alone, especially among women. Age seems to affect the preferences for a certain type of food, with older people generally more accepting of the use of gene technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To investigate whether members of the public read blogs for the purpose of accessing healthy eating information; examine demographic predictors of healthy eating blog readership, specifically education, gender, age, body mass index, and residential location; and explore the reasons for reading, and not reading, healthy eating blogs. Methods: This study used a cross‐sectional online self‐reported survey design collected over three time points (round 1: December 2017–March 2018, round 2: August 2018–December 2018, round 3: December 2021–March 2022). The total sample of participants comprised of 238 respondents with a mean age of 46 years old, who mostly reported gender as female (82%), being educated with a university degree (69%), and predominantly resided in urban and city areas (84%). Results: Fifty‐one percent of respondents reported reading healthy eating blogs, suggesting that consumers were proactively seeking healthy eating information through this avenue. Participants who identified as female were 3.2 times more likely to read healthy eating blogs. Commonly, healthy eating blogs were read to receive practical information that aligned with current food choices. The main reason participants reported not reading healthy eating blogs was not thinking about using them (29%). Conclusions: Understanding who is seeking healthy eating information through blogs, and their reasons doing so, is important to continue research into the potential effectiveness of blogs as a platform to communicate healthy eating and nutrition messages. This study provides direction for further investigation into how dietetics professionals could effectively use blogs to disseminate healthy eating information and positively influence consumer food choices and dietary intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]