Australian Journal of Rural Health最新文献

{"title":"Assessing Comparative Dimensions of Access When Accessing Primary Care Across Different Levels of Rurality","authors":"Maddie Higgins,&nbsp;Tiana Gurney,&nbsp;Matthew McGrail","doi":"10.1111/ajr.70080","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.70080","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objective</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>To assess the comparative importance of dimensions of access when accessing primary care across different levels of rurality in Australia.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Design</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A quantitative survey using the paired comparison method.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Setting</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Regional, rural, and remote communities in Queensland, Australia, are defined by the Modified Monash Model classification.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Participants</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>3204 households were surveyed, with 192 responses received (6% response rate). After data cleaning, 163 usable surveys were included in the final analysis.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Main Outcome Measure(s)</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Level of importance for seven dimensions of access: availability, geography, affordability, accommodation, timeliness, acceptability, and awareness.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Awareness was the most important dimension, consistent across all ruralities. Timeliness and availability also ranked highly, though their relative importance varied slightly with the level of rurality. Residents of the regional centre and small rural town ranked timeliness second, while remote and very remote community residents ranked availability second. Geography increased in importance as rurality increased, rising from least important for regional centre residents to mid-level importance for remote and very remote residents. Affordability consistently ranked low in importance across all ruralities.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study reveals differences in the importance of dimensions of access when accessing primary care for residents of regional, rural, and remote Australian communities. These findings suggest that strategies to improve primary care access should be tailored to address the most critical factors across different levels of rurality, focusing on improving awareness, availability, and timeliness of primary care services. The increased importance of geography in the remote and very remote community highlights the need for innovative solutions to overcome geographical barriers for these residents.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55421,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Rural Health","volume":"33 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ajr.70080","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144782795","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Effect of Aged-Care Rural Clinical Placements on Health Student Self-Efficacy: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation.","authors":"Alizée McGregor, Mohammad Hamiduzzaman, Vanette McLennan, Sarah Miles, Sarah Crook, Lewis Grove, Frances Barraclough, Jennie Hewitt, Gillian Nisbet, Karn Nelson, Marianne Wallis, Nerida Volker, Victoria Flood","doi":"10.1111/ajr.70083","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ajr.70083","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The objective of this study was to determine the effect of rural clinical placements on allied health students' perceived self-efficacy in service delivery, as part of a larger evaluation of facilitated student placements in Northern New South Wales residential aged-care homes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A mixed-methods design was employed. Allied health students from a variety of universities undertook at least five-week clinical placements in two rural residential aged-care homes via a programme designed and coordinated by the University Centre for Rural Health in partnership with the Aged Care Residential facility. Quantitative data were collected using a modified Self-Efficacy in Clinical Performance Scale, pre and post-placement. Semi-structured interviews were conducted post-placement. Self-efficacy scores were compared using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test, and the effect size was calculated. Reflexive thematic analysis was conducted to identify themes from interview transcripts.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty-five students completed the surveys, and 12 interviews were included in this study. There was a statistically significant increase, post-placement compared to pre-placement, in total self-efficacy in clinical performance scores, as well as in subscale scores. The subscales related to assessment, diagnosis, and planning and implementation. Two themes were identified from the qualitative interviews: (1) heightened confidence, independence, and work readiness; and (2) confidence and enthusiasm for interprofessional work.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our findings provide beginning evidence that a well-resourced and focused programme of clinical placements can improve allied health student self-efficacy and may stimulate greater enthusiasm for working in the rural aged-care sector.</p>","PeriodicalId":55421,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Rural Health","volume":"33 4","pages":"e70083"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12330206/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144796208","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rural Nursing Workforce Sustainability in Australia: A Scoping Review of Global Retention Strategies.","authors":"Atabong A Fortabong, Kate Kloot, Natasha Reedy, Blake Peck, Daniel Terry","doi":"10.1111/ajr.70079","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ajr.70079","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The global nursing shortage significantly impacts healthcare sustainability, particularly in rural Australia, where geographic isolation, professional remoteness and resource constraints amplify challenges.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To map and synthesise evidence on factors influencing rural nursing workforce sustainability across individual, organisational and systemic levels.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>A scoping review following PRISMA-ScR guidelines was conducted. Five databases and grey literature were searched for English-language publications (1995-2024) on rural nursing workforce sustainability. A micro-meso-macro conceptual framework guided the analysis of 33 publications, focusing on baccalaureate-prepared Registered Nurses.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Key determinants were identified across three levels. Micro-level factors included personal characteristics, professional identity and safety considerations. Meso-level factors, addressed in 32 studies, encompassed health services programmes, organisational culture, management approaches and professional development opportunities. Macro-level factors included community engagement, educational pathways, scope of practice policies and government initiatives. Significant interconnections existed between factors across all levels.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>While targeted interventions show promise, programmes need systematic evaluation using standardised frameworks. Research priorities include longitudinal effectiveness studies, economic impact analyses and the development of practical implementation tools.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>A sustainable rural nursing workforce requires integrated approaches that simultaneously address individual, organisational and systemic factors. Success depends on evidence-based collaboration between healthcare organisations, educational institutions and government bodies to strengthen rural healthcare delivery through coordinated multilevel strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":55421,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Rural Health","volume":"33 4","pages":"e70079"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12333323/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144800986","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cake, Checkups, and Captain Starlight: Evaluating the Cherbourg Third Birthday Party Health Initiative for Children in Rural Australia.","authors":"Claire Treadgold, Erika Fortunati, Rob Doyle, Jo Dann, Aunty Kerrie Doyle","doi":"10.1111/ajr.70082","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ajr.70082","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, particularly those in remote Australia, face disproportionately higher rates of preventable health conditions and disability. Early intervention is considered particularly important for this demographic, but previous attempts have had limited success.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>In response to a need identified by the Cherbourg Health Service, Starlight Children's Foundation Australia (Starlight) partnered with them to host a unique \"third birthday party\" event in Cherbourg, Queensland.</p><p><strong>Setting and participants: </strong>The event aimed to provide health checks and a culturally sensitive, positive healthcare experience for three-year-old children and the Cherbourg community, incorporating key health service providers and Starlight \"Captains\" to facilitate the health checks and activities/games.</p><p><strong>Main outcome measure(s): </strong>To evaluate the third birthday party health initiative, the main outcome measures were the strengths and future considerations and improvements of the event.</p><p><strong>Result: </strong>The quantitative and qualitative data highlighted the event's success in promoting an effective and positive community-led healthcare experience by employing a unique, prevention-focused methodology, with benefits extending from the community to health staff and students.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Overall, the Cherbourg third birthday party serves as a model for culturally appropriate early health interventions in Australia, offering valuable insights to enhance healthcare promotion, access, and engagement for Indigenous children and communities.</p>","PeriodicalId":55421,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Rural Health","volume":"33 4","pages":"e70082"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12330202/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144796207","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Willingness to Comply With Health Advice on COVID-19 in Rural Australia: Results of a Cross-Sectional Survey","authors":"Jodie Kleinschafer,&nbsp;Julaine Allan,&nbsp;Teesta Saksena,&nbsp;Azizur Rahman","doi":"10.1111/ajr.70078","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.70078","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Introduction</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Rural populations were particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. However, willingness to comply with health advice varied across population groups and was influenced by perceptions of risk.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objective</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study aimed to identify the characteristics of the population (e.g., age, gender, First Nations status, perceived vulnerability, efficacy and levels of fear) associated with variations in compliance with health advice in rural Australia to inform health communication strategies for future pandemics.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods—Design, Setting and Participants</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The study used a cross-sectional online survey of Australian residents aged 18 years and over (<i>n</i> = 701) residing in western NSW, Australia. Both bivariate and multivariable analyses were conducted, including multinomial logistic regression modelling.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The characteristics that predicted both intention to comply with health advice and actual behaviour were gender (being female), First Nations status (Aboriginal) and age (older). The lower the perceived risk to the individual, the more likely they were to have limited or no intention to comply with preventative measures. A bivariate correlation analysis determined that there was a small (<i>r</i> = 0.265) significant (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001) correlation between intention to comply with preventative measures and the frequency with which people engaged in good hygiene practices.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The results provide a means to identify groups in rural areas that need tailored health communications to encourage compliance with health advice. The members of the community who were less vulnerable to illness, particularly young men, were less likely to comply. In future pandemics, governments could take both a geographic and population group segmented approach to health communications instead of a blanket approach.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55421,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Rural Health","volume":"33 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ajr.70078","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144740538","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing Rural Retention of General Practitioner Registrars: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study","authors":"Rex Prabhu,&nbsp;Kerina Princi,&nbsp;Catherine Keniry,&nbsp;Karan Varshney,&nbsp;Rachel Rossiter","doi":"10.1111/ajr.70077","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.70077","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objective</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>To examine the impact of an individualised registrar training programme on final year General Practitioner (GP) trainees' experiences and decisions to remain in a rural setting.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This pilot study utilised a concurrent three-phase mixed methods triangulation design to collect quantitative and qualitative data derived from surveys and interviews.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Setting</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A healthcare service in a priority GP area of regional Australia.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Participants</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Overseas-born GP trainees and supervisors.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Main Outcome Measures</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Demographic factors and aspects of rural retention pertaining to Whole-of-Person Retention Improvement Framework, such as remuneration, opportunities for training, connectedness to the community, and job satisfaction.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Seven individuals (five registrars and two supervisors) participated in this study. All trainees agreed that final year remuneration impacts their decision to stay in a location on completion of their training. Intention to remain in the same location was also influenced by a range of other factors, including stage of life, social isolation, limited opportunities for partners and children, feelings of being treated differently, and access to additional training.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>To enhance recruitment and retention in rural settings, future research should utilise the three interrelated components of the Whole-of-Person Retention Improvement Framework: community/place, role/career, and workplace/organisational environment.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55421,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Rural Health","volume":"33 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ajr.70077","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144716504","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors Positively Influencing GP Obstetricians to Remain in Rural and Remote Obstetric Practice","authors":"Beth Exell,&nbsp;Anna Vnuk","doi":"10.1111/ajr.70076","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.70076","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objective</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>To explore factors that enable and encourage GP Obstetricians (GPOs) to remain in their role providing perinatal care and delivery services in rural and remote locations.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Setting</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Rural and remote locations in North and Far North Queensland.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Participants</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Participants were GPOs providing maternity care and delivery services. They were invited to be interviewed for the study via hospital email and snowballing.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Design</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We conducted 11 semi-structured interviews with GPOs from July to August 2023. Interview data were coded and analysed using thematic analysis into themes and subthemes.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We identified two overarching themes as enablers: job satisfaction and support. Job satisfaction was composed of enjoyment arising from an interest in the field and procedural work, and feelings of fulfilment deriving from serving the community. Support centred around constant, supportive interactions with midwifery and medical colleagues in the workplace, medical colleges, and staff at regional referral centres.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>As GPOs who remain in rural and remote areas identify support as a key enabler, establishing strategies to improve service delivery and retention involves expanding and supporting the current system as well as implementing new approaches to support practitioners both at work and home. Skill maintenance should be tailored toward individual needs, referral centres need to have a fostering and inclusive mindset toward their rural practitioners, review systems should be inquisitive and constructive rather than punitive, and colleges should foster and support their fellows.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55421,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Rural Health","volume":"33 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ajr.70076","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144717039","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Emergency Laparotomy Risk Assessment: A Qualitative Study of General Surgeons and Trainees","authors":"Joseph N. Hewitt,&nbsp;Thomas J. Milton,&nbsp;Christopher Dobbins,&nbsp;Markus I. Trochsler","doi":"10.1111/ajr.70075","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.70075","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objective</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>General surgeons perform emergency laparotomies on a heterogeneous patient population. Scoring tools have been developed to quantify the risk of mortality after EL, but the uptake of these tools is poor. We aimed to characterise the attitudes of surgeons to risk assessment tools.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Setting</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Australia.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Participants</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>General surgeons, registrars and residents.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Design</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Semi-structured interviews with participants, analysed using Framework Method.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Fifteen participants were interviewed. Barriers identified included perceived lack of utility, competing priorities, unit or hospital culture, individual surgeon attitudes, lack of funding, junior medical staff turnover, and lack of familiarity. Potential strategies for improvement identified included education, integration with electronic health records, and prompting at time of theatre booking.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Our findings will be of interest to those undertaking quality improvement work with risk assessment. This is important given recommendations for universal risk assessment but the low uptake of risk assessment in practice.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55421,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Rural Health","volume":"33 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ajr.70075","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144695862","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correction to “Correction to ‘Experiences and impact of a rural Australian high-risk foot service: A multiple-methods study’”","authors":"","doi":"10.1111/ajr.70074","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.70074","url":null,"abstract":"<p>(2025), Correction to ‘Experiences and impact of a rural Australian high-risk foot service: A multiple-methods study’. Aust J Rural Health, 33: e70072. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.70072</p><p>The following apology from the Editor-in-Chief should be added to the above article:</p><p>Apology from the Editor-in-Chief</p><p>As noted in the above correction notice, the original article went through the AJRH review process without appropriate Indigenous ethics approval. This was an oversight on my part and was further exacerbated by the article remaining online for several months without correction. I wish to record my sincere apologies for this oversight and express my regret for any offence caused.</p><p>At the Australian Journal of Rural Health, we remain committed to ensuring culturally safe, ethical and methodologically sound Aboriginal health research publications. We now have a number of extra measures in place to reinforce such processes.</p><p>Associate Professor Pim Kuipers</p><p>Editor in Chief</p><p>The online article has been amended.</p>","PeriodicalId":55421,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Rural Health","volume":"33 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ajr.70074","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144705614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Childhood Acute Post Streptococcal Glomerulonephritis in Far North Queensland","authors":"Mercy Nderitu,&nbsp;Emma McDougall,&nbsp;Thomas Volkman","doi":"10.1111/ajr.70069","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.70069","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objective</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>To determine the recent incidence of paediatric Acute Post Streptococcal Glomerulonephritis in Far North Queensland and associated co-occurring clinical conditions.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Setting</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Paediatric inpatient unit.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Participants</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Patients admitted to Hospital under 14 years of age meeting diagnostic criteria for APSGN between January 2015 and January 2020.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Design</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Single centre, retrospective observational analysis. Data and clinical information was extracted from electronic medical records. Case definitions were as specified in the Northern Territory guidelines for APSGN.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>APSGN (<i>n</i> = 61) or probable APSGN (<i>n</i> = 4) was found in 65 of the 86 identified cases. Fifty-five APSGN cases were identified as being Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, with the remaining 10 cases identifying as other ethnic groups. Mean annual incidence (0–14 years) was 27/100 000 person years. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander population incidence was 104/100 000 person years. Recurrent skin infection was noted in the majority of cases. Nineteen cases were lost to follow up; of these, 15 were from rural regions.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A high incidence of childhood APSGN is present in Far North Queensland, with First nation's children overrepresented. This further adds to the national body of data on the disease, highlighting the necessity of an amplified response addressing the disease burden of group A Streptococcus and its main drivers, social disadvantage and remoteness. There is a need for enhanced surveillance and monitoring of the chronic sequelae of APSGN. Opportunities exist to amalgamate follow-up practices across the region, and there is a need to enact reporting of the disease in Queensland.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55421,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Rural Health","volume":"33 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144666564","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}