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Issue Addressed: Alcohol and participation in aquatic activities are major risk factors for drowning, amongst young adults. This study explored and mapped young people's knowledge, attitudes and behaviours regarding alcohol consumption and participation in aquatic activities using the Health Belief Model. Methods: Using a semi-structured guide, eight focus groups were conducted with young people, 18–24 years, in Perth (n = 41). Alcohol consumption and its combination with aquatic activity and media messages were discussed. Results: Participants reported having consumed alcohol and participated in water-based activities, typically during social events and celebrations. Participants identified key events, peer-presence and social acceptability of drinking as a cultural norm influencing young people's decisions around mixing alcohol consumption and water-based activity. Conclusions: Consumption of alcohol around water is common practice amongst young adults increasing their risk of drowning. Young people are aware of the risks but also see a range of benefits. To shift cultural norms regarding alcohol consumption, risk-taking and water-based activity, further research would be beneficial to examine young people's social influences. An intervention focus on young men may be beneficial given the overrepresentation of men in Western Australian fatal drowning statistics. So What? Findings support the emergence of an 'aquatic alcogenic environment'. Well-resourced, long-term interventions are needed including those targeting self-efficacy and that contain segmented messages as well as environmental and social supports to address the impact of impairment or increased risk-taking resulting from alcohol consumption in aquatic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Several studies have investigated the association between male pattern baldness and disease such as prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease. Limitations in the lack of standardized instruments to measure male pattern baldness have resulted in researchers measuring balding patterns in a variety of ways. This paper examines the accuracy and reliability of assessment of balding patterns by both trained observers and men themselves, using the Hamilton-Norwood classification system. Methods An observational study was carried out in Western Australia with 105 male volunteers aged between 30 and 70 years. Participants completed a short questionnaire and selected a picture that best represented their balding pattern. Two trained data collectors also independently assessed the participant's balding pattern using the same system and the men's self assessment was compared with the trained observer's assessment. In a substudy, observers assessed the balding pattern in a photo of the man aged 35 years while the man independently rated his balding at that age. Results Observers were very reliable in their assessment of balding pattern (85% exact agreement, κ = 0.83). Compared to trained observers, men were moderately accurate in their self-assessment of their balding status (48–55% exact agreement, κ = 0.39–0.46). For the substudy the exact agreement between the men and the observers was 67% and the agreement within balding groups was 87%. Conclusions We recommend that male balding patterns be assessed by trained personnel using the Hamilton-Norwood classification system. Where the use of trained personnel is not feasible, men's self assessment both currently and retrospectively has been shown to be adequate.

Despite the burden of injury associated with motorcycle crashes and injuries in Vietnam, there are no studies investigating health-related quality of life (HRQoL) following a nonfatal motorcycle crash in this country. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the change of HRQoL preinjury, and at 6 and 12 months postinjury motorcycle crash in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Outcome measures were Physical Component Scores (PCS) and Mental Component Scores (MCS) of the Short Form 12 Health Survey (SF-12) version 2 and the EQ-5D. Multilevel mixed models were undertaken. A total of 352 hospitalized motorcyclists were followed-up. Compared with preinjury, the SF-12 PCS reduced by 6.61 points (95% confidence interval [CI] = -8.21 to -5.03) and 5.12 points (95% CI = -6.74 to -3.51) at 12 months postinjury. MCS also reduced by 4.23 points (95% CI = -5.99 to -2.47) at 6 months but increased by 1.29 points (95% CI = -0.49 to 3.08) at 12 months postinjury. The EQ-5D Visual Analogue Scale score decreased by 10.41 points (95% CI = -11.49 to -9.33) at 6 months and 6.48 points (95% CI = -7.58 to -5.38) at 12 months postinjury. The HRQoL among injured motorcycle riders improved between 6 and 12 months after injury but had not returned to the levels before injury.