Publications by authors named "Kate L Francis"

Background: Risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs, cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, and mental disorders) arise in adolescence but are mostly framed as relevant to health in adulthood; little is known about the relationship between co-occurring NCD risks and mental wellbeing in young people. This study aims to describe the prevalence and co-occurrence of distinct NCD risk factors, and how they relate to current mental wellbeing amongst adolescents in Indonesia, a young and populous country where NCD burden is increasing rapidly.

Methods: We assessed NCD risk and mental wellbeing amongst 1,331 school-based 16-18-year-olds in Jakarta (N = 609) and South Sulawesi (N = 722).

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Objective: Infections during pregnancy can increase the risk of congenital hearing loss. This population-based study investigated the effect of birthing parent COVID-19 infection during pregnancy on risk of congenital hearing loss in infants.

Methods: Records of infants born in 2022 were reviewed via a retrospective clinical audit of a universal state-wide newborn hearing screening program in Victoria, Australia.

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Article Synopsis
  • Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a serious condition affecting extremely preterm infants, and while systemic corticosteroids can help, they come with risks; inhaled corticosteroids may provide a safer alternative.
  • The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of administering budesonide, an inhaled corticosteroid, alongside surfactant in improving survival rates without BPD among extremely preterm infants.
  • Conducted across 21 neonatal units in four countries, the trial involved 1,059 infants and found that 25.6% of those receiving budesonide plus surfactant survived without BPD, compared to 22.6% in the surfactant-only group.
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Background: The beneficial off-target effects of Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination potentially include protection against allergy.

Objective: In the MIS BAIR trial, we aimed to determine whether neonatal BCG vaccination reduces atopic sensitisation and clinical food allergy in infants.

Methods: In this randomised controlled trial, 1272 neonates were allocated to BCG-Denmark vaccine (0.

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Objective: Neonatal endotracheal intubation is a lifesaving but technically difficult procedure, particularly for inexperienced operators. This secondary analysis in a subgroup of inexperienced operators of the Stabilization with nasal High flow during Intubation of NEonates randomised trial aimed to identify the factors associated with successful intubation on the first attempt without physiological stability of the infant.

Methods: In this secondary analysis, demographic factors were compared between infants intubated by inexperienced operators and those intubated by experienced operators.

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Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, mental disorder and chronic lung conditions are the leading cause of death and disability in Indonesia. Adolescence is when risks for NCDs emerge and it is also an important life stage for intervention, yet young people are often at the margins of NCD policy and actions. This study aimed to understand how policies and actions should address NCD risks (tobacco smoking, inadequate physical activity, and diet) for adolescents in Indonesia, and how young people can be meaningfully involved.

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Purpose: Interpersonal violence is a leading cause of adolescent deaths and disability. This study investigates sex differences in burden of interpersonal violence for adolescents and explores associations with gender inequality.

Method: Using data from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease study, we report numbers, proportions, rates of interpersonal violence deaths and disability adjusted life years (DALYs) for all ages, and rate of change (from 1990 to 2019) in adolescents aged 10-24 years disaggregated by sex and geography.

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Background: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), an inflammatory-mediated chronic lung disease, is common in extremely preterm infants born before 28 weeks' gestation and is associated with an increased risk of adverse neurodevelopmental and respiratory outcomes in childhood. Effective and safe prophylactic therapies for BPD are urgently required. Systemic corticosteroids reduce rates of BPD in the short term but are associated with poorer neurodevelopmental outcomes if given to ventilated infants in the first week after birth.

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Objectives: To identify the proportion of young people experiencing homelessness who are immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases, and to evaluate the impact of a nurse-led immunization program to improve vaccination coverage in this population.

Methods: A retrospective audit of electronic medical records included 400 participants aged 15 to 24 years who had an encounter with the Young People's Health Service, a nurse-led clinic co-located with a specialist youth homelessness service in Melbourne, Australia, between February 2019 and May 2021.

Results: Integrating an immunization nurse within a youth specialist homelessness service increased the percentage of young people who were up-to-date with routine vaccinations from 6.

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Article Synopsis
  • Child dental caries, a preventable health issue, show significant inequalities based on income and maternal education across four high-income countries: Australia, Québec, the Netherlands, and Southeast Sweden.
  • Children from the lowest income quintile face a higher risk of dental caries, with adjusted risk ratios indicating that those from disadvantaged backgrounds are more affected across all four regions studied.
  • The study suggests that national policies, like universal dental coverage and fluoridation, could reduce these inequalities by providing better oral health support for socio-economically disadvantaged children.
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Background: Neonatal endotracheal intubation often involves more than one attempt, and oxygen desaturation is common. It is unclear whether nasal high-flow therapy, which extends the time to desaturation during elective intubation in children and adults receiving general anesthesia, can improve the likelihood of successful neonatal intubation on the first attempt.

Methods: We performed a randomized, controlled trial to compare nasal high-flow therapy with standard care (no nasal high-flow therapy or supplemental oxygen) in neonates undergoing oral endotracheal intubation at two Australian tertiary neonatal intensive care units.

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Background: There is a current lack of consensus amongst paediatric radiologists and respiratory paediatricians as to the correct CT definition of bronchiectasis in children. Using contemporary low-dose CT, our objectives were to determine the upper limit of normal for broncho-arterial ratio (BAR) in children and to evaluate the effect of age and general anaesthesia.

Methods: Measurements of 330 broncho-arterial ratios from 51 children (0-19 years) undergoing low-dose CT chest for non-respiratory indications were performed by 3 blinded observers (two radiologists, one respiratory physician) using four different methods.

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Background: Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine could play a role in counteracting the rising prevalence of atopic diseases, through its beneficial off-target effects. We aimed to determine whether neonatal BCG vaccination reduces the incidence of eczema in infants.

Methods: Randomized controlled trial with 1272 infants allocated to receive BCG-Denmark or no BCG at birth.

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Background: Racism and racial discrimination are fundamental causes and determinants of health and health inequalities globally, with children and adolescents particularly vulnerable. Racial discrimination is a common stressor in the lives of many children and adolescents, with growing evidence of negative associations between racial discrimination and multiple domains of child and adolescent health. Addressing racism and racial discrimination must be core public health priorities, even more so among children and young people.

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Purpose: The aim of this study is to report the safety and eff-cacy of soft-tissue surgery incorporating split transfer of tibi-alis anterior to peroneus brevis (SPLATT-PB) for children with hemiplegic spastic equinovarus.

Methods: This was a retrospective case series of children and adolescents with spastic hemiplegia who had a novel combination of SPLATT-TB, intramuscular tenotomy of tibialis posterior and either spasticity management or gastrocsole-us lengthening as the index surgery. The principal outcome measures were changes in pain and difficulty with shoe wear and radiological parameters obtained from weight-bearing anteroposterior and lateral radiographs of the affected foot before and after surgery.

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Background: Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination has beneficial off-target effects that may include protecting against non-mycobacterial infectious diseases. We aimed to determine whether neonatal BCG vaccination reduces lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) in infants in the Melbourne Infant Study: BCG for Allergy and Infection Reduction (MIS BAIR) trial.

Methods: In this investigator-blinded trial, neonates in Australia were randomized to receive BCG-Denmark vaccination or no BCG at birth.

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: Myanmar is a country undergoing rapid transitions in health. Its national strategic policy for young people's health is being revised but there is a paucity of population data to inform local priorities and needs. : In this paper we describe a comprehensive profile of adolescent health in Myanmar to focus policy and health actions.

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Aim: Sleep problems are common in school-aged children with cerebral palsy (CP). Despite the significant impact of sleep disturbance and deprivation, there is a paucity of research in the area. The aims of this study were to (i) investigate the frequency of sleep problems in children with CP and their parents and (ii) understand what happens when parents ask for help with sleep problems from their health-care professionals.

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Aim: Data on stillbirths and neonatal morbidity and mortality in low-middle income Pacific Island Nations such as Solomon Islands is limited, partly due to weak health information systems. We describe the perinatal mortality and clinical factors associated with poor newborn outcomes at four hospitals in Solomon Islands.

Methods: This was a registry based retrospective cohort study at three provincial hospitals and the National Referral Hospital (NRH) from 2014-2016 inclusive.

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Probiotic supplementation may decrease the risk of allergic disease; however, there are differences between studies, such as the type of probiotic, the route or the duration of supplementation. Therefore, determining the most effective probiotic strain/s, route of administration and duration for clinical recommendation has been difficult. An electronic systematic literature search was undertaken between using Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed and Cochrane.

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The epidemiological transition towards non-communicable diseases is characterised by an upward shift in age of disease burden across the lifecourse. One response, within a suite of wider actions, would be to extend the upper age limit of paediatric practice to embrace adolescent health. We did an online survey to explore the upper age limit of paediatric care, obtaining responses from 1372 paediatricians in 115 countries.

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: Poor oral health in childhood can lead to adverse impacts later in life. We aimed to estimate the prevalence and population distribution of childhood dental caries in Australia and investigate factors that might ameliorate inequalities. : Data from the nationally representative birth cohort Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (N = 5107), using questions assessing: The experience of dental caries during each biennial follow-up period (2-3 years to 10-11 years), socioeconomic position (SEP), and policy modifiable oral health factors.

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Ethnic/racial minorities are under-represented in blood donor populations in most developed countries. This is of particular concern where minorities differ from a country's majority population in terms of blood or tissue typing, especially where type matching is required for effective management of rare disorders such as sickle-cell disease that require multiple transfusions. This systematic review assessed the effectiveness of interventions to increase blood donation among ethnic/racial minority populations in developed countries.

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Background: Phenytoin is the current standard of care for second-line treatment of paediatric convulsive status epilepticus after failure of first-line benzodiazepines, but is only effective in 60% of cases and is associated with considerable adverse effects. A newer anticonvulsant, levetiracetam, can be given more quickly, is potentially more efficacious, and has a more tolerable adverse effect profile. We aimed to determine whether phenytoin or levetiracetam is the superior second-line treatment for paediatric convulsive status epilepticus.

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