Search

Australia has a long history of population-based immunisation programs including legislations. This paper reports on a review of evaluations of the impact of the federal No Jab No Pay (NJNPay) and state implemented No Jab No Play (NJNPlay) legislations on childhood immunisation coverage and related parental attitudes. Five databases were searched for peer-review papers (Medline (Ovid); Scopus; PsycInfo; ProQuest; and CINAHL). Additional searches were conducted in Google Scholar and Informit (Australian databases) for grey literature. Studies were included if they evaluated the impact of the Australian NJNPay and/or NJNPlay legislations. Ten evaluations were included: nine peer-review studies and one government report. Two studies specifically evaluated NJNPlay, five evaluated NJNPay, and three evaluated both legislations. Findings show small but gradual and significant increases in full coverage and increases in catch-up vaccination after the implementation of the legislations. Full coverage was lowest for lower and higher socio-economic groups. Mandates are influential in encouraging vaccination; however, inequities may exist for lower income families who are reliant on financial incentives and the need to enrol their children in early childhood centres. Vaccine refusal and hesitancy was more evident among higher income parents while practical barriers were more likely to impact lower income families. Interventions to address access and vaccine hesitancy will support these legislations.

Introduction: This study explored the behavioral profiles of residing Western Australians during a COVID-19 lockdown period and transitions in behavior post-lockdown. Methods: A total of 313 participants (76% female, age: M = 50.1, SD = 15.7 years) completed behavioral and mental health questionnaire items ~2 months after a 3-month COVID-19 lockdown in October 2020, using a retrospective recall to assess their experience during the lockdown period. Latent transition analysis (LTA) was used to identify behavioral profiles and transitions. Indicators were identified by assessing during–post-lockdown group differences (Kruskal–Wallis, chi-square tests) and profiles described using qualitative open-ended questions. Results: Significant indicators included changes in physical activity, leisure screen time, alcohol intake, psychological distress, and loneliness, but not fast food consumption. The significant indicators were used to form LTA models. The five latent class model showed the best model fit (Log-likelihood = −1301.66, AIC = 426.12, BIC = 609.68). Approximately one in four participants reported a change in their behavior profiles after the lockdown ceased. Key differences between the profiles were age, household income, education, resilience, sense of control, existing mental health issues, and social relations. Washing hands and social distancing were the most recalled and effective health campaigns across the classes, with health campaigns encompassing physical activity/alcohol consumption, or domestic violence having the least attention. Discussion: Overall, while most participants recovered relatively well after the lockdown period, LTA did identify subgroups such as those who were inactive and lonely experienced more difficulties than other groups, and engagement with public health campaigns differed. The results provide important insights for future public health campaigns on how these campaigns might be diversified to effectively target more people and pa

Bhoyroo, R., Chivers, P., Millar, L., Bulsara, C., Piggott, B., Lambert, M., & Codde, J. (2021). Life in a time of COVID: A mixed method study of the changes in lifestyle, mental and psychosocial health during and after lockdown in Western Australians. BMC Public Health, 21, article 1947. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-11971-7