A Cross-Sectional Nationwide Study of Australians' Health: Are There Differences in Health-Related Behaviors and Psychological Distress Between Teachers and Other Occupations?

Background: Teachers' health behaviors and mental well-being are important for their chronic disease risk and reducing burnout. This study investigates the health-related behaviors and psychological distress of Australian teachers compared with other occupations.

Methods: Data from the nationally representative Australian National Health Survey (NHS) were analyzed.

Unexpected variation in outcomes following total (procto)colectomies for ulcerative colitis in New South Wales, Australia: a population-based 19-year linked-data study.

Aim: Total (procto)colectomy for ulcerative colitis (UC) is associated with significant morbidity, which is increased in the emergency setting. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes following total (procto)colectomies at a population level within New South Wales (NSW), Australia, and identify case mix and hospital factors associated with these outcomes.

Methods: A retrospective data linkage study of patients undergoing total (procto)colectomy for UC in NSW over a 19-year period (2001-2020) was performed.

The association of diet quality and physical activity with cardiovascular disease and mortality in 85,545 older Australians: A longitudinal study.

Background: A quality diet and an active lifestyle are both important cornerstones of cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention. However, despite their interlinked effects on metabolic health, the 2 behaviors are rarely considered jointly, particularly within the context of CVD prevention. We examined the independent, interactive, and joint associations of diet and physical activity with CVD hospitalization, CVD mortality, and all-cause mortality.

High but decreasing rates of reconstruction after total proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis, and evidence of a direct volume outcome relationship.

Background: Total (procto)colectomy is indicated in 15%-20% of ulcerative colitis(UC) patients during their disease course. Reconstruction options to avoid a permanent ileostomy include an ileoanal pouch anastomosis (IPAA) or ileorectal anastomosis (IRA). This study aimed to investigate reconstruction rates using Australian-based population-level data, and factors influencing reconstruction.

Reducing rate of total colectomies for ulcerative colitis but higher morbidity in the biologic era: an 18-year linked data study from New South Wales Australia.

Background: This study aims to investigate the trends in UC surgery in New South Wales (NSW) at a population level.

Methods: A retrospective data linkage study of the NSW population was performed. Patients of any age with a diagnosis of UC who underwent a total abdominal colectomy (TAC) ± proctectomy between Jul-2001 and Jun-2019 were included.

Population outcomes, trends and the future of pouch surgery for ulcerative colitis: a 19-year New South Wales data linkage study.

Background: Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) is considered the gold standard reconstructive option in ulcerative colitis (UC). Recent efforts to improve pouch outcomes have seen a push towards centralisation of surgery. This study aimed to document outcomes following pouch surgery at a population level within New South Wales (NSW), and identify factors associated with, and temporal trends of these outcomes.

The impact of the 2019/2020 Australian landscape fires on infant feeding and contaminants in breast milk in women with asthma.

Background: The 2019/2020 Australian landscape fires (bushfires) resulted in prolonged extreme air pollution; little is known about the effects on breastfeeding women and their infants. This study aimed to examine the impact of prolonged landscape fires on infant feeding methods and assess the concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and elements in breast milk samples.

Methods: From May - December 2020, women with asthma, who were feeding their infants during the fires, were recruited from an existing cohort.

Acute health effects of bushfire smoke on mortality in Sydney, Australia.

Background: Bushfire smoke is a major ongoing environmental hazard in Australia. In the summer of 2019-2020 smoke from an extreme bushfire event exposed large populations to high concentrations of particulate matter (PM) pollution. In this study we aimed to estimate the effect of bushfire-related PM of less than 2.

Correction: Standen et al. Aboriginal Population and Climate Change in Australia: Implications for Health and Adaptation Planning. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 7502.

In the original publication [...

The impact of prolonged landscape fire smoke exposure on women with asthma in Australia.

Background: Little is known about the physical and mental health impact of exposure to landscape fire smoke in women with asthma. This study examined the health impacts and information-seeking behaviours of women with asthma exposed to the 2019/2020 Australian fires, including women who were pregnant.

Methods: Women with asthma were recruited from the Breathing for Life Trial in Australia.

How many days of indoor positioning system data are required to characterise typical movement behaviours of office workers?

Indoor Positioning Systems (IPS) appear to offer great potential to study the movement and interaction of people and their working environment, including office workplaces. But little is known about appropriate durations for data collection. In this study, location observations collected from 24 office workers on a 1220 m office floor over a 3-month period, were analysed to determine how many days are required to estimate their typical movement and spatial behaviours.

Physical activity, diet quality and all-cause cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality: a prospective study of 346 627 UK Biobank participants.

Objectives: To examine independent and interactive associations of physical activity and diet with all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and physical activity, diet and adiposity-related (PDAR) cancer mortality.

Methods: This population-based prospective cohort study (n=346 627) is based on the UK Biobank data with linkage to the National Health Service death records to 30 April 2020. A left-truncated Cox proportional hazards model was fitted to examine the associations between exposures (self-reported total moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA), vigorous-intensity physical activity (VPA) and a diet quality index (score ranged 0-3)) and outcomes (all-cause, CVD and PDAR cancer mortality).

Aboriginal Population and Climate Change in Australia: Implications for Health and Adaptation Planning.

The health impacts of climate are widely recognised, and extensive modelling is available on predicted changes to climate globally. The impact of these changes may affect populations differently depending on a range of factors, including geography, socioeconomics and culture. This study reviewed current evidence on the health risks of climate change for Australian Aboriginal populations and linked Aboriginal demographic data to historical and projected climate data to describe the distribution of climate-related exposures in Aboriginal compared to non-Aboriginal populations in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.

Hepatitis C testing in general practice settings: A cross-sectional study of people who inject drugs in Australia.

Background: People who inject drugs (PWID) often do not receive confirmatory RNA testing following positive HCV antibody testing. Expanding access to adequate testing and assessment will improve the progression of patients through the HCV care cascade with the potential to improve diagnosis as well as linkage to treatment. We aimed to determine current utilisation of general practitioners (GPs) by PWID in Australia compared to other settings for HCV testing and post-test discussions.

The recovery of online drug markets following law enforcement and other disruptions.

Introduction: Online drug markets operating on the 'darknet' ('cryptomarkets') facilitate the trade of illicit substances at an international level. The present study assessed the longitudinal impact on cryptomarket trading of two major disruptions: a large international law enforcement operation, 'Operation Onymous'; and the closure of the largest cryptomarket, Evolution.

Methods: Almost 1150 weekly snapshots of a total of 39 cryptomarkets were collected between October 2013 and November 2015.

I like the old stuff better than the new stuff? Subjective experiences of new psychoactive substances.

Background: Over the past decade, monitoring systems have identified the rapid emergence of new psychoactive substances (NPS). While the use of many NPS is minimal and transitory, little is known about which products have potential for capturing the attention of significant proportions of the drug consuming market. The aim of this study was to explore self-reported experiences of three commonly used NPS classes within the Australian context (synthetic cathinones, hallucinogenic phenethylamines and hallucinogenic tryptamines) relative to traditional illicit drug counterparts.

Who sells what? Country specific differences in substance availability on the Agora cryptomarket.

Background: To date monitoring of cryptomarkets operating on the dark net has largely focused on market size and substance availability. Less is known of country specific differences in these indicators and how they may corroborate population prevalence estimates for substance use in different countries.

Methods: All substance listings from the cryptomarket Agora were recorded over seven time points throughout February and March 2015.

Characterising dark net marketplace purchasers in a sample of regular psychostimulant users.

Background: The past five years has seen a proliferation in marketplaces operating on the 'dark net' selling licit and illicit substances. While monitoring systems have investigated the specific substances for sale on these marketplaces, less is known about consumer motivations for accessing these marketplaces and factors associated with their use.

Methods: An Australian national sample (n=800) recruited on the basis of regular psychostimulant use was recruited and asked about purchasing substances from dark net marketplaces and the reasons for doing so.

The rise of new psychoactive substance use in Australia.

New Psychoactive Substances are now a feature of Australia's recreational drug market. Little is known, however, about the prevalence of use, the characteristics of people who use them and the relationship between the NPS and ecstasy markets. This study examined the prevalence and correlates of NPS use amongst a group of regular ecstasy users in Australia.

Monitoring drug markets in the Internet age and the evolution of drug monitoring systems in Australia.

In Australia, drug monitoring systems have been in place for more than a decade allowing for the measurement of ongoing trends in drug use and the detection of new drugs. The Drug Trends Unit at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre monitors drugs through four separate systems. The Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS) measures the price, purity, and availability of drugs that are primarily injected.