The Australian journal of rural health
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Aust J Rural Health · Aug 2021
Developing challenges in the urbanisation of village doctors in economically developed regions: A survey of 844 village doctors in Changzhou, China.
To reveal the challenges of village doctors' survival and training in economically developed areas in eastern China. ⋯ With increasing urbanisation in China, the gap between actual and expected income and social security has been increasing. Changes to training have influenced the stability of village doctor teams. Declining attachment of young people to their hometown village has contributed to recruitment difficulties.
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Aust J Rural Health · Dec 2020
Remote health service vulnerabilities and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia has highlighted the vulnerabilities of remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in terms of the high prevalence of complex chronic disease and socio-economic factors such as limited housing availability and overcrowding. The response has also illustrated the capability of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders and the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services Sector, working with the government, to rapidly and effectively mitigate the threat of transmission into these vulnerable remote communities. ⋯ Specifically, remote health services have a heavy reliance on short-term or fly-in, fly-out/drive-in, drive-out staff, particularly remote area nurses. The easing of travel restrictions across the country brings the increased risk of transmission into remote areas and underscores the need to adequately plan and fund remote primary health care services and ensure the availability of an adequate, appropriately trained local workforce in all remote communities.
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Aust J Rural Health · Oct 2020
Patterns of emergency department use in rural and metropolitan New South Wales from 2012 to 2018.
To explore the patterns of and investigate the factors associated with rises in emergency department presentations in rural and metropolitan New South Wales from 2012 to 2018. ⋯ There are differences between rural and metropolitan emergency department presentations relating to demographic factors, triage levels, acuity and admissions. Detailed local investigations are required to determine specific contextual issues that impact on emergency department demand.
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Aust J Rural Health · Apr 2020
Decision-making capacity assessment for confused patients in a regional hospital: A before and after study.
Clinicians are challenged to decide when and how to conduct decision-making capacity assessment and guardianship applications for confused hospitalised older patients. This study aimed to understand the characteristics of confused hospitalised older patients who require decision-making capacity assessment and guardianship applications and to determine the impact of a locally introduced capacity testing procedure on the conduct of decision-making capacity assessment and guardianship application in a regional hospital setting. ⋯ Implementation of capacity testing procedure is likely to have contributed to the positive changes in the conduct of decision-making capacity assessment and guardianship application process for confused hospitalised older patients. This study provides some evidence of decision-making capacity assessment process gaps; and indicates clinical and demographic characteristics of confused hospitalised older patients who might require decision-making capacity assessment and guardianship applications. The evidence of lack of appropriate future care-planning for ageing patients and increasing hospital admissions of confused hospitalised older patients presents future challenges in rural health.