Melbourne School of Population and Global Health - Research Publications

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    Uncovering Diverse Experiences Following Disaster Using Participant-Guided Mobile Methods
    Block, K ; Gibbs, L ; Snowdon, E (SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC, 2016-01-01)
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    Suicide and neuroticism: a multicenter study
    Nardella, A ; Stefa-Missagli, S ; Giupponi, G ; Davok, K ; Holasek, SJ ; Kapfhammer, HP ; Rogante, E ; Berardelli, I ; Andriessen, K ; Krysinska, K ; Falcone, G ; Erbuto, D ; Moujaes-Droescher, H ; Pompili, M (CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS, 2019-04)
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    Suicide and spirituality: a multicenter study of Austrian and Italian psychiatric patients and students
    Falcone, G ; Stefa-Missagli, S ; Unterrainer, HF ; Giupponi, G ; Wallner-Liebmann, SJ ; Kapfhammer, HP ; Conca, A ; Sarlo, M ; Berardelli, I ; Krysinska, K ; Andriessen, K ; Nardella, A ; Erbuto, D ; Moujaes-Droescher, H ; Davok, K ; Pompili, M (CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS, 2019-04)
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    Is chlamydia testing in general practice sustained when financial incentives or audit + feedback are removed: a cluster RCT
    Hocking, J ; Wood, A ; Braat, S ; Jones, C ; Temple-Smith, M ; Van Driel, M ; Law, M ; Donovan, B ; Fairley, C ; Kaldor, J ; Guy, R ; Low, N ; Bulfone, L ; Gunn, J (BMJ Publishing, 2019)
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    The three Rs: recalls, reminders and retesting for chlamydia – views of GPs and young adults
    Vaisey, A ; Temple-Smith, M ; Yeung, A ; Wood, A ; Lorch, R ; Guy, R ; Donovan, B ; Fairley, C ; Hocking, J (BMJ Publishing, 2019)
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    Tobacco product use and smoking frequency among US adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities
    Eisenbaum, E (WILEY, 2018-08)
    BACKGROUND: People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have been overlooked in tobacco use research although they are likely to experience tobacco-related health disparities. This study examined tobacco product use and smoking frequency and amount among a sample of US Special Olympics athletes with IDD. METHODS: Multiple regression analysis was used to test whether age, gender, body mass index, blood pressure, bone density, eating fruits and vegetables and family member tobacco use were correlated with the number of cigarettes smoked per day. RESULTS: The sample of people with IDD who used tobacco (n = 501) were aged 18-75 (M = 33.37) and 76.4% were male. About 73.6% reported cigarette use only, 10.6% reported dual or poly use of cigarettes and other tobacco products (cigars, pipe, and chewing tobacco) and 15.8% reported using only tobacco products other than cigarettes. Men were more likely than women to use tobacco products other than cigarettes. Of the cigarette smokers, 79.6% were daily smokers, and their mean cigarettes per day was 10.08 (SD = 9.50). Special Olympics athletes who did not have low bone density and those who consumed fruits and vegetables less than daily reported higher numbers of cigarettes per day. CONCLUSIONS: Although people with IDD are less likely to use tobacco than the general population, study results suggest that people with IDD who smoke cigarettes are just as likely as smokers in the general US population to smoke daily. Improving overall health behaviours may be important in helping smokers with IDD to reduce their tobacco use. Research is needed to understand longitudinal patterns of tobacco use and how to prevent tobacco use among people with IDD.
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    Female Reproductive and Hormonal Factors and Incidence of Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty Due to Osteoarthritis
    Hussain, SM ; Wang, Y ; Giles, GG ; Graves, S ; Wluka, A ; Cicuttini, FM (WILEY, 2018-07)
    OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations of female reproductive and hormonal factors with incidence of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for osteoarthritis (OA), and to determine whether the associations differ according to overweight/obesity status. METHODS: This study included 22,289 women in the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study. Data on age at menarche, pregnancy, parity, years of menstruation, oral contraceptive (OC) use, menopausal status, and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) were collected in 1990-1994. Incidence of TKA during 2001-2013 was determined by linking cohort records to the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry. All analyses were adjusted for age, body mass index (BMI) at midlife, change in BMI (from early reproductive age to midlife), country of birth, physical activity, smoking, and education level. RESULTS: Over the course of 12.7 years, 1,208 TKAs for OA were identified. Ever being pregnant was associated with increased risk of TKA (hazard ratio [HR] 1.32 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.06-1.63]). Parity was positively associated with risk of TKA (P for trend = 0.003). OC users had increased risk of TKA compared with non-users (for OC use of <5 years, HR 1.25 [95% CI 1.08-1.45]; for OC use of ≥5 years, HR 1.17 [95% CI 1.00-1.37]). A 1-year increase in menstruation was associated with a 1% decrease in risk of TKA (HR 0.99 [95% CI 0.97-0.99]). These associations remained significant only in women of normal weight at early reproductive age. Current HRT users had increased risk of TKA compared with non-users (HR 1.37 [95% CI 1.14-1.64]); the association was significant only in non-obese women at midlife. CONCLUSION: Reproductive and hormonal factors were associated with risk of knee OA. These associations remained significant in women of normal weight at early reproductive age and in non-obese women at midlife. Further work is needed to understand the complex effect of these factors on knee OA.
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    Patterns and predictors of primary mental health service use following bushfire and flood disasters
    Reifels, L ; Bassilios, B ; Spittal, M ; King, K ; Fletcher, J ; Pirkis, J (CO-ACTION PUBLISHING, 2014)
    BACKGROUND: Mental health care services play an important role following disasters (Reifels et al., 2013). The aim of this study is to examine patterns and predictors of primary mental health care service use, following two major Australian natural disaster events. METHOD: Utilizing referral and session data from a national minimum dataset, descriptive and regression analyses were conducted to identify levels and predictors of the use of the Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS) program over a 2-year period following two major Australian bushfire and flood/cyclone disasters. Predictor variables examined in negative binomial regression analysis included consumer (age, gender, household structure, previous mental health care history, and diagnosis) and event characteristics (disaster type). RESULTS: The bushfire disaster resulted in significantly greater service volume, with more than twice the number of referrals and nearly three times the number of sessions. Service delivery for both disasters peaked in the third quarter. Consumers affected by bushfires, diagnosed with depression, anxiety, or both of these disorders utilized sessions at significantly higher rates. CONCLUSIONS: The substantial demand for primary mental health services following disaster can vary with disaster type. Disaster type and need-based variables as key drivers of service use intensity indicate an equitable level of service use. Established usage patterns assist with estimating future service capacity requirements. Flexible referral pathways can enhance access to disaster mental health care. Future research should examine the impact of program- and agency-level factors on mental health service use and factors underpinning treatment non-adherence following disaster.
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    Examining the national profile of chronic disaster health risks in Australia
    Reifels, L ; Dückers, MLA ; Blashki, G (Cambridge University Press, 2019)
    Introduction: Despite a longstanding focus on examining acute health impacts in disaster research, only limited systematic information is available today to further our understanding of chronic physical health risks of disaster exposure. Heterogeneity of studies and disaster events of varying type and scale compounding this challenge highlight the merit of a consistent approach to examining nationally representative population data to understand distinctive profiles of chronic disaster health risks. Aim: This epidemiological study examined the full spectrum and national profile of chronic physical health risks associated with natural and man-made disaster exposure in Australia. Methods: Nationally-representative population survey data (N=8841) were analyzed through multivariate logistic regression, controlling for sociodemographic variables, exposure to natural and man-made disasters, and other traumatic events. Key outcomes included lifetime national chronic health priority conditions (asthma, cancer, stroke, rheumatism/arthritis, diabetes, heart/circulatory) and other conditions of 6 month or more duration (based on the World Health Organization’s WMH-CIDI chronic conditions module). Results: Natural disaster exposure primarily increased the lifetime risk of stroke (AOR 2.06, 95%CI 1.54-2.74). Man-made disaster exposure increased the lifetime risk of stomach ulcer (AOR 2.21, 95%CI 1.14-4.31), migraine (AOR 1.61, 95%CI 1.02-2.56), and heart/circulatory conditions (AOR 2.01, 95%CI 1.07-3.75). Multiple man-made disaster exposure heightened the risk of migraine (AOR 2.98, 95%CI 1.28-6.92) and chronic back or neck conditions (AOR 1.63, 95%CI 1.02-2.62), while multiple natural disaster exposure heightened the risk of stroke (AOR 3.28, 95%CI 1.90-5.67). No other chronic health risks were elevated. Despite the relatively greater chronic health risks linked to man-made disasters, natural disasters were associated overall with more cases of chronic health conditions. Discussion: The analysis of nationally-representative population data provides a consistent method to examine the unique national imprint of disaster exposure and distinct profile of disaster health risks to inform future detection, prevention measures, disaster health preparedness, and response planning.
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    Disaster risk reduction and health: the potential of health registers for health monitoring
    Dückers, M ; Arnberg, F ; Baliatsas, C ; Reifels, L ; Stene, L ; Yzermans, J (Cambridge University Press, 2019)
    Introduction: The Sendai Framework seeks to substantially reduce disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods, health, and other assets including persons, communities, and countries. The framework focuses on reducing mortality while increasing population wellbeing, early warning, and promotion of health systems resilience. The use of scientific evidence to inform policy and formulate effective initiatives and interventions is crucial to disaster risk reduction within health. Different instruments and methodologies are available to guide policy and operations. The potential value of routinely collected patient data from health registers is that they can provide pre-event health and comparison group data without burdening affected populations. Aim: The current contribution aims to illustrate how health registers can help monitor the health impact of natural and human-made disasters. Methods: Patient data from health registers of general practitioners and other health professionals, sometimes combined with other registers and data sources, have been utilized to monitor the health impact of disasters and environmental hazards in the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden since 2000. Results: Health registers allowed monitoring of mental health problems, medically unexplained symptoms, chronic health problems, and social problems. These were compared to groups not directly exposed. The health impact and care utilization was tracked after the fireworks explosion in Enschede affecting inhabitants of the neighborhood (2000; data range 1999-2005), children and parents after the Volendam café fire (2001; data range 2000-2006), Swedish survivors of the Tsunami in Southeast Asia (2004; data range 2004-2010), and parents of children affected by the terrorist attack on Utøya (2011; data range 2008-2014). Discussion: Health systems with registers have an important advantage when it comes to the potential for monitoring population health, and perhaps offer early warnings of pandemics. However, data generation should be closely connected to policy-making before and during the planning and evaluation of public health intervention.