Daniel Moses, Cassandra de Lacy-Vawdon, Barbara Mintzes, M Mofizul Islam, Deborah Gleeson
{"title":"Paying for access? The Australian research-based pharmaceutical industry's federal political financial contributions 2015-2024.","authors":"Daniel Moses, Cassandra de Lacy-Vawdon, Barbara Mintzes, M Mofizul Islam, Deborah Gleeson","doi":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2026.100596","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anzjph.2026.100596","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to analyse the extent and nature of the Australian research-based pharmaceutical industry's political financial contributions to Australian federal political parties from 2015 to 2024.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Political contributions data reported by both contributors and political parties were collected from the Australian Electoral Commission Transparency Register for Medicines Australia and its core members between financial years 2015 and 2024. Contributions to the Australian Labor Party, Liberal Party of Australia and National Party of Australia were exported into Excel and analysed to provide descriptive statistics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Nineteen of 38 included companies contributed to major Australian political parties over the 10-year period, with many making regular contributions. Total contributions of AUD 7,694,136 (adjusted for inflation) were declared by companies. Discrepancies between the reports made by companies and political parties mean this is likely an underestimate.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The industry appears to maintain regular contributions to major Australian political parties, enabling access to politicians. Total contributions are similar in scale to those reported by unhealthy commodity industries, but much smaller than pharmaceutical industry payments to health professionals and patient groups.</p><p><strong>Implications for public health: </strong>Results suggest further study into the pharmaceutical industry's commercial practices is needed and reinforce other literature suggesting the Transparency Register needs improving.</p>","PeriodicalId":8620,"journal":{"name":"Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health","volume":" ","pages":"100596"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149179313","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Asad Yusoff, Alexandra Jones, Bella Sträuli, Paula O’Brien, Simone Pettigrew
{"title":"Are consumers warned of the risks? An audit of voluntary health-related information on alcohol labels in Australia","authors":"Asad Yusoff, Alexandra Jones, Bella Sträuli, Paula O’Brien, Simone Pettigrew","doi":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2026.100593","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2026.100593","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to identify the types, prevalence and location of voluntary health-related warnings and responsible consumption messages on alcohol labels in Australia.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Images of 6,037 unique alcohol products were captured from three major Australian retailers in 2024. Each product was coded for the type and location of voluntary health-related warnings and responsible consumption messages. Descriptive analyses were conducted overall, by product type, origin and label location.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Prevalence of voluntary warning labels was low (25%). Warnings almost exclusively advised particular groups not to drink rather than providing information about specific harms caused by alcohol (e.g. cancer). Responsible consumption messages were found on 65% of all products. Most warnings (74%) and messages (75%) appeared on the back of product packaging.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>In Australia, while alcohol products must display a pregnancy warning label, companies do not appear to be using product labels to inform consumers about the other serious health harms of alcohol use. Rather, many products display messages promoting responsible consumption that may act to confuse individuals about alcohol-related harm.</div></div><div><h3>Implications for Public Health</h3><div>To help consumers make informed choices, policymakers should seek to implement additional mandatory health warning labels while restricting the use of misleading messages around “responsible” alcohol consumption.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8620,"journal":{"name":"Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health","volume":"50 5","pages":"Article 100593"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149023469","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Dunya Tomic, Jane Hayman, Thi Thu Le Pham, Janneke Berecki-Gisolf, Karen Walker-Bone
{"title":"Work-related electrical injuries in Victoria, Australia: A population-based study of fatalities, hospital attendance and compensation claims","authors":"Dunya Tomic, Jane Hayman, Thi Thu Le Pham, Janneke Berecki-Gisolf, Karen Walker-Bone","doi":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2026.100586","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2026.100586","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The aim of this study was to describe the frequency, characteristics and burden of work-related electrical injuries in Victoria, Australia.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This descriptive epidemiological study used coroner-reported fatalities (July 2018–December 2022), emergency department presentations and hospital admissions (July 2018–June 2024), and workers’ compensation claims (July 2018–June 2023). People aged ≥15 years with a work-related electrical injury in the National Coronial Information System, Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset, Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset or National Data Set for Compensation-based Statistics were included in the study. Outcomes were annual numbers and rates of work-related electrical injury per 100,000 workers, by age, sex, occupation and industry and injury type.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Ten electrical fatalities occurred (<5 work related; exact count suppressed for confidentiality). Between 2018-19 and 2023-24, 2,516 emergency department presentations, 313 hospital admissions and 285 compensation claims were identified (12.1, 1.5 and 1.7 per 100,000 workers, respectively). Rates were highest among males (emergency department: 18.7 per 100,000) and young workers (15-24 years; emergency department: 21.6 per 100,000). Electrotechnology trade workers and labourers were most affected; manufacturing and construction were leading industries.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Work-related electrical injuries remain a preventable hazard, particularly for young men and manual workers.</div></div><div><h3>Implications for Public Health</h3><div>Improved surveillance, targeted training and stronger regulation are needed to reduce electrical injury burden.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8620,"journal":{"name":"Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health","volume":"50 5","pages":"Article 100586"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149103494","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Culturally responsive health initiatives for Māori and Pacific communities in Australia: A systematic review","authors":"Xiqi Chen, Melissa Carey, Heena Akbar","doi":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2026.100597","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2026.100597","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To synthesise evidence on culturally responsive health initiatives for Māori and Pacific communities living in Australia and examine how these initiatives contribute to improved health outcomes and health-equity.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A systematic review was conducted following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Peer-reviewed and grey literature published between 2001 and 2025 were searched across six databases. Studies were included if they described culturally responsive, community-led or Indigenous-informed health initiatives involving Māori and/or Pacific peoples in Australia. Data were analysed using a culturally grounded framework informed by decolonising research principles.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Seventeen studies met the inclusion criteria. Four inter-related themes were identified: (1) power-sharing through community-led governance; (2) culturally safe dialogue grounded in relational practice; (3) the use of Māori and Pacific frameworks; and (4) partnerships shaped by differentiated funding models. Most initiatives demonstrated strong cultural process outcomes, while fewer reported sustained clinical outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Culturally responsive health initiatives for Māori and Pacific communities in Australia are most effective when grounded in relational practice, Māori and Pacific leadership and explicit power-sharing arrangements.</div></div><div><h3>Implications for public health</h3><div>Health systems must move beyond cultural participation towards sustained cultural authority, fit-for-purpose funding and evaluation approaches that capture equity-relevant processes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8620,"journal":{"name":"Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health","volume":"50 5","pages":"Article 100597"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149126506","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Emma Doherty, Melanie Kingsland, Lina Persson, Meredith Claremont, John Wiggers
{"title":"Building preventive care capability through electronic health records: An emerging opportunity for Australia with global relevance","authors":"Emma Doherty, Melanie Kingsland, Lina Persson, Meredith Claremont, John Wiggers","doi":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2026.100602","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2026.100602","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8620,"journal":{"name":"Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health","volume":"50 5","pages":"Article 100602"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149126446","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Carmel Williams, Samantha Thomas, Luke Wolfenden, Don Nutbeam
{"title":"Forty years of the Ottawa Charter: Why healthy public policy still matters for health equity in Australia","authors":"Carmel Williams, Samantha Thomas, Luke Wolfenden, Don Nutbeam","doi":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2026.100581","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2026.100581","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8620,"journal":{"name":"Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health","volume":"50 5","pages":"Article 100581"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149103433","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lauren A. Gardner, Siobhan O’Dean, Emily Stockings, Maree Teesson, Katrina E. Champion, Lyra Egan, Nyanda McBride, Leanne Hides, Annabelle Hawkins, Isha Chawla, Jazlyn East, Sarah Cavallin, Nicola C. Newton
{"title":"Patterns of lifetime e-cigarette, tobacco cigarette and nicotine pouch use among Australian adolescents in the period after the 2024 vaping reforms: A cross-sectional survey","authors":"Lauren A. Gardner, Siobhan O’Dean, Emily Stockings, Maree Teesson, Katrina E. Champion, Lyra Egan, Nyanda McBride, Leanne Hides, Annabelle Hawkins, Isha Chawla, Jazlyn East, Sarah Cavallin, Nicola C. Newton","doi":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2026.100591","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2026.100591","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To examine the prevalence and patterns of lifetime e-cigarette, tobacco cigarette and nicotine pouch use among adolescents in the period following the 2024 Australian vaping reforms.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We examined survey data from 1,848 students (M<sub>age</sub> = 15.22, standard deviation = 0.64; 43.8% female) from 20 schools across New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia who participated in the control group of the <em>OurFutures Vaping</em> trial in 2025.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Overall, 12.4% of the sample reported lifetime e-cigarette use, 5.8% lifetime tobacco cigarette use and 3.5% lifetime nicotine pouch use. Use of each nicotine product was strongly correlated with the other products (r’s >0.80). Lifetime nicotine pouch use rarely occurred in the absence of lifetime e-cigarette or tobacco cigarette use. The odds of lifetime tobacco cigarette and nicotine pouch use were lower for females than males (odds ratio = 0.58, 95% confidence interval = 0.34, 0.99 and odds ratio = 0.34, 95% confidence interval = 0.16–0.74, respectively).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This study provides timely insight into patterns of adolescent lifetime nicotine use in the period following major regulatory changes in Australia.</div></div><div><h3>Implications for Public Health</h3><div>Prevention strategies that address nicotine products collectively and address both supply and demand are needed. Males appeared most vulnerable to using cigarettes and nicotine pouches and may benefit from targeted support.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8620,"journal":{"name":"Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health","volume":"50 5","pages":"Article 100591"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148910670","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Christine Driessen, Asim Bhatti, Adrian J. Cameron, Florentine Martino, Navoda Liyana Pathirana, Kathryn Backholer
{"title":"Children’s attention to supermarket food displays: A real-world eye-tracking study","authors":"Christine Driessen, Asim Bhatti, Adrian J. Cameron, Florentine Martino, Navoda Liyana Pathirana, Kathryn Backholer","doi":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2026.100331","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2026.100331","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To quantify children’s visual attention to placement strategies for healthy and unhealthy foods and beverages in a real-world Australian supermarket and examine their explicit memory.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>An exploratory observational eye-tracking study, conducted in a supermarket in Victoria, Australia, with 15 children aged 7–12 years and their caregivers. Children wore mobile eye-tracking glasses during a routine grocery shop to capture their gaze data, including first fixation and dwell time, followed by a recall survey.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Children spent on average 17.2% of their shopping time visually engaged with foods displayed in prominent locations, with 99.2% of this attention directed towards unhealthy products. Attention was highest for displays at store entrances (37.5%) and checkouts (36.1%), followed by end of aisles (16.8%) and standalone islands in other areas (8.9%). All children recalled foods they had visually attended to during the shop.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Unhealthy foods displayed in prominent locations in the supermarket effectively capture children’s attention and may influence memory.</div></div><div><h3>Implications for public health</h3><div>To our knowledge, this is the first study to empirically demonstrate children’s actual exposure (via first fixation) and engagement (via dwell time) with food and beverage products displayed in prominent locations in a real-world supermarket. Restricting the prominent placement of unhealthy foods could meaningfully reduce children’s exposure to unhealthy food marketing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8620,"journal":{"name":"Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health","volume":"50 4","pages":"Article 100331"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148668305","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zoë Croker, Angus McLure, Stephen Lambert, Helen Quinn, Alexis Pillsbury, Kristine Macartney, Peter McIntyre, Frank Beard
{"title":"Estimating current susceptibility to measles in Australia following sustained measles elimination","authors":"Zoë Croker, Angus McLure, Stephen Lambert, Helen Quinn, Alexis Pillsbury, Kristine Macartney, Peter McIntyre, Frank Beard","doi":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2026.100577","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2026.100577","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study estimates Australia’s measles susceptibility across all age groups. To our knowledge, this study is the first internationally to combine multiple consecutive serosurvey and population immunisation register data.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We estimated age-specific measles susceptibility in 2019 using data from nationally representative seroprevalence surveys for people born between 1920 and 1960 (infection-acquired immunity) and those born 1961–1999 (infection/vaccine-acquired immunity). For people born 2000–2018 (vaccine-acquired immunity only), we estimated measles susceptibility from coverage of one or two doses of measles-containing vaccine from the Australian Immunisation Register and presumed vaccine effectiveness, adjusting for 0·04% waning of protection per year.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Susceptibility increased from less than 1% across those born 1920–1960 to 11% for the 1993–1995 cohort, and ranged from 7–14% for those born 2000–2015. We estimated that 1.7 million Australians (6·7%) were susceptible to measles in 2019 (95%UI: 1·3–3·2 million). Among notifications of measles infection between 2008 and 2022, people aged 15–35 years at time of notification accounted for 50%.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Despite sustained high two-dose measles vaccine coverage, Australia’s overall population-level measles immunity is at the lower end of the World Health Organization estimated herd protection threshold range (93–95%).</div></div><div><h3>Implications for Public Health</h3><div>Our estimates provide baseline data to inform vaccination activities to address immunity gaps in older age groups, particularly those likely to travel internationally.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8620,"journal":{"name":"Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health","volume":"50 4","pages":"Article 100577"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148766042","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Amelia Yazidjoglou, Adam Scott, Michelle I. Jongenelis
{"title":"A day in the life: An ecological momentary assessment of people’s experiences with vaping","authors":"Amelia Yazidjoglou, Adam Scott, Michelle I. Jongenelis","doi":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2026.100578","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2026.100578","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Curbing the use of vapes among young people is a public health priority. Understanding people’s vaping experiences and the contextual factors influencing use is key to informing effective behavioural interventions. Using ecological momentary assessment, this study aimed to explore the daily vaping-related experiences of young Australians who vape.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Australians aged 14- to 39-years who use vapes (n=72; 54% men; 42% 14–17 years, 13% 18–24 years, 46% 25–39 years) were recruited via social media and personal networks. Using an app-based diary, participants shared vaping-related experiences over a 7-day period. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Commonalities across diaries enabled the construction of ‘a day in the life’ from which three main themes were identified: (1) vaping is an integrated part of daily routine; (2) preoccupation with vaping causes disruption, distress and shame; and (3) vaping is perceived as a therapeutic tool for stress relief and self-care.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Among those who vape, the behaviour has become embedded in day-to-day routines and is a vital, yet disruptive, part of life.</div></div><div><h3>Implications for Public Health</h3><div>Communicating the insidiousness of vaping dependence and addiction is critical to increasing awareness of vaping-related harms and challenging industry-perpetuated narratives that nicotine is harmless.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8620,"journal":{"name":"Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health","volume":"50 4","pages":"Article 100578"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148700774","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}