Australian and New Zealand journal of public health
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Aust N Z J Public Health · Jun 2020
Do stress, life satisfaction, depression and alcohol use predict quitting among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smokers?
To examine whether baseline measures of stress, life satisfaction, depression and alcohol use predict making or sustaining quit attempts in a national cohort of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smokers. ⋯ More smokers who reported negative life satisfaction, feeling depressed, higher stress or drinking heavily less often than once a week at baseline made a quit attempt between the baseline and follow-up surveys. In contrast, of these smokers who had made quit attempts between surveys, more who reported higher stress were able to sustain abstinence for at least one month; other associations were inconclusive. Conclusions and implications for public health: Health staff and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smokers need not see being more stressed as an obstacle to quitting among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Health staff should emphasise the benefits to mental health that come with successfully quitting smoking.
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Aust N Z J Public Health · Apr 2020
Factors influencing the uptake of influenza vaccine vary among different groups in the hard-to-reach population.
This report describes a mobile outreach influenza immunisation program for vulnerable populations in a resource-rich setting. It explores vaccine recipients' demographics, comorbidities and vaccination histories, and the factors influencing their decision to receive vaccine during outreach. ⋯ An outreach program comprising of a means of taking vaccines to the population was a successful strategy to deliver influenza vaccines to high-risk populations. It needs to be considered in the full range of delivery models to improve influenza vaccine coverage, even in resource-rich settings. Implication for public health: Strategies reaching out to vulnerable populations are crucial to maximise vaccine uptake.
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Aust N Z J Public Health · Apr 2020
Understanding an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child's journey through paediatric care in Western Australia.
To explore caregiver perspectives of their children's journey through the specialist paediatric service, the Aboriginal Ambulatory Care Coordination Program (AACC), and non-AACC services at the Perth Children's Hospital. ⋯ Australian Aboriginal children have an increased use of tertiary hospital care compared to non-Indigenous children. Healthcare programs specifically designed for Aboriginal children and their families can improve their experience of care in hospital. However, improvements in cultural awareness for other hospital staff is still needed. Implications for public health: Dedicated Aboriginal programs in mainstream services can successfully improve cultural care to their clients, which is fundamental to improving service delivery for families.
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Aust N Z J Public Health · Dec 2019
What isn't measured isn't done - eight years with no progress in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adult influenza and pneumococcal vaccination.
To describe and compare vaccination coverage for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereafter referred to as Indigenous) adults in 2004-05 and 2012-13, including the impact of national vaccination funding initiatives. ⋯ Indigenous adult vaccination coverage for influenza and pneumococcal disease remains unacceptably low. Between 2004-05 and 2012-13, declines occurred in pneumococcal vaccination coverage across all age groups ≥18 years. Despite national funding of influenza vaccine in 2010, there was no increase in influenza coverage, except for the 18-49-year age group. Implications for public health: Current approaches to promote, deliver and monitor vaccination of Indigenous adults are inadequate.