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Salmonella is a key cause of foodborne gastroenteritis in Australia and case numbers are increasing. We used negative binomial regression to analyze national surveillance data for 2000–2013, for Salmonella Typhimurium and non-Typhimurium Salmonella serovars. We estimated incidence rate ratios adjusted for sex and age to show trends over time. Almost all states and territories had significantly increasing trends of reported infection for S. Typhimurium, with states and territories reporting annual increases as high as 12% (95% confidence interval 10–14%) for S. Typhimurium in the Australian Capital Territory and 6% (95% CI 5–7%) for non-Typhimurium Salmonella in Victoria. S. Typhimurium notification rates were higher than non-Typhimurium Salmonella rates in most age groups in the south eastern states of Australia, while non-Typhimurium rates were higher in most age groups elsewhere. The S. Typhimurium notification rate peaked at 12–23 months of age and the non-Typhimurium Salmonella notification rate peaked at 0–11 months of age. The age-specific pattern of S. Typhimurium cases suggests a foodborne origin, while the age and geographic pattern for non-Typhimurium may indicate that other transmission routes play a key role for these serovars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The aim of this study was to examine associations between family-based stressors and depressive symptoms in adolescents. Method Participants were 10-14 year olds who participated in a large Australian population study (n = 6,552). Depressive symptoms and pubertal development were assessed using the self-report Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire and the Pubertal Development Scale. Three indicators of stress exposure were examined-low emotional closeness to parents, residential and school transitions, and family conflict. The effect of gender, stress exposure and the interaction of gender and stress exposure on depressive symptoms was tested using multivariate logistic regression. Results High family conflict, residential instability and low emotional closeness with parents were independently associated with adolescent depressive symptoms. There was a significant gender by emotional closeness interaction; females reporting low emotional closeness to their parents were 2.3 times more likely to report high depressive symptoms than females reporting high emotional connections with parents. Conclusions Female adolescents may be more susceptible to particular types of stresses and particularly the quality of the parent-child relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Data on the prevalence of cervical HPV genotypes in Australia by age and by grade of cytological abnormality are sparse. Objective: Measure prevalence of HPV genotypes among 2620 Australian women by age and cytology status. Study design: Women presenting for routine Pap smear screening were recruited from diverse regions, including a significant sample of Indigenous women. DNA extracts prepared from Thinprep specimens were HPV genotyped by Roche LINEAR ARRAY HPV. Results: HPV prevalence and genotype distribution were stratified by age (mean 32.6y) and Pap smear result (cytology normal in 86.7%). Overall HPV prevalence was 38.7% with high-risk HPV prevalence of 26.5%. Prevalence of HPV (66.3% in women<21y to 15.3% in women>40y), multiple HPV infection (45.5% in <21y to 5.8% in >40y) and vaccine-targeted genotypes (HPV 6/11/16/18) (34.1% in <21y to 2.4% in >40y) declined significantly with age. The six most common genotypes were: HPV 16 (8.3%), 51 (5.1%), 53 (4.7%), 62 (4.3%), 89 (3.9%) and 52 (3.8%). HR-HPV prevalence increased from 21.1% in women with normal cytology to 80.9% in those with cytologically predicted high-grade abnormalities (HGAs) (p <0.001). The most common genotypes in women with HGAs were HPV 16 (51.1%), 18 (14.9%), 52 (12.8%), 31 (10.6%), and 33 (10.6%): all HR-types. Conclusion: Pre-vaccination cross-sectional prevalence of HR-HPV infection was high in this sample of Australian women attending for screening. HPV 16 was the commonest high-risk type detected at all ages and cytological grades. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses a study that examined age and sex differences in the leading causes of prevalent disability in young Australians, analyzing data from the 2003 Australian Burden of Disease and Injury Study. One of the results revealed that anxiety and depression, along with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism, cause more prevalent years lived with disability (PYLD) in 10-24-year-old males. Another is that anorexia nervosa and bulimia are the second leading cause of mental disability in young females.

Abstract: Socio-economic gradients in cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes have been found throughout the developed world and there is some evidence to suggest that these gradients may be steeper for women. Research on social gradients in biological risk factors for CVD and diabetes has received less attention and we do not know the extent to which gradients in biomarkers vary for men and women. We examined the associations between two indicators of socio-economic position (education and household income) and biomarkers of diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) for men and women in a national, population-based study of 11,247 Australian adults. Multi-level linear regression was used to assess associations between education and income and glucose tolerance, dyslipidaemia, blood pressure (BP) and waist circumference before and after adjustment for behaviours (diet, smoking, physical activity, TV viewing time, and alcohol use). Measures of glucose tolerance included fasting plasma glucose and insulin and the results of a glucose tolerance test (2 h glucose) with higher levels of each indicating poorer glucose tolerance. Triglycerides and High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Cholesterol were used as measures of dyslipidaemia with higher levels of the former and lower levels of the later being associated with CVD risk. Lower education and low income were associated with higher levels of fasting insulin, triglycerides and waist circumference in women. Women with low education had higher systolic and diastolic BP and low income women had higher 2 h glucose and lower HDL cholesterol. With only one exception (low income and systolic BP), all of these estimates were reduced by more than 20% when behavioural risk factors were included. Men with lower education had higher fasting plasma glucose, 2 h glucose, waist circumference and systolic BP and, with the exception of waist circumference, all of these estimates were reduced when health behaviours were included in the models. While low income was associated with higher levels of 2-h glucose and triglycerides it was also associated with better biomarker profiles including lower insulin, waist circumference and diastolic BP. We conclude that low socio-economic position is more consistently associated with a worse profile of biomarkers for CVD and diabetes for women. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The purposes of this study were to analyse trends in hip fracture (HF) epidemiology over a 13-year period (1994–2007) in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), to assess the potential impact of concurrent changes in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and bisphosphonate use and to present a new prediction of HFs in Australia up to 2021. Annual sex- and age-specific incidence rates (per 100,000 population) were determined and standardized using the Australian 2006 population. The projected number of HFs was estimated by two models applying age- and sex-specific HF rates averaged for 2002–2006 (model 1) or continuously changing as observed in this period (model 2, Poisson regression) to the projected population. In 2006 compared to 2001, the population ≥60 years in the ACT increased by 19.7%. Over the last 5 years the average annual incidence HF rate compared to the previous 3-year period decreased in females ≥60 years of age by 28.3%. Between 2001 and 2006 the number of prescriptions for HRT dispensed in the ACT declined by 54.6, while the number of prescriptions for bisphosphonate increased by 245%, accompanied by a decline in standardized incidence of HF rates of 36.4%, mainly in women (42.1%). This represents an annual cost for bisphosphonates per one prevented HF, of $A45,250 or $A576 person/year. Compared to 2006 the total number of HFs in Australia according to model 1 will increase in 2011 by 20.1% and in 2021 by 58.8%, but according to model 2 will decrease by 15.5% in 2011 and 27.5% in 2021. Our data suggest that the previously predicted rising trend in HFs in elderly women reversed, but did not so for men. This was coincident with a significant fall in HRT use and increased prescribing of bisphosphonates, which is cost-effective. However caution should be used in attributing causation as this is an ecological study. If trends in HF observed in 2002–2006 continue, the absolute number of HFs in Australia in 2011–2021 will stabilise or decline (which is more likely), despite the rapid ageing of the population. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Vaccines for the human papillomavirus (HPV) are currently licensed for females, ages 9 through 26 years old in the U.S., and for adult women up to 45 years in some countries such as Australia. As licensure for adult women, over 26 years, is sought in other countries, it will be important to determine the acceptability to them. We reviewed the available articles on adult opinions and acceptability of vaccinating women against HPV. Predictors of acceptability included barriers, knowledge, risk, age, and marital status. Overall, acceptability rates were high, if adequate information was given and the cost was affordable. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents a study which examines population rates of bone densitometry use in Australia from 2001-2005, by sex and rural versus urban location. The study found that bone densitometry use increased by 26 percent over the time period. Furthermore, the study emphasized the need for sex and rural inequities to be addressed as part of a national approach to lessening minimal trauma fracture.