No abstract available.
Australia* ; Education* ; Fellowships and Scholarships*

Australia ; Humans ; Registries ; Twins

Accreditation ; Australia ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods

Whilst global asthma mortality seems to be decreasing, childhood asthma incidence is rising, and early warnings from Australia show an increase in asthma-related deaths in under-15s; this article considers whether we should view the future impact of asthma with trepidation. Age-adjusted mortality statistics for asthma have been reevaluated to provide an international standard. Comparisons across regions and time are complex, yet over the last two decades asthma mortality has clearly decreased, coinciding with a significant change in asthma management. The majority of remaining asthma deaths are preventable.
Asthma ; Australia ; Child ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mortality

OBJECTIVES: To explore alcohol perceptions and their association hazardous alcohol use in the populations of Alberta, Canada and Queensland, Australia. METHODS: Data from 2500 participants of the 2013 Alberta Survey and the 2013 Queensland Social Survey was analyzed. Regression analyses were used to explore the association between alcohol perceptions and its association with hazardous alcohol use. RESULTS: Greater hazardous alcohol use was found in Queenslanders than Albertans (p < 0.001). Overall, people with hazardous alcohol were less likely to believe that alcohol use contributes to health problems (odds ratio [OR], 0.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.27 to 0.78; p < 0.01) and to a higher risk of injuries (OR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.33 to 0.90; p < 0.05). Albertans with hazardous alcohol use were less likely to believe that alcohol contributes to health problems (OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.26 to 0.92; p < 0.05) and were also less likely to choose a highly effective strategy as the best way for the government to reduce alcohol problems (OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.43 to 0.91; p=0.01). Queenslanders with hazardous alcohol use were less likely to believe that alcohol was a major contributor to injury (OR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.20 to 0.77; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that people with hazardous alcohol use tend to underestimate the negative effect of alcohol consumption on health and its contribution to injuries. In addition, Albertans with hazardous alcohol use were less in favor of strategies considered highly effective to reduce alcohol harm, probably because they perceive them as a potential threat to their own alcohol consumption. These findings represent valuable sources of information for local health authorities and policymakers when designing suitable strategies to target alcohol-related problems.
Alberta ; Alcohol Drinking ; Australia ; Canada ; Queensland

Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of death in Australia. The Tick Program by the National Heart Foundation was designed to assist consumers in making healthier food choices. The aim of our study was to evaluate the awareness of university students regarding the Tick Program as a sustainable approach in preventing the onset of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in youth. Following Ethics Committee approval, a cross-sectional study was undertaken in 2006 to measure university students’ level of awareness of the Tick Program using a self-administered survey form. Inclusion criteria were full-time university students who have lived in Australia for a minimum duration of twelve months and do their own shopping. Students of less than 18 years of age were excluded from the study. Of 110 university students surveyed, 97 questionnaires were successfully completed (response rate: 88%). Overall there was a high level of awareness (72.2%) of the Tick program, which was also considered trustworthy by a majority of participants, with a mean rating of 3.87 (on a scale of 1 to 5). Tick-approved products were also considered a healthier choice by participants (mean 4.06 out of 5). Participants were also asked to identify potential barriers limiting the use of the Tick in making purchase decisions. The most important barrier identified to the Tick program was the limited range of Tick-approved products. A significant proportion of respondents also believed there was limited publicity of the program. The Tick Program is considered to be trustworthy and the approved products were regarded as healthy, with the results showing that participants have confidence in the Tick Program. This research also highlighted the potential areas for improvement of the Tick Program.
Cardiovascular Diseases ; Food Preferences ; Students ; Universities ; Australia

This brief paper presents an argument for the establishment of permanent twinning relationships between hospitals in Australia and Papua New Guinea as one way of expressing the advantages of expanding globalization while countering its disadvantages for human health, especially in poorer countries. This particular suggestion is based on the general argument that widespread and sustainable improvement in people's health will be more likely to occur if health professionals take action themselves and work directly with each other. Disease does not respect national borders. Therefore, professional solidarity must be international, and strengthening the global health sector will amplify its benefits to human health, now and in the future. The particular suggestion that is made here is but one small step in this direction, but should have immediate benefit to those involved.
Health ; seconds ; Papua New Guinea ; Australia ; argument

Aims: To study the validity of a scoring system in evaluating embryo quality and predicting pregnancy potential. The scoring system was formulated using morphologic parameters and cleavage rates. Embryos were scored between 0 and 10 according to morphologic criteria and cleavage rate. Materials and METHODS: The pregnancy results of 2,371 fresh embryos scored by this criteria and transferred between January 1991 and September 1992 in the Monash IVF Program, Melbourne, Australia were analysed for this study. RESULTS: Analysis of 2,371 fresh embryos scores from 926 consecutive transfers showed that intrauterine and multiple pregnancy rate increased significantly along with increased total score per transfer(p < 0.05). Pregnancy rate also increased from 10.7% to 21.6% as the number of embryos with a score of 7 or more(good embryo) increased from 0 to 3(p < 0.05). The well-known relationship between the number of embryos transferred and pregnancy rate was also found but this correlation could not seen when all of added embryos were scored less than 7. When all the embryos in a given transfer were scored less than 4(poor embryo), the pregnancy rate was near zero regardless of the number of embryos transferred. Conclusion: This study indicated that an embryo scoring system based on morphologic and cleavage rate criteria could be useful in selecting good quality embryos and predicting the pregnancy rate in an IVF/ET program.
Australia ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Pregnancy Rate ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnancy, Multiple

Australia ; General Surgery ; education ; Internship and Residency ; Job Satisfaction ; New Zealand

BACKGROUNDSpring water therapies have been used since at least 1550 BC. Despite the growing body of evidence supporting these therapies for a range of conditions, including musculoskeletal, dermatological, respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, they do not currently form part of mainstream healthcare in many countries. The protocol established in this paper aims to support systematic reviews that examine the health outcomes associated with human exposure to regional spring waters, using the Australia and New Zealand context as a case study.

METHODS/DESIGNThe protocol searches for studies in eight health/medical databases, searches three local health/medical journals, and includes forwards and backwards searching. Standard systematic review methods are used including: specifying pre-determined inclusion criteria and data management plans, appraising the studies for bias, and allocation to a hierarchy of evidence.

DISCUSSIONThe protocol supports a review and comprehensive synthesis of the current evidence regarding the health effects of natural spring water, and can be adapted for reviews in other regions. From this evidence, recommendations regarding practice and future research can be made on the therapeutic role of spring water.