Canine Support Program: Student perceptions and preferences at a regional university and implications for health, well-being, and student support enhancements.

Issue Addressed: Canine Support Programs (CSPs) are a potential solution to growing university student support demands. While current studies focus on the impacts of CSPs, there is limited understanding of the views and expectations of tertiary students about CSPs. This study explored the perceptions and preferences of students in an Australian regional university about CSPs.

Quality management systems in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services: a review of the literature.

Background: A national accreditation policy for the Australian primary healthcare (PHC) system was initiated in 2008. While certification standards are mandatory, little is known about their effects on the efficiency and sustainability of organisations, particularly in the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (ACCHS) sector.

Aim: The literature review aims to answer the following: to what extent does the implementation of the International Organisation for Standardization 9001:2008 quality management system (QMS) facilitate efficiency and sustainability in the ACCHS sector?

Methods: Thematic analysis of peer-reviewed and grey literature was undertaken from Australia and New Zealand PHC sector with a focus on First Nations people.

Indigenous Australian perspectives on incorporating the social determinants of health into the clinical management of type 2 diabetes.

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus and social disadvantage are related. In Australia, this association is most pronounced among Indigenous Australians (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples). Indigenous Australians are among the most socially disadvantaged in the country, having the worst social determinants of health (SDoH).

Influencing Safety in Australian Agriculture and Fisheries.

Background: Improving the health and safety of those working in Australian agriculture and fishery industries is a recognized priority area for preventative activities. With Australian agricultural industries being among the nation's most dangerous workplaces, there is a need for action. While there are currently known solutions, their implementation is limited.

Factors to be Considered in Developing Occupational Regulations for Quad Bikes in Australia.

Quad bikes are popular vehicles in agricultural occupational settings. Quad bike rollovers are a leading cause of deaths in the Australian agricultural industry; current regulations appear to have had limited impact on quad bike deaths. The objectives of this study were (1) to explore whether regulation is perceived by regulators, users, retailers, and health professionals as an effective approach to quad bike safety in North West Outback Queensland, Australia; and (2) to consider the ways that perceptions of quad bike safety and use in North West Outback Queensland could inform the development of regulatory guidelines for the occupational use of quad bikes in agricultural industries.

The challenges of remote area medical education.

To what extent should we cushion the realities of remote area living for young people who are seeking challenge and inspiration?

Cultural barriers to health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Mount Isa.

Objective: Access barriers to health care for minority populations has been a feature of medical, health and social science literature for over a decade. Considerations of cultural barriers have featured in this literature, but definitions of what constitutes a cultural barrier have varied. In this paper, data from recent interviews with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Aboriginal Health Workers and other non-Indigenous health professionals in north-west Queensland assist to refine the meaning of this term and uncovered other issues disguised as 'cultural' difference.