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: Objective: Among individuals with a mental health condition co‐occurring alcohol use disorders are common, but less is known about alcohol consumption in excess of recommended drinking guidelines. This study investigated the prevalence of lifetime risky drinking (>2 drinks daily) and single occasion risky drinking (>4 drinks on one occasion) among individuals with mental health conditions of different severities. Methods: Data from representative cross‐sectional population surveys among South Australians aged ≥15 years (n=11,761) were utilised. Logistic regression models assessed associations between risky alcohol consumption, presence of a mental health condition and demographic characteristics. Results: Prevalence of lifetime risky drinking was greater among both males and females with a mental health condition (p>0.001). Single occasion risky drinking was more prevalent among males with a severe mental health condition (p=0.01). Adjusted logistic regressions showed that only females with a mental health condition had greater odds of exceeding lifetime risky drinking levels (OR=1.39, CI 1.11 to1.75). Conclusions: There are sex‐specific relationships between risky alcohol consumption and mental health conditions. Implications for public health: Risky alcohol consumption, in excess of guidelines, is of concern among those with a mental health condition and requires attention at an individual and population level., Alcohol consumption and mental illness are both prevalent health concerns in Australia.[sup.1,2] In 2019, 77% of Australians aged 14 years and older had consumed a full serve of alcohol in [...]

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians (Indigenous Australians) have more than twice the smoking prevalence of non-Indigenous Australians. Anti-smoking campaigns have demonstrated success in the general population but little is known about their impact among Indigenous people. A total of 143 Indigenous and a comparison group of 156 non-Indigenous smokers from South Australia were shown 10 anti-smoking advertisements representing a range of advertisements typically aired in Australia. Participants rated advertisements on a five-point Likert scale assessing factors including message acceptance and personalized effectiveness. On average, Indigenous people rated the mainstream advertisements higher than non-Indigenous people and were more likely to report that they provided new information. Advertisements with strong graphic imagery depicting the health effects of smoking were rated highest by Indigenous smokers. Advertisements featuring real people describing the serious health consequences of smoking received mixed responses. Those featuring an ill person were rated higher by Indigenous people than those featuring the family of the person affected by a smoking-related disease. With limited Indigenous-specific messages available and given the finite resources of most public health campaigns, exposure to mainstream strong graphic and emotive first-person narratives about the health effects of smoking are likely to be highly motivating for Indigenous smokers.

Aims This study aimed to examine perceived social norms, the effect of parental drinking on these norms, alcohol use in front of children, and how norms and consumption vary based on child age and gender of the parent. Methods A cross-sectional online panel survey was undertaken with n  = 1000 Australian adults (including 670 parents) aged 18–59 years. The survey assessed: alcohol consumption in front of children; normative attitudes towards drinking in the presence of children; and perceived social norms. Results Overall, 33.9% of parents reported drinking a glass of alcohol each day or a couple of times a week, 18.2% reported getting slightly drunk and 7.8% indicated getting visibly drunk each day or a couple of times a week with their children present. In total, 37.5% reported drinking in front of their children at least weekly. Fathers were more likely to drink in front of children than mothers. Most parents deemed drinking small amounts of alcohol in front of children as acceptable but did not accept drunkenness. Respondents were less concerned about a father drinking one or two drinks in front of their children than a mother. Social expectations were not related to child age, but norms related to others' perceived behaviour were. Conclusions Many parents, particularly fathers consume alcohol in front of their children. There is a need to target health promotion strategies to adults and parents consuming in excess of health guidelines, and to the many parents who are consuming alcohol at higher levels in front of their children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the screening–treatment–mortality pathway among women with invasive breast cancer in 2006–2014 using linked data. Methods: BreastScreen histories of South Australian women diagnosed with breast cancer (n = 8453) were investigated. Treatments recorded within 12 months from diagnosis were obtained from linked registry and administrative data. Associations of screening history with treatment were investigated using logistic regression and with cancer mortality outcomes using competing risk analyses, adjusting for socio‐demographic, cancer and comorbidity characteristics. Results and conclusion: For screening ages of 50–69 years, 70% had participated in BreastScreen SA ≤ 5 years and 53% ≤ 2 years of diagnosis. Five‐year disease‐specific survival post‐diagnosis was 90%. Compared with those not screened ≤5 years, women screened ≤2 years had higher odds, adjusted for socio‐demographic, cancer and comorbidity characteristics, and diagnostic period, of breast‐conserving surgery (aOR 2.5, 95% CI 1.9–3.2) and radiotherapy (aOR 1.2, 95% CI 1.1–1.3). These women had a lower unadjusted risk of post‐diagnostic cancer mortality (SHR 0.33, 95% CI 0.27–0.41), partly mediated by stage (aSHR 0.65, 95% CI 0.51–0.81), and less breast surgery (aSHR 0.78, 95% CI 0.62–0.99). Screening ≤2 years and conserving surgery appeared to have a greater than additive association with lower post‐diagnostic mortality (interaction term SHR 0.42, 95% CI 0.23–0.78). The screening–treatment–mortality pathway was investigated using linked data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background In 2006, Australia introduced graphic cigarette packet warnings. The new warnings include one of 14 pictures, many depicting tobacco-related pathology. The warnings were introduced in two sets; Set A in March and Set B from November. This study explores their impact on smokers' beliefs about smoking related illnesses. This study also examines the varying impact of different warnings, to see whether warnings with visceral images have greater impact on smokers' beliefs than other images. Methods Representative samples of South Australian smokers were interviewed in four independent cross-sectional omnibus surveys; in 2005 (n = 504), 2006 (n = 525), 2007 (n = 414) and 2008 (n = 464). Results Unprompted recall of new graphic cigarette warnings was high in the months following their introduction, demonstrating that smokers' had been exposed to them. Smokers also demonstrated an increase in awareness about smoking-related diseases specific to the warning messages. Warnings that conveyed new information and had emotive images demonstrated greater impact on recall and smokers' beliefs than more familiar information and less emotive images. Conclusions Overall graphic pack warnings have had the intended impact on smokers. Some have greater impact than others. The implications for policy makers in countries introducing similar warnings are that fresh messaging and visceral images have the greatest impact.

Objectives: To measure the reported impact of phased-in smoke-free bar laws on bar patronage and smoking behaviour, particularly among young adults. Methods: Cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of 2,004 South Australian adults, conducted four months into Phase I of the new laws. A comparable survey was conducted in 2003. Results: Awareness of and support for the smoke-free laws were high. Phase I of the new laws did not reduce patronage. Young adults (18-24 years) reported higher patronage of bars and greater impact of the new laws on patronage, current smoking and future likelihood of quitting. Conclusions and Implications: Smokefree laws are an effective public health measure to protect against second-hand smoke. Evidence is now emerging that they may also reduce smoking among young people, as bars are social settings with potential to alter social norms about smoking and promote reduced consumption and quitting.

Reducing population consumption of sugar-containing beverages has become a public health priority in many countries due to causal evidence between high consumption, weight gain and non-communicable diseases. This study aims to explore how sugar-containing beverages are associated with health and wellness in television advertisements. Our sample consisted of all televised advertisements from sugar-containing beverage manufacturers aired on free-to-air television from one Australian network (four channels) in 2016 (n  = 30 unique advertisements). We transcribed advertisements for audio and visual information. We analysed data inductively using methods from thematic, discourse and multi-modal analysis. Advertisements for sugar-containing beverages reflected both traditional (physical health and reduced risk of disease) and broader (wellbeing) conceptualizations of health. Beverages were positioned in advertisements as contributing a functional role to promote and enhance health and wellbeing within the physical, mental and social domains. Beverages were advertised as correcting suboptimal states of being to achieve desirable outcomes, including relaxation, increased resistance to disease, enhanced performance, better cognitive functioning and improved social connections. Positioning beverages within a wider conceptualization of health and wellbeing aligns with how health and nutrition are increasingly being understood and sought out by consumers, creating increased opportunities for the marketing of sugar-containing beverages as 'healthy'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]