Australian and New Zealand journal of public health
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Aust N Z J Public Health · Dec 2004
Psychiatric assessment of children and families in immigration detention--clinical, administrative and ethical issues.
This paper reports the clinical, practical and ethical issues arising in the assessment of 10 consecutive referrals from a remote Immigration Reception and Processing Centre to a child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) between February and August 2002. ⋯ Multiple obstacles to adequate service provision are identified. Adequate clinical intervention and care was not possible. The impact on involved clinicians is discussed.
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Aust N Z J Public Health · Aug 2004
Clinical TrialChronic pelvic pain in New Zealand: prevalence, pain severity, diagnoses and use of the health services.
Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) in women is often debilitating and isolating. Problems with diagnosis continue to make CPP one of the most perplexing conditions in gynaecology, and one of the most difficult to treat. ⋯ The three-month CPP prevalence rate was 25.4% (95% CI 22.8-27.9). Half of those women reporting CPP (47.7%) remained undiagnosed. The three-month prevalence of dysmenorrhoea was 55.2%, and dyspareunia 19.7%. Recent or past consulters of health services for CPP contained a higher proportion of women with a high pain burden than those not consulting health services. Only one-third of New Zealand women (34%) reported no form of chronic pelvic pain (i.e. no CPP, dysmenorrhoea or dyspareunia). These prevalence rates indicate that CPP should receive greater public education and clinical attention.
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Aust N Z J Public Health · Jun 2004
Estimates of chronic hepatitis B virus infection in Australia, 2000.
To estimate the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Australia and attributable proportions associated with specific demographic groups at higher risk of infection. ⋯ The range of estimates for chronic HBV infection in Australia is broad, reflecting the uncertainty in source data. A national blood survey encompassing a large and representative population sample may help to provide more accurate estimates. A large proportion of people with chronic HBV infection are Asian born.
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Aust N Z J Public Health · Feb 2004
Comparative StudyEvaluation of immunisation coverage for aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children using the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register.
To estimate immunisation coverage for routinely administered vaccines among children using receipt of a particular Hib vaccine (PRP-OMP) as a proxy for Indigenous status. ⋯ These data provide the first national measure of immunisation status and are likely to be a valid measure among those identified. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander immunisation coverage is 17% lower with the biggest gaps in urban areas, indicating the need for better quality data informing appropriate interventions.
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Aust N Z J Public Health · Feb 2004
Comparative StudyTo what extent is health and medical research funding associated with the burden of disease in Australia?
This study aimed to analyse the association of the National Health and Medical Research Council fund allocations and several measures of burden of disease in Australia, and compare it to similar studies in the United States and Canada. ⋯ This study revealed a significant relation between NHMRC research funding and burden of disease measures and highlighted that comparison of actual and predicted funding based on different measures of disease can alter conclusions as to whether a disease is over- or under-funded.