Aust Fam Physician
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Accidental drowning causes over 300 deaths annually in Australia, and many more instances of 'near drowning'. ⋯ Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is the mainstay of immediate management. Continuing CPR for 30 minutes if necessary is appropriate, particularly in hypothermic patients. Patients who have been successfully resuscitated and those with clinical features suggesting aspiration should be given 100% oxygen and transferred to hospital. Drowning prevention is a significant public health issue, and the GP's role in education and support of rescue services and public awareness campaigns is important.
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Many venomous marine creatures inhabit Australian waters, causing significant morbidity and occasional fatalities. Part 1 of this article looks at jellyfish envenomations, an important overall cause of marine injuries. ⋯ It is intended that the information contained in this article will be informative to general practitioners dealing with jellyfish stings throughout Australia. Much of what we know has come from the astute observations of GPs in tropical Australia. However, there remains a lot to be learnt about jellyfish envenomation.
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Imprisonment rates in Australia have been steadily increasing over the past decade. Prisoners have high rates of substance use and dependence, mental illness, self harming behaviours and infectious disease. ⋯ The standard of health care provided for prisoners should be equivalent to that available in the general community. Medical officers working within prisons need to be competent GPs with particular skills in managing the unique patterns of morbidity encountered. In addition, public health advocacy, an ability to examine the frequent ethical issues at stake, and close links with colleagues both within prisons and in the community are needed.