Health literacy profiles of medical students in an Australian Doctor of Medicine programme: A cross-sectional study using the Health Literacy Questionnaire.

Issue Addressed: With the emerging focus on designing health-literate organisations and health care systems, it is essential to understand the health literacy profiles of the medical workforce including medical students, as medical professionals play a key role in within these systems. Medical professionals contribute to good patient health outcomes through enabling access to appropriate health care, provision of quality health information and collaborative shared decision-making, which are fundamental health literacy competencies. The aim of this study is to identify health literacy strengths and weaknesses of medical students enrolled in an Australian Doctor of Medicine programme.

The impact of postgraduate education in transition to practice programmes on new graduate nurses' knowledge and skills: A pre- post survey design.

Background: Research indicates that nurses perceive postgraduate education to have a positive effect on their knowledge and practice. Many jurisdictions offer/require new graduate nurses to undertake postgraduate coursework however the consequences of this are not clear.

Objectives: This research aims to determine the impact of completing a postgraduate course in clinical assessment on the capabilities of new graduate nurses.

Nursing students and health literacy: The effect of region and programme level.

Low levels of health literacy have been associated with poor health outcomes. If an organisation does not have a health literate workforce, it cannot be expected to create a healthcare service that supports the development of health literacy among its users. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the health literacy profiles of undergraduate student nurses over year groups and between regions.

Health literacy of future healthcare professionals: a cross-sectional study among health sciences students in Nepal.

Background: There is an assumption that health literacy is higher among health professionals, allowing them to improve the health literacy of their patients. This study explored health literacy profiles of health science students in Nepal, the future health professionals and educators of health literacy.

Methods: The multidimensional Health Literacy Questionnaire and demographic questions were administered online to medical and other health science students at the B.

What do Australian & New Zealand caregivers know about children's ibuprofen? The results of an online survey?

Background: Children's formulations containing ibuprofen are frequently used to treat pain and fever. These medications, available over-the-counter, have the potential to cause adverse events if usage/safety information is not adhered to. This study aimed to investigate caregivers' knowledge about the safe use of a commonly purchased children's formulation containing ibuprofen.

Educating new graduate nurses in their first year of practice: The perspective and experiences of the new graduate nurses and the director of nursing.

New graduate nurses are the future of nursing and the education they receive as they transition into the workforce as a newly registered nurse is critical for building a suitably qualified nursing workforce that will adequately serve the future population. Variation exists in education programmes for new graduate nurses in their first year of practice which is known to impact on transition experience. A qualitative study using focus groups and semi-structured interviews was undertaken to explore the experiences and perceptions of New Graduate Nurses undertaking a new graduate programme and Directors of Nursing supporting them to complete the programme which may or may not have been inclusive of a postgraduate course (Masters Level).

Uneven progress in reducing exposure to violence at home for New Zealand adolescents 2001-2012: a nationally representative cross-sectional survey series.

Objective: To explore trends, and identify risk factors, that may explain changes in adolescent exposure to family violence over time.

Methods: Data for this study was drawn from the Youth 2000 series of cross-sectional surveys, carried out with New Zealand high school students in 2001, 2007 and 2012. Latent class analysis was used to understand different patterns of exposure to multiple risks for witnessing violence at home among adolescents.

School-based primary NCD risk reduction: education and public health perspectives.

The rising global burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) has heightened awareness of the necessity for primary risk prevention programmes. These aim to facilitate long-term behaviour changes in children and adolescents that can reduce NCD risk factors and disease onset in later-life. School-based programmes designed to improve childhood and adolescent health behaviours and wellbeing contribute to this; however, design and impact assessment of these is complex.

Acceptability of a mobile health exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation intervention: a randomized trial.

Background: Mobile technologies (mHealth) have recently been used to deliver behavior change interventions; however, few have investigated the application of mHealth for treatment of ischemic heart disease (IHD). The Heart Exercise And Remote Technologies trial examined the effectiveness of an mHealth intervention to increase exercise behavior in adults with IHD. As a part of this trial, a process evaluation was conducted.

Hitting Back: Women's Use of Physical Violence Against Violent Male Partners, in the Context of a Violent Episode.

This article explores women's use of physical violence in the context of experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV). Data were drawn from the New Zealand Violence Against Women Study, a cross-sectional household survey conducted using a population-based cluster-sampling scheme. Multinomial logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with women's use of physical violence against their partners when they were being physically hurt.

Women's Initiation of Physical Violence Against an Abusive Partner Outside of a Violent Episode.

This article explores women's use of physical violence against an abusive male partner, outside of the context of a violence episode. Data were drawn from the New Zealand Violence Against Women Study, a cross-sectional household survey conducted using a population-based cluster-sampling scheme. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with women initiating physical violence against their male partners.

The influence of ethnicity on the outcomes of violence in pregnancy.

Aim: To investigate the influence of ethnicity on immediate and long-term (five years post-partum) foetal, maternal and injury-related outcomes.

Methods: A retrospective, population-based study analysing maternal discharge records linked to birth/death certificates for women aged 25 years and under. Discharge records were grouped according to ethnicity (Maori and non-Maori) and as follows: (1) a pregnancy-related hospital admission, but no associated or subsequent assault recorded (pregnant only); (2) an assault-related hospital admission event after the pregnancy, but within five years of the index pregnancy (assault after pregnancy); and (3) an assault recorded within the same hospital admission event as the pregnancy (assault during pregnancy).

Immediate and long-term outcomes of assault in pregnancy.

Objective: We examined the immediate and long-term health outcomes of hospitalised pregnancy-related assault.

Methods: A retrospective review of hospital records was conducted using data from the New Zealand Ministry of Health's National Minimum Data Set of hospital discharges. The hospital records of pregnant women admitted to a public hospital in New Zealand between 2001 and 2006 were included in this investigation.

Phase II cardiac rehabilitation in rural Northland.

Cardiovascular disease has been identified as a leading cause of mortality in New Zealand. It is therefore of little surprise that the New Zealand Health Strategy has identified cardiovascular health as a target area for improved management. A main contributor to cardiovascular disease is coronary artery disease, which can lead to acute coronary syndromes such as myocardial infarction.

Prevalence of weight-related concerns and behaviours among New Zealand young people.

Aim: The study aims to describe the prevalence of weight loss behaviours and weight-related concerns among a nationally representative sample of adolescents in New Zealand.

Methods: Data for this study were collected as part of Youth'07, a nationally representative survey of the health and well-being of 9107 secondary school students in New Zealand.

Results: More than one third of males and 65% of females tried to lose weight in the past year.

Family support and weight-loss strategies among adolescents reporting sustained weight loss.

Objective: The current research aims to describe the weight-control strategies and family support for young people reporting sustained weight loss in a large, population-based sample.

Design: Data were collected as part of Youth'07, a nationally representative survey of the health and well-being of New Zealand youth.

Setting: New Zealand secondary schools, 2007.

A pragmatic randomized controlled trial of computerized CBT (SPARX) for symptoms of depression among adolescents excluded from mainstream education.

Background: Adolescents excluded from mainstream education have high mental health needs. The use of computerized Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (cCBT) has not been investigated with this group.

Aims: To test the efficacy of the SPARX cCBT programme for symptoms of depression among adolescents in programmes for students excluded or alienated from mainstream education.

Self-reported pregnancy and access to primary health care among sexually experienced New Zealand high school students.

Purpose: To determine the prevalence of self-reported pregnancy among sexually experienced high school students, and the association between teenage pregnancy and access to primary health care.

Methods: Between March and October 2007, 96 high schools throughout New Zealand participated in Youth'07, a cross-sectional Health and Wellbeing survey. The dataset included 2,620 (1,217 females and 1,403 males) year 9 through 13 students who reported ever having sexual intercourse and responded to a question about whether they had ever been pregnant or ever caused a pregnancy.

Protocol for a randomised controlled trial of nasal high flow oxygen therapy compared to standard care in patients following cardiac surgery: the HOT-AS study.

Background: Postoperative respiratory complications following cardiac surgery may increase morbidity, mortality and length of stay. Non-invasive respiratory support therapies can be used prophylactically or curatively to reduce respiratory complications. One system, nasal high flow oxygen therapy, is in use in many intensive care units (ICUs) however there is a lack of information regarding its clinical utility and efficacy.

Economic incentives to promote healthier food purchases: exploring acceptability and key factors for success.

Despite increasing interest, little is known about the beliefs and views of the public in relation to the use of economic incentives as a means to promote healthy eating. This study explores views of ethnically and socioeconomically diverse shoppers regarding acceptability of economic incentives to promote healthier food purchases, and factors likely to affect the success of such schemes. Six focus groups (n = 36 participants; 14 Māori, 12 Pacific, 10 non-ethnic specific low income), were held in Auckland, New Zealand, in October 2009.

Health and well-being of young people who attend secondary school in Aotearoa, New Zealand: what has changed from 2001 to 2007?

Aim: To describe the changes in the health and well-being of secondary school students from 2001 to 2007.

Methods: A total of 9107 secondary school students were randomly selected to participate in a comprehensive health and well-being survey using Internet tablets conducted in 2007. Comparisons are made with the first health and well-being survey conducted in 2001.

Interpretation of two nutrition content claims: a New Zealand survey.

Objective: To determine how various population groups in New Zealand interpret the nutrition content claims '97% fat free' and 'no added sugar' on food labels.

Methods: A survey of adult supermarket shoppers was conducted at 25 Auckland supermarkets over a six-week period in 2007. Supermarkets were located in areas where greater than 10% of the resident population were known to be Māori, Pacific or Asian, based on 2001 Census meshblock data.

Parents' and children's perceptions of active video games: a focus group study.

Energy expenditure studies have shown that playing Active Video Games (AVGs) is positively associated with increases in heart rate and oxygen consumption. It is proposed that playing AVGs may be a useful means of addressing inactivity and obesity in children. This study explored children's and parents' perceptions of AVGs and the likely facilitators and barriers to sustained use of AVGs.

Nutrition labels: a survey of use, understanding and preferences among ethnically diverse shoppers in New Zealand.

Objective: Effective nutrition labels are part of a supportive environment that encourages healthier food choices. The present study examined the use, understanding and preferences regarding nutrition labels among ethnically diverse shoppers in New Zealand.

Design And Setting: A survey was carried out at twenty-five supermarkets in Auckland, New Zealand, between February and April 2007.