Publications by authors named "McNamee K"
Article Synopsis
- Australian general practitioners face diverse health challenges and effective clinical record-keeping is essential for patient care and clinician decision-making.
- The article highlights a project aimed at improving chlamydia management that involved developing and implementing documentation shortcuts for general practice.
- These shortcuts serve as helpful reminders and efficiency tools for clinicians, enhancing best practices in chlamydia management while complementing rather than replacing their clinical judgment.
Article Synopsis
- Australia implemented a national HPV vaccination program for girls in 2007 and boys in 2013, achieving strong coverage among both groups, with a study focusing on HPV prevalence among men aged 18-35 based on their vaccination status.
- Of the 1,625 men studied, the HPV prevalence was similar for vaccinated and unvaccinated men who have sex with women (10.6% vs. 10.7%), while unvaccinated men who have sex with men had a significantly higher prevalence (40.3%) compared to vaccinated men (29.9%).
- The findings highlight that universal vaccination is crucial for all adolescents, particularly to ensure that men who have sex with men also gain protection from HPV, as older
Objectives: The efficacy and availability of contraception have changed in the last several decades; however, unintended pregnancies continue to be an issue in Australia. This study aimed to describe trends in contraception in women attending a sexual health service over 9 years.
Study Design: Repeated cross-sectional study.
Five draft genome assemblies from Bacillaceae isolated from a degraded wetland environment.
Microbiol Resour Announc
February 2024
We isolated five Bacillaceae from a degraded wetland environment and sequenced their genomes using Illumina NextSeq. Here, we report draft genome sequences of SC119, strain SC120, strain SC123, strain SC124, and strain SC127. The genomes range between 3,657,353 and 5,772,725 bp with % GC between 37.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Despite recommendations, long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC), particularly IUDs, are not commonly offered as first-line options by general practitioners (GPs) in Australia, limiting women's access to these methods.
- The study analyzed data from the Australian Contraceptives ChOice pRoject (ACCORd) involving 57 practices, highlighting that 37% of GPs had IUD training, but only 12% performed insertions, while the majority inserted contraceptive implants instead.
- The findings suggest a need for increased GP training and the establishment of LARC rapid referral clinics to improve IUD access, as women often traveled long distances (up to 90km) for these services.
Article Synopsis
- The global rise in obesity among women of reproductive age highlights the need for comprehensive contraceptive options to protect their reproductive rights.
- Individuals with obesity often face stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings, necessitating awareness of potential biases during contraceptive care.
- The article evaluates the benefits and drawbacks of various contraceptive methods for people with obesity, emphasizing the importance of inclusive care and long-acting reversible contraceptives while considering health risks and noncontraceptive benefits.
Article Synopsis
- Most Australian women prefer oral contraceptives over long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), leading to a study (ACCORd) that tested ways to improve LARC uptake among patients visiting general practitioners (GPs).
- The study, conducted in 57 GP clinics in Melbourne, involved checking how well the intervention was implemented and gathering feedback from GPs and patients a year later, which highlighted the value of effectiveness-based contraceptive counseling (EBCC).
- Key findings indicate that while GPs recognized the importance of promoting LARCs and appreciated quick referral options, some faced challenges like costs and training for certain procedures; overall, both GPs and patients found the ACCORd model effective and sustainable for improving access to LAR
Background: General practice plays a key role in providing access to contraceptive options to reduce unintended pregnancies. The use of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) is increasing in Australia.
Objective: The aim of this article is to provide an update on new evidence and guidance relating to clinical practice for LARCs.
Early medical abortion is a safe, cost effective and acceptable alternative to surgical abortion. It offers privacy and autonomy and can be provided by general practitioners who have completed an online training module. Abortion can be induced with mifepristone and misoprostol up to nine weeks of gestation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of the Australian Contraceptive ChOice pRoject (ACCORd) by comparing its implementation costs and health outcomes to usual care (UC).
- Over a 10-year period, while the ACCORd intervention resulted in higher costs per woman, it provided slightly better outcomes in terms of unintended pregnancies and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs).
- The findings suggested that, if used properly and with the estimated cost thresholds, the ACCORd intervention could be considered a cost-effective approach to improving contraceptive uptake in Australia.
Background And Objectives: Women's ability to negotiate condom use helps prevent sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancies. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between substance use, risk perception and the certainty of using condoms in several hypothetical situations.
Method: This is a secondary analysis from the Australian Contraceptive ChOice pRoject (ACCORd) cluster randomised controlled trial.
Background: In Australia, high and widespread uptake of the quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has led to substantial population-level reductions in the prevalence of quadrivalent vaccine targeted HPV genotypes 6/11/16/18 in women aged ≤ 35 years. We assessed risk factors for HPV detection among 18-35 year old women, 9-12 years after vaccine program introduction.
Methods: Women attending health services between 2015 and 2018 provided a self-collected vaginal specimen for HPV genotyping (Roche Linear Array) and completed a questionnaire.
Background And Objectives: Clinical guidelines advocate using long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC) to reduce unintended pregnancy, but LARC use in Australia is poor. Additionally, little is known about contraceptive practices of women with a history of unintended pregnancy. The aim of this study was to describe current contraception use according to a history of unintended pregnancy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChronic inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis are characterized by a deficit in fully functional regulatory T cells. DNA-methylation inhibitors have previously been shown to promote regulatory T cell responses and, in the present study, we evaluated their potential to ameliorate chronic and acute animal models of rheumatoid arthritis. Of the drugs tested, decitabine was the most effective, producing a sustained therapeutic effect that was dependent on indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and was associated with expansion of induced regulatory T cells, particularly at the site of disease activity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGallstone disease is the most common gastrointestinal disease in developed countries and is present in up to 15% of the population. Owing to the increased risk factors for gallstones in pregnancy, it is the second most common non-obstetric emergency, affecting up to 12% of pregnant women with a risk of recurrence. Up to 3% of pregnant women in America require a cholecystectomy in the first year after delivery.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The Australian Contraceptive ChOice pRoject (ACCORd) aimed to assess the impact of a complex general practice intervention on the uptake of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC).
Aims: Using survey data from enrolled women, we aimed to compare the ongoing use and satisfaction of women who chose one of the hormonal LARC methods including the levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) or levonorgestrel implant compared to the oral contraceptive pill (OCP).
Materials And Methods: We used the data from participants' baseline, six and 12-month surveys to identify new users of implants, LNG-IUS or OCP.
Introduction: Through addressing main barriers to the uptake of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) among Australian women, the Australian Contraceptive ChOice pRoject (ACCORd) trialled an educational intervention targeting general practitioners (GPs) and provided those in the intervention group with a rapid referral service for quick insertion. The cluster randomised controlled trial resulted in greater uptake of LARC in the intervention group. This protocol paper describes a longitudinal follow-up to the ACCORd Study to assess the long-term efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the intervention.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDual condom and long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) or non-LARC hormonal contraceptive use is the most effective way to protect against unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmissible infections (STIs). This study aimed to determine whether condom use varied between users of LARC and non-LARC hormonal contraceptives and explore their motivations for condom use. Women aged 16-24 years attending a sexual and reproductive health centre in Melbourne, Australia, completed a survey about contraceptives and sexual practices.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFYoung women in Australia disproportionately experience unintended pregnancy and sexually transmissible infections (STIs). As the promotion of highly effective pregnancy prevention methods such as long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) increases, concurrent use of condoms with LARC remains optimal for pregnancy and STI prevention. There is little data exploring condom use behaviour in young Australian women using LARC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Long-active reversible contraceptives reduce unintended pregnancy and abortions, but uptake is low. Interventions to increase uptake in family medicine settings are untested.
Objective: The Australian Contraceptive ChOice pRoject, which was adapted from the successful US Contraceptive CHOICE study, aimed to evaluate whether a complex intervention in family medicine practices resulted in increased long-active reversible contraceptive uptake.
Unlabelled: Background Dual condom and long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) or non-LARC hormonal contraceptive use is the most effective way to protect against unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmissible infections (STIs). This study aimed to determine whether condom use varied between users of LARC and non-LARC hormonal contraceptives and explore their motivations for condom use.
Methods: Women aged 16-24 years attending a sexual and reproductive health centre in Melbourne, Australia, completed a survey about contraceptives and sexual practices.
Regulatory T (Treg) cells expressing the transcription factor Foxp3 play an important role in maintaining immune homeostasis. Chronic inflammation is associated with reduced Foxp3 expression, function, and loss of phenotypic stability. Previous studies have established the importance of TNF receptor 2 (TNFR2) in the generation and/or activation of Treg cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAims And Objectives: To determine the clinical and professional impacts of nurses' and other clinicians' involvement in a research training programme.
Background: Evidence-based practice (EBP) can be supported by nurses' involvement in research. Registered nurses report common barriers to EBP and research, but training programmes have been shown to overcome some of those barriers and lead to successful research engagement and EBP enhancement.
Objective: A trend analysis of associations with induced abortion.
Methods: Secondary analysis of the 1973/78 cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study of Women's Health of women responding to two or more consecutive surveys out of five (N=9,042), using generalised estimating equations.
Results: New abortions dropped from 7% to 2% at surveys 4 and 5.
Background: In Victoria, Australia, the law regulating abortion was reformed in 2008, and a clause ('Section 8') was introduced requiring doctors with a conscientious objection to abortion to refer women to another provider. This study reports the views of abortion experts on the operation of Section 8 of the Abortion Law Reform Act in Victoria.
Methods: Nineteen semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with purposively selected Victorian abortion experts in 2015.