Contribution of maternal overweight and obesity to the occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Aims: Maternal overweight and obesity in pregnancy are known to increase the risk of a range of complications and adverse pregnancy outcomes. This study estimates the population-level contribution of maternal overweight and obesity to adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Methods: Data derived from the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Maternal and Perinatal Data Collection were analysed.

Hypertension: high prevalence and a positive association with obesity among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth in far north Queensland.

Objective: Hypertension and other chronic disease risks are common among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults but there is little evidence regarding the epidemiology of these risk factors during adolescence. This study examines the prevalence of pre-hypertension, hypertension and other cardiovascular risk factors in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15-24 years living in remote Indigenous communities in north Queensland. In so doing, it aims to better inform the approach to cardiovascular disease in this population.

Successes in sexual health communications development, programmatic implementation and evaluation in the Torres Strait region 2006 to 2012.

Objective: To evaluate the Indigenous sexual health promotion program in the Torres Strait 2006-2012 that culminated in an education-entertainment radio drama, Kasa Por Yarn (KPY).

Methods: A mixed methods approach applied to unpublished program documents and program-derived peer-reviewed publications was utilised.

Results: Early initiatives established a strong partnership with Torres Strait Islander stakeholders.

Diabetic major amputation in Far North Queensland 1998-2008: what is the Gap for Indigenous patients?

Objective: To examine demographic and clinical characteristics of diabetic patients undergoing diabetes-related major amputation in Far North Queensland to identify those at risk.

Design: A cohort was examined for differences between Indigenous and non-Indigenous groups in age, co-morbidities, indication for amputation and mortality. Attendance at the High Risk Foot Service was also reported.

Diabetes-related major lower limb amputation in Far North Queensland, 1998-2008.

Objective: To report on the accuracy of reports of diabetes-related major amputations, rates per 100000 people and trends over the 10-year period from 1998-99 to 2007-08 in Far North Queensland.

Methods: Three data sources were cross-checked. Poisson regression was used to calculate the percentage change in trends in diabetes amputation hospitalisations over the period.

Melioidosis in north Queensland, 2000-2009.

There were 176 culture-confirmed cases of melioidosis in north Queensland over the 10 years, 2000-2009. Most (nearly 80%) occurred in the first 4 months of the year. The overall case fatality was 21%, but was 14% in 2005-2009.

Cooperative medical insurance and the cost of care in Shandong, PR China: perspectives of patients and community members.

This research was conducted to identify the cost of care associated with utilization of village clinics and membership of the New Cooperative Medical Scheme (NCMS) in 2 counties of Shandong province, PR China. A total of 397 community members and 297 patients who used the village clinics were interviewed. The average cost for primary care treatment of 1 episode of illness was about 55 yuan (about US$8).

Esophageal cancer in Indigenous Australians in Far North Queensland.

Background And Aims: There is very little information known about esophageal cancer in Indigenous persons. In this retrospective study, we investigated the epidemiological and clinical features of Indigenous Australians with esophageal cancer.

Methods: A retrospective study was carried out on Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians diagnosed with esophageal cancer at Cairns Base Hospital during the period 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2006.

Evidence of pertussis clusters in three aged-care facilities in the former Macquarie Area Health Service, NSW.

During a limited outbreak of pertussis in an area health service in NSW, three clusters occurred in aged-care facilities--the first reported outbreaks of pertussis in Australian nursing homes. The attack rates across the three clusters were 16.7% for staff and 15.

Assessment of diagnostic tests to inform policy decisions--visual electrodiagnosis.

Objectives: To conduct a systematic review of the evidence for the effectiveness of five visual electrodiagnostic tests to inform the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) of the Department of Health and Ageing (Australia) in its decision in allocating public funding for new technologies.

Methods: We searched the biomedical literature to identify English-language articles published from 1966 to September 2000. We assessed validity of methodology of included studies against the following criteria: investigators (i) compared test with an appropriate reference test; (ii) tested an appropriate spectrum of patients; (iii) masked assessment of study and reference tests; (iv) measured the study test independently of clinical information; and (v) measured the reference test before any interventions.