Exploring the determinants of health and wellbeing in communities living in proximity to coal seam gas developments in regional Queensland.

Background: There is some concern that coal seam gas mining may affect health and wellbeing through changes in social determinants such as living and working conditions, local economy and the environment. The onward impact of these conditions on health and wellbeing is often not monitored to the same degree as direct environmental health impacts in the mining context, but merits attention. This study reports on the findings from a recurrent theme that emerged from analysis of the qualitative component of a comprehensive Health Needs Assessment (HNA) conducted in regional Queensland: that health and wellbeing of communities was reportedly affected by nearby coal seam gas (CSG) development beyond direct environmental impacts.

Exploring the broader health and well-being outcomes of mining communities in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review.

Health and well-being outcomes in communities living in proximity to mining activity may be influenced by a broad spectrum of factors including population growth, economic instability or land degradation. This review aims to synthesise broader outcomes associated with mining activity and in doing so, further explore possible determinants in communities of low- and middle-income countries. Four databases were systematically searched and articles were included if the study targeted adults residing in proximity to mining activity, and measured individual or community-level health or well-being outcomes.

Examining health and well-being outcomes associated with mining activity in rural communities of high-income countries: A systematic review.

Objective: It is recognised internationally that rural communities often experience greater barriers to accessing services and have poorer health outcomes compared to urban communities. In some settings, health disparities may be further exacerbated by mining activity, which can affect the social, physical and economic environment in which rural communities reside. Direct environmental health impacts are often associated with mining activity and are frequently investigated.

Relationships of sun-protection habit strength with sunscreen use during outdoor sport and physical activity.

The objective of this cross-sectional questionnaire study was to assess associations of a self-report index of sun protection habit strength with sunscreen use in sporting environments and outdoor physical activity. Participants (n = 234) in field hockey, soccer, tennis and surf sports in Queensland, Australia, completed a self-administered survey on sun protection during organized sport, and during general outdoor physical activity during 2005/2006. The sun protection habit strength index was dichotomized into two categories.

A prospective study of prevalence and predictors of concurrent alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy.

Concurrent drinking and smoking during pregnancy is a major public health concern. Changes in these behaviours are under-researched, although essential if effective interventions are to be implemented. Hence this paper investigated characteristics of women who decreased concurrent drinking and smoking during pregnancy.

Social cognitive correlates of young adult sport competitors' sunscreen use.

Young adults participating in outdoor sports represent a high-risk group for excessive sun exposure. The purpose of this study was to identify modifiable social cognitive correlates of sunscreen use among young adult competitors. Participants aged 18 to 30 years who competed in soccer (n = 65), surf-lifesaving (n = 63), hockey (n = 61), and tennis (n = 48) completed a sun habits survey.

Determinants of continuity and change over 10 years in young women's smoking.

Aims: To examine prospectively continuity and change in smoking behaviour and associated attributes over a 10-year period.

Design, Setting And Participants: Participants (initially aged 18-23 years) in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health completed postal questionnaires in 1996, 2000, 2003 and 2006. The analysis sample was 6840 women who participated in all surveys and provided complete smoking data.

Smoking reduction and cessation among young adult women: a 7-year prospective analysis.

This study examined transitions in smoking behavior and attributes associated with reductions in daily smoking and subsequent cessation over a 7-year period. Data came from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Women aged 18-23 years in 1996 were randomly selected from the national health insurance database.

Occasional tobacco use among young adult women: a longitudinal analysis of smoking transitions.

Objective: To describe prospective transitions in smoking among young adult women who were occasional smokers, and the factors associated with these transitions, by comparing sociodemographic, lifestyle and psychosocial characteristics of those who changed from occasional smoking to daily smoking, non-daily smoking or non-smoking.

Design: Longitudinal study with mailed questionnaires.

Participants/setting: Women aged 18-23 years in 1996 were randomly selected from the Medicare Australia database, which provides the most complete list of people in Australia.

From partying to parenthood: young women's perceptions of cigarette smoking across life transitions.

This study explored influences on adoption, maintenance and cessation of smoking among young women as they experienced life transitions: leaving home, gaining employment or attending college/university, marriage and parenthood. Standardized, open-ended telephone interviews were conducted with 80 women (including never smokers, continuing smokers, recent adopters and quitters) aged 24-29 years, recruited from participants in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. The social context of smoking (socializing with other smokers, drinking alcohol and going to pubs and clubs) was perceived to be a predominant influence on smoking from the time young women left home until they settled into a committed relationship or started their own family.

Young women as smokers and nonsmokers: a qualitative social identity approach.

The authors used a social identity perspective to explore young women's perceptions of smoking. They carried out 13 focus groups and 6 intercept interviews with women aged 16 to 28 years in regards to the social identities that might influence young women's smoking behavior. Three identities emerged: the cool smoker applied to the initiation of smoking; considerate smokers, who were older addicted smokers; and the actual and anticipated good mother identity, which applied to young women who quit smoking during pregnancy.

Suntans and sun protection in Australian teen media: 1999 to 2000.

In this study, the portrayal of tanned skin and sun protection in magazines, television programs, and movies popular with Australian adolescents were analyzed. Images of models in magazines (n = 1,791), regular/supporting characters in television programs (n = 867), and regular/supporting characters in cinema movies (n = 2,836)for the 12-month period August 1999 to July 2000 were coded and analyzed. A light tan was the most predominant tan level, and protective clothing was the most common sun protection measure displayed across all forms of media.

Changes in smoking behaviour among young women over life stage transitions.

Objective: To examine changes in smoking behaviour among young women over four life stages: leaving home; employment or attending college or university; marriage; and parenthood.

Methods: Young women participating in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health completed postal questionnaires in 1996 and 2000.

Results: Unmarried women who moved out of their parents' home between 1996 and 2000 had higher odds of adopting smoking than those who had not lived with their parents at either time (OR 1.