Drinking Patterns in Australia, 2001-2007

This report uses data from the three most recent National Drug Household Surveys to look at trends in alcohol consumption, alcohol-related harm, alcohol beverage of choice, and under-age drinking. Using the 2007 data, the report also explores factors that are associated with short-term risky or high-risk drinking behaviour. (AIHW catalogue no. PHE133)

Aged Care in Australia

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has released two reports:


Residential aged care in Australia 2008-09 - This report provides comprehensive statistical information on residential aged care facilities and services, their residents, admissions and separations, and residents' dependency levels. At 30 June 2009, there were over 178,000 residential aged care places, an increase of 1.6% compared with 30 June 2008. Almost 82,000 permanent residents (59%) had a recorded diagnosis of dementia at 30 June 2009. Other recorded health conditions affecting residents included circulatory diseases (42,000 residents) and diseases of the musculoskeletal and connective tissue (26,800 residents). (AIHW catalogue no. AGE62)


Aged care packages in the community 2008-09: a statistical overview - At 30 June 2009, over 44,000 people were receiving help from a community aged care package, including just over 23,300 new admissions during 2008-09. The findings suggest that proportionate to their populations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and those from non-English speaking countries used community aged care packages at a higher rate compared with other Australians. (AIHW catalogue no. AGE61)

General Practice Activity - Two Reports

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has released two reports dealing with general practice:

General practice activity in Australia 2009-10 - presents results from the twelfth year of the BEACH program (Bettering the Evaluation And Care of Health), a national study of general practice activity. From April 2009 until March 2010, 988 general practitioners recorded data about 98,800 GP patient encounters involving the management of 155,373 problems. For an 'average' 100 encounters, GPs recorded 107 medications, 35 clinical treatments, 18 procedures, 9 referrals to specialists and 4 allied health services, and ordered 45 pathology and 10 imaging tests. (AIHW catalogue no. GEP27)

General practice activity in Australia 2000-01 to 2009-10: 10 year data tables - presents results from the most recent 10 years (April 2000 to March 2010) of the BEACH program. During this time 9,842 GPs provided details of almost 1 million GP patient encounters. It is possible to review changes which have occurred over the decade in the characteristics of general practitioners and the patients they see; the problems managed; and the treatments provided. Changes in patients' body mass index, smoking status and alcohol use are described for a subsample of adult patients. (AIHW catalogue no. GEP28)

Calculating Screening Rates for Bowel Cancer

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has released a report "Calculating screening rates for bowel cancer: methodologies for the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program and the National Healthcare Agreement performance indicators explained". Although they are similar concepts, the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program participation monitoring indicator, and the National Healthcare Agreement key performance indicator for bowel cancer screening (PI-12), are different measures. Consequently, they produce different results. This paper describes and explains the differences between the two indicators. (AIHW catalogue number (CAN54)

Christmas articles

The Christmas edition of the BMJ always provides engaging reading. Slightly less serious than usual, and often quite tongue in cheek, this year's research offerings at http://www.bmj.com/ include:

• A study from Switzerland: "Effect on gastric function and symptoms of drinking wine, black tea, or schnapps with a Swiss cheese fondue" (includes an accompanying video)


• "Beauty sleep: experimental study on the perceived health and attractiveness of sleep deprived people" - a small sample showed that people appear less attractive if they haven't had a good night's sleep


• "Phantom vibration syndrome among medical staff: a cross sectional survey" - a study which sought to discover the prevalence of 'the sensory hallucination sometimes experienced by people carrying pagers or cell phones when the device is not vibrating.'

But there's more. In addition to the research there are other Christmas features including items on New Zealand doctors and rugby, Agatha Christie's doctors, the rise and fall of celebrity pathology, and Mozart's 140 causes of death and 27 mental disorders.

Most of the articles are open access, so happy reading and Merry Christmas as well from NCAHS libraries!

Cancer in Australia 2010

Cancer in Australia: an overview, 2010 has been released by the AIHW. It provides a comprehensive picture of national statistics on cancer using a range of resources, presenting the latest available data and trends over time. As well, differences by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status, state and territory, remoteness area and socioeconomic status are discussed.
Some of the findings include the fact that by the age of 85 years, 1 in 2 males and 1 in 3 females will have been diagnosed with cancer at some stage in their life.

Cancer is estimated to be the leading cause of the burden of disease in Australia in 2010, accounting for 19% of the total burden, but despite that, the rate of death from cancer has fallen.

Webliography of evidence-based health resources

The Cochrane Collaboration has compiled a this handy website which includes an alphabetical list of evidence-based resources such as databases and journals, or you can browse the recommendations for books, articles and online resources by speciality area (eg. epidemiology, statistics, literature appraisal, reporting guidelines etc).
This "Webliography" also includes links to tutorials and tools on evidence-based care, patient resources and social network sites.

Premature mortality from chronic disease

This bulletin uses potential years of life lost to describe mortality patterns for deaths due to chronic disease. It shows that most premature deaths were due to chronic disease. The leading cause of premature mortality among females was breast cancer and among males it was coronary heart disease. Further, the bulletin highlights that a large proportion of premature chronic disease deaths were also potentially avoidable.

Published by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare it is available to download here.

Atlas of the Human Body

The American Medical Association is providing an excellent visual aid with it's Atlas of the Human Body. The images and text are available to email and share to others.

Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies

This is a new website, funded by the Australian Government and housed at the University of Tasmania. The Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies (ACYS) provides support for youth organisations, youth workers, youth researchers and young people themselves, as well as policymakers, researchers and practitioners in other sectors working with youth. It focuses on information about early adolescence to the early adult years (12 to 25 years).

ACYS aims are:

• to house and provide access to a range of youth sector information, including research, news, programs and initiatives, and sector contacts details;
• to provide critical evaluation, synthesis, analysis and filtering of relevant information about young people, particularly in relation to research;
• to provide up-to-date information on current practice initiatives;
• to raise awareness of youth issues, facilitate research on young people and youth issues;
• to improve communication throughout the youth sector by facilitating access to information; and,
• to support the development of a professional youth sector that provides effective support to young people.

World Malaria Report 2010

The World Health Organization has released the World Malaria Report, 2010. It summarises information received from 106 malaria-endemic countries and highlights continued progress made towards meeting the World Health Assembly (WHA) targets for malaria to be achieved by the end of 2010 and by 2015.

The report outlines the evolving situation of financing for malaria control, how these growing resources have resulted in increased coverage of WHO-recommended malaria control interventions, and the association between this rapid scale-up and substantial reductions in malaria burden.

Draft Guideline for the management of VSU

The NHMRC is inviting comments on the Draft consensus-based clinical practice guideline for the management of volatile substance use (VSU). The purpose of this guideline is to provide practical recommendations to assist health professionals to identify, assess and treat people who use volatile substances.

Although it has been difficult to collect statistical evidence on the prevalence of VSU, international studies have indicated that it is most prevalent among young people (aged 12-14 years) from socioeconomically deprived and marginalised groups. In Australia, petrol sniffing is the most common form of VSU in remote indigenous areas, where inhaling from aerosol cans is more common in rural and urban areas.

This guideline looks at prevention, treatment, brief intervention, case management, withdrawal and education. Submissions are being sought by Friday 14 January 2011.

MyHospitals website

The MyHospitals website, which is intended to give the community clear, comparable and user-friendly information about the services and the performance of their local hospital, was launched on 10 December. The website has been developed and the data compiled by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. It includes waiting times for elective surgery and emergency department care for the 2009/10 financial year as well as a comparison to the previous year.
MyHospitals website is located at www.myhospitals.gov.au.

Infectious Diseases Epidemiology & Surveillance

This Victorian Government Infectious Diseases site includes the Blue Book (Guidelines for the control of infectious diseases), along with various other fact sheets, guidelines, standards and legislation for the investigation, control and prevention of infectious diseases in a range of settings. Detailed surveillance reports are available (updated daily), along with requirements and methods for notifying diseases.

Causes of Death, Australia

This publication contains preliminary summary statistics for doctor certified deaths which accounted for 86.7% of all deaths in 2009. Published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, final results for 2009 will be available in Causes of Death, Australia, 2009 (cat.no. 3303.0) which is due for release in 2011.

Reducing alcohol and other drug related harm

High rates of AOD consumption and related harm are both a consequence of, and contribute to, the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. The harmful use of AOD (that is, any use that impacts negatively on the health, social and emotional wellbeing of users themselves and others) is a significant public health problem for the Australian community as a whole and incurs significant economic costs. Dennis Gray and Edward Wilkes of Closing the Gap Clearinghouse have written a Resource Sheet "Reducing alcohol and other drug related harm" available here.

Health Expenditure Australia

'Health expenditure Australia 2008-09' examines expenditure on different types of health goods and services in the decade to 2008-09. The report published by the Australian Insititute of Health and Welfare, describes funding by the Australian Government and state governments, private health insurance and individuals; compares health expenditures in the different states and territories; compares Australia's spending with other countries.

Diabetes in pregnancy:

A new report "Diabetes in pregnancy: its impact on Australian women and their babies" was published by the AIHW today.
Diabetes is known to adversely affect women and their babies during pregnancy, labour and delivery. These adverse effects differ by type of diabetes and between population groups. This report is the first to explore these differences among Australian mothers and their babies at a national level, showing that:
1. diabetes affects about 1 in 20 pregnancies;
2. mothers with pre-existing Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, and their babies, are at highest risk of adverse effects;
3. mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus, and their babies, are also at increased risk;
4. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers and their babies are more likely to experience adverse effects than non-Indigenous mothers and their babies.
This report is a useful resource for policymakers, researchers, clinicians and others interested in the effect of diabetes on the health of Australian mothers and their babies.

Australian Health Survey 2010

Examining how Australians view their health care system, this paper presents the results of a telephone survey of a representative sample of 1201 Australians. The Menzies‐Nous Australian Health Survey 2010 provides valuable insight into the views held by Australians about their own health, the Australian health system and affordability of health and aged care services.
The survey was conducted by the Menzies Centre for Health Policy and The Nous Group (Nous) on July 2010 and asked questions on the following subjects:
* satisfaction with the health system;
* support for health reform;
* access to health care services;
* confidence in services;
* affordability of health care.
Read the results and releases here.

Apparent Consumption of Alcohol, Australia, 2008-09

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has published 'Apparent consumption of alcohol, Australia, 2008-09' which provides estimates of the apparent consumption of alcohol based on the availability of alcoholic beverages in Australia. It provides estimates of the quantity of pure alcohol available for consumption from beer, wine, spirits, and ready to drink (pre-mixed) beverages, plus estimates of the total volume of beer and wine available for consumption.

The publication also provides estimates of apparent per capita consumption, the total apparent consumption for the total population aged 15 years and over. The population of 15 years and over is consistent with methodology used internationally for measuring trends in apparent consumption over time. (ABS 4307.0.55.001)

Australia's Mothers and Babies 2008

In 2008, 292,156 women gave birth to 296,925 babies in Australia. The increase in births continued, with 2,720 more births (0.9%) than reported in 2007. This is the second year that the rate of caesarean section has not significantly increased with a 0.2% rise from 30.9% in 2007 to 31.1% in 2008. The details are contained in the report 'Australia's mothers and babies 2008' (AIHW catalogue number (PER 50))

The Horizon Report 2010 Australia - New Zealand

The Horizon Report Australia - New Zealand is now available. This report is part of the New Media Consortium's Horizon Project, a comprehensive research venture established in 2002 that identifies and describes emerging technologies likely to have a large impact over the coming five years on a variety of sectors around the globe. This volume examines emerging technologies for their potential impact on and use in teaching, learning, and creative enquiry within higher education in Australia and New Zealand over a five-year time period. This is the third in the annual series of reports focused on higher education in the region.

Involvement in Organised Sport and Physical Activity, Australia

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has released a report outlining the involvement of Australians in organised sport or physical activity during the 12 months prior to April 2010. People between the ages of 15 and 24 years had the highest playing participation rate (38%) and overall participation rate (39%) while people aged 35 to 44 had the highest participation rate in non-playing roles (15%). Detailed information from the survey is available from the ABS website (cat. no. 6285.0). It includes the characteristics of persons involved; characteristics of involvement; and comparison over time.

Dental Reports from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has recently released the following dental reports:

• Age and the Costs of Dental Care - Data from the National Dental Telephone Interview Survey 2004-06 and the Longitudinal Study of Dentists' Practice Activity 2003-04 was used to explore the relationship between age and the costs of dental care. Generally, dental costs rise with age until declining in the older age groups (75 years and over). (AIHW catalogue number (DEN 203))


• Trends in Access to Dental Care among Australian adults: in brief - The trends in dental care among Australian dentate (have some natural teeth) adults from 1994-2008 are investigated in this report, drawn from the National Dental Telephone Interview Survey (NDTIS) conducted in 1994, 1996, 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2008. It compares the services received by those eligible for public dentistry and those who are not. (AIHW catalogue number (DEN 205))


• Socioeconomic variation in periodontitis among Australian adults 2004-06 - The prevalence of periodontitis (inflammation of the tissue surrounding teeth) and its variation by socioeconomic status is explored, adjusting for age and sex. Data from the National Survey of Adult Oral Health 2004-06 was used in this report. (AIHW catalogue number (DEN 207))


• Self-rated Oral Health of Adults - Adults were asked to rate their oral health in the 2008 National Dental Telephone Interview Survey (NDTIS) and this report examines their responses by various demographics including age, sex, education and private dental insurance status. (AIHW catalogue number (DEN 206))


• Trends in Access to Dental Care Among Australian Teenagers - The trends in dental care among Australian teenagers from 1994-2008 are investigated in this report, drawn from the National Dental Telephone Interview Survey (NDTIS) conducted in 1994, 1996, 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2008. It compares the services received by those eligible for public dentistry and those who are not. (AIHW catalogue number (DEN 191))

These reports are not available in print. They are available on the Internet only.

National Mental Health Report 2010

The National Mental Health Report 2010, which is the eleventh in the series, presents the latest data on progress made under the National Mental Health Strategy. The report provides a fifteen year view of trends and performance at the national and state and territory levels, over the period scanning the First, Second and Third National Mental Health Plans from 1993 to 2008. Extensive information is presented that describes changes in the resources and structure of mental health services in Australia since the commencement of the strategy. (Department of Health and Ageing)

Health acronyms

Have you ever needed quickly interpret one of those pesky acronyms, so prominent in the health field? Here are some online sites which may be useful to bookmark:

PHC-RIS Acronyms includes over 1000 acronyms related to Australian general practice and primary health care.

Acronyms of Australian Medical-related Organisations has been put together by the Australian Government

Medical Abbreviations Dictionary - from Medilexicon in the US. Has over 200,000 abbreviations and acronyms, including Australian ones.

Patient-centred care report

Patient-centred care: improving quality and safety by focusing care is a discussion paper from the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care.
Based on national and international movements towards patient-centred policies in health care, (and taking into account Australia’s health care system, with its mix of public and private sectors), various recommendations are outlined:

• Patient-centred care should be considered a dimension of quality in its own right.
• Nationally standardised patient survey tools should be implemented
• Patient surveys should include questions specifically addressing patient centred domains
• Performance-based payments should include "improving patient care experience" as an indicator
• Data regarding patient care experience in health services should be made publicly available on the Internet.

Health of Australians with a Disability

The AIHW has released Health of Australians with a Disability : health status and risk factors. This bulletin is the first in a series about health of Australians with disability. It examines how health problems affect health status of people with disability in Australia with a focus on prevalence and age at onset of some significant long term health conditions and relevant health risk factors and behaviours.

Guidelines for doctors using social media

The AMA has just released Social Media and the Medical Profession : A guide to online professionalism for medical practitioners and medical students. A joint initiative of the Australian Medical Association Council of Doctors-in-Training, the New Zealand Medical Association Doctors-in-Training Council, the New Zealand Medical Students’ Association and the Australian Medical Students’ Association, they aim to provide some practical advice to ensure that professional standards are maintained.

"Although doctors and medical students are increasingly participating in online social media, evidence is emerging from studies, legal cases, and media reports that the use of these media can pose risks for medical professionals. Inappropriate online behaviour can potentially damage personal integrity, doctor-patient and doctor-colleague relationships, and future employment opportunities. Our perceptions and regulations regarding professional behaviour must evolve to encompass these new forms of media."

Dementia: a major problem for Indigenous people

Recent research in the Kimberley region suggests that the prevalence rates of dementia among remote and rural Indigenous people could be 4-5 times higher than those in the Australian community more generally. The research focused on the development of an assessment tool, (the Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment tool) in order to identify those Indigenous people who may have dementia. Alzheimers Australia published a paper, Dementia: a major problem for Indigenous people.

To get more information on the KICA tool or download individual parts, go to the Western Australian Centre for Healthy Ageing

Stroke Rehabilitation Audit

Australia has a chronic shortage of specialised stroke rehabilitation services despite the fact that it is the second biggest cause of death and a leading cause of disability, a new report from the National Stroke Foundation has revealed.
Too many stroke survivors are being denied access to the specialised care essential to their recovery and ability to live independently - despite the fact that there are 60,000 strokes occurring in Australia every year, National Stroke Foundation CEO Dr Erin Lalor said.
Download the report here.

Australian National Preventive Health Agency Bill 2010

The agency will lead Australia’s fight against preventable diseases through campaigns targeting obesity, along with alcohol, tobacco and other substance abuse. Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon said the agency will be critical in combating preventable diseases, which affects the lives of millions of Australians.
As part of the Gillard Government’s record $872.1 million commitment over six years towards the National Partnership Agreement on Preventive Health, the Agency will bring together some of the best expertise in Australia to gather, analyse and disseminate the latest evidence on ways to prevent chronic disease.
At present:
* Potentially avoidable diseases account for around 20 per cent of Australia’s total health care expenditure.
* More than 60 per cent of Australians aged over 18 are overweight or obese.
* More than 813,000 Australians aged 15 years and older were hospitalised for alcohol-related injury and disease between 1996 and 2005.
* Smoking kills about 15,000 Australians each year and costs Australia $31.5 billion each year.
Read or download the full Bill here.

Use of health services for arthritis and osteoporosis

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has released a new report on the use of health services for arthritis and osteoporosis. There is considerable variation in the type and extent of health services used and actions taken to manage the three conditions. While the management of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis is primarily focused on reducing pain and slowing down disease progression, the focus in the case of osteoporosis is largely on containing its role as a risk factor for fractures and other associated complications.
Download the report here.

Glaucoma Guidelines

NHMRC has released the Guidelines for the Screening, Prognosis, Diagnosis, Management and Prevention of Glaucoma . Glaucoma is a chronic degenerative health problem and a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. The Guidelines provide Australian health professionals with current best evidence and clear recommendations for the screening, prognosis, diagnosis, management and prevention of glaucoma. The Guidelines can be found on the NHMRC website.

Australian hospital statistics 2009-10: emergency department care and elective surgery waiting times

Australian hospital statistics 2009-10: emergency department care and elective surgery waiting times presents information relating to emergency department care in major public hospitals and public hospital elective surgery waiting times for the period 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010. In 2009-10: almost 6 million emergency department presentations were provided by major public hospitals, with 70% of patients receiving treatment within an appropriate time for their urgency (triage category); about 610,000 patients were admitted to Australian public hospitals from waiting lists for elective surgery, with 50% of patients admitted within 36 days.
Click on the link to view the media release and report.

Breast Cancer 2010

The Report to the Nation - Breast Cancer 2010 provides a snapshot of the most up-to-date information on incidence, mortality and survival for breast cancer in Australia.
Download the report here and access other resources from the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre.

Weight loss surgery in Australia

The number of hospitalisations for weight loss surgery has increased dramatically over the past decade, rising from about 500 in 1998 to 17,000 in 2007-08, according to a report released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) and funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).
The report, Weight loss surgery in Australia, shows that between 1998-99 and 2007-08 the number of hospital admissions for weight loss surgery increased by an average of 54% per year, while the total number of all hospital admissions increased on average by less than 4% per year over the same period.

Quality of life and hip fracture.

Even relatively healthy elderly people do not regain their former quality of life within two years after a low-energy hip fracture, according to a study from Norway. The likelihood of a full recovery reduces with increasing age—all of which emphasizes the importance of prevention.
The full article is available for free.

Patient safety during surgery

Paul Barach trained as an anaesthetist and intensive care specialist at Harvard Medical School and has a strong international track record in his research on making health care safer. He now works in Australia and talked with Norman Swan on the ABC Health Report about his presentation at the Women's and Children's Hospital Conference. Paul said, "Health care is not designed for teams. We select, we reward, we incentivise people to work as individuals and then we throw them together in teams. And so unless and until we change the incentive structure and give them the feedback as a team, it's very difficult for them to achieve what I believe can be more sustainable improved results."
Paul believes if you can get the staff to think of themselves as a team and allocate time for debriefing after difficult procedures, "then they're actually able to reflect on their work, learn on the work and grow a greater respect for their colleagues."
To read the transcript of this very interesting interview click here.

The coding workforce shortfall

Concern about the shortfall in the clinical coding workforce in Australia has been raised in a number of national forums. This report quantifies the scope of the existing shortfall, provides some projections of future numbers required to cover increasing demands, and provides a consolidated set of recommendations to address the issues identified. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has published this new report today and it can be downloaded in full here.

Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses

Read these articles and others, as chosen by Editor-in-Chief Alan Hampson, from 'Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses' free until the end of 2010.
*Pandemic influenza vaccines: meeting the supply, distribution and deployment challenges;
*Confronting the next influenza pandemic with anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory agents: why they are needed and how they might work.
See the full list of free articles here.

Injury of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People Due to Transport

A report "Injury of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people due to transport, 2003-04 to 2007-08" was released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare on 11th November 2010. Land transport accidents accounted for 20% of fatal injury cases and 8% of all injury hospitalisations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Based on age-standardised rates, there were 2.7 times more fatalities and 20% more serious injury among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people compared to other Australians. (AIHW catalogue number (INJCAT 134))

Community Based Aged Care in a Remote Australian Indigenous Setting

An article "Culture at the centre of community based aged care in a remote Australian Indigenous setting: a case study of the development of Yuendumu Old People's Programme" was published in Rural and Remote Health on 26th October 2010. The Warlpiri Aboriginal community in Central Australia wanted to bring their old people home from distant nursing homes. The subsequent development of the Yuendumu Old Peoples Programme and its Family Model of Care shows how this was achieved - and so much more. When government and community worked together respectfully, the power of the traditional system of care based on Law, kinship and 'country' transformed the everyday setting of community based Indigenous aged care - and the final years of many older people. (NRHA e-forum 15 November)

Rural Physiotherapists and Specialist Paediatric Caseloads

An article "Self-efficacy beliefs and confidence of rural physiotherapists to undertake specialist paediatric caseloads: a paediatric example" was published 1st November 2010 in the journal Rural and Remote Health. When patient needs require rural generalists to venture into specialist areas, professional and ethical issues are raised. This study conducted in Queensland, Australia, reports on a survey of rural physiotherapists who have also provided patient care in the specialist field of paediatrics. The findings raise important questions about the nature of rural and remote practice and its impact on the confidence of generalist health professionals, and also rural patients requiring specialist care. (NRHA e-forum 15 November)

Re-issuing of the Joint Statement on vitamin K

The NHMRC has re-issued the Joint statement and recommendations on vitamin K administration to newborn infants to prevent vitamin K deficiency bleeding in infancy. Vitamin K is administered to newborns to prevent vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB). The NHMRC also has available for free download a patient information sheet called "Vitamin K for newborn babies - Information for Parents" which provides straight forward information and advice on the importance of all newborn babies to receiving vitamin K. The document outlines the options for the route of administration of vitamin K and also advises whom parents should contact if they require additional information and guidance.
Download both publications here.

Why junior doctors don't want to become general practitioners

A number of studies suggest there is an over-supply of specialists and an under-supply of GPs in many developed countries. This paper looks at what incentives might help policymakers to address the unbalanced supply of doctors across specialties. It presents results from a discrete-choice experiment completed by a sample of 532 junior doctors in 2008 before they choose a specialty training program.
This paper is written by Peter Sivey, Anthony Scott, Julia Witt, Catherine Joyce and John Humphreys.

Who works beyond the 'standard' retirement age and why?

With life expectancy increasing, and changes to public policy aimed at encouraging older workers to stay in the workforce, the conditions under which people decide to retire have changed in recent years. This report describes the characteristics of those who continue to work beyond the age of 65. The findings show that two groups of workers, in terms of their educational qualifications, are more likely to remain working—the most and least educated—while labour force participation of those with vocational qualifications declines.
Download the report here.

Making Australia Happy

The ABC is airing a three part documentary starting on Monday, 15 November called Get Happy. The series follows the happiness levels of eight "unhappy" people who are encouraged to try to improve their happiness by undertaking various research-based activities. The questions of why some people are perpetually happy while others are not, and whether it is love, money, good looks or good genes that make the difference are addressed. Or is happiness really all in the mind?

In conjunction with the TV program is the ABC's Making Australia Happy website, where you can take the happiness test and participate in various activities to make yourself happier.

Communications Handbook for Clinical Trials

Communications Handbook for Clinical Trials : strategies, tips, and tools to manage controversy, convey your message, and disseminate results, published by Family Health International and authored by Elizabeth T. Robinson et al., is available freely online. Download individual chapters or the whole book. The blurb reads:

"This handbook provides practical guidance to clinical trial staff and research partners on how to anticipate and respond to the special communications challenges posed by the conduct of clinical research. Using context-specific case studies and practical insights culled from actual communications experience in clinical trials from around the world, this essential new resource covers the spectrum of communications planning, activities, and strategies involved in the implementation of a clinical trial. Organized to correspond to the chronological steps involved in conducting research, this guide focuses on the various communications skills that are needed throughout the course of a trial. It contains diagnostic tools, sample templates, and materials that research sites can adapt for use in their communications planning and implementation."

Births, Australia, 2009

A new publication issued by the Australian Bureau of Statistics this week is "Births, Australia 2009." This publication contains statistics for births and fertility in Australia, states and territories, and sub-state regions, based on calendar year of registration data. It also has information on characteristics of the child including place of usual residence, sex, Indigenous status, and age, martial status and country of birth of parents.

Psychosocial Support in Disasters

Minister for Mental Health and Ageing Mark Butler launched a new web portal designed to assist health professionals to provide psychosocial support in disasters. The Psychosocial Support in Disasters web portal will act as a central access point to vital information, helping those in disaster-prone areas to prepare psychologically, providing practical support during the emergency, and providing social, emotional and psychological support during the recovery period. The web portal is a joint initiative of the Australian Psychological Society, the Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, Occupational Therapy Australia, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, the Australian Association of Social Workers, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and General Practice Victoria. Go to the Psychosocial Support in Disasters site here.

Finding the words - starting a conversation when your cancer has progressed

A new brochure "Finding the words - starting a conversation when your cancer has progressed" has been produced by the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre (NBOCC), a national coordination centre funded by the Australian government to improve breast cancer outcomes through the translation of research evidence into policy and practice. The booklet is designed to help women with secondary cancer talk about how palliative care might help them to live as well as possible when their cancer has spread.This booklet highlights that palliative care is not just about end of life treatment but about helping relieve symptoms and improve day to day life for cancer sufferers. NBOCC resources are available free of charge within Australia.

Clean hearts - keeping little hearts infection free

Kids who need cardiothoracic surgery can be at risk of infection at the surgical site. At The Children's Hospital at Westmead, anaesthetists, cardiac surgeons, nursing staff, the Microbiology department and Pharmacy have worked together to improve their already high standard of patient care. Their work has been recognised, winning a major award in clinical excellence and improvement in patient safety at the 2010 NSW Health Baxter Awards. See the winning presentation here.

Specialized Information Services

The new version of the site Specialized Information Services, part of the National Library of Medicine, has streamlined their information content and has made SIS resources easier to access. The new home page links to NLM online resources and programs in toxicology, environmental health, hazardous chemicals, HIV/AIDS and disaster information management including a "Search Our Resources" feature that searches all SIS Web pages simultaneously. To go directly to the TOXNET site, click on the following : http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/

Kidney disease tipped to triple

A REPORT from Kidney Health Australia (KHA) predicts that treating serious kidney disease will cost the health system $12 billion over the next decade. KHA is forecasting the number of people needing treatment for serious kidney disease will triple to 30 000 by 2020. It says the key to bringing down the huge cost is for more people to undergo dialysis at home, saving the health system about $30 000 a year per patient. Dr Tim Mathew, medical director of KHA, says home dialysis is likely to prolong patients’ lives.

Download the full report, "The Economic Impact of End-Stage Kidney Disease in Australia - Projections to 2020 " here.

Pharmaceutical companies and Physician prescribing

In their article, "Information from Pharmaceutical Companies and the Quality, Quantity, and Cost of Physicians' Prescribing: A Systematic Review", PLoS Med. 7(10), 2010, Geoffrey Spurling and colleagues report findings of a systematic review looking at the relationship between exposure to promotional material from pharmaceutical companies and the quality, quantity, and cost of prescribing. They fail to find evidence of improvements in prescribing after exposure, and find some evidence of an association with higher prescribing frequency, higher costs, or lower prescribing quality.

The ABC also covered this story in this week's Health Report. Compere Norman Swan interviewed Geoffrey Spurling about his findings, and you can find the transcript or podcast here. Spurling concludes, "we recommended that doctors follow a precautionary principle and avoid information from pharmaceutical sales representatives unless evidence of benefit emerges. In fact ... the findings support the case for reforms to reduce the negative influence to prescribing from pharmaceutical promotion."

Health and welfare of Aborigines 2010

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has released a comprehensive statistical overview, The health and welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Oct 2010 . Here you can find the latest analysis and results from key national statistical collections, the aim from the ABS being to present comprehensive analysis on a more frequent basis. "Information presented will be regularly updated as new source data becomes available, and the range of topics covered will be expanded as new analysis is incorporated."
Key findings so far:

• The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population comprises around 2.5% of the Australian population and is relatively young.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians have lower life expectancy than non-Indigenous Australians.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language and culture is being maintained.
• Socioeconomic outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians continue to improve, but remain below those for non-Indigenous Australians.

Use of Mass Media Campaigns to Change Health Behaviour

"The Use of Media Campaigns to Change Health Behaviour" is a recent article in The Lancet. The authors look at the use of mass media campaings to expose populations passively to health information. They discuss the outcomes in the context of various health-risk behavious such as the use of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs, heart disease risk factors, sex-related behaviours, road safety, cancer screening and preventino, and organ or blood donation. They analyse what makes the campaigns work, having concluded that they "can produce positive changes or prevent negative changes in health-related behaviours across large populations", and also suggest areas for future improvement.

This article is available through CIAP or by contacting your hospital library. Lancet
Volume 376, Issue 9748 pages 1261-71, 9 October 2010.

Improving stroke therapy

A study in the latest Medical Journal of Australia by Marion Simpson et al, is called, Thrombolysis for acute stroke in Australia: outcomes from the Safe Implementation of Thrombolysis in Stroke registry (2002-2008). (Medical Journal of Australia 2010;193;7:439-443).

Thrombolysis for acute stroke with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) is increasingly being used in metropolitan and regional hospitals. Randomised controlled trials have shown that rt-PA given within 3 hours of onset of stroke symptoms improves outcome with reduced disability at 3 months, "albeit with a small risk of serious harm, usually related to intracranial haemorrhage." This study compared Australian outcomes with those overseas and found that they are similar to those worldwide.

This week's Health Report on ABC's Radio National included an interview with one of the authors of the MJA paper, Chris Levi. His concern was that this treatment is "very effective but not available to all Australians as It's still only around 5% of stroke patients that come to our major metropolitan and major rural hospitals that are receiving tPA out of approximately 30% that would be eligible". He says the barriers are the workforce and training capabilities of our system.

The Economics of childhood obesity

The Productivity Commission has published a report, Childhood obesity : an economic perspective. The weight of Australian children has increased markedly in recent decades, to the point where around 8 per cent are defined as obese (based on Body Mass Index), and 17 per cent as overweight. The problem has been linked to a raft of physical and psychosocial health problems, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, as well as social stigmatisation and low self-esteem.

This report indicates that there is only limited evidence of interventions designed to address childhood obesity achieving their goals. The authors suggest that the issue childhood obesity is complex and that policies need to be carefully designed to maximise cost-effectiveness, with a focus on evidence gathering, information sharing, evaluation and consequent policy modification.

Digestive Diseases information

The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse is a service of the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH. It provides a large number of plain language resources on digestive diseases, including a special section on coeliac disease. There are fact and information sheets, links, statistics, reviews of clinical trials and practice guidelines. There are also links here to their other equally useful clearinghouse sites on Diabetes, Endocrine & Metabolic Diseases, Haematologic Diseases and Kidney & Urologic Diseases.

Trauma and Resilience: Mind, Body, and Spirit

Dr. Maria Mouratidis, a Bethesda Naval Medical Center expert on traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), spoke on "Trauma and Resilience: Mind, Body, and Spirit," at the National Library of Medicine. NLM has made this informative lecture and discussion available. You may watch a streaming version of the video at your computer or download it for viewing later. A full transcript is also available.

Access to and uptake of adult health services and outcomes for young people with type 1 diabetes in regional New South Wales

The Medical Journal of Australia recently published an article discussing young people with diabetes and their transition to adult diabetes care in both regional and city areas. Inadequate routine specialist care, poor diabetes self-management and frequent use of acute services for crisis management, particularly in regional areas, suggest service redesign is needed to encourage young people’s engagement. Read the full article here.

No quick fix: three essays on the future of the Australian public hospital system

Until the mid-1980s, Australian public hospitals were managed by their own boards of directors. When hospital boards were abolished, state governments established centralised health bureaucracies to administer hospitals and other health services within designated regions, such as the eight ‘area health services’ in New South Wales. Describing the negative impact the bureaucratisation of the hospital system has had on staff and patients in the last 30 years, these essays argue for the reestablishment of local hospital boards. The three essays are:
1. Radical Surgery: The Only Cure for Public Hospitals
2. An Insider’s Perspective on Hospital Administration
3. Why Public Hospitals Are Overcrowded: Key Points for Policymakers
Read the documents here.

RACGP Standards for General Practice - New Edition

The RACGP Standards for General Practice 4th edition were officially launched at GP10, the RACGP annual conference, in October 2010. The 4th edition of the Standards represents a template for quality and risk management in contemporary general practice. The review process included a separate e-health standards working group to review all the standards and their alignment with national e-health initiatives (patient, provider and organisation healthcare identifiers, and electronic health records) and best practice.

Guide for Using Statistics for Evidence Based Policy

There is an increasing emphasis within Australia, and internationally, on the importance of using good statistical information when making policy decisions. The 'Guide for Using Statistics for Evidence Based Policy' provides an overview of how data can be used to make well informed policy decisions and includes the following information:

• What is evidence based decision making?


• How good statistics can enhance the decision making process


• Using statistics for making evidence based decisions


• Data awareness


• Understanding statistical concepts


• Analysing and evaluating statistical information


• Communicating statistical findings


• Evaluating policy outcomes

(From: Australian Bureau of Statistics 20 October 2010)

Workers with Mental Illness: a Practical Guide for Managers

The Australian Human Rights Commission has produced a guide Workers with mental illness: a practical guide for managers. The guide aims to help managers better understand mental illness, develop strategies that assist workers with a mental illness and ensure that their workplaces are healthy and productive," President Branson said. "We developed this guide because research conducted by the Australian Human Rights Commission showed that managers want to provide support to staff members who live with a mental illness, but often lack the confidence or skills to do so," said President Branson.
The guide has been released after extensive consultation with the business community, trades unions, disability organisations, workplace safety bodies and employers. "During any year, approximately one in five Australian adults will experience a mental illness. It is our hope that this guide will assist managers to understanding their legal obligations while developing strategies that support their staff and reduce the incidence of illness in the workplace," said President Branson.
The guide has been endorsed by the Fair Work Ombudsman, beyondblue: the national depression initiative, SANE Australia, the Mental Health Council of Australia, and supported by Safe Work Australia.

Heart failure and palliative care

Heart failure is the only cardiac disease which is increasing in prevalence. Despite continuing improvements in treatment which can prolong and improve the lives of heart failure patients, it remains a terminal condition with a heavy burden of symptoms, especially in the advanced stages.
CareSearch is an online resource of palliative care information and evidence. It has recently introduced a new set of Clinical Practice pages providing a summary of the systematic review level evidence for heart failure in a palliative care context.
Access the information here.

Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare (2010)

There are around 200,000 healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in Australian acute healthcare facilities each year. This makes HAIs the most common complication affecting patients in hospital. As well as causing unnecessary pain and suffering for patients and their families, these adverse events prolong hospital stays and are costly to the health system.

NHMRC’s Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare (2010) are now available on the NHMRC website.
The Guidelines support the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare’s work in preventing healthcare associated infections.

Internet Addiction

Internet addiction appears to be a relatively common behavioural addiction, the prevalence of which has been estimated to range from 1% to approximately 14%. A study supported by the Beijing Municipal Natural Science Foundation has formulated a list of proposed diagnostic criteria for internet addiction. The article, published in the journal Addiction is available here.

Database of Genomic Structural Variations

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced the launch of a new resource, called the Database of Genomic Structural Variation, or dbVar, to help scientists understand how differences in DNA contribute to human health and disease.
The database will help track large-scale variations in DNA discovered in healthy individuals as well as those affected with disorders such as autism and cancer.
The database can be accessed here.

Critical Care in the Intensive Care Unit

This weeks Lancet has a number of excellent review articles relating to critical care. You can access these articles through the Online Journal list on CIAP or check with your Librarian.

Critical care and the global burden of critical illness in adults
Ethics and end-of-life care for adults in the intensive care unit
Critical care: advances and future perspectives

Rural Mental Health Workforce Difficulties

The recruitment, retention and training of mental health workers is of major concern in rural Australia. A study has recently been conducted to look at this issue from the perspective of managers of rural mental health services. "Rural mental health workforce difficulties: a management perspective" is published in the Rural and Remote Health Journal. The information provided by this research complements studies of the clinicians themselves, and so offers a unique contribution to achieving a sustainable and effective rural mental health workforce.

Psychosocial Support in Disasters Web Portal

The Minister for Mental Health and Ageing Mark Butler has launched a new web portal designed to assist health professionals to provide psychosocial support in disasters. The web portal will assist in the areas of preparation, support, and recovery for individuals and communities affected by disaster, like the Black Saturday bushfires.



The Psychosocial Support in Disasters web portal will act as a central access point to vital information, helping those in disaster-prone areas to prepare psychologically, providing practical support during the emergency, and providing social, emotional and psychological support during the recovery period. There is also a section with information for the general public.

The web portal is a joint initiative of the Australian Psychological Society, the Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, Occupational Therapy Australia, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, the Australian Association of Social Workers, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and General Practice Victoria.

A Snapshot of Arthritis in Australia 2010

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has released a new report : A snapshot of arthritis in Australia 2010. This report brings together the latest data on arthritis in Australia. The purpose of the snapshot is to provide the latest statistical information in a timely and efficient manner. (AIHW catalogue number (PHE 126))

Medical and Nursing Workforce Reports 2008

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has released two new reports:

Nursing and midwifery labour force 2008 - In 2008 the total number of registered and enrolled nurses estimated by the Nursing and Midwifery Labour Force Survey was 312,736, an increase of 10.6% since 2004. The nursing workforce continued to age between 1997 and 2008; the proportion of nurses aged 50 years or over increased from 18.9% to 34.4%. The number of full time equivalent nurses per 100,000 population increased by 15.2 % between 2004 and 2008, and the profession continued to be predominantly female, with females comprising 91% of employed nurses in 2008. (AIHW catalogue number (AUS 130)

Medical labour force 2008 - The supply of employed medical practitioners increased between 2004 and 2008, from 283 to 304 full-time equivalent practitioners per 100,000 population. The increase reflected a 20.5% rise in practitioner numbers. The gender balance continued to shift, with women making up 35% of practitioners in 2008 compared to 33% in 2004. The average hours worked by male practitioners declined from 47.1 to 45.4 hours, while hours worked by female practitioners changed marginally from 37.6 to 37.7 hours. (AIHW catalogue number (AUS 131)

Stroke education for health professionals

The e-Stroke Australia site, developed by the Victorian Stroke Clinical Network, the Stroke Society of Australasia and the Victorian Government, provides continuing education on stroke for health professionals. It "has been developed primarily for junior doctors but should be accessible to any clinician working with stroke patients."

A wide range of e-learning modules are available including stroke prevention, pathophysiology, transient ischaemic attack, CT interpretation, medication and surgery. Registration for these is free and there are also lots of useful links to other stroke-related sites.

NSW Suicide Prevention Strategy

The NSW Department of Health has released The NSW Suicide Prevention Strategy 2010-2015, setting out its direction and intended outcomes for suicide prevention over the next five years.

The six priority areas identified in the strategy were:
1. Improving the evidence base and understanding of suicide prevention
2. Building individual resilience and the capacity for self help
3. Improving community strength, resilience and capacity in suicide prevention
4. Taking a coordinated approach to suicide prevention
5. Providing targeted suicide prevention activities
6. Implementing standards and quality in suicide prevention

College of Nursing postgraduate courses 2011

A PDF of the College’s 2011 “Postgraduate Studies 2011 - graduate certificate courses and distance education subjects” is now on the web at: http://www.nursing.edu.au/pdf/2011_Handbook_Web_140910.pdf

With national registration of nurses having started from July 2010, nurses Australia-wide are now required to undertake a minimum of 20 hours continuing professional development each year to meet the annual registration standards. Most College courses will assist in meeting this requirement.

More information about national registration can be found at the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia’s Website.

Measuring the Metropolitan-Rural Inequity

The National Rural Health Alliance (NRHA) has released a new five-page report from the NRHA detailing some of the metropolitan-rural inequities that justify special regional investments by the new Gillard Government. The report covers differences in life expectancy, access to health professionals, health status and risk factors, cancer survival rates, education and educational outcomes, and communications, among others.

Prevention and cost effectiveness

Assessing Cost Effectiveness in Prevention is the report of a major study published this week by the Public Health Association of Australia. There is a need to ensure our scarce health resources are directed to where they can be most effective - particularly for those with the poorest health outcomes. This five-year study, funded by the NHMRC, and run under the auspices of the Centre for Burden of Disease and Cost-Effectiveness at the University of Queensland and Deakin Health Economics at Deakin University, is a comprehensive analysis of the value of many health advancement strategies to address the burden of preventable death and disease in Australia.

The report evaluated the cost-effectiveness of 150 preventive health interventions in areas such as mental health, diabetes, tobacco use, alcohol use, nutrition, body weight, physical activity, blood pressure, blood cholesterol and bone mineral density. The interventions which have the largest impact were considered to be the taxation of tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy foods, a mandatory limit in salt in bread, cereals and margarine, choosing the most cost-effective, generic drugs for blood pressure and cholesterol lowering, gastric banding for severe obesity and an intensive SunSmart campaign.

Expenditure on Health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People 2006-07

Health expenditure patterns, and the ratios between Indigenous and non-indigenous expenditure, vary by remoteness and by the type of health expenditure. This is the subject of a report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) "Expenditure on health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 2006-07 : an analysis by remoteness and disease". For example, Medicare Benefits Schedule expenditure was lower for Indigenous Australians and decreased with remoteness, but the level of disparity actually decreased with remoteness, from a ratio of 0.58 in major cities to 0.77 in remote areas. (AIHW catalogue number (HWE49))

Blood lead levels for Australians

Lead continues to be a health issue for children in Mt Isa, Queensland and Port Pirie, SA. The National Health and Medical Research Council's Public Statement on Blood Lead Levels for Australians provides helpful information on when lead exposure, reflected in blood lead levels, becomes of concern and recommends ways to reduce the risks of lead exposure.

The Future of Aged Care in Australia

Providing for quality care in later life is a key concern of Australians as they age. National Seniors Australia has commissioned a report from Access Economics on the future of aged care in Australia. The report covers current issues in aged care such as quality of care, infrastructure requirements and alternative models of funding.

Download the report here.

Evaluating Programs- Resource Sheet

The Australian Institute of Family Studies has published a new fact sheet which can help ensure that programs and services are effective and of high quality. The Resource Sheet is aimed at providing program practitioners and providers with a range of resources relating to conducting program or practice evaluation. The resources have primarily been selected for their suitability for use by practitioners with little or no experience of conducting evaluations. While some of these resources have been prepared for use in disciplines outside of the communities and families sector, they have been included here because they are applicable to providers and practitioners across a range of sectors.

Dementia Risk Reduction

Dementia has a significant impact on our health care system and this is set to increase. In Australia and worldwide, the prevalence of dementia is expected to rise rapidly as the population ages. By 2050, there is predicted to be well over 100 million people living with a diagnosis of dementia. However, a number of modifiable risk factors have consistently been shown to be associated with dementia. There is converging evidence that mental stimulation, social engagement, healthy eating, exercise and prevention or treatment of cardiovascular risk factors may reduce the risk of developing dementia.
This paper not only highlights the need to raise awareness that it is possible to reduce the risk of dementia and also the need to educate Australians about the link between cardiovascular risk factors and an increased risk of dementia.

Revised National Mental Health Standards 2010

The Australian Health Ministers' Council (AHMC) endorsed the revised National Mental Health Standards on 16th September 2010. The standards are available to guide quality care provision across Australia's mental health services. The focus of the original standards released in 1996 was primarily to raise the quality of Australia's acute mental health services. The focus of the revised standards has changed significantly with a large proportion of services now provided in the community, an expansion of non-government and private services and an increased focus on primary mental health care, according to the Chair of AHMC, Minister Hill. To support the broader focus directed towards the non-government sector, public and private services and private office based services, guidelines are being developed to support implementation of the National Standards into practice.

IPART Costs and Outcomes Study

The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) has released a report examining opportunities to improve efficiency and identify best practice in the NSW health system. The "Costs and Outcomes Study" looks at the pressures on the health system including such factors as the increasing costs of medical technology and rising rates of chronic disease. In order to continue to deliver safe quality patient care it is vital that the NSW health system is sustainable and every dollar is used wisely. The report is available on the IPART website http://www.ipart.nsw.gov.au/

Is Life in Australia Getting Better?

The publication 'Measures of Australia's Progress, 2010' is designed to help Australians address the question, 'Is life in Australia getting better?' Measures of Australia's Progress (MAP) provides a selection of statistical evidence in answer to this question. Broad areas covered include health, population, society, economics, and the environment.

Healing Services for Indigenous People

The strategy of promoting and funding a diverse range of Indigenous-centric services, to help "heal" the social and emotional legacy of colonisation, is gaining ground internationally, and has proven effective in Canada. This paper provides an overview of the literature regarding the emergence of a movement to effect therapeutic healing in Indigenous Australia and the diverse range of practices, including traditional healing practices, this term encompasses.

Alcohol awareness study 2010

The Salvation Army’s annual Alcohol Awareness campaign looks this year at why people drink alcohol, have they tried to reduce the amount they are drinking and if they’ve been unsuccessful in that effort, why? New Roy Morgan Research released by The Salvation Army on Monday, 13 September, concludes the consumption and misuse of alcohol remain major elements of the Australian way of life, however it does have some good news. The research also shows that in the past year 26.5% (approximately 4.8 million people) have deliberately cut down on the amount of alcohol they were drinking at the one time. Nearly 28% (approximately 5 million people) deliberately went without alcohol for a week. Read the full report here.

Investing in children's development: The importance of early relationships

Recent research into brain development in young children has highlighted the importance of secure and supportive relationships for children’s healthy development. This paper outlines why it is so important for families, workers and communities to support children’s early development through warm, nurturing care, particularly for children living in families and communities that are under stress because of poverty, violence and discrimination. Read the full text here.

Revised U.K. guidelines for the management of cutaneous melanoma 2010

These guidelines for the management of cutaneous melanoma present evidence-based guidance for treatment, with identification of the strength of evidence available at the time of preparation of the guidelines, and a brief overview of epidemiology, diagnosis, investigation and follow up. Available to download here.
Wiley Online Library has also made free online the Guidelines for management of atopic dermatitis.

National Palliative Care Performance Indicators

National palliative care performance indicators: results of the 2008 performance indicator data collection presents the findings of the fourth national collection of data from Australia's palliative care sector. The information collected provides information on the extent to which palliative care agencies have met the four national performance indicators that were developed based on the goals and objectives of the National Palliative Care Strategy. The report also presents information on changes to performance (as measured by these performance indicators) that have occurred between the 2008 survey and previous surveys. (AIHW catalogue number (HWI 106))

Incidence of Type 1 Diabetes in Australian Children 2000-2008

Type 1 diabetes is a serious, life-long disease which causes a major health, social and economic burden for individuals with the disease, their families and the community. There were over 8,000 new cases of Type 1 diabetes diagnosed in Australian children between 2000-2008, an average of two new cases every day. But, while the rate of new cases increased significantly over the first part of the decade (2000-2004), there has been little change since 2005. Incidence of Type 1 diabetes in Australian children 2000-2008 presents the latest available national data on new cases of Type 1 diabetes for children from Australia'a National Diabetes Register. (AIHW catalogue number (CVD 51))

When Musculoskeletal Conditions and Mental Disorders Occur Together

The disability and chronic pain due to many musculoskeletal conditions may underlie the development or exacerbation of a variety of mental disorders. This Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) report maps the extent of their relationship in the Australian population.

Cost effectiveness of complementary medicines

The National Institute of Complementary Medicine (NICM) commissioned Access Economics to undertake a cost effectiveness analyses of a number of complementary medicine interventions.A Reference Group selected five interventions, based on criteria including burden of disease and quality of evidence. These were:

■ acupuncture for chronic low back pain
■ St John’s wort for depression
■ fish oils for prevention of heart disease
■ fish oils for rheumatoid arthritis
■ Phytodolor for osteoarthritis

The study found that the first 4 of these were extremely cost-effective, with huge potential savings to the nation's medical costs. Read the whole report here.

There has since been much media interest in the report. Frances Gilham on the ABC's Drum Unleashed says the report was fairly and accurately compiled, but headline grabbing has distorted its findings. "Does it show that complementary medicines definitely save the Australian Government millions of dollars if used alongside, or instead of mainstream treatments? Not really. What was not widely reported in the media was that not all the complementary medicines looked at were in fact, cost-effective."

Rural health inequalities

Measuring the metropolitan-rural inequity is a report recently published by the National Rural Health Alliance. Given the recent exposure this inequality has received due to the complications of our recent Federal election, this is most timely. It details some of the rural-metropolitan inequities the Alliance sees as justifying special regional investments by the new Gillard Government, such as differences in life expectancy, access to health professionals, health status and risk factors, cancer survival rates, education and educational outcomes, and communications.

The NRHA's website is also a good place to look for all things related to rural health. They publish the Australian Journal of Rural Health, have useful factsheets and other publications, media releases, conference listings, links to databases and other sites, and all the latest news.

Assisted Reproductive Technology in Australia and New Zealand 2008

In 2008, there were 61,929 assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment cycles undertaken in Australia and New Zealand. Of these cycles, 17.2% resulted in a live delivery (the birth of at least one liveborn baby). In total, 11,528 liveborn babies were born following ART treatment undertaken in 2008. The most important trend in ART treatment has been the increase of single embryo transfer, from 40.5% in 2004 to 67.8% in 2008. This trend has resulted in significant reduction of multiple delivery rate, from 16.4% in 2004 to 8.4% in 2008. This report has been produced by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW catalogue number (PER 49))

Radio this weekend: The philosophy of schizophrenia and bike helmet laws

Tune into ABC Radio National's All in the Mind at 1 pm on Saturday 18th or Monday 20th September, to hear Schizophrenia: Personal confrontations and a philosophical investigation with Philosopher, poet, writer and schizophrenia sufferer, Dr Paul Fearne, in a fascinating discussion on the philosophical aspects of this condition. The transcript is already available at the website, and after Monday you should be able to also download a podcast.

Also on Radio National this weekend, Background Briefing on Sunday at 9 am provides an in-depth look at the controversy of The Bicycle Helmet Laws - pros and cons, who is for and who is against and why. This follows on our post of 25 August, reporting on a University of Sydney study on the effects of the laws in Australia.

What's the best way to find the information you need on CIAP?

CIAP (Clinical Information Access Program) trainers will be visiting through the NCAHS area in September holding informative CIAP overview sessions.

Sessions will be held in:

TWEED - Monday 27th September - Contact Library 07 5506 7724

LISMORE - Tuesday 28th September - Contact Library 02 6620 2447

GRAFTON - Wednesday 29th September - Contact Library 02 6640 2482

COFFS - Thursday 30th September - Contact Library 02 6656 7161

For more information and bookings please contact the Library staff

Come by and see what CIAP has to offer!

PLEASE NOTE: Training will be held in November in Port Macquarie and Kempsey, Contact Library Staff on 02 6580 1136 for further information.

Bowel Cancer: early detection is vital

Bowel cancer is our second biggest cancer killer, but if it's detected early your survival odds are good. So what's the best way to catch it early?
It is possible that other factors, such as age and medical history, are better predictors of bowel cancer risk than any of the symptoms normally associated with bowel cancer. This item in the ABC Health and Wellbeing 'Pulse' talks about screening, symptoms and colonoscopy. It also links to some other great information sources such as:
Bowel cancer screening - The Health Report - 26/07/2010
Bowel Cancer Australia
Australian Bowel Cancer Screening Program
Fact file: Bowel cancer

Hospital Separations Due to Injury and Poisoning, Australia 2005-06

The report, by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, "Hospital separations due to injury and poisoning, Australia 2005-06" provides statistics on hospitalised cases of injury in Australia in 2005 - 2006. In that year: more than 370,000 cases of hospitalised injury occurred in the community. These comprised 5.5% of episodes in hospital due to all causes. Accidental falls (36%), transport crashes (14%), assault (6%) and intential self harm (6%) were the main causes of injury. AIHW catalogue number (INJCAT131)

'Medical Care and Quality of LIfe': Spiritual Care for Patients with Advanced Cancer

Spiritual care is seldom part of end of life care for patients in the United States, despite the fact that it has been incorporated into American palliative care guidelines. This week, Michael Bouwman talks with Dr Tracy Balboni, who says the reason for this is a lack of education and training. She has found that even practitioners who are aware of the spiritual components of illness, and wish to provide spiritual care, find it difficult to sensitively acknowledge the spiritual needs of their patients. Dr Balboni says that as well as understanding the importance of spiritual factors, practitioners need to be trained in taking spiritual histories, assessing for spiritual needs and working as part of a multi-disciplinary team that meets these needs. Dr Balboni stresses that spiritual care has been shown to improve quality of life for dying patients, and can be particularly helpful for patients who are unable to find acceptance and peace at the end of life, or believe that their religion requires them to continue to opt for aggressive treatments.
To download, read or listen to the podcast click here.