Equity in breast density notification in Australia: A focus group study exploring the impact and needs amongst culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women.

Objectives: Previous research suggests a one-size-fits-all approach to breast density notification may disadvantage culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women. This study aimed to qualitatively explore CALD women's understanding and views of breast density, attitudes towards health services access, acceptability of notification and preferences for breast density communication ahead of population-based notification in Australia.

Methods: Online focus groups were conducted with CALD women of breast screening age (40-74 years) who spoke one of the five languages with the lowest English proficiency in Australia (Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese and Arabic).

Performance of Digital Breast Tomosynthesis Versus Digital Mammography in Women With a Family History of Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review.

Background: There is limited evidence on the performance of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) in populations at increased risk of breast cancer. Our objective was to systematically review evidence on the performance of DBT versus digital mammography (DM) in women with a family history of breast cancer (FHBC).

Methods: We searched 5 databases (2011-January 2024) for studies comparing DBT and DM in women with a FHBC that reported any measure of cancer detection, recall, sensitivity and specificity.

Psychosocial outcomes and health service use after notifying women participating in population breast screening when they have dense breasts: a BreastScreen Queensland randomised controlled trial.

Background: Robust evidence regarding the benefits and harms of notifying Australian women when routine breast screening identifies that they have dense breasts is needed for informing future mammography population screening practice and policy.

Objectives: To assess the psychosocial and health services use effects of notifying women participating in population-based breast cancer screening that they have dense breasts; to examine whether the mode of communicating this information about its implications (print, online formats) influences these effects.

Methods And Analysis: The study population comprises women aged 40 years or older who attend BreastScreen Queensland Sunshine Coast services for mammographic screening and are found to have dense breasts (BI-RADS density C or D).

Interventions to support decision-making, health literacy and self-management in ethnic-minority adults living with chronic kidney disease: a systematic review.

Optimal patient care is directed by clinical practice guidelines, with emphasis on shared decision-making. However, guidelines-and interventions to support their implementation-often do not reflect the needs of ethnic minorities, who experience inequities in chronic kidney disease (CKD) prevalence and outcomes. This review aims to describe what interventions exist to promote decision-making, self-management and/or health literacy for ethnic-minority people living with CKD, describe intervention development and/or adaptation processes, and explore the impact on patient outcomes.

A feasibility study of a best practice health literacy app for Australian adults with chronic kidney disease.

Objective: To investigate feasibility of the SUCCESS app; a cross-platform e-health innovation to improve health literacy, self-management and shared decision-making among culturally-diverse Australian haemodialysis patients.

Methods: Multi-site, pre-post, mixed-methods study. Haemodialysis patients ≥18 years used the app for 12 weeks.

A Systematic Review of Methods Used to Determine the Work of Breathing during Exercise.

Introduction: Measurement of the work of breathing (Wb) during exercise provides useful insights into the energetics and mechanics of the respiratory muscles across a wide range of minute ventilations. The methods and analytical procedures used to calculate the Wb during exercise have yet to be critically appraised in the literature.

Purpose: The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the quality of methods used to measure the Wb during exercise in the available literature.

Evaluation of the SUCCESS Health Literacy App for Australian Adults With Chronic Kidney Disease: Protocol for a Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: We developed a smartphone app-the SUCCESS (Supporting Culturally and Linguistically Diverse CKD Patients to Engage in Shared Decision-Making Successfully) app-to support Australian adults with kidney failure undertaking dialysis to actively participate in self-management and decision-making. The content of the SUCCESS app was informed by a theoretical model of health literacy that recognizes the importance of reducing the complexity of health information as well as providing skills necessary to access, understand, and act on this information.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of the SUCCESS app intervention.

COVID-19 challenges faced by general practitioners in Australia: a survey study conducted in March 2021.

Limited studies at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic found GPs have been negatively affected by increased workload, reduced income and major concerns about staff and patient safety. This study aimed to investigate the challenges of COVID-19 in general practice 1 year since it was declared a pandemic. A national cross-sectional online survey was conducted in March 2021 of a convenience sample of 295 Australian GPs attending an online educational webcast.

The Influence of Social Distancing Behaviors and Psychosocial Factors on Physical Activity During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-sectional Survey Study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has arguably facilitated a shift toward increased sedentariness and reduced physical activity. Moreover, there is mounting evidence that mental health has also declined during the pandemic. However, it remains unknown to what extent social distancing (SD) behaviors and mental health have affected the physical activity levels of the general population.

Perceived public health threat a key factor for willingness to get the COVID-19 vaccine in Australia.

Background: Vaccination rollout against COVID-19 is underway across multiple countries worldwide. Although the vaccine is free, rollout might still be compromised by hesitancy or concerns about COVID-19 vaccines.

Methods: We conducted two online surveys of Australian adults in April (during national lockdown; convenience cross-sectional sample) and November (very few cases of COVID-19; nationally representative sample) 2020, prior to vaccine rollout.

Self-reported physical activity before a COVID-19 'lockdown': is it just a matter of opinion?

There are growing concerns that the COVID-19 pandemic has facilitated a sedentary shift in our physical activity habits. A reduction in physical activity during the pandemic may be secondary to restrictive policies implemented at the government-level, typically those policies which limit interpersonal contact; for example, physical/social distancing. It is without question that social distancing is a necessary measure to mitigate community transmission of the novel virus; however, these policies often limit the public's opportunities to engage in physical activity.

Contextualising COVID-19 prevention behaviour over time in Australia: Patterns and long-term predictors from April to July 2020 in an online social media sample.

Background: In Australia in March 2020 a national public health directive required that non-essential workers stay at home, except for essential activities. These restrictions began easing in May 2020 as community transmission slowed.

Objectives: This study investigated changes in COVID prevention behaviours from April-July 2020, and psychosocial predictors of these behaviours.

The Psychological Impact of Hypertension During COVID-19 Restrictions: Retrospective Case-Control Study.

Background: It is unclear how people with hypertension are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic given their increased risk, and whether targeted public health strategies are needed.

Objective: This retrospective case-control study compared people with hypertension to matched healthy controls during the COVID-19 lockdown to determine whether they have higher risk perceptions, anxiety, and vaccination intentions.

Methods: Baseline data from a national survey were collected in April 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown in Australia.

Positive outcomes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.

Issue Addressed: To investigate whether Australians have experienced any positive effects during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: National online longitudinal survey. As part of a June 2020 survey, participants (n = 1370) were asked 'In your life, have you experienced any positive effects from the COVID-19 pandemic' (yes/no) and also completed the World Health Organisation-Five well-being index.

Measurement of muscle blood flow and O uptake via near-infrared spectroscopy using a novel occlusion protocol.

We describe here a novel protocol that sequentially combines venous followed by arterial occlusions to determine muscle blood flow and O uptake from a single measurement point using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) during handgrip exercise. NIRS data were obtained from the flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) muscle on the dominant arm of 15 young, healthy adults (3 women; 26 ± 7 years; 78.6 ± 9.

COVID-19 Misinformation Trends in Australia: Prospective Longitudinal National Survey.

Background: Misinformation about COVID-19 is common and has been spreading rapidly across the globe through social media platforms and other information systems. Understanding what the public knows about COVID-19 and identifying beliefs based on misinformation can help shape effective public health communications to ensure efforts to reduce viral transmission are not undermined.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with COVID-19 misinformation in Australia and their changes over time.

Health literacy and disparities in COVID-19-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviours in Australia.

Objectives: To explore the variation in understanding of, attitudes towards, and uptake of, health advice on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the 2020 pandemic stage 3 restrictions ('lockdown') by health literacy in the Australian population.

Study Design: National cross-sectional community survey.

Setting: Australian general public.

People's Experiences and Satisfaction With Telehealth During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Australia: Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

Background: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth has rapidly been adopted to deliver health care services around the world. To date, studies have not compared people's experiences with telehealth services during the pandemic in Australia to their experiences with traditional in-person visits.

Objective: This study aimed to compare participants' perceptions of telehealth consults to their perceptions of traditional in-person visits and investigate whether people believe that telehealth services would be useful after the pandemic.

The syringe potentiometer: a low-cost device for pneumotachograph calibration.

The purpose of this report was to ) detail the construction of a low-cost device that provides a "reference" flow waveform for pneumotachograph (PNT) calibration, i.e., the "syringe potentiometer" (SP), and to compare the ) accuracy and ) practical performance of "calibration curves" obtained with the SP device to other more established methods of PNT calibration, i.

Validity of Nutritional Screening Tools for Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objectives: The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the validity of nutritional screening tools to detect the risk of malnutrition in community-dwelling older adults.

Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The protocol for this systematic review was registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42017072703).