How can Community Music Help Address Loneliness in Contexts of Social Marginalisation? Insights From Two Music for Social Connection Programs.

This study explores how participatory music programs can help build social connection for people experiencing loneliness in contexts of social marginalisation. Loneliness is a growing, global public health issue with social and structural drivers. There is an urgent need to investigate innovative approaches to programming that go beyond opportunities for social contact to address the multiple domains of loneliness.

How can community music shape individual and collective well-being? A case study of a place-based initiative.

Issue Addressed: There is an urgent need to investigate innovative and creative approaches in health promotion that support work towards health equity. In response, this study explores the potential for arts, and community music specifically, to strengthen individual and collective well-being.

Methods: This study used a qualitative case study methodology that involved interviews, focus groups and ethnographic observation with participants (N = 13), facilitator (N = 1) and support staff (N = 2) of an established community music initiative conducted in an urban community.

Social marketing and mass media interventions to increase sexually transmissible infections (STIs) testing among young people: social marketing and visual design component analysis.

Introduction: Globally, sexually transmissible infections (STIs) continue to disproportionately affect young people. Regular STI testing is an important public health strategy but remains low among this age group. Raising awareness of testing is an essential step and requires effective interventions designed for young people.

Evaluating an online module for sexual violence prevention in a tertiary educational setting: An exploratory study.

Issue Addressed: Sexual violence is an important public health issue affecting significant numbers of university students across Australia and internationally. In response, online modules have been widely implemented and there is an urgent need to better understand their effectiveness. The aim of this study was to evaluate an online sexual violence prevention and response education module designed for and implemented in one Australian university.

Promoting Compassionate Responses to Disclosures of Sexual Violence in University Settings: Exploring the Impact of a Social Marketing Campaign.

This study explores a social marketing campaign aimed to promote compassionate responses to disclosures of sexual violence from peers and raise awareness of university-based formal support services. Findings from a survey (  =  189) and follow-up focus groups (  =  11) conducted with university students in Australia indicated that exposure to the campaign may support students' self-perceived confidence in responding compassionately to disclosures of sexual violence and raise awareness of university-based formal support services. These findings suggest social marketing may be a useful tool to form part of universities' sexual violence response and prevention strategies.

Group Therapy for Survivors of Adult Sexual Assault: A Scoping Review.

Across the world, women experience significant rates of sexual assault and there is a need to strengthen support services offered to survivors. Group therapy could provide an important addition to services that support healing and growth; however, the effectiveness of group therapy interventions with survivors of adult sexual assault is not well understood and clearer insights into designing and running group therapy interventions require further exploration. This review synthesizes literature exploring group therapy for survivors of adult sexual assault to inform future interventions and research implementing group therapy.

Prescribing direct-acting antivirals to treat hepatitis C virus in a general practice setting in Australia: 'so why not do it'?

Background: The recent implementation of a scheme to provide universal access to direct-acting antiviral (DAA) medication to treat hepatitis C virus (HCV) places Australia in a unique position to reach global HCV elimination goals. To achieve this, increasing the uptake and success of DAA treatment in general practice settings is essential.

Aims: To explore current enablers and residual barriers to HCV treatment in general practice settings in the post-interferon era from both general practitioner (GP) and patient perspectives.

Applying intersectionality theory in health promotion research and practice.

Health promotion researchers and practitioners are grappling with how to address growing health inequalities for population groups. In particular, critiques of dominant behaviour change approaches draw attention to the need to engage with social theories to better understand the social and relational drivers of health. Public health researchers are increasingly acknowledging intersectionality as an important theoretical approach, providing a framework for investigating health inequalities by highlighting intersections of individuals' multiple identities within social systems of power that compound and exacerbate experiences of ill health.

How can HIV/STI testing services be more accessible and acceptable for gender and sexually diverse young people? A brief report exploring young people's perspectives in Queensland.

Issue Addressed: Gender and sexually diverse young people (GSDYP) are an important target group for HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention and there is an immediate need to explore ways to make testing interventions accessible and appropriate for this group.

Methods: We used a modified World Café workshop with 14 GSDYP in Brisbane Australia, to inform the development of a pilot community-based testing intervention.

Results: The workshop identified the key features of an ideal service, which would include multiple, accessible sites that offer holistic, affordable services and confidential care by respectful and knowledgeable providers.

'In the Islands people don't really talk about this stuff, so you go through life on your own': An arts-based study exploring intimate relationships with young people in Samoa.

This study explores conceptualisations and understandings of intimate relationships with young people in Samoa - an at-risk group experiencing high rates of intimate partner violence and alienation from sexual and relationship health promotion. Insights contribute to the immediate need to advance knowledge and practice around prevention with this group. An arts-based approach, which included a two-day interactive drama workshop coupled with follow-up, peer-led focus groups, was used to explore perceptions and understandings related to intimate relationships with 15 tertiary educated young people (nine female and six male) from across Samoa.

Exploring Intimate Partner Violence in Polynesia: A Scoping Review.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major, global public health concern with significant impacts, particularly for women, worldwide. There is an immediate need to develop comprehensive understandings of the complex drivers of this multifaceted issue in diverse cultural and social contexts. This scoping review used a systematic approach to gather a broad scope of peer-reviewed, publisher-controlled, and gray literature investigating IPV in Polynesia, a region of the Pacific experiencing high rates of IPV.

Suiga/Change: An Ethnodrama Exploring Challenges in Intimate Relationships With Young People in Samoa.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant global issue and there is an immediate need to strengthen knowledge and support innovative action, particularly with young people and people in diverse cultural settings. This ethnodrama provides insights into the way young people in Samoa, a Pacific Island nation reporting high rates of IPV, experience and perceive IPV and challenges within intimate relationships. Suiga/Change is an authentic, emotive, and powerful story of four young people who represent the diversity and lived experiences of the wider population of young people in Samoa.

Using Applied Theater in Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Prevention of Intimate Partner Violence: A Systematic Review.

There is an immediate need to advance knowledge around the effective prevention of intimate partner violence (IPV), which is responsible for significant negative health and well-being outcomes for women around the world. Creative approaches are being explored internationally-this systematic review provides a timely synthesis of applied theater interventions addressing primary, secondary, and tertiary IPV prevention. Six hundred and ten articles were identified through a comprehensive search of five cross-disciplinary databases.

Culture X: addressing barriers to physical activity in Samoa.

There is an urgent need to address the epidemic rates of non-communicable diseases globally, and the Pacific Island region is of particular concern. Increasing physical activity participation plays an important role in reducing some of the key risk factors for non-communicable diseases including obesity and being overweight. In order to address low levels of physical activity, it is essential to understand the key barriers and facilitating factors experienced by specific population groups.

Love Bugs: promoting sexual health among young people in Samoa.

Issues Addressed: This project addressed the sexual health and well being of youth in Samoa; a key at-risk group experiencing high rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and alienation from sexual health services.

Methods: Love Bugs included a health promotion event held at the National University of Samoa (NUS), exposing young people to sexual health information and developing personal skills and building self-efficacy around healthy relationships, communication and safer sex. A survey provided insights into participants' knowledge and perceptions of sexual health, STIs and healthy relationships.