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OBJECTIVES: To report robust and contemporary estimates of permanent teeth emergence ages in children of Maori, Pasifika, Chinese, Indian and European ethnic origin in the Auckland region. DESIGN: A stratified, two-stage cross-sectional study. Strata were defined by school decile status. Schools defined the first-stage sampling unit, and students the second stage. SETTING: Invitations and consent forms were distributed to eligible participants at school for completion at home. Participants were examined at school-based clinics or in a mobile clinic. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, AND METHODS: Children aged between 5 and 13 years enrolled within the Auckland Regional Dental Service. Schools were randomly selected and then all students within selected schools were invited to participate. Eligible participants completing a consent form had an additional tooth assessment that complemented their routine dental examination. A generalised gamma failure-time model was employed to estimate permanent tooth eruption ages. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Visually based assessment of permanent tooth emergence. RESULTS: Overall, 3,466 children participated. Differences in median permanent tooth emergence ages were seen among ethnic groups and sexes (P < or = 0.01). Pasifika children had earlier median eruption time than sex-matched Maori children, who (in turn) were more advanced than sex-matched European children. Median eruption age occurred earlier in girls than boys for all permanent teeth. CONCLUSIONS: Despite known demographic, geographic and ethnic differences, estimates of permanent teeth emergence timing widely used in New Zealand are based on historical overseas populations. The presented estimates provide new standards and may be more appropriate for dental therapists and dentists when assessing permanent teeth emergence in New Zealand children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purposes of this study were to examine the relationship between accelerometer-derived physical activity (PA) in preschoolers and their parents, and to investigate other potential child and parental associates of child PA. Families of children aged 2-5 yrs were recruited in Auckland, New Zealand, from October 2006 to July 2007. Consenting children and parents had their height, weight, and waist circumference measured and were asked to wear accelerometers over 7 consecutive days, measuring PA in 15s epochs. Accelerometer data were gathered from 78 children, 62 mothers and 20 fathers over a median of 6.5-7 days, and converted to estimated daily PA rates for each individual using negative binomial generalised estimating equation (GEE) modelling. Potential associates of children's daily PA rates were then assessed using normal GEE models with exchangeable correlation structures. After taking account of all factors in the final multivariable model, parental PA rates (coefficient 0.09, 95% CI 0.03, 0.16, P=0.01) and child age (coefficient 0.11, 95% CI 0.01, 0.21, P=0.03) were the only factors significantly associated with child PA rates. Younger children may stand to benefit from PA intervention, and encouraging parental involvement in preschool PA interventions may be useful for increasing PA levels in young children. More work in this field is needed to corroborate these findings, improve generalisability, and determine causality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between exposure to tobacco displays at the point of sale and teenage smoking and susceptibility to the uptake of smoking. DESIGN: The sample comprised a national cross-section of 14-15 year olds with two measures of exposure to tobacco displays at the point of sale and three outcome measures. The outcome measures were susceptibility to smoking initiation, experimenting with smoking or current smoking. RESULTS: Compared with visiting stores less often than weekly, a greater frequency of store visits was related to increased odds of being susceptible to smoking (daily visits, adjusted OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.6 to 2.2) and experimenting with smoking (daily visits, adjusted OR 2.7, 95% CI 2.4 to 3.1). The likelihood of being a current smoker increased with a greater frequency of store visits among students of medium and high socioeconomic status, but not among those of low socioeconomic status. CONCLUSION: Although these findings are cross-sectional in nature, they are consistent with the notion that greater exposure to tobacco displays at the point of sale increases youth smoking, and suggest display bans are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To revise the Physical Activity Disability Scale (PADS) and to explore the acceptability and test-retest reliability of the revised measure, the PADS-R, in people with multiple sclerosis. Design: This study was conducted over three phases: (1) PADS-R questionnaire development including modification to the original PADS, field testing and refinement; (2) PADS-R scoring; (3) PADS-R acceptability and reliability assessment, where participants completed the PADS-R twice over the telephone, three days apart, and then answered a series of semi-structured questions on the instrument's acceptability. Subjects: Participants were recruited from the local Multiple Sclerosis Society, Stroke Foundation and Auckland District Health Board depending on the purpose of each phase: (1) PADS-R questionnaire development (n = 30, multiple sclerosis); (2) PADS-R scoring (n = 293, multiple sclerosis; and n = 83, stroke); and (3) PADS-R acceptability and reliability assessment (n = 29, multiple sclerosis). Main measures: Physical Activity Disability Scale-Revised (PADS-R) Results: The PADS-R took approximately 20 minutes to administer and most (n = 25; 86%) participants reported it to be easy to understand and complete. All participants reported that it enabled them to give an accurate picture of their physical activities. In terms of test-retest reliability, the intraclass correlation coefficient was high (0.87 (95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.78, 0.96)), but the 95% limits of agreement were wide (+/-1.13). When observations which potentially represented important changes in activity were excluded, these limits narrowed considerably (+/-0.89). Conclusions: The PADS-R appears to be a conceptually and psychometrically sound measure of physical activity for people with chronic neurological conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim and objective. To validate the Caring Assessment Report Evaluation Q-sort questionnaire in the residential aged-care setting. Based on this determination, to conclude with what degree of confidence the questionnaire can be used to determine the ranking of the importance of caring behaviours amongst aged-care nurses and residents in residential aged-care. Background. Perceptions of caring may be context specific. Caring in residential aged-care may stand in contrast to the sense of caring understood and practiced in other settings. Design. Self-administered survey. Methods. Residents from three not-for-profit aged-care facilities, across both high-care (nursing-home) and low-care (hostel care) were surveyed relying on the Caring Assessment Report Evaluation Q-sort questionnaire. A sub-sample of registered and enrolled nurses working in residential aged-care and registered with the Nurses & Midwives e-cohort study completed the same survey. Results. Although the Caring Assessment Report Evaluation Q-sort questionnaire showed good internal consistency for the sample of nurses, the results for the residents were more erratic. Both groups displayed large ranges for the inter-item correlations. The results of the Mann-Whitney U-test indicated that the nurses rated the Comforts, Anticipates and Trusting relationship as significantly more important than the residents. Both groups rated the Explains and facilitates subscale as least important. All subscales, however, received median scores greater than, or equal to, six (seven-point, Likert scale) indicating that all were considered important overall. Conclusion. Based on poor Cronbach's alpha coefficients, negative inter-item correlations and qualitative observations, without further development within the residential aged-care facility the free response format version of the Caring Assessment Report Evaluation Q-sort may not be an appropriate measure to use with residential aged-care residents. More research needs to be conducted into how residents and nurses are interpreting the items in the Caring Assessment Report Evaluation Q-sort. Relevance to clinical practice. There will always remain a need for nurses to enact behaviours that are meaningful to residents (and patients generally). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: To report the prevalence and severity of enamel defects and dental caries in a probability-based sample of 9-year-old children in the Auckland region, both overall and by residence in fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas. DESIGN: A two-stage clustered design with stratification. Strata were defined by fluoridated and non-fluoridated regions, school size, and school decile status. SETTING: Invitations, consent forms and questionnaires were distributed to eligible participants at school for completion at home. Participants were examined at school-based clinics or in a mobile clinic. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS AND METHODS: The source population was 9-year-old children attending schools in the Auckland region and enrolled with the Auckland Regional School Dental Service. Participants returned a completed consent form and questionnaire by post and then had a dental examination. Regression analyses accommodating probability sampling weights, stratification and clustering were employed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The modified Developmental Defects of Enamel index was used to classify enamel defects in permanent teeth. Diagnosis of dental caries on deciduous and permanent teeth was visually-based. RESULTS: Overall, 612 children participated, 310 in fluoridated and 302 in non-fluoridated areas. Diffuse opacities are prevalent inAuckland, with 28.0 per 100 children affected. Significant regional differences by fluoridation status were apparent, with diffuse opacity rates of 29.1 per 100 and 14.7 per 100 children in fluoridated and in non-fluoridated areas respectively (P<0.001). Conversely, the prevalence of deciduous teeth dental caries was significantly lower in fluoridated areas (54.9 per 100) than in non-fluoridated areas (62.0 per 100), P=0.05. CONCLUSIONS: Diffuse opacities were the predominant tooth defect found in this study, but their prevalence appears largely unchanged from estimates reported within New Zealand over the last 25 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2001-2002, a multicenter, prospective case-control study involving 1,714 participants > or =5 years of age was conducted in Australia to identify risk factors for Campylobacter infection. Adjusted population-attributable risks (PARs) were derived for each independent risk factor contained within the final multivariable logistic regression model. Estimated PARs were combined with adjusted (for the > or =5 years of age eligibility criterion) notifiable disease surveillance data to estimate annual Australian Campylobacter case numbers attributable to each risk factor. Simulated distributions of "credible values" were then generated to model the uncertainty associated with each case number estimate. Among foodborne risk factors, an estimated 50,500 (95% credible interval 10,000-105,500) cases of Campylobacter infection in persons > or =5 years of age could be directly attributed each year to consumption of chicken in Australia. Our statistical technique could be applied more widely to other communicable diseases that are subject to routine surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To develop a generalized estimating equation (GEE) model of childhood injury rates to quantify the effectiveness of a community-based injury prevention program implemented in 2 communities in Australia, in order to contribute to the discussion of community-based injury prevention program evaluation. DESIGN: An ecological study was conducted comparing injury rates in two intervention communities in rural and remote Queensland, Australia, with those of 16 control regions. A model of childhood injury was built using hospitalization injury rate data from 1 July 1991 to 30 June 2005 and 16 social variables. The model was built using GEE analysis and was used to estimate parameters and to test the effectiveness of the intervention. RESULTS: When social variables were controlled for, the intervention was associated with a decrease of 0.09 injuries/10 000 children aged 0-4 years (95% CI -0.29 to 0.11) in logarithmically transformed injury rates; however, this decrease was not significant (p = 0.36). CONCLUSIONS: The evaluation methods proposed in this study provide a way of determining the effectiveness of a community-based injury prevention program while considering the effect of baseline differences and secular changes in social variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To present current breast-feeding rates for Pacific infants resident in New Zealand. Reasons for the introduction of complementary liquid foods were also explored.Design: A longitudinal study using hospital discharge summary records and maternal home interviews undertaken at 6 weeks, 12 and 24 months postpartum. Turnbull's non-parametric survival analysis was used to model exclusive breast-feeding rates.Setting: Auckland, New Zealand.Results: The cohort comprised 1376 infants at 6 weeks, 1223 infants at 12 months and 1142 infants at 24 months. Exclusive breast-feeding rates at hospital discharge, 6 weeks, 3 and 6 months postpartum were 84% (95% confidence interval (CI): 80-88%), 49% (95% CI: 43-55%), 37% (95% CI: 32-42%) and 9% (95% CI: 7-11%), respectively. Significant ethnic difference existed, with Samoan mothers having higher exclusive breast-feeding rates than Tongan mothers (P = 0.002). The percentage of infants receiving any breast milk at hospital discharge, 6 weeks, 12 and 24 months was 96% (95% CI: 94-97%), 95% (95% CI: 94-96%), 31% (95% CI: 28-34%) and 15% (95% CI: 13-17%), respectively. Again ethnic differences emerged. Common reasons cited for discontinuation of exclusive breast-feeding included uncertainty of breast milk supply (56%), problems with breasts (30%) and difficulties breast-feeding in work or educational environments (26%). However, 691 (50%) mothers sought no advice about their breast-feeding concerns within the first six weeks of life.Conclusions: Exclusive breast-feeding rates for Pacific infants are ethnically heterogeneous, have declined since the 1990s and fall short of the World Health Organization recommendations. The principal reasons cited for exclusive breast-feeding discontinuation echo those reported over a decade ago. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To describe patients' perceptions of minimum worthwhile and desired reductions in pain and disability upon commencing treatment for chronic low back pain. DESIGN AND SETTING: Descriptive study nested within a community-based randomized controlled trial on prolotherapy injections and exercises. PATIENTS: A total of 110 participants with chronic low back pain. Interventions. Prior to treatment, participants were asked what minimum percentage reductions in pain and disability would make treatment worthwhile and what percentage reductions in pain and disability they desired with treatment. OUTCOME MEASURES: Minimum worthwhile reductions and desired reductions in pain and disability. RESULTS: Median (inter-quartile range) minimum worthwhile reductions were 25% (20%, 50%) for pain and 35% (20%, 50%) for disability. This compared with desired reductions of 80% (60%, 100%) for pain and 80% (50%, 100%) for disability. The internal consistency between pain and disability responses was high (Spearman's coefficient of association of 0.81 and 0.87, respectively). A significant association existed between minimum worthwhile reductions and desired reductions, but no association was found between these two factors and patient age, gender, pain severity or duration, disability, anxiety, depression, response to treatment, or treatment satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Inquiring directly about patients' expectations of reductions in pain and in disability is important in establishing realistic treatment goals and setting benchmarks for success. There is a wide disparity between the reductions that they regard as minimum worthwhile and reductions that they hope to achieve. However, there is a high internal consistency between reductions in pain and disability that they expect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Compared to the general population, Helicobacter pylori infection is more common among adults with intellectual disability (ID) and is associated with greater levels of disability, maladaptive behaviour, and institutionalization. Little information exists about the effects of eradication therapy in this group, so we aimed to evaluate: (1) success of a standard H. pylori eradication protocol; (2) frequency of side-effects; and (3) impact of eradication on level of functional ability and maladaptive behaviour. METHOD: A cohort of adults with ID underwent assessment of their levels of function and maladaptive behaviour, medical history, physical examination, and H. pylori testing using serology and faecal antigen tests. Some received standard H. pylori eradication therapy. Twelve months later, participants underwent repeat assessment, were grouped by change in H. pylori status and compared. RESULTS: Of 168 participants, 117 (70%) were currently infected with H. pylori at baseline, and 96 (82%) of the 117 were given standard H. pylori eradication therapy. The overall eradication rate was 61% but 31% reported side-effects. Institutional status of the participants, their level of behaviour or function, and number of comorbid medical conditions were not associated with failure of eradication. There were no statistically significant differences in level of behaviour or function, ferritin, or weight between the groups in whom H. pylori was eradicated or stayed positive. CONCLUSION: Adults with ID have lower H. pylori eradication and higher side-effect rates than the general population. Levels of maladaptive behaviour and disability did not improve with eradication and thus greater levels of maladaptive behaviour or disability appear to be risk factors for, rather than consequences of, H. pylori infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To examine the association between maternal caffeine consumption during pregnancy and the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).Methods: A nationwide case-control study surveying parents of 393 SIDS victims and parents of 1592 control infants. Caffeine consumption in each of the first and third trimesters was estimated by questionnaire. Heavy caffeine intake was defined as 400 mg/day or more (equivalent to four or more cups of coffee per day).Results: Infants whose mothers had heavy caffeine consumption throughout their pregnancy had a significantly increased risk for SIDS (odds ratio 1.65; 95% confidence interval 1.15 to 2.35) after adjusting for likely confounding factors.Conclusion: Caffeine intake has been associated with fetal harm and now SIDS. Reducing heavy caffeine intake during pregnancy could be another way to lessen the risk of SIDS. This needs confirmation by others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Graded health benefits of physical activity have been demonstrated for the reduction of coronary heart disease, some cancers, and type-2 diabetes, and for injury reduction and improvements in mental health. Older adults are particularly at risk of physical inactivity, and would greatly benefit from successful targeted physical activity interventions.Methods/design: The Healthy Steps study is a 12-month randomized controlled trial comparing the efficacy of a pedometer-based Green Prescription with the conventional time-based Green Prescription in increasing and maintaining physical activity levels in low-active adults over 65 years of age. The Green Prescription interventions involve a primary care physical activity prescription with 3 follow-up telephone counselling sessions delivered by trained physical activity counsellors over 3 months. Those in the pedometer group received a pedometer and counselling based around increasing steps that can be monitored on the pedometer, while those in the standard Green Prescription group received counselling using time-based goals. Baseline, 3 month (end of intervention), and 12 month measures were assessed in face-to-face home visits with outcomes measures being physical activity (Auckland Heart Study Physical Activity Questionnaire), quality of life (SF-36 and EQ-5D), depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale), blood pressure, weight status, functional status (gait speed, chair stands, and tandem balance test) and falls and adverse events (self-report). Utilisation of health services was assessed for the economic evaluation carried out alongside this trial. As well, a process evaluation of the interventions and an examination of barriers and motives for physical activity in the sample were conducted. The perceptions of primary care physicians in relation to delivering physical activity counselling were also assessed.Discussion: The findings from the Healthy Steps trial are due in late 2009. If successful in improving physical activity in older adults, the pedometer-based Green Prescription could assist in reducing utilisation of health services and improve cardiovascular health and reduction of risk for a range of non-communicable lifestyles diseases.Trial Registration: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN012606000023550. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to measure associations between protective factors associated with positive psychological outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth living in an urban area., Methods: Our primary outcome was the absence of psychological distress, reflecting a positive-outcome approach to analyse health assessment data, using modified Poisson regression, from a cohort of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth aged 15 to 24 years attending an urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health service (2016-2021)., Results: Health assessments from 710 participants were analysed, with 72.1% of young people found to not be experiencing depression. Exercise, sport, and absences of marijuana use, smoking cigarettes, difficulty getting a job, homelessness, trouble with the police and experience of violence were associated with an absence of depression., Conclusions: Most young people were not experiencing depression. A positive-outcome approach provided evidence to support avenues to success which need to be developed with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities., Implications for Public Health: Policy makers, clinicians and health services need to resource and maximise opportunities to access safe accommodation, participate in employment, exercise and play sport and to avoid marijuana, cigarettes, violence and trouble with the police., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Geoffrey Spurling reports financial support was provided by National Health and Medical Research Council. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Lay Abstract: Autistic youth generally use healthcare services more often than non-autistic youth. However, we know very little about the factors that can affect health service use and the types of services that are used, and this has not been explored in Aotearoa New Zealand. We analysed data from New Zealand to compare health service use among autistic and non-autistic youth (0 to 24-year-olds). Data were available for 19,479 autistic youth and 1,561,278 non-autistic youth. We compared hospitalizations, specialist visits, emergency department visits and use of different types of medications. In this study, autistic youth were found to have been hospitalized for medical and mental health reasons, more often than non-autistic youth. Autistic youth were also more likely to have attended specialist appointments and to have been given medication. These differences were particularly large for medications commonly used for mental health conditions (e.g. anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) or associated symptoms. Autistic youth who also had an intellectual disability were more likely to use healthcare services for physical health conditions, but were less likely to use mental health services, when compared with autistic youth who did not have an intellectual disability. These findings, along with other research, suggest that the healthcare needs of autistic youth are not always being met. Further work is needed to enhance our understanding of co-occurring conditions among autistic youth, including those that result in high rates of health service use, in order to inform the development of healthcare services and training for healthcare professionals to better cater to the needs of autistic youth., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

Background: On 15 March 2019, a white supremacist terrorist attacked two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. Fifty-one people were killed and another 40 sustained non-fatal gunshot injuries., Aims: To examine the mental health of the Muslim community, and individual and exposure-related factors associated with mental health outcomes., Method: This is the baseline analysis of a longitudinal study of adults from the Muslim community interviewed 11-32 months after the shootings. It included a diagnostic interview (MINI), measures of sociodemographic factors, prior mental health, prior traumatic events, exposure in the attacks, discrimination, life stressors, social support and religious coping. Logistic regression models examined associations with mental health outcomes., Results: The sample comprised 189 participants (mean age 41 (s.d. = 13); 60% female), and included: bereaved, 17% ( n = 32); injured survivors 12% ( n = 22); non-injured survivors, 19% ( n = 36); family members of survivors, 35% ( n = 67); and community members without the above exposures, 39% ( n = 74). Overall, 61% had at least one mental disorder since the attacks. Those bereaved ( P < 0.01, odds ratio 4.28, 95% CI 1.75-10.49) and survivors, whether injured ( P < 0.001, odds ratio 18.08, 95% CI 4.70-69.60) or not ( P < 0.01, odds ratio 5.26, 95% CI 1.99-13.89), had greater odds of post-traumatic stress disorder. Those bereaved ( P < 0.001, odds ratio 5.79, 95% CI 2.49-13.46) or injured ( P = 0.04, odds ratio 4.43, 95% CI 1.07-18.28) had greater odds of depression., Conclusions: Despite unique features of this attack on a Muslim population, findings accord with previous studies. They suggest generalisability of psychopathology after terror attacks, and that being bereaved or directly experiencing such events is associated with adverse mental health outcomes., Trial Registration Number: The study is registered on the Australian NZ Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12620000909921).

Background: Within Aotearoa | New Zealand, rates of largely preventable severe caries and dental hospitalisations among children are increasing and inequalities exist. However, little population-based empirical evidence exists describing this oral health burden among children with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDDs). This study aimed to estimate and compare the rates of dental hospital admissions in a near-national population of children aged ≤ 14 years with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, intellectual disability or any NDD after accounting for key confounding variables. Caries status for these children was derived from an oral health screening at 4 years and also examined., Methods: The cohort were children who had their B4 School Check (B4SC) national health screening assessment undertaken between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2018 and followed until 1 January 2020 (the study end date). Linked administrative databases, which include NDD indication and dental hospital records, were utilised. Dental hospital admissions were assessed using unadjusted and adjusted Cox proportional hazard regression models treating NDD as a discrete time-varying covariate. Caries status at 4 years of age was investigated cross-sectionally and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve used to assess predictive accuracy., Results: The eligible sample included 433 569 children (48.6% female) with a mean age of 9.3 years at the study end date. Overall, 16 359 (3.8%) children had at least one NDD indication and 38 574 (8.9%) had at least one dental hospitalisation. In adjusted analyses, the hazard ratio of dental hospitalisation admissions was 3.40 (95% CI: 3.22-3.60) for children indicated with any NDD compared to their non-NDD counterparts. At 4 years of age B4SC screening, 465 (17.6%) children out of 2640 indicated with any NDD had visible caries compared to 61 026 (14.3%) from 427 254 children without NDD indication (prevalence ratio = 1.24 [95% CI: 1.14-1.35]). However, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for this association was 0.52 (95% CI: 0.51-0.52), suggesting negligible predictive capacity., Conclusion: Children with NDDs in Aotearoa, New Zealand suffer from substantial oral health inequities. Targeted preventive strategies and adaptation to primary oral health services are needed to meet the needs of neurodiverse children and redress this substantial inequity. However, targeting children with NDDs at the B4SC is unlikely to mitigate these oral health inequities., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S.)

Objective: On 15 March 2019, a white supremacist terrorist carried out sequential attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand during Friday prayers. This resulted in the loss of 51 lives, 40 others sustained gunshot injuries, and there were approximately 250 survivors. This study aimed to evaluate the impacts on community members, assess clinical needs, facilitate access to appropriate interventions and provide insights into working with a traumatised and diverse population., Methods: This cross-sectional study used semi-structured clinical interviews and self-report measures to assess social and demographic factors, mental health disorders and well-being for adult Muslims 11-32 months post-attack., Results: A total of 189 participants completed assessments. The sample was diverse, representing 34 different ethnicities and participant proximity to the attack was complex, with personal and familial exposures. Elevated levels of psychological distress and psychopathology were found with 38% of participants reporting moderate/severe psychological distress on the Kessler-10, 39% reporting post-traumatic stress disorder on the post-traumatic stress disorder checklist-5, and 40% reporting poor well-being or possible depression on the World Health Organization-5 Well Being Index. Secondary stressors were also documented, as well as high scores for post-traumatic growth and the importance of faith., Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into the repercussions of the Christchurch mosque attack on the affected community, describing the complexity of exposure and the substantial burden of morbidity experienced. It also highlights the high levels of social connectedness and the role of faith in promoting positive outcomes in the recovery process for this population., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: C.B. reports consulting fees from Janssen and support for attending a meeting from Lundbeck. R.P. reports support for travel to educational meetings from Servier and Lundbeck and use of software for research at no cost from SBT-pro. R.S-.H., J.B., P.S., B.B., S.D., Z.T. and S.T. all report no competing interests.

The significance of men's influence as partners in contraceptive decision-making and family size is often understated, particularly in patriarchal societies. Understanding men's experiences and perceptions of family planning is necessary to address women's unmet needs for contraception. This study examined men's involvement in contraceptive use and decision-making in the Busoga region of east Uganda. Twenty-four in-depth interviews were conducted with both male users and non-users of contraception living in urban and rural areas. Among participants, differences in preferred family size were influenced by competing norms valuing large families and economic wellbeing as reflections of men's role as a provider. Although the majority of interviewees were not opposed in principle to contraception, some men felt contraceptives undermined their own desire for a larger family. Men who supported family planning cited the economic benefits of smaller, healthier families and being able to fulfil their role as the primary breadwinner. Resistance to vasectomy and perceptions of condom use as protection against unwanted pregnancies and STIs/HIV in casual relationships, meant participants were unlikely to use male contraceptives. Efforts to increase contraceptive uptake among men should recognise the socio-cultural context of men's place within Ugandan society, to design reproductive health initiatives that engage men effectively.

Objectives: To identify changes in loneliness and carer stress between two time points for older people of different ethnicities who had repeated interRAI home care assessments., Methods: Participants consisted of community-dwelling older adults across New Zealand who received two interRAI-HC assessments between 5 July 2012 and 31 December 2019. Two multistate models were developed: the first model was not lonely versus lonely, and the second model was no carer stress versus carer stress. The one-year transition probabilities were calculated. Mean sojourn times were calculated for each state except death. Paired t-tests assessed the differences in transition probabilities between the different ethnic groups., Results: The mean age of the cohort was 82.5 years (SD 7.7 years). At first assessment, 14,646 (21%) older people stated they were lonely and 26,789 carers (38%) experienced stress. The most common first transition type was not lonely to not lonely: Māori 42%, Pacific 54%, Asian, 48% and Other 40%. The highest one-year transition probability in the loneliness model was living in aged residential care to death (0.79). The most common first transition type for the carer stress was no carer stress to no carer stress: Māori 35%, Pacific, 46%, Asian, 43% and Other 33%. The highest one-year transition probability in the carer stress model was living in aged residential care to death (0.80). The statuses not lonely and no carer stress had a mean sojourn time of approximately one year, and eight months to one year, respectively., Conclusions: Loneliness can change over time due to circumstances and an individual's perception of loneliness at the time of assessment. Carer stress is enduring and has a low probability of improvement., (© 2024 The Authors. Australasian Journal on Ageing published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of AJA Inc’.)

Lay Abstract: Existing literature indicates that Autistic people have shorter life expectancy, but little is known about the mortality risk among Autistic children and young people (0-24 years). We used a 15-year nationwide birth cohort study to estimate the mortality risk among Autistic children and young people in Aotearoa/New Zealand. The study included 895,707 children and 11,919 (1.4%) were Autistic. We found that autism was associated with a significantly higher mortality risk compared to the non-Autistic population. In addition, we found that this risk was significantly higher among females compared to males and for those with a co-occurring intellectual disability. Increased efforts are required to better meet the health needs of this population., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.