Knowledge of dementia: A cross-sectional survey of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members and health-care workers providing care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Objectives: To examine (1) the knowledge of dementia among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members and health-care workers providing care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; (2) the factors associated with higher levels of knowledge about dementia.

Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members were recruited through social media advertisements and an online market research platform.

Co-Occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Research Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People: A Systematic Review.

This systematic review describes studies focussed on co-occurring mental health and substance use (MH/SU) conditions among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including the: characteristics; co-occurring conditions examined; cultural methodological quality; traditional scientific methodological quality of studies; and study outcomes. A systematic review examined the literature on co-occurring MH/SU conditions among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Four databases were searched, with data from relevant studies extracted for narrative synthesis.

Evaluating the effectiveness of mailout smoking cessation support: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: One of the main barriers to smoking cessation support is accessibility. Mailout supports can potentially mitigate access barriers, but their effectiveness has not been explored. The aim of this review is to evaluate the effectiveness of mailout smoking cessation support.

Advance personal planning knowledge, attitudes, and participation amongst community-dwelling older people living in regional New South Wales, Australia: A cross-sectional survey.

Background: Advance personal planning (APP) involves planning for future periods of incapacity, including making legal decisions and documents. APP ensures that a person's values and preferences are known and respected. This study aimed to examine knowledge of APP, attitudes and confidence towards APP, and participation in APP activities among older people residing in regional and rural areas.

The effectiveness of internet-based group behavioural interventions on lifestyle modifications: A systematic review.

Objectives: To examine the effectiveness of internet-based group interventions incorporating social support elements in addressing behaviours related to smoking, nutrition, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and obesity.

Methods: A literature search was undertaken in six databases from inception to April 2024. Articles were eligible if they reported on group-based online interventions targeting smoking, nutrition, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and obesity, and included interactive features aimed at promoting social engagement and support.

Job satisfaction and regulation in the aged care sector: staff perspectives.

Background: The quality of care provided in residential aged care facilities is largely dependent on the job satisfaction of employees and the organisational framework and systems that they provide care in. This study aimed to explore aged care staff perceptions of job satisfaction, regulation of the sector and the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey conducted in 2019-early 2020 with staff employed in various roles at residential aged care services in Australia.

Documentation of cognitive impairment screening amongst older hospitalised Australians: a prospective clinical record audit.

Background: Failure to detect cognitive impairment (CI) in hospitalised older inpatients has serious medical and legal implications, including for the implementation of care planning. This mixed methods study aimed to determine amongst hospital in-patients aged ≥ 65 years: (1) Rates of documentation of screening for CI, including the factors associated with completion of screening; (2) Rates of undocumented CI amongst patients who had not received screening during their admission; (3) Healthcare provider practices and barriers related to CI screening.

Methods: A mixed methods study incorporating a clinical audit and interviews with healthcare providers was conducted at one Australian public hospital.

Attitudes towards and engagement in self-directed learning among paramedics in New South Wales, Australia: a cross sectional study.

Background: Australian paramedics must engage in continuing professional development (CPD), including self-directed learning (SDL). This study aimed to examine paramedics' attitudes towards training and learning activities and perceptions about what could increase engagement in self-directed CPD.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with New South Wales Ambulance paramedics.

Do health assessments affect time to permanent residential aged care admission for older women with and without dementia?

Aim: To investigate the effect of health assessments on permanent residential aged care admission for older Australian women with and without dementia.

Methods: A total of 1427 older Australian women who had a health assessment between March 2002 and December 2013 were matched with 1427 women who did not have a health assessment in the same period. Linked administrative datasets were used to identify health assessment use, admission to permanent residential aged care, and dementia status.

Experiences and preferences for advance care planning following a diagnosis of dementia: Findings from a cross-sectional survey of carers.

Background: Future medical and financial planning is important for persons with dementia given the impact of the disease on capacity for decision making.

Aims: To explore from the perspective of carers of persons with dementia: (1) Participation in future medical and financial planning by the person they care for, including when planning was undertaken and the characteristics associated with having an advance care directive completed; (2) The type of healthcare providers who discussed advance care planning following diagnosis; and (3) Preferences for timing of discussions about advance care planning following diagnosis.

Methods: Recruitment and data collection took place between July 2018 and June 2020.

A mixed methods evaluation of Quit for new life, a smoking cessation initiative for women having an Aboriginal baby.

Background: Quit for new life (QFNL) is a smoking cessation initiative developed to support mothers of Aboriginal babies to quit smoking during pregnancy. The state-wide initiative provides support for pregnant women and their households including free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and follow up cessation advice. Services are also supported to implement systems-level changes and integrate QFNL into routine care.

Dementia is the second most feared condition among Australian health service consumers: results of a cross-sectional survey.

Fear of disease may act as a barrier to screening or early diagnosis. This cross-sectional survey of 355 people attending outpatient clinics at one Australian hospital found that cancer (34%) and dementia (29%) were the most feared diseases. Participants aged 65 years and over feared dementia the most.

Delivery of tobacco control programs by Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations in New South Wales, Australia: A cross-sectional survey.

Issue Addressed: To describe the characteristics of tobacco control programs (TCPs) delivered by Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs) in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.

Methods: A key informant from each ACCHS in NSW completed a 30-item online survey. For each TCP, ACCHSs were asked to provide: the target population group, program aims and activities, funding source, and whether the program had been monitored or evaluated and reflected principles of community control and engagement.

The impact of organisational factors on treatment outcomes for those seeking alcohol or other drug treatment: A systematic review.

Introduction: Organisational factors have been found to be associated with health outcomes in a number of health-care settings. Despite likely being an important influence on the quality of care provided within alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment centres, the impact of organisational factors on AOD treatment outcomes have not been extensively explored. This systematic literature review examines the characteristics, methodological quality and findings of published studies exploring the association between organisational factors and client AOD treatment outcomes.

Exploring the Reported Strengths and Limitations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research: A Narrative Review of Intervention Studies.

High quality intervention research is needed to inform evidence-based practice and policy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. We searched for studies published from 2008-2020 in the PubMed database. A narrative review of intervention literature was conducted, where we identified researcher reported strengths and limitations of their research practice.

-informing the development of practical recommendations to support ethical conduct in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research: a protocol for a national mixed-methods study.

Introduction: Conducting ethical and high-quality health research is crucial for informing public health policy and service delivery to reduce the high and inequitable burden of disease experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Ethical guidelines and principles specifically for health research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been developed for use since 1987. However, there has been limited examination of how these are being applied to the conduct of research.

Oncology nurse perceptions about life expectancy discussions: a cross-sectional study exploring what patients want to know, and why doctors don't disclose.

: Sensitive and patient-centred discussion about life expectancy has clear benefits for patients with advanced cancer and their families. The perceptions of oncology nurses about disclosure of life expectancy, and the barriers to disclosure, have rarely been explored. : To examine oncology nurses' perceptions of the: (1) proportion of patients with advanced cancer who want, receive and understand estimates of life expectancy; (2) reasons why doctors may not provide estimates of life expectancy.

Volume, scope, and consideration of ethical issues in Indigenous cognitive impairment and dementia research: A systematic scoping review of studies published between 2000-2021.

Introduction: High quality research involving Indigenous people with cognitive impairment and dementia is critical for informing evidence-based policy and practice. We examined the volume, scope and ethical considerations of research related to dementia with Indigenous populations globally from January 2000-December 2021.

Methods: Studies were included if they were published in English from 2000 to 2021 and provided original data that focused on cognitive impairment or dementia in any Indigenous population.

Junior Medical Officers' knowledge of advance care directives and substitute decision making for people without decision making capacity: a cross sectional survey.

Background: For the benefits of advance care planning to be realised during a hospital admission, the treating team must have accurate knowledge of the law pertaining to implementation of advance care directives (ACDs) and substitute decision making.

Aims: To determine in a sample of Junior Medical Officers (JMOs): (1) knowledge of the correct order to approach people as substitute decision makers if a patient does not have capacity to consent to treatment; (2) knowledge of the legal validity of ACDs when making healthcare decisions for persons without capacity to consent to treatment, including the characteristics associated with higher knowledge; and (3) barriers to enacting ACDs.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted at five public hospitals in New South Wales, Australia.

Junior medical doctors' decision making when using advance care directives to guide treatment for people with dementia: a cross-sectional vignette study.

Background: Junior medical doctors have a key role in discussions and decisions about treatment and end-of-life care for people with dementia in hospital. Little is known about junior doctors' decision-making processes when treating people with dementia who have advance care directives (ACDs), or the factors that influence their decisions. To describe among junior doctors in relation to two hypothetical vignettes involving patients with dementia: (1) their legal compliance and decision-making process related to treatment decisions; (2) the factors influencing their clinical decision-making; and (3) the factors associated with accurate responses to one hypothetical vignette.