Robyn Considine

Infant exposure to environmental tobacco smoke: A prevalence study in Australia

Objective: To determine: the prevalence of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke among infants aged 0–12 months in two child health care settings; the accuracy of parent report indicators of exposure; and the factors associated with exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.

Increasing the Practice of Health Promotion Initiatives by Licensed Premises

Licensees of all licensed premises in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, were offered free services to encourage adoption of health promotion initiatives relating to responsible service of alcohol, environmental tobacco smoke, healthy food choices, breast and cervical cancer prevention, and the prevention of HIV/AIDS. A total of 239 premises participated in the follow-up survey. Increases in prevalence ranged between 11% and 59% for alcohol-related initiatives. The prevalence of smoke-free areas and healthy food choices increased from 32% to 65% and 42% to 96%, respectively, and the provision of cancer prevention information increased from 3% to 59%. Licensed premises represent a particularly challenging sector for health promotion practitioners to work in. The results of this study suggest that the adoption of health promotion initiatives by licensed premises can be increased. A considerable opportunity therefore exists for health promotion practitioners to become more actively involved in facilitating the adoption of such initiatives in this setting.

Contrasting views of staff and patients regarding psychosocial care for Australian women who miscarry: a hospital based study

The objectives of this study were to assess the psychosocial needs of women following miscarriage and to describe what changes should be made to improve their hospital care.

NOVEL STRATEGY TO STOP CIGARETTE SMOKING BY SURGICAL PATIENTS: PILOT STUDY IN A PREADMISSION CLINIC

Background:  Evidence‐based guidelines suggest that all services, wards and clinics within hospitals consider smoking status a vital sign and routinely provide cessation care. Despite this, such opportunities are currently under‐utilized. The aim of the present pilot study was to determine the potential effectiveness, feasibility and acceptability of computer delivery of smoking cessation advice to surgical preadmission patients.

Public housing, public health: health needs of public housing tenants

Objectives: To determine the health needs of public housing tenants, measured in terms of self‐reported health status, health risk factors and expressed need for health risk reduction intervention.

Police knowledge and attitudes regarding crime, the responsible service of alcohol and a proactive alcohol policing strategy

The purpose of this study was to investigate the pattern and predictors of police knowledge and attitudes regarding alcohol and crime, the responsible service of alcohol by licensees and proactive alcohol policing strategies. Operational police in the Hunter region of NSW, Australia who attended for duty on a selected weekday were invited to complete a questionnaire during their shift. Two hundred and ninety-eight police participated (77%). Police estimated that 60% of the incidents that they attend are related to the consumption of alcohol, with 44% of such incidents relating to alcohol consumed on licensed premises. Three-quarters of police were able to identify correctly responsible service components of the Liquor Act. A large proportion of police (93%) considered that alcohol servers are responsible for preventing intoxication and that trying to improve licensee serving practices is not a waste of police time (89%). Considerable support (67%) was shown for police using education rather than enforcement as a method for improving licensee responsible service practices. Strong support (92%) was shown for providing information to licensees about alcohol-related incidents associated with their premises. Only 55% of police reported having sufficient skills and 17% reported that sufficient police resources were used to enhance licensee alcohol service practices. The introduction of liquor legislation, with an explicit “responsible service of alcohol” emphasis, provides police with considerable opportunity to improve the serving practices of licensed premises and to reduce alcohol-related harm. The perception by police of a lack of skill, a low prioritization for alcohol policing, limited time availability and inadequate penalties may prevent the realization of these benefits. Enhanced police training and the development of alternative responsible service of alcohol policing strategies are needed if these benefits are to be achieved.

Skin penetration operators' knowledge and attitudes towards infection control.

OBJECTIVES To assess the knowledge and attitudes of owners/managers of commercial skin-penetration premises regarding infection control. METHODS A telephone survey was conducted with a randomly selected sample of 874 owners/managers. RESULTS Participants appeared to lack knowledge of essential infection-control practices. Less than 39% correctly identified recommended disinfection procedures, and between 12% to 67% were not aware of inappropriate sterlization procedures. Almost all participants accepted the need for guidelines. Half acknowledged a need to improve their infection-control compliance, and most accepted having their premises regularly checked by the councils. CONCLUSIONS There is a considerable opportunity to increase infection-control compliance among skin-penetration operators.

The Contribution of Individual, Social and Work Characteristics to Employee Mental Health in a Coal Mining Industry Population

Background Evidence regarding the extent of mental health problems and the associated characteristics within an employee population is necessary to inform appropriate and tailored workplace mental health programs. Mental health within male dominated industries (such as mining) has received recent public attention, chiefly through observations regarding suicide in such populations in Australia and internationally. Currently there is limited empirical evidence regarding the mental health needs in the mining industry as an exemplar of a male dominated workforce, and the relative contribution to such problems of individual, socio-economic and workplace factors. This study aimed to investigate the mental health and associated characteristics among employees in the Australian coal mining industry with a specific focus on identifying modifiable work characteristics. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among employees (n = 1457) across eight coal mines stratified by key mine characteristics (state, mine type and employee commute arrangements). Participants completed measures of psychological distress (K10+) and key variables across four categories (socio-demographic characteristics, health history, current health behaviours, work attitudes and characteristics). Results Psychological distress levels within this sample were significantly higher in comparison with a community sample of employed Australians. The following factors contributed significantly to levels of psychological distress using hierarchical linear regression analysis: lower social networks; a past history of depression, anxiety or drug/alcohol problems; high recent alcohol use; work role (managers) and a set of work characteristics (level of satisfaction with work, financial factors and job insecurity; perception of lower workplace support for people with mental health problems. Conclusion This is the first study to examine the characteristics associated with mental health problems in the Australian coal mining industry. The findings indicate the salience of mental health needs in this population, and the associated interplay of personal, social and work characteristics. The work characteristics associated with psychological distress are modifiable and can guide an industry response, as well as help inform the understanding of the role of workplace factors in mental health problems in a male dominated workforce more generally.

Alcohol consumption in the Australian coal mining industry

Objectives To investigate patterns of alcohol use within the coal mining industry, and associations with the personal, social, workplace and employment characteristics. Design 8 mine sites across 3 eastern Australian states were surveyed, selected to encompass key geographic characteristics (accessibility and remoteness) and mine type (open cut and underground). Problematic alcohol use was measured using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) to determine: (1) overall risky or hazardous drinking behaviour; and (2) frequency of single-occasion drinking (6 or more drinks on 1 occasion). Results A total of 1457 employees completed the survey, of which 45.7% of male and 17.0% of female participants reported levels of alcohol use within the range considered as risky or hazardous, considerably higher than the national average. Hierarchical linear regression revealed a significant contribution of many individual level factors associated with AUDIT scores: younger age, male, current smoking status; illicit substance use; previous alcohol and other drug use (AOD) problems; and higher psychological distress. Workplace factors associated with alcohol use included working in mining primarily for the high remuneration, and the type of mining, with underground miners reporting higher alcohol use than open-cut miners. Conclusions Our findings provide support for the need to address alcohol use in the coal mining industry over and above routine on-site testing for alcohol use.

The economic impact of psychological distress in the Australian coal mining industry

Objective: The aim of this study was to estimate the economic impact of psychological distress among employees of the Australian Coal Mining Industry. Methods: Sample data were gathered from 1456 coal mining staff across eight sites in two Australian states. Two measures were taken of work time lost over four weeks due to psychological distress: (1) full-day absences; (2) presenteeism. Lost work time was valued using hourly wages. Sample data was modeled to estimate annual monetary losses for the Australian Coal Mining Industry. Results: For the sample, estimated annual value of time lost due to psychological distress was