Australian Journal of Rural Health最新文献

{"title":"Digital Transformation of Rural, Regional, and Remote Australian Hospitals: A Pragmatic Strategy for Introducing AI.","authors":"Olivia Metcalf, Joel Fossouo Tagne, Debbie Passey, Wendy Chapman, Portia Y Cornell, Catherine E Huggins, Peter Steel, Anna Wong Shee, Michael Field, Rahul Khanna, Lawrence Gray, Grant Blashki, Kit Huckvale","doi":"10.1111/ajr.70178","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ajr.70178","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aims: </strong>Rural, regional, and remote hospitals in Australia face barriers to digital transformation, including limited infrastructure, digital literacy, and workforce capacity. This Commentary outlines a pragmatic strategy to build rural digital readiness through the safe implementation of ambient artificial intelligence (AI) scribes as a low-risk starting point for AI adoption.</p><p><strong>Context: </strong>AI scribes use generative AI to convert clinical conversations into documentation. They offer potential to reduce administrative burden and workforce strain while preparing rural health services for future AI use. Although the Victorian Department of Health has established minimum standards for AI scribe use, rural hospitals face unique challenges including lower AI literacy, workforce pressure, and limited research infrastructure. Insights from ongoing implementation research highlight the value of simulation methods to examine usability, workflow effects, and ethical considerations before deployment.</p><p><strong>Approach: </strong>Three key enablers support responsible implementation: (1) clinical simulation for research, (2) harmonisation of evaluation metrics, and (3) shared infrastructure for consent, training, and monitoring.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Implementing AI scribes provides a practical pathway for rural hospitals to strengthen capability, reduce administrative burden, and build readiness for more advanced clinical AI, supporting safe and equitable adoption across rural Australia.</p>","PeriodicalId":55421,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Rural Health","volume":"34 2","pages":"e70178"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13058397/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147635220","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":"Quantifying Staff Preferences for Workforce Retention Strategies in Remote Australian Primary Health Care Services","authors":"Nanda Kaji Budhathoki,&nbsp;John S. Humphreys,&nbsp;Supriya Mathew,&nbsp;Leander Menezes,&nbsp;Mark Ramjan,&nbsp;Donna-Maree Stephens,&nbsp;Karrina DeMasi,&nbsp;Yuejen Zhao,&nbsp;Kristal Lawrence,&nbsp;Deborah Russell","doi":"10.1111/ajr.70170","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ajr.70170","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Aim&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;To outline key criteria when choosing how to measure remote area primary health care workers' retention preferences and compare six different methodological approaches against these criteria.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Context&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Australians living in remote communities experience poorer health outcomes. Many health services serving remote populations have persistent workforce shortages, high staff turnover and short retention which adversely affect access to timely, appropriate health care, care continuity and cultural appropriateness of care. Improved understanding of staff preferences for different retention initiatives could inform initiatives to improve workforce stability.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Approach&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Measuring the preferences of remote primary health care staff is complex. Key criteria to guide methodology choice include: i) logistical considerations related to geographical remoteness, ii) diversity of primary care staff, iii) minimising participants' cognitive load and time required for data collection, iv) ability to quantify preferences, v) appropriateness of methodologies for staff from different socio-cultural backgrounds, vi) minimising bias, and vii) making trade-offs given limited resources for implementing retention incentives. Six different methodological approaches are compared: Rating, Ranking, Best Worst Scaling (BWS) Object Case, BWS Profile Case, BWS Multi-profile Case and conventional Discrete Choice Experiments (DCE).&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Conclusion&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;The comparison of different methodologies reveals the advantages of using a BWS Object Case methodological approach for measuring primary health care service workers' preferences in remote primary health care settings. Importantly, this paper demonstrates how the quantified results from BWS object case analysis can be translated into actionable retention initiatives designed to retain remote area health workers, given ongoing budget constraints and the need to ensure cultural appropriateness.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;div&gt;What is already known on this subject?\u0000\u0000 &lt;ul&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;li&gt;Remote Australian health services have been persistently impacted by high turnover of health care staff.&lt;/li&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;li&gt;Stated preference survey methods have only been occasionally applied in health research in high income countries to understand health care workers' prefer","PeriodicalId":55421,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Rural Health","volume":"34 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13031882/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147534730","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":"Time Spent in Rural Placements and Working Rurally After Graduation: A Retrospective Cohort Study of University of Adelaide Medical Graduates, 2010–2021","authors":"Susan Williams,&nbsp;David Gonzalez-Chica,&nbsp;Katrina Morgan,&nbsp;Lisa White,&nbsp;Lucie Walters","doi":"10.1111/ajr.70174","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ajr.70174","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>First, to examine how short rural placements and increasing placement time are related to rural workforce outcomes. Second, to estimate the reliability of Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) data to measure rural workforce outcomes by comparing AHPRA and self-reported rural practice locations.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Design</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Primary objective—retrospective cohort study. Secondary objective—validation questionnaire.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Participants/Setting</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>University of Adelaide medical alumni graduating from 2010 to 2021.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Main Outcome Measures</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The primary outcome of interest was the proportion of alumni practising in rural locations (Modified Monash Model, MMM2-7). Logistic regression was used to examine associations between time in Adelaide Rural Clinical School rural placements and working rurally after graduation, adjusted for rural background and sociodemographic factors. The secondary outcome measure was agreement between self-reported and AHPRA rural practice locations for a sample of alumni.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Practice locations were identified for 1664 alumni (97%). When compared to no rural placements, completing a short placement of 4–8 weeks had no effect, but a full-year rural placement was associated with a 2-fold increase in the odds of working rurally (OR 1.97, 95% CI 1.05–3.72). This effect increased to over five times when combined with two additional short rural placements (OR 5.57, 95% CI 2.32–13.37). AHPRA provided a reliable indicator of rural practice location when compared to self-reported (94.3% agreement, κ = 0.85, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Short rural placements are unlikely to have a positive impact on the rural workforce unless combined with an extended placement. The high reliability of AHPRA data to measure primary rural practice location was confirmed.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55421,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Rural Health","volume":"34 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13014118/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147516946","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":"Community Pharmacy Density Across Remote, Rural, Regional and Metropolitan Areas of Australia: An Ecological Study","authors":"Michael James Leach,&nbsp;Emily Griffin","doi":"10.1111/ajr.70169","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ajr.70169","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objective</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>To investigate community pharmacy density (CPD) at national and subnational (i.e., below-national) levels in Australia, and examine area-level factors associated with CPD.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Aggregate, 2024 data on Australia's community pharmacies (CPs) and Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3) populations were sourced. CPD (number of CPs/10 000 population) was calculated nationally and sub-nationally. SA3 characteristics associated with CPD quintiles were examined via partial proportional odds regression. Statistical significance was set at <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>There were 6 032 CPs across 336 SA3s. CPD was 2.22, 2.09, and 2.63 CPs/10 000 population for Australia overall, metropolitan Australia, and remote/rural/regional Australia, respectively. SA3-level data revealed CPD tended to be lower for outer- than inner-city metropolitan areas. Clusters of SA3s with lowest-quintile CPD (i.e., ‘pharmacy deserts’) were observed. Four large, remote SA3s in the Northern Territory (NT) (e.g., Daly-Tiwi-West Arnhem) had lowest-quintile CPD, as did many outer-city (e.g., Manningham East, Victoria) or other remote/rural/regional (e.g., Baw Baw, Victoria) SA3s. SA3 characteristics associated with a one-quintile increase in CPD included remote/rural/regional (relative to metropolitan) areas (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 4.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.24–9.81) and percentage of male residents (aOR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.16–1.63). Additionally, CPD tended to significantly increase with increasing percentages of residents aged 85+ or 65–84 years, and to significantly decrease with increasing SA3 area (km²).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Correlates of CPD, and particular SA3s with lowest-quintile CPD, could inform legislation, policies, and decisions related to CP premises and workforce Australia-wide (e.g., Australia's Pharmacy Location Rules and state/territory-level CP ownership legislation). Future studies of CPD across Australia should assess the correlation between CPD and general practice density, and incorporate additional subnational area characteristics (e.g., socioeconomic status) and CP accommodations (e.g., opening hours).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55421,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Rural Health","volume":"34 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13014210/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147516922","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":"‘Isn't It Just a Chat?’ Allied Health Students' Experiences of Structured Clinical Supervision During Remote Placements in Australia","authors":"Nikki Hulse,&nbsp;Negin Loh,&nbsp;Kylie Hopkins,&nbsp;James Debenham,&nbsp;Robyn Doney","doi":"10.1111/ajr.70173","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ajr.70173","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Objective&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;This study explored allied health students' understanding and perceptions of student supervision during remote clinical placements that had adopted a newly developed structured clinical supervision model.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Setting&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;The study was conducted in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Participants&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Participants were 60 occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech pathology students who completed placements facilitated by Majarlin, a University Department of Rural Health, in the region between February and December 2021.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Design&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;A convergent mixed-methods design was used to study pre- and post-placement surveys with Likert-scale and open-ended items. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively, qualitative responses were thematically analysed, and data were integrated to contextualise student perceptions across the two cross-sectional samples.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Results&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Thirty-eight students (63% participation) completed at least one survey (25 completed both surveys; 6 completed only the pre-placement survey; and 7 completed only the post-placement survey). Pre-placement responses to quantitative questions commonly reflected limited or uncertain understandings of supervision; fewer than half understood their university's expectations for supervision; and only 29% had received information about the structured clinical supervision model. Post-placement qualitative reflections frequently described supervision as a structured, reflective, and supportive process. Most students reported receiving weekly one-to-one and group supervision (84%), opportunities for peer-assisted learning (88%), and supervision that incorporated reflective practice, education, and client safety (69%). Two-thirds (66%) indicated they would recommend the model to future students.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Conclusion&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Students described the structured clinical supervision model as enhancing their learning, confidence and engagement with supervision during remote placements. Both qualitative and quantitative findings emphasised the value of consistent, structured supervision, including protected one-to-one and group supervision time. Variability in supervision delivery, particularly where studen","PeriodicalId":55421,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Rural Health","volume":"34 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13014205/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147516933","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":"Stakeholder Perspectives on Ear and Hearing Health Service Provision for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children","authors":"Jacqueline H. Stephens,&nbsp;Brianna F. Poirier,&nbsp;Amanda Machell,&nbsp;Patricia L. Macfarlane,&nbsp;Nicola J. Spurrier,&nbsp;Leanne Quirino","doi":"10.1111/ajr.70167","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ajr.70167","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objective</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Ear disease and hearing loss are largely preventable; however, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children experience some of the highest rates globally. National and state guidelines recommend involving Aboriginal Health Workers/Practitioners (AHWP) in ear and hearing screening, but no investigation has been conducted into stakeholder perspectives on their role.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Setting, Participants and Design</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Key stakeholders involved in ear and hearing screening participated in semi-structured interviews via teleconference to explore their views on current screening processes, AHWP engagement and strategies for improvement.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Thirteen stakeholders participated. Five themes were identified: (i) a fragmented, short-sighted and inconsistent system; (ii) confusion around scope of practice; (iii) workforce capacity; (iv) community awareness and knowledge and (v) service provision and utilisation. Strategies for improvement included strengthening workforce capacity, implementing a family friendly approach (e.g., no age limits), dedicated ear health champions to facilitate timely and appropriate follow-up and the potential role for technology in the ear health pathway. Stakeholders also advocated for the need for community education to raise awareness of the impacts of poor ear and hearing health.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study describes the current state of ear and hearing health services for Aboriginal children and provides insights into improving ear and hearing screening programmes.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55421,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Rural Health","volume":"34 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13014056/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147516952","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":"Tobacco Smoking-Attributable Burden of Disease in the Adult Northern Territory Population, 2014–18","authors":"Ramakrishna Chondur,&nbsp;Yuejen Zhao,&nbsp;Renu Unnikrishnan,&nbsp;Alyson Wright,&nbsp;Paul Burgess,&nbsp;Geetanjali Lamba","doi":"10.1111/ajr.70155","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ajr.70155","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Introduction&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Tobacco smoking is an important preventable cause of death and disease in Australia. Smoking rates are higher in the Northern Territory (NT) among Aboriginal peoples living in remote areas. Understanding smoking-attributable mortality and burden of disease in the NT population is important for building awareness and implementing targeted public health strategies.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Objective&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;To estimate the impact of tobacco smoking on mortality and morbidity in the NT Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations aged 30 years and above between 2014 and 2018.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Setting&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;NT, Australia.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Participants&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Adults (&gt; 30 years) who were NT residents.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Methods&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;We used the NT Burden of Disease study (2014–2018) results and Global Burden of Disease methods to estimate smoking-attributable deaths and smoking-attributable burden of disease for the NT Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations. The smoking prevalence data were based on 2018–19 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heath Survey and 2016 National Drugs Strategy Household Survey.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Results&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Smoking was attributable to 18.3% of the total deaths for NT adults aged 30 years and above with 23.8% in Aboriginal and 13.9% in the non-Aboriginal population. Smoking explained 19.5% and 10.7% of total disability adjusted life years among the NT Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations respectively. The top three smoking-attributable burden of diseases for the Aboriginal population were ischaemic heart disease, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In the non-Aboriginal population, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and back pain were the leading causes of smoking-attributable burden. Leading causes of smoking-related mortality in the Aboriginal population were ischaemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and diabetes, while in non-Aboriginal population the most common causes were lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, ischaemic heart disease, and Alzheimer's disease.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Conclusions&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Tobacco smoking was associated with a higher burden of disease among the Aboriginal population than the non-Aboriginal population. Our study quantifies the dis","PeriodicalId":55421,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Rural Health","volume":"34 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147516867","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}

{"title":"Identifying the Mental Health Research Priorities in Rural Settings, With Implications for Coastal Communities: A Rapid Evidence Synthesis","authors":"Viet-Hai Phung,&nbsp;David Nelson,&nbsp;Ros Kane,&nbsp;Kyla Pennington,&nbsp;Joseph Akanuwe,&nbsp;Harriet Moore,&nbsp;Robert Dean,&nbsp;Russell Roberts,&nbsp;Derek Ward,&nbsp;Jaspreet Phull,&nbsp;Tracy McCranor,&nbsp;Colin Hopkirk,&nbsp;Jon Mansfield,&nbsp;Richard Morriss,&nbsp;Mark Gussy,&nbsp;Dave Dawson,&nbsp;Nima Moghaddam","doi":"10.1111/ajr.70171","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ajr.70171","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Introduction</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>There appears to be a spatial mismatch in rural communities between demand for and uptake of mental health services. There is currently no existing evidence synthesis of mental health research priorities pertaining explicitly to rural and coastal contexts.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objective</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The rapid review aimed to identify and map existing international evidence on rural and coastal mental health research priorities.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Design</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A rapid systematic review was conducted, consistent with guidelines from the Cochrane Rapid Review Methods Group and PRISMA. Keywords and subject headings were searched in PubMed and PsycINFO. Supplementary searching was performed in Google Scholar. Data were extracted using an adapted version of the REPRISE framework. Content analysis was conducted to establish priorities.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Findings</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>1285 studies were screened and 20 publications included (Australia <i>n</i> = 8, USA <i>n</i> = 9, UK <i>n</i> = 2, no geographic focus <i>n</i> = 1). The content analysis grouped the priorities into seven categories: (1) interventions; (2) space and place; (3) stakeholder engagement; (4) improving understanding; (5) standardising data and terminology; (6) outreach; and (7) collaboration. Within these categories, there were 16 priorities and 53 sub-priorities. No evidence focused on mental health research priorities in coastal contexts.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Discussion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Future rural mental health research requires stronger collaboration between relevant stakeholders to reflect local needs. Participatory research is key to achieving that. There was no mental health research priority setting exercise that accounted for the coastal context, highlighting a notable gap.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The findings can inform how rural and coastal mental health research proceeds at a local, national, and international level.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55421,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Rural Health","volume":"34 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13003580/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147488597","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":"Implementing the Virtual Integrated Practice (VIP) Program to Support Rural General Practice Viability in Australia","authors":"Jennifer Job,&nbsp;Ruby Strauss,&nbsp;Zena Martin,&nbsp;Claire Jackson","doi":"10.1111/ajr.70172","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ajr.70172","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objective</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>With a lack of medical workforce delaying patient access to general practitioners (GPs) in rural and remote regions, models of care are urgently needed to improve access and continuity of care. This evaluation aims to understand implementation outcomes, determinants and strategies to support broader implementation of the Virtual Integrated Practice (VIP) Program.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Setting</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>VIP provides an urban-based GP to a rural general practice in Queensland, offering ongoing care to patients remotely via telehealth.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Participants</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The VIP GP joins the practice part-time for a minimum of 12–18 months and works onsite for a short period (3–5 days) every 6 months.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Design</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This mixed methods evaluation reviewed the service, billing, cost and patient survey data collected, and qualitative interviews were conducted with VIP GP delivery staff. The interview transcripts were coded, and thematic analysis was guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research and used to derive implementation determinants.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The service was delivered in eight rural/remote Queensland practices (2021–2024) involving 8309 episodes of care. Recurrent costs included staff wages, GP onsite visits and digital infrastructure. Qualitative interviews conducted with 15 VIP GP delivery staff highlighted determinants related to VIP GP model design and relative advantage, partnership codesign and funding, cost, infrastructure, and program staff.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This evaluation highlighted the ongoing feasibility of the VIP model in supplementing rural workforce and improving patient access and continuity of care. Strategies key to implementation include partner and recruitment support and ensuring suitable practice staff and digital infrastructure at the practice.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55421,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Rural Health","volume":"34 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13003279/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147488585","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":"Beyond the Rural Placement: Considerations for Supporting Rural Origin Health Professions Students During Their Entire University Experience","authors":"Rebecca de Haan,&nbsp;Nicola Parkin,&nbsp;Dennis Asante,&nbsp;Robyn Aitken","doi":"10.1111/ajr.70163","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ajr.70163","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objective</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>There is good evidence that a well-supported, positive rural clinical university placement experience contributes to rural origin students' intentions to practice rurally. However, not much is known about the support needs of rural origin students at university more generally. This research aims to identify and understand the support needs of rural origin health professions students entering and studying at university, using the lens of situational and experiential factors.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Setting</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The research was conducted at a medium-sized Australian university with multiple metropolitan, regional and remote campuses.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Participants</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Students enrolled in a health profession course who met criteria for rural origin were invited to participate.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Design</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This research used a pragmatic mixed methods approach. Analysis examined the support needs identified by students for situational and experiential factors that influenced their experience of university study.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The research revealed four rural origin health professions student profiles based on their enrolment patterns: <i>Relocated</i> students; <i>Commuting</i> students; <i>Distance</i> students; and <i>Local</i> students. Support needs were predominantly practical, but differed according to each profile type. Considerations for designing student support include adopting a ‘whole-of-course’, futures-oriented, situation-sensitive and reflexive view of the student's university experience, beyond the rural placement.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This research advances Australian Government education policy, which aims to increase participation and attainment rates for rural origin students at university. The findings suggest important first steps for university leaders responsible for designing appropriate supports for rural origin health professions students.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55421,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Rural Health","volume":"34 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12996432/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147476594","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}