bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Activity During Consultations by Private and Community Health Centre General Practitioners
Authors: Montalto Michael , Dunt David , Vafiadis Robyn , Young Doris
Published: August 2009

The aims of this study are to compare the rates of health promotion and disease prevention activity within Community Health Centre (CHC) and private general practice (GP) consultations. A prospective field�based observation study was designed using medical students as observers. Private and CHC general practitioners involved in the teaching of the medical students in metropolitan Melbourne were observed for one week of consecutive consultations. Primary preventive interventions or behaviours during GP consultations were recorded, based on best practice guidelines. Twenty two students acted as observers. Fifty-one general practitioners were observed, 20 from CHCs and 31 from private general practices. Inter-observer reliability was satisfactory. CHC general practitioners had higher rates of overall preventive activity. Of the four broad categories of activities coded, CHC general practitioners were significantly more likely to detect patients' risk status but no more likely to conduct casefinding examinations, make test recommendations and provide advice. Among the 46 specific activities coded, CHC general practitioners were more likely to detect their patients' exercise levels and dietary details, perform a pap smear, and give advice on smoking, alcohol and diet. It was not possible to determine to what extent doctor and patient characteristics, as distinct from practice setting, were responsible for these results. While CHC general practitioners had higher levels of preventive activity, the differences were not great. Patient-initiated disease prevention is an under-reported phenomenon which deserves further attention.
From Private Pain to Social Change: Working With Survivors of Sexual Assault
Authors: Cameron Jean
Published: August 2009

The Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA House) uses an innovative model of service delivery which recognises sexual assault as a socio-political, rather than medical, 'problem'. This model involves three tiers of service delivery: a 24-hour crisis service to victims of recent sexual assault; counselling group work and advocacy support and public advocacy.
Group Processes and the Development of Interpersonal Skills
Authors: McGartland Michael , Hammond Paul
Published: August 2009

Many education and health programs are conducted in groups (Wass, 1994) and it has been suggested that group approaches are becoming increasingly important in health care (Rosenbaum & Patterson, 1995). The benefits of a group approach are usually reported to arise out of the functioning of the group itself by, for example providing peer support, and/or be a cost-effective utilisation of resources (Dignan & Carr, 1992). The aim here is to illustrate the value of taking group processes into account in the design and implementation of group-based programs. A postgraduate educational program for health care practitioners in interpersonal skills will be used to illustrate the application of groupwork theory.
Structural Advocacy: A Process In Progress
Authors: Swanborough Theresa
Published: August 2009

In February 1996, the Royal District Nursing Service Homeless Persons Program (RDNS HPP) released the report of the findings of a research project called The HACC Program: Improving Access For Homeless People. At the same time, and consistent with the recommendations within the report, the Home and Community Care (HACC) program released a draft policy statement identifying homeless people as a special needs group. Is such policy the result of a number of randomly unrelated activities, or are there identifiable activities which must take place in order to achieve policy change?
Client Satisfaction Survey for Child Health
Authors: Adams Patricia , Tyrrell-Clark Marie , Macleod Barbara , Smith Marian , Billett Pamela
Published: August 2009

Evaluating community nursing services has become increasingly important. Financial resources have been limited in the current economic climate, and it has become necessary for nurses to justify the worth of programs and services (Barriball & MacKenzie, 1993).
Guest Editorial
Authors: Owen Carole , Roach Julie
Published: August 2009

Visit Hobart in winter? You must be mad! Yet 288 people braved the weather (which was actually quite good) to attend the 6th National Australian Community Health Association Conference in Hobart from 28-31 July 1996.
The Writer's Editorial Eye
Authors: Taines Carla
Published: August 2009

Every so often, a writer needs to disengage from the writing task and become an editor. Changing perspective is not always easy, but it is absolutely necessary to do so, for it is only when the editorial eye is alert that the writer will be able to read the text critically, with full powers of analysis and judgement.
BreastScreen: Keeping Abreast with the Community
Authors: Needham Lucy
Published: August 2009

BreastScreen NSW Central & Western covers approximately half of New South Wales (NSW), and this vast area and the diversity of its population requires a different approach from programs in smaller and more homogeneous locations. Although the Program has a discrete budget and staff dedicated solely to breast screening, it has also been important to develop, foster and maintain links with community health staff and with members of local communities in order to provide the service effectively. A variety of links which have been developed and are crucial to the success of the program are described.
Women Who are Older and Access to Medication Information
Authors: Grbich Carol , de Crespigny Charlotte , Watson Jennifer
Published: August 2009

Concern regarding a lack of research into the experiences with medication of women who are older, led to the development of a three stage project to investigate this topic. Stage 1 (reported here) interviewed mobile, independently living women of 60 years and over in two community settings in Adelaide, in order to gain their stories regarding access to medication information, relationships with health professionals, self perceptions of well-being and social networks. Half of the 40 women interviewed had sought information regarding their medication from doctors or pharmacists and it was evident that some women made their own independent decisions regarding the taking of prescribed medication. Despite some fairly debilitating health conditions, all women referred very positively to both perceived well-being and active social networks. Some preliminary suggestions are made regarding improved access to information for these women.
What do Community Health Social Workers do, and Why do They do It?
Authors: Delaney Lisa
Published: August 2009

Social work and community health are linked in ideology and in practice. A model of practice is proposed founded in the theory, principles and practice of both the profession and the field. The principles of empowerment, equality in health, collaboration with and accountability to the community and a recognition of the multi-causal system of influences on health govern practice within the model. Three streams of practice (organisational, community and individual) comprising key practice features are identified. Social work practice is shown to be subject to a variety of pressures. The model proposed provides a theoretical base from which social workers can argue for the continuation, and complexity, of that practice.
Council of Australian Governments (COAG): Impact on Community Health
Authors: Morauta Louise
Published: August 2009

Let me start by thanking you for the opportunity to be here today. It is an opportunity for me because it gives me a chance to hear what people in the community health field are thinking about the COAG reforms and to learn about what your particular interests in the process are.
Transdisciplinary Challenges for Health Service Research and Evaluation in General Practice: The Case of Chronic Disease Management
Authors: Martin Carmel , Peterson Chris
Published: August 2009

Changing expectations of general practice are driven by diverse forces including an increased demand for chronic care. General practice care of chronic disease and illness straddles a wide spectrum of disciplines. However, political, health care, and research structures maintain discrete discipline orientated research. 'Objective' evidence, from quantitative paradigms, about disease, treatment and services predominate over 'subjective' evidence based upon understandings, for example, about how people live with chronic illness. Transdisciplinary approaches are desirable to provide synthesis of evidence across these paradigms to inform and evaluate the complexity of generalism in clinical care. However, transdisciplinarity is only feasible if it both respects disciplinary traditions, yet challenges underlying assumptions about knowledge creation. Inductive processes and open rather than closed systems provide mechanisms for this process. Transdisciplinarity needs to operate at levels of abstraction where there is commonality, typically at the level of the research question and the resultant formulation of theory and knowledge to inform policy or practice. Multidisciplinary teams and transdisciplinary trained researchers with meta-theoretical frameworks that facilitate these conceptual and practicable linkages are discussed. Major challenges to transdisciplinary approaches remain, not only because of their newness, but because of different theoretical traditions, and with the current structures of disciplines, evaluation and research funding and training. We need reflexive integrated general practice research in response to the ever-changing and multi-dimensional nature of health care. Despite fluidity and evolution, research processes that are mainly driven by expediency, may not best serve the needs of those with chronic illness or general practice.
1997 Awards for Innovation and Excellence in Primary Health Care - Alliances and Collaboration: North Eastern Community Health Centre Alliance
Authors: Hurley Bruce
Published: August 2009

Brief Description of the Program: An alliance was formed between the East Preston, Northcote, West Heidelberg, Eltham, Lalor, Whittlesea, and Diamond Valley Community Health Centres in the North East of Melbourne, first, to position the Centres to play a key role in developing a coherent and strong primary health care sector, based on 'community health principles', within the prime catchment area of the North Eastern Healthcare Network. The second purpose of the alliance was to assist in facilitating continuity of care between the acute and primary health sectors.
Proposed Strategies for Promoting Breastfeeding in the Community
Authors: Tong Shilu
Published: August 2009

To protect, promote and support breastfeeding in communities is an important primary health care task. One of the Australian health targets set for the year 2000 and beyond is that 80% of infants up to six months of age will be breastfed. However, both the 1989-90 National Health Survey (Lund-Adams & Heywood, 1994) and the 1993 national births' data (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1994) indicate that breastfeeding rates at age six months are far below this target. Therefore, there is a clear need to develop strategies to promote breastfeeding in Australian communities. Breastfeeding promotion needs to address locally researched barriers and should be integrated with appropriate health care. Proposed strategies for promoting breastfeeding in the community include: monitoring of prevalence and maintenance of breastfeeding; assessment of possible barriers; design of an intervention program; implementation of the intervention program; evaluation; and communication with the community. The Australian breastfeeding target set for the year 2000 can only be achieved through an integrated approach that enhances concerted efforts to promote primary health care and breastfeeding in the community.
Fact and Fiction in Community Health
Authors: Paul Alison
Published: August 2009

In July 1996, La Trobe University's Schools of English, Nursing and Public Health joined forces to produce a unique program for three Writers-in-Residence. For six weeks the writers spent one day a week teaching writing techniques to clients from two Community Health Centres. In response, the clients and staff drew on their experiences of illness and health, producing autobiographical and fictional works. The Writers-in-Residence Program was funded by the Literature Board of the Australia Council. Financial support was also provided by the Public Health Branch of the Victorian Department of Health and Community Services. The writers involved were author Andrea Goldsmith, playwright Ray Mooney and poet Earl Livings. Projects involving two of these authors are described here.
Victorian Health Policy Reform: Impact on Community-based Health Promotion
Authors: Parkinson Sharon
Published: August 2009

Since the Victorian Coalition Government was elected to office in 1992, community health policy has undergone considerable change as part of broader initiatives within the public sector. In the context of changing policy, concerns have been raised in the field of community health regarding the direction of community-based health promotion. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of policy reform on the conceptualisation, priority setting and practice of community-based health promotion. A series of interviews was conducted with a small sample of community health centre managers and staff within metropolitan Melbourne. Findings suggest that there has been a significant shift in the profile of community-based health promotion, with increasing emphasis on health promotion in clinical encounters and in groups, and less project work and community development. In terms of the principles of the Ottawa Charter, health promotion has moved away from the areas of community action and building healthy public policy as the centres focus increasingly on direct service provision. This study discusses the influences on and implications for the changing profile of community-based health promotion and considers directions for the future.
Inter-Organisational Relationships of Community Health Centres
Authors: Walker Rae , Mitchell Sally , Wright Maria
Published: August 2009

It is often argued that community based health organisations ought to have substantial links with other organisations in their local environment in order to provide integrated, accountable clinical and preventive services. This paper reports results from a study of the links forged by staff working in four community health centres in Victoria, Australia. The pattern of links between organisations is described and their functions explored. The perceptions of community health workers and their network partners in the other organisations are compared and the strategies used by the workers to establish and build their links identified. It can be argued that links with external organisations are important in community health practice and are valued by the organisations with which the centres establish links. They have, however, received very little attention within or without the field of community health. They are taken for granted, rarely discussed, and as often inhibited as facilitated by the structures within which community health centres operate. Consequently, a great deal of valuable community health work remains unacknowledged, potentially underdeveloped and undervalued. It has not been made clear how education can best support community health staff in this aspect of their work.
An Evaluation of Community Initiatives in Victoria Directed at Preventing Cancer of the Cervix
Authors: Southern Donna , Hurworth Rosalind , Huang Nancy , Gijsbers Alan , Dunt David
Published: August 2009

In 1994/1995 the Cervical Cancer Screening Program of Victoria (CCSPV) was evaluated. One component comprised an evaluation of 12 community initiatives directed at increasing cervical cancer screening rates in high risk and under-screened women. The particular programs under study were selected from a total of 50 across Victoria, using a purposive maximum variation sampling method. Qualitative data were obtained by conducting on site, semi-structured interviews with project staff, which included Community Health Nurses, Community Development Officers and Program Co-ordinators in order to find out how initiatives had been planned, what had been achieved, and what issues had arisen. It was found that Programs working with smaller group sizes, or with individuals, and which created a 'trust' relationship with target groups, particularly by employing a member of the target population, appeared to be more successful in accessing their target populations. Particular difficulties with cervical cancer screening provision included: political unrest between providers and local general practitioners; patients' physical and intellectual barriers; and how providers deal with psycho-social issues of some patients. In addition, frustration was expressed by most agencies with regard to their own project evaluation requirements and processes. In particular, there were no standardised guidelines or procedures for submission writing or project evaluation requirements. Five recommendations for improving efficacy and efficiency of future programs are suggested.
Contradictory Effects of Social Support in Rehabilitation
Authors: Murphy Gregory , Young Amanda
Published: August 2009

During the past two decades the concept of social support has become popular with health and rehabilitation researchers (see Veiel & Baumann, 1992). Major reviews of the social support literature which appeared in the 1980s (for example, Cohen & Wills, 1985) indicated that people who have socially supportive relationships are less likely to experience a wide range of negative physical and psychological health consequences and also that social support can play a 'buffering' role in protecting individuals from the pathogenic influence of stressful events. Subsequent to the encouraging tone of the early reviews of the positive health benefits of social support, recent writers (such as, Rook, 1992; Schwarzer & Leppin, 1992; Vinokur & van Ryn, 1993) have been much more restrained in their claims about the health benefits of social support and have pointed out that social support can, in some situations, be expected to have detrimental effects on particular individual achievements. The emerging 'negative' social support literature as it applies to rehabilitation is reviewed, together with an analysis of these negative findings from two distinct theoretical perspectives: the behavioural, and the social psychological.
Letter to the Editor: Condom users in Central Sydney
Authors: Rissel Chris
Published: August 2009

Recently we reported an evaluation of an HIV/AIDS education program that used the innovative strategy of local soccer clubs promoting condom use (Rissel, Elias-Schneider & Marthenas, 1997). The rationale for this strategy was that it would be more likely to reach men of all ages, but particularly younger men who are known to be the most at-risk group for STDs, and people from non-English speaking backgrounds.
Marnin Business: Anthropological Interpretations of Cervical Screening among Australian Aboriginal Women
Authors: Toussaint Sandy , Mak Donna , Straton Judith
Published: August 2009

Cervical cancer remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among Australian Aboriginal women despite the existence of effective prevention in the form of the Papanicolaou (Pap) Smear. An anthropological assessment of a successful cervical screening program in remote northern Australia reveals that a large proportion of women participated in the program because of the gender, skills, dedication and history of a female medical practitioner, and work practices which incorporated recognition of indigenous beliefs and practices. Without the direct involvement of the practitioner, and with health services which undermined the influence of local cultural behaviours, the program declined. Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal responses to the program are described, and it is suggested that understandings about culture and gender are crucial to the design and application of future Pap Smear programs. Committed health care practitioners, cross-cultural education, and improved socioeconomic conditions for indigenous populations, are also identified as key elements for better service delivery in regard to cervical screening and other health-related issues in Aboriginal Australia.
Issues in Service Delivery for Women Statewide: The Consumer Context
Authors: Wilson Beth
Published: August 2009

This article presents data from two sources. The first set of data comes from complaints received by the Health Services Commissioner (Health Ombudsman) in Victoria from Consumers of Health Services about health service providers. The second set of data has been provided by 92 public hospitals using the health complaints information program. The Health Complaints Resolution Process is described and the data are presented in the hope that they may assist in formulating policies for women's health.
Issues in Service Delivery for Women Statewide: Koori Context
Authors: Firebrace Sharon
Published: August 2009

For introduction, let me state what most of us will readily acknowledge as fact: the Koori health profile contains the greatest challenge for health providers on all levels today. This has been the case for decades and current indicators confirm the relatively stagnant health outcomes of Australia's indigenous population. Similarly challenged indigenous populations throughout the world -especially in New Zealand, Canada and USA - have improved their indigenous health profiles while we, in Australia, lag behind. Despite the best intentions of government and indigenous agencies, the state of indigenous health remains a damning indictment of our society's human rights conscience.
Women's Health Websites: Increasing Access to Quality Health Information
Authors: Wohlers Margaret , Dinning Debra
Published: August 2009

This paper outlines some of the problems facing women as Internet users. In the context of exponential growth of the Internet, issues of access and motivation, content and quality are examined. Recent studies on gender and equity and the relevance of the Internet to women, particularly rural and remote women, are considered. As women will only get 'a fair go' on the Internet when they know how to use the technology and participate in the areas that matter, this paper concludes with practical guidelines for setting up a website.
Evaluating Accessible Treatments for Bulimic Eating Disorders in Primary Care
Authors: J Banasiak Susan , J Paxton Susan , J Hay Phillipa
Published: August 2009

Bulimic Eating Disorders (including bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder) are unfortunately common problems among Australian females. The scope, morbidity and chronicity of these disorders combine to make them important women's health problems. Surprisingly, while these are distressing and disruptive conditions, research suggests many sufferers are not receiving treatment despite the existence of effective psychosocial treatments. Therefore, increasing access to care is a critical contemporary issue in improving health outcomes for sufferers of these conditions. This paper discusses identified barriers to the receipt of treatment and recent refinements to existing evidence based treatments, namely, the development of Cognitive-Behavioural self-help treatment manuals and their application in the treatment of Bulimic Eating Disorders. The potential benefits of Guided and Unguided Self-Help in overcoming barriers to care are outlined and research examining the efficacy of these approaches for the treatment of Bulimic Eating Disorders reviewed. Methodological limitations of previous research indicate that the clinical utility of these approaches, particularly for bulimia nervosa, are unclear. However, previous encouraging findings and the potential benefits of these approaches support further research into the wider evaluation of these approaches particularly in primary care settings. A trial in progress is outlined and the implications of positive findings for major stakeholders discussed.
Stepping into a Feminist Minefield: Women Sex Offenders
Authors: FitzRoy Lee
Published: August 2009

This article seeks to initiate discussion on the issue of women, specifically mothers, who perpetrate sexual violence against children and explore some tentative theorisations as to how we can understand this complex form of sexual violence. The analysis and discussion will be located within a feminist contextual framework that draws upon contemporary feminist and postmodern theory. Within this discussion, the article will be drawing on the understanding of such violence from the experiences of victim/survivors, other practitioners and a broad range of theorists. In exploring the issue, the article will endeavor to provide a more complex understanding of the issue of women's agency and capacity for violence, the possible wide ranging impacts of phallocentricism and the consequences of such violence in the lives of children, men and women.
Standing Together: A Cross-Cultural Approach to Working with Victim/Survivors of Sexual Assault
Authors: Chambers Sarah
Published: August 2009

The Western Region Centre Against Sexual Assault (WestCASA) is located in a culturally rich and diverse Melbourne community. As a small agency, with limited resources, we wondered how we could respond to the often silent and unmet needs of victim/survivors of sexual assault from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB) communities. The Cultural Equity Program (CEP), based on principles of respect and empowerment, strongly advocates a collaborative approach and also recognises the importance of identifying structural, organisational and individual barriers preventing NESB victim/survivors from accessing support and/or counselling. Vietnamese and Filipino workers were invited to be cultural consultants to WestCASA and met regularly during 1996/1997. These meetings enabled the exchange of cultural knowledge/expertise and an opportunity to discuss sensitive cultural issues. Together we also developed a culturally and linguistically respectful community education and training strategy. WestCASA also introduced initiatives for developing a more culturally sensitive practice. The paper presents the CEP as a model of best practice. The ideas and concepts are outlined which have guided us in the design of the developmental framework. We also reflect on our learning which has been rich and inspiring, and comment on the implications for Women's Health Policy.
Only Women Bleed: Menstruation, Women and Public Health
Authors: Holt Lynn
Published: August 2009

Menarche for women is a significant life event. How a women perceives herself throughout her life can be influenced by her experience and attitude to this event. Menstruation has been successfully pathologised by scientific medicine, and the notion of women as biologically defective has contributed to gender inequalities. A feminist framework for exploring the current medical ideology of women as a biological entity will be addressed by this paper, and the consequences this may have for women's health and public health practise will be addressed.
Children's Vision Screening: A Primary Health Care Controversy
Authors: Paech Merri , Calabretto Helen
Published: August 2009

Registered nurses around Australia are presently involved in screening processes which assess children's vision. The issue of how best to do this screening has a complex and lengthy multi-disciplinary history, with different views expressed in the literature by optometrists, ophthalmologists, psychologists and teachers. Research in Australia has demonstrated that as many as 4 out of 10 children may not automatically develop the efficient binocular visual skills necessary for ease of learning. These visual skills have become the specific professional interest of Behavioural (Developmental) optometrists and current child screening techniques are possibly out-dated given today's optometrical knowledge. This controversial issue is explained and future research directions for registered nurses and other primary health care practitioners are suggested.
Computing Packages for Qualitative Data Management: What is Their Real Impact?
Authors: Grbich Carol
Published: August 2009

Computer packages targeted at qualitative data are readily available and the methodology sections of research articles indicate that they are being utilised by some health researchers. The purpose of this article is to draw together concerns which have been expressed by researchers and critics and to place these within the perspective of 'framing' (MacLachlan & Reid, 1994). Here, the focus becomes the frame that these computer programs impose on qualitative data. Inevitably, all data sets are disturbed by the techniques of collection and the conceptual and theoretical frames imposed, but computer framing not only distorts physically but also imposes an often minimally acknowledged frame constructed by the metaphors and implicit ideology of the program. This frame is in opposition to most of the recent changes in qualitative data interpretation, which have emphasised context, thick description and exposure of the minimally disturbed voices of participants.
Selecting Members of Victorian Community Health Boards
Authors: McCoppin Brigid , Byrne Robyn
Published: August 2009

The Victorian State Government has changed the method of selection of community health centre board of management members from election by community members to government appointment. The Government argued in Parliament that this was to ensure more expert and accountable boards, while the Opposition regretted a loss of democratic election and community participation. A survey of board presidents shows that health centre selection panels accomplished their new task with dispatch and efficiency, in spite of Department of Human Services delays. Presidents consider their new boards on the whole an improvement, with added expertise though not necessarily improved accountability. Some concerns remain about a loss of local accountability and identification, and community health centres now face a government policy aimed at greater horizontal integration of the whole primary health care sector.
Guest Editorial: Inaugural Victorian State Conference on Palliative Care
Authors: Kellehear Allan
Published: August 2009

The inaugural Victorian State Conference on Palliative Care was held at La Trobe University between February 10-12th, 1999. It was organised by Palliative Care Victoria and hosted by the La Trobe University Palliative Care Unit, which is a division of the School of Public Health. Titled 'Sink or Swim: Palliative Care in the Mainstream', the conference theme was a review of current Victorian palliative care policies and their impact on practitioners. The conference was officially opened by the state Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon. Rob Knowles. One hundred and fifty delegates attended.
Issues for Primary, Informal, Home-based Carers of People Living with AIDS
Authors: McConachy Diana , McDonald Karalyn
Published: August 2009

Central to the Australian national strategic response to HIV/AIDS is the need for training and support for volunteer carers of people with HIV/AIDS. However, the role of primary, informal, home-based carers of people with AIDS (PWA) is not clearly defined and the research about carers undertaken in Australia has not specifically looked at this group. The aim of the study described was to examine the experiences of primary, home-based carers of people with AIDS in order to inform policy and program development. Data were collected from 47 carers in New South Wales and Victoria between August and November, 1996. A short self-administered questionnaire collecting demographic information was followed by a longer questionnaire with mostly closed questions on preparation for caregiving, caregiving tasks, symptom management, service use, coping strategies, and impact of caregiving. Open-ended questions were about the provision of emotional support by the carer to the PWA, the carer's health and positive aspects of caregiving. Two key findings emerge from the content and thematic analyses. The first relates to the study respondents, who differ from the national profile of informal carers in two areas, gender and age. The second relates to the diverse nature of the caregiving experience, including the vast array of symptoms and diseases that an AIDS diagnosis can entail, the complexity of the relationship between the carer and care recipient and the experience of multiple caregiving. These findings highlight the difficulty in identifying simple, singular strategies for carer support and information.
It's No Life, This Fear' Women's Experiences of Services when in Situations of Family Violence
Authors: Robinson Kim
Published: August 2009

This study examines the experiences of women who have been in situations of family violence, and identifies the barriers they faced when seeking assistance from a variety of services. The research aims to contribute to the knowledge base of the health, social welfare, legal and policing services which respond to calls for assistance from women faced with family violence. The service system is varied in how it conceptualizes family violence, and in the aims of the services it provides. The research reports that the service system does not always meet the needs of victim/survivors, and reveals that service providers are often ill equipped to deal with the complexity of violence. Due to the length of waiting lists and the quality of interventions women experienced particular difficulty in accessing advice based services. A number of recommendations are made for improvements in services.
Building Communities in Inner Melbourne: A Case Study
Authors: Boston Vera
Published: August 2009

On July 13 1998 over 130 people packed into a meeting room in Collingwood, an inner Melbourne suburb. They had come (as they do regularly) to a meeting of the North Yarra Community Health (NYCH) Community Liaison Committee. In July they heard a presentation by a City of Yarra Officer on the newly established Safer Cities Program, and had an update by a Board of Management member on the issue of drug use. They also welcomed, Stefan Romaniw, the Chairperson of the Victorian Multicultural Commission who had been invited to speak to the group. One of the important features of this meeting was that, like all the other public meetings of the Community Liaison Committee, it was simultaneously translated into eight community languages. Meetings such as this have been held at regular intervals by NYCH since 1994, and attract between 100 and 150 participants. The origins of this remarkable Committee and the reasons for its continued success are discussed in this case study.
Preventing Childhood Injury: Developing a Home Safety Display in a Community Health Centre
Authors: Western Sally
Published: August 2009

Childhood injury is a major health issue, with approximately 20,000 children under five hospitalised each year in Australia. The home is a common site for childhood injuries, with some of the more frequent episodes including falls, poisoning, burns, cuts and crush injuries. A regional initiative to develop a coordinated approach towards minimising injuries sustained by children between 0-4 years, resulted in the development of 'Childsafe Now', a health promotion program which involved training of child care providers, and the establishment of several home safety displays in the Eastern metropolitan region of Victoria. One of the home safety displays was developed in a Community Health Centre, utilising a pre-existing child care facility and the multidisciplinary skills of the staff. Community Health Centres were established with a focus on health promotion - encouraging illness and injury prevention through a holistic combination of education, community involvement, behavioural and social modification and multi-disciplinary primary health care services - yet the opportunity to establish a permanent, functional display which combines all of these aspects of health promotion is becoming increasingly rare. However, the skills and knowledge which have traditionally been nurtured within the Community Health Program make Community Health Centres a particularly appropriate location for establishing a Home Safety Display.
Occupational Health and Safety in Australia
Authors: Williams Claire
Published: August 2009

The book is dedicated to the estimated 2900 Australian workers who die each year from work-related injuries and death. The authors do not accept the double standard which surrounds workplace-related deaths that somehow they are the legitimate cost of industry. These deaths tend to be glossed over in a way that does not occur in relation to any other deaths in the community.
Prevascularization of cardiac patch on the omentum improves its therapeutic outcome
Authors: Dvir Tal , Kedem Alon , Ruvinov Emil , Levy Oren , Freeman Inbar , Landa Natalie , Holbova Radka , Feinberg Micha S. , Dror Shani , Etzion Yoram , Leor Jonathan , Cohen Smadar
Published: August 2009

The recent progress made in the bioengineering of cardiac patches offers a new therapeutic modality for regenerating the myocardium after myocardial infarction (MI). We present here a strategy for the engineering of a cardiac patch with mature vasculature by heterotopic transplantation onto the omentum. The patch was constructed by seeding neonatal cardiac cells with a mixture of prosurvival and angiogenic factors into an alginate scaffold capable of factor binding and sustained release. After 48 h in culture, the patch was vascularized for 7 days on the omentum, then explanted and transplanted onto infarcted rat hearts, 7 days after MI induction. When evaluated 28 days later, the vascularized cardiac patch showed structural and electrical integration into host myocardium. Moreover, the vascularized patch induced thicker scars, prevented further dilatation of the chamber and ventricular dysfunction. Thus, our study provides evidence that grafting prevascularized cardiac patch into infarct can improve cardiac function after MI.
Heterotypic gap junction channels as voltage-sensitive valves for intercellular signaling
Authors: Palacios-Prado Nicolas , Bukauskas Feliksas F.
Published: August 2009

Gap junction (GJ) channels assembled from connexin (Cx) proteins provide a structural basis for direct electrical and metabolic cell–cell communication. By combining fluorescence imaging and dual whole-cell voltage clamp methods, we demonstrate that in response to transjunctional voltage (V
j
) Cx43/Cx45 heterotypic GJs exhibit both V
j
-gating and dye transfer asymmetries. The later is affected by ionophoresis of charged fluorescent dyes and voltage-dependent gating. We demonstrate that small differences in resting (holding) potentials of communicating cells can fully block (at relative negativity on Cx45 side) or enhance (at relative positivity on Cx45 side) dye transfer. Similarly, series of high frequency V
j
pulses resembling bursts of action potentials (APs) can fully block or increase the transjunctional flux (J
j
) of dye depending on whether pulses are generated in the cell expressing Cx43 or Cx45, respectively. Asymmetry of J
j
-V
j
dependence is enhanced or reduced when ionophoresis and V
j
-gating act synergistically or antagonistically, whereas single channel permeability (P
γ
) remains unaffected. This modulation of intercellular signaling by V
j
can play a crucial role in many aspects of intercellular communication in the adult, in embryonic development, and in tissue regeneration.
Characterizing hydrophobicity of interfaces by using cavity formation, solute binding, and water correlations
Authors: Godawat Rahul , Jamadagni Sumanth N. , Garde Shekhar
Published: August 2009

Hydrophobicity is often characterized macroscopically by the droplet contact angle. Molecular signatures of hydrophobicity have, however, remained elusive. Successful theories predict a drying transition leading to a vapor-like region near large hard-sphere solutes and interfaces. Adding attractions wets the interface with local density increasing with attractions. Here we present extensive molecular simulation studies of hydration of realistic surfaces with a wide range of chemistries from hydrophobic (−CF
3
, −CH
3
) to hydrophilic (−OH, −CONH
2
). We show that the water density near weakly attractive hydrophobic surfaces (e.g., −CF
3
) can be bulk-like or larger, and provides a poor quantification of surface hydrophobicity. In contrast, the probability of cavity formation or the free energy of binding of hydrophobic solutes to interfaces correlates quantitatively with the macroscopic wetting properties and serves as an excellent signature of hydrophobicity. Specifically, the probability of cavity formation is enhanced in the vicinity of hydrophobic surfaces, and water–water correlations correspondingly display characteristics similar to those near a vapor–liquid interface. Hydrophilic surfaces suppress cavity formation and reduce the water–water correlation length. Our results suggest a potentially robust approach for characterizing hydrophobicity of more complex and heterogeneous surfaces of proteins and biomolecules, and other nanoscopic objects.
Spatial dimension and the dynamics of supercooled liquids
Authors: Eaves Joel D. , Reichman David R.
Published: August 2009

Inspired by recent theories that apply ideas from critical phenomena to the glass transition, we have simulated an atomistic model of a supercooled liquid in three and four spatial dimensions. At the appropriate temperatures and density, dynamic density correlation functions in three and four spatial dimensions correspond nearly exactly. Dynamic heterogeneity, quantified through the breakdown of the Stokes–Einstein relationship, is weaker in four dimensions than in three. We discuss this in the context of recent theories for dynamical heterogeneity. Because dimensionality is a crucially important variable, our work adds a stringent test for emerging theories of glassy dynamics.
In situ growth of a stoichiometric PEG-like conjugate at a protein's N-terminus with significantly improved pharmacokinetics
Authors: Gao Weiping , Liu Wenge , Mackay J. Andrew , Zalutsky Michael R. , Toone Eric J. , Chilkoti Ashutosh
Published: August 2009

The challenge in the synthesis of protein-polymer conjugates for biological applications is to synthesize a stoichiometric (typically 1:1) conjugate of the protein with a monodisperse polymer, with good retention of protein activity, significantly improved pharmacokinetics and increased bioavailability, and hence improved in vivo efficacy. Here we demonstrate, using myoglobin as an example, a general route to grow a PEG-like polymer, poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate) [poly(OEGMA)], with low polydispersity and high yield, solely from the N-terminus of the protein by in situ atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) under aqueous conditions, to yield a site-specific (N-terminal) and stoichiometric conjugate (1:1). Notably, the myoglobin-poly(OEGMA) conjugate [hydrodynamic radius (R
h
): 13 nm] showed a 41-fold increase in its blood exposure compared to the protein (R
h
: 1.7 nm) after IV administration to mice, thereby demonstrating that comb polymers that present short oligo(ethylene glycol) side chains are a class of PEG-like polymers that can significantly improve the pharmacological properties of proteins. We believe that this approach to the synthesis of N-terminal protein conjugates of poly(OEGMA) may be applicable to a large subset of protein and peptide drugs, and thereby provide a general methodology for improvement of their pharmacological profiles.
Divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) regulation by Ndfip1 prevents metal toxicity in human neurons
Authors: Howitt Jason , Putz Ulrich , Lackovic Jenny , Doan Anh , Dorstyn Loretta , Cheng Hong , Yang Baoli , Chan-Ling Tailoi , Silke John , Kumar Sharad , Tan Seong-Seng
Published: August 2009

The regulation of metal ion transport within neurons is critical for normal brain function. Of particular importance is the regulation of redox metals such as iron (Fe), where excess levels can contribute to oxidative stress and protein aggregation, leading to neuronal death. The divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) plays a central role in the regulation of Fe as well as other metals; hence, failure of DMT1 regulation is linked to human brain pathology. However, it remains unclear how DMT1 is regulated in the brain. Here, we show that DMT1 is regulated by Ndfip1 (Nedd4 family-interacting protein 1), an adaptor protein that recruits E3 ligases to ubiquitinate target proteins. Using human neurons we show the Ndfip1 is upregulated and binds to DMT1 in response to Fe and cobalt (Co) exposure. This interaction results in the ubiquitination and degradation of DMT1, resulting in reduced metal entry. Induction of Ndfip1 expression protects neurons from metal toxicity, and removal of Ndfip1 by shRNAi results in hypersensitivity to metals. We identify Nedd4–2 as an E3 ligase recruited by Ndfip1 for the ubiquitination of DMT1 within human neurons. Comparison of brains from Ndfip1
−/−
with Ndfip1
+/+
mice exposed to Fe reveals that Ndfip1
−/−
brains accumulate Fe within neurons. Together, this evidence suggests a critical role for Ndfip1 in regulating metal transport in human neurons.
Coherent X-ray diffraction from collagenous soft tissues
Authors: Berenguer de la Cuesta Felisa , Wenger Marco P. E. , Bean Richard J. , Bozec Laurent , Horton Michael A. , Robinson Ian K.
Published: August 2009

Coherent X-ray diffraction has been applied in the imaging of inorganic materials with great success. However, its application to biological specimens has been limited to some notable exceptions, due to the induced radiation damage and the extended nature of biological samples, the last limiting the application of most part of the phasing algorithms. X-ray ptychography, still under development, is a good candidate to overcome such difficulties and become a powerful imaging method for biology. We describe herein the feasibility of applying ptychography to the imaging of biological specimens, in particular collagen rich samples. We report here speckles in diffraction patterns from soft animal tissue, obtained with an optimized small angle X-ray setup that exploits the natural coherence of the beam. By phasing these patterns, dark field images of collagen within tendon, skin, bone, or cornea will eventually be obtained with a resolution of 60–70 nm. We present simulations of the contrast mechanism in collagen based on atomic force microscope images of the samples. Simulations confirmed the ‘speckled’ nature of the obtained diffraction patterns. Once inverted, the patterns will show the disposition and orientation of the fibers within the tissue, by enhancing the phase contrast between protein and no protein regions of the sample. Our work affords the application of the most innovative coherent X-ray diffraction tools to the study of biological specimens, and this approach will have a significant impact in biology and medicine because it overcomes many of the limits of current microscopy techniques.