PURPOSE: The biases that may influence objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) scoring are well understood, and recent research has attempted to establish the magnitude of their impact. However, the influence of examiner experience, clinical seniority, and occupation on communication and physical examination scores in OSCEs has not yet been clearly established. METHODS: We compared the mean scores awarded for generic and clinical communication and physical examination skills in 2 undergraduate medicine OSCEs in relation to examiner characteristics (gender, examining experience, occupation, seniority, and speciality). The statistical significance of the differences was calculated using the 2-tailed independent t-test and analysis of variance. RESULTS: Five hundred and seventeen students were examined by 237 examiners at the University of New South Wales in 2014 and 2016. Examiner gender, occupation (academic, clinician, or clinical tutor), and job type (specialist or generalist) did not significantly impact scores. Junior doctors gave consistently higher scores than senior doctors in all domains, and this difference was statistically significant for generic and clinical communication scores. Examiner experience was significantly inversely correlated with generic communication scores. CONCLUSION: We suggest that the assessment of examination skills may be less susceptible to bias because this process is fairly prescriptive, affording greater scoring objectivity. We recommend training to define the marking criteria, teaching curriculum, and expected level of performance in communication skills to reduce bias in OSCE assessment.
Australia ; Awards and Prizes ; Bias (Epidemiology) ; Curriculum ; Humans ; New South Wales ; Occupations ; Physical Examination

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

BACKGROUND: Inhalation of asbestos fibers can lead to adverse health effects on the lungs. This study describes lung function profiles among individuals with nonmalignant asbestos-related disorders (ARDs). METHODS: The study population was from the Workers' Compensation (Dust Diseases) Board of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Lung function measurements were conducted in males with asbestosis (n = 26), diffuse pleural thickening (DPT; n = 129), asbestosis and DPT (n = 14), pleural plaques only (n = 160) and also apparently healthy individuals with a history of asbestos exposure (n = 248). Standardized spirometric and single-breath diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) measurements were used. RESULTS: Mean age [standard deviation (SD)] was 66.7 (10.3) years for all participants. Current and ex-smokers among all participants comprised about 9.0% and 54.8%, respectively. Median pack-years (SD) of smoking for ex- and current-smokers were 22.7 (19.9). Overall 222 participants (38.6%) and 139 participants (24.2%) had forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) measurements < 80% predicted, and 217 participants (37.7%) had FEV1/FVC results < 70%. A total of 249 individuals (43.8%) had DLco values < 80% predicted and only 75 (13.2%) had DLco/VA results < 80% predicted. A total of 147 participants (25.6%) had peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements < 80% predicted. The presence of ARDs lowered the lung function measurements compared to those of healthy individuals exposed to asbestos. CONCLUSION: Lung function measurement differs in individuals with different ARDs. Monitoring of lung function among asbestos-exposed populations is a simple means of facilitating earlier interventions.
Asbestos ; Asbestosis ; Australia ; Carbon Monoxide ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Lung* ; Male ; New South Wales ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Vital Capacity ; Workers' Compensation

Human hydatid cyst of the liver is rare in Korea, although it is the most frequent cause of liver cysts in the world. It is endemic in Greece, other parts of Eastern Europe, South America, Australia, and South Africa. Until now, a few cases have been reported in the Korean literature. But it is expected to confront this disease because of recent increase in traveling to the endemic area. With this trend, we experienced a case of hydatid cyst of the liver in a 66- year-old male patient who had been worked in the middle east for 4 years. In this clinical case report, we present all the patient course and treatment with brief review of previous literature.
Australia ; Echinococcosis* ; Europe, Eastern ; Greece ; Humans ; Korea ; Liver* ; Male ; Middle East ; South Africa ; South America

OBJECTIVES: This article aimed to compare alcohol consumption between the populations of Queensland in Australia and Alberta in Canada. Furthermore, the associations between greater alcohol consumption and socio-demographic characteristics were explored in each population. METHODS: Data from 2500 participants of the 2013 Alberta Survey and the 2013 Queensland Social Survey were analyzed. Regression analyses were used to explore the associations between alcohol risk and socio-demographic characteristics. RESULTS: A higher rate of hazardous alcohol use was found in Queenslanders than in Albertans. In both Albertans and Queenslanders, hazardous alcohol use was associated with being between 18 and 24 years of age. Higher income, having no religion, living alone, and being born in Canada were also associated with alcohol risk in Albertans; while in Queenslanders, hazardous alcohol use was also associated with common-law marital status. In addition, hazardous alcohol use was lower among respondents with a non-Catholic or Protestant religious affiliation. CONCLUSIONS: Younger age was associated with greater hazardous alcohol use in both populations. In addition, different socio-demographic factors were associated with hazardous alcohol use in each of the populations studied. Our results allowed us to identify the socio-demographic profiles associated with hazardous alcohol use in Alberta and Queensland. These profiles constitute valuable sources of information for local health authorities and policymakers when designing suitable preventive strategies targeting hazardous alcohol use. Overall, the present study highlights the importance of analyzing the socio-demographic factors associated with alcohol consumption in population-specific contexts.
Alberta* ; Alcohol Drinking ; Australia* ; Canada* ; Marital Status ; Protestantism ; Queensland* ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo identify the prevalence, incidence and trend of urinary incontinence in the elderly over a two-year period.

METHODSWe randomly selected 4187 elderly people using the State Electoral Data Base in South Australia. Questionnaire surveys were conducted in 1992 with a response rate of 53.4%. The following two surveys were conducted 12 and 24 months later. A total of 2087 elderly people completed all three surveys.

RESULTSUrge incontinence had a higher prevalence rate, with 36.6% to 41.6% of the elderly having at least an occasional problem (with 7.5% to 9.6% having problems often), compared to 23.4% to 28.8% having at least an occasional problem with stress incontinence (with 3.3% to 5.0% having problems often). Combined incontinence and urge incontinence were more common than stress incontinence alone. The incidence rates of urge incontinence and stress incontinence were 19.8% (with 3.1% often) and 14.5% (with 1.9% often), respectively. The trends toward incontinence during the two-year period indicated increasing trends in the elderly.

CONCLUSIONUrinary incontinence is an important health problem in the elderly and our data show that it has an increasing trend for future.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Longitudinal Studies ; Male ; Prevalence ; South Australia ; epidemiology ; Urinary Incontinence ; epidemiology ; etiology

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

Australia ; Humans ; Registries ; Twins

Tick-induced mammalian meat allergy has become an emergent allergy world-wide after van Nunen et al. first described the association between tick bites and the development of mammalian meat allergy in 2007. Cases of mammalian meat allergy have now been reported on all 6 continents where humans are bitten by ticks, in 17 countries
Africa ; Americas ; Anaphylaxis ; Asia ; Australia ; Belgium ; Central America ; Europe ; Germany ; Great Britain ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Italy ; Ixodes ; Meat ; Public Health ; South America ; Spain ; Sweden ; Switzerland ; Tick Bites ; Ticks ; United States

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