Public Health Research & Practice最新文献

{"title":"10 years of preventive health in Australia. Part 4 - extending gains in tobacco control.","authors":"Becky Freeman","doi":"10.1071/PU24019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/PU24019","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ten years ago, Australia's tobacco plain packaging laws significantly shifted the tobacco control landscape. The smoking rate for people aged ≥18 years has continued to decline from 16.4% in 2013 to 11.1% in 2022-23. In 2023, the tobacco control policy inertia that had occurred since the introduction of plain packaging was finally addressed with the passage of a comprehensive package of reforms. These measures focus on tighter regulation of tobacco products. However, in recent years the tobacco control discourse in Australia has been hijacked by the surge in vape use. In June 2024, the Australian Government passed legislation that closed significant loopholes in vaping legislation. The now strict controls on where vapes can be sold highlight the lack of control over the supply of cigarettes. An expert group to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control is preparing a report for the next Conference of the Parties that will consider a broad range of measures including how and to whom tobacco products can be sold, what types of tobacco products can be sold, and what structural changes could be made to the tobacco industry. This presents an opportunity for Australia to once again implement transformative, world-first policies. As the tobacco industry continues to develop new products that exploit vagaries in public health policy, so too must tobacco control continue to evolve.</p>","PeriodicalId":45898,"journal":{"name":"Public Health Research & Practice","volume":"35 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144209853","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The healthcare needs of a cohort of kindergarten children in a rural New South Wales community: a medical record review.","authors":"Catherine V Sanford, Emily K Saurman, Danielle K White, Karen Harding-Smith, Rebecca J Smith, Sarah M Dennis, Armando Teixeira-Pinto, David M Lyle","doi":"10.1071/PU24010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/PU24010","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objective To quantitatively describe the healthcare needs of a cohort of kindergarten children in a low-socioeconomic rural community to inform school entry health check programs and school-based healthcare services. Study type Medical record review. Methods Data were extracted from the community health electronic medical records of children who started primary school in 2019 at one of the five study schools and who received at least one occasion of service from a nurse-led School-Based Primary Health Care Service for a health or developmental concern. Data extracted included demographics, presenting concerns, challenges to accessing care, service activities, and referrals. Results Of the 140 children enrolled in kindergarten in the sample schools, 84 (60%) had an occasion of service for a health or developmental concern. Of these 84 children, speech and language concerns (43%) were most frequently observed, followed by metabolic/nutrition (26%), behaviour (16%), and vision (16%) concerns. Evidence of challenges to accessing care was identified in 40% of cases. Sixty percent of identified children were referred to another provider. Conclusion The high prevalence of health and developmental concerns and challenges to accessing care found in this study supports the need for school entry health check models that provide ongoing support to families.</p>","PeriodicalId":45898,"journal":{"name":"Public Health Research & Practice","volume":"35 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144209820","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The case for affordable oral health care: the public voice.","authors":"Gagandeep Kaur, Georgios Tsakos, Tami Yap, Tania King, Manu Raj Mathur, Ankur Singh","doi":"10.1071/PU24009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/PU24009","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objectives Although we have scientific and policy discussions on the need for oral health care, rarely have populations been asked about their expectations regarding this important matter. Therefore, the public voice has been absent from these discussions. This study aims to quantify public support among working-age Australian adults regarding the essentiality of oral health care and assess whether oral health care affordability differs by sociodemographic characteristics. Study type Descriptive analysis of nationally representative data from Australia. Methods Using cross-sectional survey weights, we analysed data from wave 18 (2018) of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia study. The analysis included 11,028 working-age Australians aged 20-54years. Results Almost all (96.4%) working-age Australian adults considered oral health care as essential; however, 6.5% do not get treatment due to lack of affordability. Higher proportions of specific disadvantaged groups, such as the unemployed, those with lower educational attainment, lower income, and participants with disability, reported not availing themselves of oral health care due to lack of affordability compared to less disadvantaged groups. Conclusion Overwhelmingly, working-age Australian adults considered oral health care to be essential. The vast majority reported getting oral health care when needed, indicating no major affordability concerns. However, the lack of affordable dental care was a barrier, particularly for the disadvantaged groups, preventing them from accessing oral health services. This highlights the need to provide equitable oral health care, ideally by implementing the principles of universal oral health coverage.</p>","PeriodicalId":45898,"journal":{"name":"Public Health Research & Practice","volume":"35 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144209819","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Applying an after-action review process to examine a complex public health response in New South Wales (NSW), Australia: lessons for reflective practice.","authors":"Caroline H Sharpe, Alexander Willems, Amanda Robinson, ToveLysa Fitzgerald, Julie Letts, Craig Dalton, Andrew J Milat","doi":"10.1071/PU24011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/PU24011","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objective After-action reviews (AARs) are used to systematically examine the functions, capabilities and barriers impacting effective pandemic responses. This paper describes the methods used for and the lessons learnt from undertaking the first formal state-wide AAR of the public health response to COVID-19 in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Type of program A state-wide AAR was applied to examine the public health response to COVID-19 conducted by Health from January 2020 until May 2022. Methods The AAR was conducted between March and November 2022. The World Health Organization ARR approach was used and involved six stages including: (1) AAR design, (2) AAR planning, (3) team debriefs, (4) workshop preparation, (5) consensus workshop and (6) AAR report review and finalisation. Results The AAR process involved over 100 people across the NSW network through surveys, team debriefs and workshops. The stepped process used to complete the review, with standardised templates, was found to be acceptable and feasible. The preparatory stage elicited important insights, provided an opportunity for structured reflection and helped identify themes for discussion in the workshop. Feedback methods included two participant satisfaction surveys and one post-implementation review session, which identified strengths in the process and areas that could be modified for future iterations of other public health reviews in NSW. Lessons learnt The AAR process successfully engaged multi-disciplinary pandemic response staff in a systematic reflection process. The process was perceived by most participants as a highly valuable opportunity to reflect and it led to important findings to improve public health emergency responses. It is important that the scope of the AAR is well understood by participants and that the psychological needs of the workforce are considered in the AAR process. There is merit in applying such reviews as standard practice in future public health emergencies.</p>","PeriodicalId":45898,"journal":{"name":"Public Health Research & Practice","volume":"35 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144209854","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"<i>Corrigendum to</i>: Planetary health: increasingly embraced but not yet fully realised.","authors":"Angie Bone, Francis Nona, Selina Namchee Lo, Anthony Capon","doi":"10.1071/PU24002_CO","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/PU24002_CO","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":45898,"journal":{"name":"Public Health Research & Practice","volume":"35 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144180269","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Illuminating a dark field: a case of congenital syphilis in the context of rising rates in Australia and implications for screening guidelines.","authors":"James M Montgomery, Amanda Robinson, Archana Koirala","doi":"10.1071/PU24005","DOIUrl":"10.1071/PU24005","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objectives To describe the changing landscape of congenital syphilis. Type of program We present a case report of congenital syphilis, highlighting some of the challenges in management, and placing it within the broader public health context of rising syphilis rates. Methods This article is a brief case report in the context of a broader narrative review of congenital syphilis, including clinical significance, recent epidemiological trends in Australia and evolving recommendations on screening. Results The rising rates of infectious syphilis across Australia, specifically an increase in incidence amongst non-Indigenous and Indigenous females of 22 and 11% respectively across 2023, is associated with an increase in congenital syphilis diagnoses. Concerningly, more diagnoses are occurring late in pregnancy, with 79% of reported cases since 2016 being either post-delivery or within the 30days prior. The 10 deaths reported in 2023 from congenital syphilis is the highest number of deaths ever recorded in Australia. Our case was diagnosed early in pregnancy but did not receive sufficient antenatal care to prevent vertical transmission, despite intensive public health involvement. Lessons learnt We note that rising rates of congenital syphilis have prompted New South Wales (NSW), Queensland (Qld), Western Australia (WA) and South Australia (SA) to now universally recommend screening for syphilis multiple times in pregnancy and no longer reserve this for high-risk populations; however, our case would not have benefitted from these recommendations, emphasising the need for broader public health interventions to reduce the prevalence of infectious syphilis in Australia.</p>","PeriodicalId":45898,"journal":{"name":"Public Health Research & Practice","volume":"35 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144180185","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Misread signals: a misinterpretation of population-level vaping and smoking trends.","authors":"Sam Egger, Michael David, Marianne Weber, Qingwei Luo, Becky Freeman","doi":"10.1071/PU24007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/PU24007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The increasing prevalence of e-cigarette use (vaping) among adolescents and young adults has ignited debate over its potential role in the initiation of cigarette smoking. Prospective cohort studies at the individual level consistently demonstrate a higher risk of smoking initiation among young people who have previously vaped when compared with those who have never vaped (sometimes called a 'gateway effect'). On the other hand, several studies analysing repeated cross-sectional data argue that vaping might decrease the risk of smoking through a 'displacement effect', as evidenced by an increasing vaping trend coinciding with a decreasing smoking trend. This perspective article examines these conflicting viewpoints in the context of a misinterpretation of these coinciding trends.</p>","PeriodicalId":45898,"journal":{"name":"Public Health Research & Practice","volume":"35 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144182132","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"<i>Corrigendum to</i>: Misread signals: a misinterpretation of population-level vaping and smoking trends.","authors":"Sam Egger, Michael David, Marianne Weber, Qingwei Luo, Becky Freeman","doi":"10.1071/PU24007_CO","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/PU24007_CO","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":45898,"journal":{"name":"Public Health Research & Practice","volume":"35 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144183284","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Artificial intelligence and public health: prospects, hype and challenges.","authors":"Don Nutbeam, Andrew J Milat","doi":"10.1071/PU24001","DOIUrl":"10.1071/PU24001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objectives and importance of the study Applications of artificial intelligence (AI) platforms and technologies to healthcare have been widely promoted as offering revolutionary improvements and efficiencies in clinical practice and health services organisation. Practical applications of AI in public health are now emerging and receiving similar attention. This paper provides an overview of the issues and examples of research that help separate the potential from the hype. Methods Selective review and analysis of cross-section of relevant literature. Results Great potential exists for the use of AI in public health practice and research. This includes immediate applications in improving health education and communication directly with the public, as well as great potential for the productive use of generative AI through chatbots and virtual assistants in health communication. AI also has applications in disease surveillance and public health science, for example in improving epidemic and pandemic early warning systems, in synthetic data generation, in sequential decision-making in uncertain conditions (reinforcement learning) and in disease risk prediction. Most published research examining these and other applications is at a fairly early stage, making it difficult to separate the probable benefits from the hype. This research is undoubtedly demonstrating great potential but also identifying challenges, for example in the quality and relevance of health information being produced by generative AI; in access, trust and use of the technology by different populations; and in the practical application of AI to support disease surveillance and public health science. There are real risks that current access and patterns of use may exacerbate existing inequities in health and that the orientation towards the personalisation of health advice may divert attention away from underlying social and economic determinants of health. Conclusions Realising the potential of AI not only requires further research and experimentation but also careful consideration of its ethical implications and thoughtful regulation. This will ensure that advances in these technologies serve the best interests of individuals and communities worldwide and don't exacerbate existing health inequalities.</p>","PeriodicalId":45898,"journal":{"name":"Public Health Research & Practice","volume":"35 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144181434","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"NSW Public Health Training Program: 35 years of strengthening public health systems and practice in an Australian setting.","authors":"Dawn Arneman, Ashleigh A Armanasco, Andrew J Milat","doi":"10.1071/PU24006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/PU24006","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objective The public health workforce is central to promoting and protecting the health of individuals, communities, and populations, and to creating environments that support healthy living and wellbeing. This paper describes the history and key outcomes of the NSW Public Health Training Program and examines the program's contribution to building public health capacity in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Type of program The program is a 3-year workplace training program for public health graduates. Methods The authors used a mixed methods design, including analysis of program data and document review. Results From 1990 to 2023, the program supported the training of 223 public health professionals, including 52 medical graduates undertaking specialist training in public health medicine. Trainees supported critical population health initiatives, provided surge capacity for a range of public health emergencies, and published more than 600 peer-reviewed publications. Most graduates (n =115, 81.0%) and just over half of early exits (n =29, 51.8%) remained with NSW Health after training. The most common graduate occupations were epidemiologist (32.4%), policy analyst (15.5%), and public health or program manager (12.0%). Lessons learnt Building public health workforce capacity takes time and a sustained commitment. Employment outcomes are important indicators of success for workplace training programs. The program has made a substantial contribution to building public health capacity in NSW.</p>","PeriodicalId":45898,"journal":{"name":"Public Health Research & Practice","volume":"35 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144183052","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}