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The purpose of this paper was to explore the implications of the increasing range of sporting opportunities for girls and young females on traditional female sports such as netball. This paper emerged from a larger investigation and provided a qualitative descriptive account of the implications for netball based on individual interview and focus group data with 27 female participants (players, coaches, and administrators) in Australia. A reflexive thematic analysis was undertaken, leading to the development of four major themes: 'being a cross-coder', 'team size matters', 'wavering attraction', and 'pathway aspirations. Pathways and opportunities that may impact on how netball clubs engage with the contemporary female sporting landscape are presented. Despite the growing number of other sporting opportunities available to girls and young females, support for netball among its participants remains stable. However, the netball community will need to respond to changing cultural, personal, and organisational forces if they are to sustain strong female participation into the future. Possible implications for coaches, clubs and associations and potential avenues forward are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an era where higher education institutions appear increasingly committed to what Sara Ahmed calls 'speech acts' whereby declared goodwill, through stated commitments to diversity, equity, and increasing Indigenous student enrolment and completion have been made; it is undeniable that Indigenous academics are in high demand. With fewer than 430 Indigenous academics currently employed here on the continent now commonly referred to as 'Australia', and 69% of that cohort identifying as female, what does it look like to experience this demand as an Indigenous academic woman? Drawing on data collected from a Nation-wide study in 2019 of 17 one-on-one, face-to-face interviews with Indigenous academic women, using Indigenous research methodologies and poetic transcription, this paper explores the experiences and relational aspects of Indigenous academic women's roles in Australian higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context This paper examines the criterion validity of the Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT), which has been used since 1996 in Australia and more recently in the UK and Ireland. The study provides evidence on the extent to which GAMSAT, in combination with grade point average (GPA) and interview scores, adds value to determining an individual’s capability for medical study. The study responds to increasing demand for information on the validity of selection processes. Criterion validity is important because it helps to empirically situate selection tests within their broader contexts by, for instance, providing an assurance to educators and the public that test results are valid and add value to selection decisions. Methods After introducing the rationale and focus of the study, the paper summarises the data and research methods, presents statistical results and draws conclusions that advance current insight into medical school admissions processes. The results are based on data from six institutions and 351 students. Results Analyses of GAMSAT, interview and GPA scores show, in summary, that: there are fairly high levels of divergence between these three measures; that relationships between the measures and Year 1 marks vary across institutions, and that a combination of GAMSAT and GPA scores provides the best means of predicting Year 1 performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Drowning is a significant public health issue, with females accounting for one third of global drowning deaths. The rate of female drowning has not decreased within high-income countries and presentations to hospital have increased. This scoping review aimed to explore adult female unintentional drowning, including risk factors, clinical treatment and outcomes of females hospitalised for drowning.Methods: A systematic search of the literature following the PRISMA-ScR framework was undertaken. The databases OVID MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, OVID Emcare, Web of Science, Informit and Scopus were accessed. Study locations of focus were Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Studies from January 2003 to April 2019 were included. The quality of evidence of included studies was assessed using GRADE guidelines.Results: The final search results included 14 studies from Australia (n = 4), Canada (n = 1), New Zealand (n = 1), United States (n = 6), United Kingdom (n = 1), and one study reporting data from both Australia and United States. Nine studies reported risk factors for female drowning including age, with the proportion of female drowning incidence increasing with age. Although females are now engaging in risk-taking behaviours associated with drowning that are similar to males, such as consuming alcohol and swimming in unsafe locations, their exposure to risky situations and ways they assess risk, differ. Females are more likely to drown from accidental entry into water, such as in a vehicle during a flood or fall into water. This review found no evidence on the clinical treatment provided to females in hospital after a drowning incident, and only a small number of studies reported the clinical outcomes of females, with inconsistent results (some studies reported better and some no difference in clinical outcomes among females).Conclusion: Adult females are a group vulnerable to drowning, that have lacked attention. There was no single study found which focused solely on female drowning. There is a need for further research to explore female risk factors, the clinical treatment and outcomes of females hospitalised for drowning. This will not only save the lives of females, but also contribute to an overall reduction in drowning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender imbalance in the IT sector is a problem with few females choosing information technology (IT) as a career. This paper describes an initiative conducted in Victoria, Australia, that aimed to expand the career horizons of secondary school girls aged 14 to 18 by showing them the range of career opportunities available in information technology. The event was a two day showcase where industry speakers from a wide variety of areas within the sector spoke about their careers. The event participants - students and their accompanying teachers - were surveyed. Both students and teachers indicated that the Showcase had been a worthwhile event that had made them much more aware of some of the career options available in the IT sector. The most significant finding was that after the event a considerable percentage of the students indicated that they would consider a career in IT, when only about half of those surveyed indicated that they had considered IT beforehand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Facial trauma in women is complex with physical, psychosocial, and cultural influences impacting clinical presentations. Although multifactorial, assaults and falls are principally reported as the main causes. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted from January 2012 to January 2017 at the Women and Children's Hospital and Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide. All maxillofacial fractures in women that attended or were referred to the unit were included in this study. The primary objective was to analyse epidemiological trends of facial fractures and clinical outcomes in the South Australian female population. Results: There is a bimodal distribution of facial fractures at 25–35 years and 65 + years. Indigenous females were 19.5 years younger than non-indigenous females (30.5 vs 49.9, P < 0.001). Approximately half the cohort had a fall-related facial fracture, followed by assault (26.2%), and sports (10.3%). There was a higher proportion of non-alcohol-related trauma from assaults than alcohol-related assaults (72.5% vs 27.5%, P < 0.001). Over half (58.0%) of the cohort had a midface fracture. The elderly had increased odds of 1.9 fold for facial fractures in winter, largely from falls, compared to younger women. Associated injuries were present in almost half the elderly women with 2.6 times the risk compared to younger women. Younger women had higher incidences of surgical intervention (52.6% vs 14.3%, P < 0.05). Conclusions: Young women disproportionately experience larger incidences of non-alcohol-related assaults requiring operative intervention of the mandible, whereas elderly women principally suffer fall-related facial fractures with higher rates of associated injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SARS-CoV2 pandemic led to drastic social restrictions globally. Early data suggest that women in science have been more adversely affected by these lockdowns than men, with relatively fewer scientific articles authored by women. However, these observations test broad populations with many potential causes of disparity. Australia presents a natural experimental condition where several states of similar demographics and disease impact had differing approaches in their social isolation strategies. The state of Victoria experienced 280 days of lockdowns from 2020 to 2021, whereas the comparable state of New South Wales experienced 107 days, most of these in 2021, and other states even fewer restrictions. To assess how the gender balance changed in Australian biomedical publishing with the lockdowns, we created a custom workflow to analyse PubMed data from more than 120,000 published articles submitted in 2019–2021 from Australian authors. Broadly, Australian women have been incredibly resilient to the challenges faced by the lockdowns. There was an increase in the number of published articles submitted in 2020 that was equally due to women as men, including from Victoria. On the other hand, articles specifically addressing COVID-19 were significantly less likely to be authored by women than those on other topics, a finding not likely due to particular gender imbalance in virology or viral epidemiology, since publications on HIV followed similar patterns to previous years. By 2021, this imbalance had reversed, with more COVID-19-related papers authored by women than men. These data suggest women from Victoria were less able to rapidly transition to new research early in the pandemic but had accommodated to the new conditions by 2021. This work indicates we need strategies to support women in science as the pandemic continues and to continue to monitor the situation for its impact on vulnerable groups. • We analyzed PubMed data from >120,000 articles from Australian authors. • COVID-19 pandemic lockdown severity had no gender-specific effect. • Women authored fewer COVID-19 articles than expected in 2020. • Women's publishing of COVID-19 work normalized in 2021. • Women were less able to rapidly transition to new research in the COVID pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It appears that up to 80% of females with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) have not been diagnosed by the age of 18. This translates to a prevalence of about 5–6%, and if true, has serious implications for female mental health. One way of finding the true value is to use Bayes' Theorem with a comorbid condition as a more easily recognizable flag. An obvious choice is anorexia nervosa (AN), but it transpires that the proportion of women with ASD who develop AN is unknown. This study uses published data in novel ways to provide two methods of estimating a range for this variable, and gives a median value of 8.3% for AN in ASD and, with four other methods, a median prevalence of 6% for female ASD. The clinical implications of the diagnosis and management of ASD and its comorbidities are discussed and, as an example, a solution is provided for the rate of ASD in symptomatic generalized joint hypermobility. It is probable that one in six women with a mental health condition is autistic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite diversity initiatives, inequities persist in medicine with negative implications for the workforce and patients. Little is known about workplace inequity in nephrology. Aim: To describe perceptions and experiences of bias by health professionals in the Australian and New Zealand Society of Nephrology (ANZSN), focussing on gender and race. Methods: A web‐based survey of ANZSN members recorded degree of perceived inequity on a Likert scale, ranging from 1 (none) to 5 (complete). Groups were compared using Mann–Whitney U‐test and logistic regression. Comments were synthesised using qualitative methods to explore themes of inequity and pathways to an inclusive future. Results: Of the 620 members of the ANZSN, there were 134 (22%) respondents, of whom 57% were women and 67% were White. The majority (88%) perceived inequities in the workforce. Perceived drivers of inequity were gender (84/113; 75%), carer responsibilities (74/113; 65%) and race (64/113; 56%). Half (74/131) had personally experienced inequity, based on gender in 70% (52/74) and race in 39% (29/75) with perceived discrimination coming from doctors, patients, academics and health administrators. White males were least likely (odds ratio 0.39; 95% confidence interval 0.18–0.90) to experience inequity. Dominant themes from qualitative analysis indicated that the major impacts of inequity were limited opportunities for advancement and lack of formal assistance for those experiencing inequities. Proposed solutions to reduce inequity included normalising the discourse on inequity at an organisational level, with policy changes to ensure diverse representation on committees and in executive leadership positions. Conclusions: Inequity, particularly driven by gender and race, is common for nephrology health professionals in Australia and New Zealand and impacts career progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Fruit fly (Tephritidae) present a global market-access issue for horticultural produce. A key method of control for tephritidae pests is the sterile insect technique (SIT). Australia has released a bisex strain, i.e., males and females of sterile Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni Froggatt, although only the males contribute to wild-population decline. While the number of stings were higher in one SIT release orchard, compared with the control, we showed that sterile female B. tryoni released in large numbers do not lead to degraded or unmarketable fruit, and therefore are suitable for release in commercial nectarine, peach and plum orchards. Global markets do not tolerate the presence of fruit fly (Tephritidae) in horticultural produce. A key method of control for tephritidae pests, is the sterile insect technique (SIT). Several countries release a bisex strain, i.e., males and females, however the sterile male is the only sex which contributes to wild population declines when released en masse. In commercial orchards, there are concerns that sterile females released as part of bisex strains, may oviposit, i.e., 'sting' and cause damage to fruit, rendering it unmarketable. Australia has released a bisex strain of sterile Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni Froggatt, for several decades to suppress wild pest populations, particularly in peri-urban and urban environments. Here, we assessed fruit damage in two commercially grown stone fruit orchards where bisex sterile B. tryoni were released, and in an orchard that did not receive sterile flies. The number of detected stings were higher in only one SIT release orchard, compared with the control; however, there was no difference between SIT and control orchards in the number of larvae detected. We showed that there is no evidence that sterile female B. tryoni released in large numbers caused stings, or damage that led to downgraded or unsaleable fruit. The bisex strain of sterile B. tryoni is recommended for use in commercial stone-fruit orchards, under the conditions in which this trial was conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Substance use is increasingly prevalent among women. Little research examines subgroups of women with substance use issues to identify their characteristics and thus enable treatment recommendations. The present study used latent class analysis to identify subgroups of substance use among women in substance‐use treatment based on use in the 30 days prior to intake and examined changes in mental health and treatment outcomes following 60 days of treatment. Methods: Participants were women (N = 493) attending specialist non‐government substance use treatment services in New South Wales, Australia. Results: Four distinct classes of substance users were identified: (i) Amphetamine Type Stimulants (ATS) Polysubstance (40.6%, n = 200); (ii) Alcohol Only (33.1%, n = 163); (iii) Cannabis and Alcohol (17.0%, n = 84) and (iv) Other Polysubstance (9.3%, n = 46). Women in the ATS Polysubstance class were the youngest and those in the Alcohol Only class were the oldest. Discussion and Conclusions: Findings show that classes with high polysubstance use (ATS Polysubstance) differed from the single‐substance use class (Alcohol Only). The ATS Polysubstance class had significantly greater improvements in health outcomes after 60 days compared to the Alcohol Only class. These findings suggest that although women with polysubstance use can benefit from substance use treatment, younger women (ATS Polysubstance) may benefit even more than older women (Alcohol Only). Future research should utilise a longitudinal design and examine additional psychosocial characteristics to extend on current findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to analyze the Psychological scientific production about eating disorders and body image in adolescents from 2003 to 2007. The process became with an computerized search at the PsycInfo's database, for it was used as keywords "body image", "eating disorders", and "adolescence". From this search were extracted the abstracts and complements, which were organized into thematic categories purposed by Bardin (2008). The results allowed to identify that the number of publications remained stable over the years which has being analyzed, as well as United States and Australia were the countries that had the majority of articles published. The empirical studies had stress and were published in specialized papers of the area, as the Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention and the Eating and Weight Disorders. Among the subjects studied, there were highlights for the assessment of eating disorders' risk factors, emphasizing the females and adolescent population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Tamoxifen has been demonstrated to reduce breast cancer risk in high‐risk, premenopausal women. Yet, very few young women with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome in Australia use tamoxifen, despite this being a less‐invasive option compared to risk‐reducing mastectomy. This study aims to examine young women's decision‐making about and experience of taking tamoxifen to reduce their breast cancer risk. Methods: Young women with a BRCA1/2 mutation participated in semi‐structured qualitative interviews, recruited mainly from a metropolitan clinical genetics service. Data were analysed using an inductive, team‐based approach to thematic analysis. Results: Forty interviews with women aged 20–40 years with a BRCA1/2 mutation were conducted. Eleven women could not recall discussing tamoxifen with their healthcare provider or were too young to commence cancer risk management. Twenty‐three women chose not to use tamoxifen because it is contraindicated for pregnancy or because it did not offer immediate and great enough risk reduction compared to bilateral risk‐reducing mastectomy. Six women who were definite about not wanting to have children during the following 5‐year period chose to use tamoxifen, and most experienced none or transient side effects. Conclusions: Decision‐making about tamoxifen was nuanced and informed by considerations characteristic of young adulthood, especially childbearing. Therefore, clinical discussions about tamoxifen with young women with a BRCA1/2 mutation must include consideration of their reproductive plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Drunkorexia is a trend on the rise within the young adult population with significant physical, psychological, and social health implications. Many studies have investigated the link between Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMS) and both eating disorders and substance misuse. To date, no studies have specifically focused on EMS amongst those with Drunkorexia behaviours. The main objectives of this study were to further investigate the prevalence of Drunkorexia behaviour amongst Australian young adult females, and to elucidate the pattern of EMS and behaviours associated with Drunkorexia amongst young adult female Australian students. Methods: This study used a cross‐sectional, between groups, correlational design. Participants were Australian university students, aged 18–24 years old. Results: In excess of 28% participants reported engaging in characteristic Drunkorexic behaviours to specifically offset ingested alcohol calories while not engaging in such behaviours routinely for any other reason or with any other type of food or drink. The EMS most predictive of Drunkorexia‐type behaviour were Insufficient Self‐Control, Emotional Deprivation, and Social Isolation. EMS significantly contributed to the variance in Drunkorexia‐type behaviours, over and above that explained by eating disorder and binge drinking symptomatology. Conclusions: Increasing numbers of individuals are endorsing symptoms of Drunkorexia‐type behaviour, increasing the risk of potential physical, psychological, and social health‐related problems. Addressing key EMS that may be associated with Drunkorexia‐type behaviours may strengthen future preventative and intervention programs. Given the exploratory nature of this research, further studies are required to clarify the relationship between EMS and Drunkorexia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Abortion is a common procedure in New Zealand (NZ). Currently, it is only legal when two certifying consultants agree that the person seeking an abortion meets the statutory grounds outlined in Section 187A of the NZ Crimes Act (1961). The Crimes Act also states that one‐half of certifying consultants must be practising obstetricians/gynaecologists. However, with abortion law reform on the political agenda, the way that abortion services are provided in NZ may change. Aim: This survey of NZ Fellows and trainees evaluates their attitudes toward training requirements for abortion, abortion care provision, and conscientious objection. Materials and methods: A pre‐validated questionnaire was sent electronically to all NZ trainees and Fellows. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative data analysed using generalised inductive thematic analysis. Results: Most respondents (95.9%) believe that abortion should be available and 46.8% of respondents either provide abortion, or counsel women about their options and refer. The majority of respondents (73%) support abortion training in FRANZCOG and 68.5% support training in DRANZCOG. Qualitative data reflect a range of views on abortion, the role of conscientious objection in abortion care, and gestational limits. Conclusion: This study identifies overall support for abortion provision in NZ and abortion training. However, there is a range of views and practices of abortion among RANZCOG trainees and Fellows that reflects the complexity of the abortion debate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Females of the Queensland fruit fly (QFF), Bactrocera tryoni, are amongst the most damaging pests of horticulture in Australia and neighboring countries. Females can lay eggs into more than a hundred species of fruits and vegetables, resulting in large crop losses. Sexually mature males can be managed sustainably with traps baited with long-lasting synthetic lures, and sexually immature males and females can be attracted and killed by short-lived protein baits applied directly on surfaces, with a low success rate (< 20%). No long-lasting attractants for virgin or mated females exist. With the aim of developing a female attractant for surveillance, we collected and analyzed the odors of four ripe host fruits: orange, cherry guava, banana and feijoa. Virgin and mated female QFF were tested with gas-chromatography coupled with electro-antennographic detection to identify electrophysiologically (EAD)-active compounds. We detected 41 EAD-active compounds, with seven found common for more than one fruit. Overall, mated females responded more often and with higher intensity than virgin females. In particular, five compounds present either in cherry guava or feijoa triggered a significantly higher EAD response from mated females than from virgins. Twenty-six EAD-active compounds were selected and tested individually in a Y-tube olfactometer to measure attraction of both virgin and mated females. Behavioral responses differed significantly amongst the compounds, but not strongly between virgin and mated females. We did not find any correlation between electrophysiological and behavioral responses. Further field testing with behaviorally-active compounds is needed for the development of a new QFF female lure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) has important impacts on the health of women in society. Our aim was to estimate the health and economic benefits of reducing the prevalence of IPV in the 2008 Australian female adult population. Methods: Simulation models were developed to show the effect of a 5 percentage point absolute feasible reduction target in the prevalence of IPV from current Australian levels (27 %). IPV is not measured in national surveys. Levels of psychological distress were used as a proxy for exposure to IPV since psychological conditions represent three-quarters of the disease burden from IPV. Lifetime cohort health benefits for females were estimated as fewer incident cases of violence-related disease and injury; deaths; and Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). Opportunity cost savings were estimated for the health sector, paid and unpaid production and leisure from reduced incidence of IPV-related disease and deaths. Workforce production gains were estimated by comparing surveyed participation and absenteeism rates of females with moderate psychological distress (lifetime IPV exposure) against high or very high distress (current IPV exposure), and valued using the friction cost approach (FCA). The impact of improved health status on unpaid household production and leisure time were modelled from time use survey data. Potential costs associated with interventions to reduce IPV were not considered. Multivariable uncertainty analyses and univariable sensitivity analyses were undertaken. Results: A 5 percentage point absolute reduction in the lifetime prevalence of IPV in the 2008 Australian female population was estimated to produce 6000 fewer incident cases of disease/injury, 74 fewer deaths, 5000 fewer DALYs lost and provide gains of 926,000 working days, 371,000 days of home-based production and 428,000 leisure days. Overall, AUD371 million in opportunity cost savings could be achievable. The greatest economic savings would be home-based production (AUD147 million), followed by leisure time (AUD98 million), workforce production (AUD94 million) and reduced health sector costs (AUD38 million). Conclusions: This study contributes new knowledge about the economic impact of IPV in females. The findings provide evidence of large potential opportunity cost savings from reducing the prevalence of IPV and reinforce the need to reduce IPV in Australia, and elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This pilot study aimed to establish the appropriateness of the Model of Juggling Occupations in exploring the complex experience of role balance amongst working women with family responsibilities living in Perth, Australia. Methods: In meeting this aim, an evaluation was conducted of a case study design, where data were collected through a questionnaire, time diary, and interview. Results: Overall role balance varied over time and across participants. Positive indicators of role balance occurred frequently in the questionnaires and time diaries, despite the interviews revealing a predominance of negative evaluations of role balance. Between-role balance was achieved through compatible role overlap, buffering, and renewal. An exploration of within-role balance factors demonstrated that occupational participation, values, interests, personal causation, and habits were related to role balance. Conclusions: This pilot study concluded that the Model of Juggling Occupations is an appropriate conceptual framework to explore the complex and dynamic experience of role balance amongst working women with family responsibilities. It was also confirmed that the case study design, including the questionnaire, time diary, and interview methods, is suitable for researching role balance from this perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports the findings of a qualitative study that explores the linkages between female veterans’ experiences in warlike, peacemaking, peacekeeping, and humanitarian operations and their perceived health support needs over the long term. It is based on the experiences of Australian female veterans who had deployed overseas. The findings suggest that a woman’s emotional well-being over the long term and ability to fully reintegrate back into civilian life after deployment is diminished when there is a significant disparity between her expectations of deployment and her actual operational experiences. A major implication from these findings is that civilian health and support services should develop a better understanding of the distinctive needs of the female veteran population and develop stronger linkages with the military community so as to facilitate ongoing deployment-related support for female veterans. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective To evaluate the long-term clinical outcome in women with idiopathic detrusor overactivity (IDO) and to identify significant prognostic factors. Design Longitudinal study incorporating retrospective case note review and a postal questionnaire. Setting Tertiary referral urogynaecology clinic in Australia. Population Women with a sole urodynamic diagnosis of IDO. Methods Audit of urodynamic records and case notes. Postal questionnaire incorporating validated disease-specific quality-of-life (QoL) instruments. Main outcome measure Subjective assessment of overall improvement on a 4-point scale followed by scoring of short forms of the urogenital distress inventory and incontinence impact questionnaire. Results One hundred and thirty two women were identified following examination of 1975 consecutive records with 76 (67%) returning questionnaires. Median follow up was 8 years (6–9), and the duration of symptoms was 13 years (9–18). Improvement was achieved in 25 (35%) women. Disease symptoms fluctuated in severity and QoL were worse in nonresponders to therapy ( P < 0.0001). Urge incontinence at presentation was associated with treatment failure ( P= 0.001) as was nocturia ( P= 0.04), but urodynamic variables were not associated with outcome. Only 3 of 46 (6.5%) women not responding to therapy thought that their symptoms would improve with time. Conclusions IDO seldom resolves and fluctuates in severity. Individual response is unpredictable, although the presence of urge incontinence is associated with a significantly worse prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Dysfunctional personality characteristics have a negative impact on the learning process, academic motivation, academic grades and course attendance. They are associated with higher levels of anxiety and negative mood before examinations, a lack of self-confidence and fear of failure, social skills deficits, and personal and social relationship problems. Dysfunctional personality characteristics inhibit interpersonal working relationships and are detrimental to team effectiveness. Previous research revealed that the majority of students selected into an Australian undergraduate medical programme via the process of academic merit, application and interview reported elevated levels of dysfunctional personality characteristics. Our research now identifies those patterns of dysfunctional behaviour that impacted on academic grades over the first 3 years of the medical programme. Methods Dysfunctional personality characteristics in a sample of Australian undergraduate medical students were assessed with the Hogan Development Survey (HDS). The scores of 139 students were then correlated with their end-of-year examination marks for each of the first 3 years of medical training, and their average grade. Results Pearson's bivariate correlation analysis revealed that there were a number of significant negative relationships between academic grades and the HDS syndromes of Away and Against. There were significant positive relationships between academic grades and the HDS syndrome of Diligent. Conclusions To enrol and teach students who fail to graduate, need to repeat, choose not to pursue a career in medicine upon graduation, or become inefficient practitioners is costly. A measure of dysfunctional behaviour has the potential to predict academic performance and improve the cost-effectiveness of medical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate workforce participation patterns among Australian medical graduates and the extent of cohort differences in these patterns. Design We carried out a retrospective longitudinal cohort study, with data collected by postal survey on current occupation, location, absences from the workforce and occupation since graduation. Participants Graduates who had completed their basic medical training at Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, in 1980, 1985, 1990 and 1995 were invited to participate ( n = 546); 368 took part in the study (69%). Outcome measures The proportion of graduates in the Australian medical workforce, the equivalent full-time contribution to the Australian medical workforce, and the proportion taking temporary absences from the workforce were determined. Results The rate of participation in the Australian medical workforce was 96% 2 years after graduation. It then declined to reach 85% by 10 years and regained slightly to reach 88% by 15 years after graduation. There was no indication that the 1995 cohort made a lower contribution to the Australian medical workforce than the earlier cohorts in their first 7 years after graduation. Conclusion Although there are few indications of differences between these cohorts during the first 7 years after graduation, the main contributing factors to losses from the Australian medical workforce – medical work overseas and parental leave – do not exert their maximum influence until a later timepoint. Longitudinal cohort data are essential for monitoring trends in medical workforce participation and hence for effective workforce planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We measured two aspects of dispersal in the alpine Australian scincid lizard, Niveoscincus micolepidotus: (1) natal dispersal, i.e. shift in home range over the lizard's first year of life, and (2) breeding dispersal, i.e. shifts of home ranges between breeding attempts as adults. On average, displacements were surprisingly small. Female neonates dispersed about twice as far as did males in the same cohort (means of 12 m vs. 6 m). A female's natal dispersal distance was not correlated with her body size or our estimate of physiological performance (sprint speed). However, larger, faster-running male neonates dispersed further than did smaller, slower males. As was the case for neonates, adult females moved significantly further between breeding seasons than did adult males (14.2 m vs. 9.6 m). Because of a female's long gestation period (more than 1 year), two groups of females occur simultaneously in the population, non-ovulated (i.e. with yolking folicles) and pregnant females (i.e. approaching parturition). Females that were not yet ovulated showed a markedly stronger dispersal in response to high reproductive effort (i.e. clutch size in relation to body condition) than did pregnant females. In adult males, body size was negatively correlated with dispersal distance, suggesting that although males have overlapping territories, they exhibit an increasing level of site tenacity with age and/or size. Thus, selection for the relatively more pronounced site tenacity in adult males may have resulted in the more marked philopatric behaviour compared to females also as neonates. © 2003 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2003, 79 , 277–283. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]