Development and Implementation of the Palliative Care Assessment Toolkit for Rural Aged Care Facilities in Australia.

Palliative care (PC) in rural aged care facilities faces significant challenges, including late referrals and insufficient staff training, leading to a risk of suboptimal end-of-life care. The aim of the project was to develop and implement an evidence-based Palliative Care Assessment Toolkit (PCAT) to improve PC in rural aged care facilities and evaluate its impact on care delivery and staff practices. The study employed a mixed-methods design across three phases: codesign of the toolkit, implementation, and evaluation (using pre- and post-data).

A systematic review of peer support interventions to improve psychosocial functioning among cancer survivors: can findings be translated to survivors with a rare cancer living rurally?

Background: This study aimed to (1) summarise research on the impact of peer support interventions aimed at improving psychosocial functioning among cancer survivors, and (2) identify key components for developing a support intervention for patients with a rare cancer living in rural, regional or remote areas.

Methods: A comprehensive search of EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library identified papers that examined peer support interventions: (i) for rare cancer patients, or (ii) for those living in rural, regional or remote locations, or (iii) that provided support online or via telehealth. After screening, data on study characteristics, intervention components and impact on psychosocial functioning were extracted.

'Keeps me young at heart': Exploring the influence of volunteering on social connection, health and well-being in rural Australia.

Objective: The negative consequences of social disconnection, including loneliness and social isolation, is receiving considerable attention from researchers and policymakers, and growing as a global public health priority. Volunteering has emerged as a promising strategy to promote social connection and combat loneliness, calling for a closer examination of its potential benefits to individual social health and community cohesion. This study explores the experiences and impact of volunteering on individuals' social health, providing insights into both the positive impacts and possible limitations of volunteering in rural communities.

Community-Driven Health Promotion: Evaluation of a Rural Microgrant Program.

Introduction: Microgrants for health promotion have the potential to engage communities in designing and implementing place-based interventions to improve health and social outcomes. However, the evidence base around microgrants for health promotion is limited. This study presents the evaluation of a health service-funded microgrant program for health promotion in rural Australia.

Addressing cancer survivors' information needs and satisfaction: a systematic review of potential intervention components for survivors with a rare cancer type.

Objective: Providing current, evidence-based information to cancer survivors is critical for informed decision making. People diagnosed with a rare cancer report higher unmet information needs compared to common cancer survivors. However, interventions providing informational support for rare cancers are limited.

Mobile breast screening services in Australia: A qualitative exploration of perceptions and experiences among rural and remote women aged ≥75 years.

Objective: This qualitative descriptive study draws on data collected from a sub-sample of 15 women participating in a national study (n = 60) exploring the breast cancer screening motivations and behaviours of women aged ≥75 years. The study aimed to understand why women living in rural and remote areas might continue accessing mobile breast cancer screening despite being outside the targeted age range.

Setting: Settings ranged from large towns to very remote communities (according to Monash Modified Model (MMM) classification 3-7) where BreastScreen Australia mobile screening services were available.

Breast cancer screening motivation and behaviours of women aged over 75 years: a scoping review.

Background: This scoping review aimed to identify and present the evidence describing key motivations for breast cancer screening among women aged ≥ 75 years. Few of the internationally available guidelines recommend continued biennial screening for this age group. Some suggest ongoing screening is unnecessary or should be determined on individual health status and life expectancy.

Primary Health Care Interventions for Potentially Preventable Ear, Nose, and Throat Conditions in Rural and Remote Areas: A Systematic Review.

Primary and secondary level preventive primary health care programs providing early detection and timely management of ear, nose, and throat (ENT) conditions in rural and remote regions are fundamental to preventing downstream impacts on health, social, and educational outcomes. However, the range and quality of evidence is yet to be reviewed. The study objectives were to identify and synthesize the evidence of primary health care interventions for detection and management of ENT conditions in rural and remote areas, and evaluate the quality of the research and effectiveness of interventions.

Exploring the relationship between loneliness and volunteering amongst Australian adults: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Alleviating loneliness and fostering social connections and a sense of belonging are essential for individuals' well-being in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Volunteering has emerged as a potential strategy to prevent or alleviate loneliness among adults. To gain insights into factors that can reduce or protect against loneliness, it is important to consider multi-dimensional measures of loneliness and motivations to volunteer.

Professional care workforce: a rapid review of evidence supporting methods of recruitment, retention, safety, and education.

Background: Across the care economy there are major shortages in the health and care workforce, as well as high rates of attrition and ill-defined career pathways. The aim of this study was to evaluate current evidence regarding methods to improve care worker recruitment, retention, safety, and education, for the professional care workforce.

Methods: A rapid review of comparative interventions designed to recruit, retain, educate and care for the professional workforce in the following sectors: disability, aged care, health, mental health, family and youth services, and early childhood education and care was conducted.

The DELIVER study; the impact of research capacity building on research, education, and practice in Dutch midwifery.

Background: Few examples exist of research capacity building (RCB) in midwifery. As in other jurisdictions, at the turn of this century midwives in the Netherlands lagged in research-based practice. Dutch professional and academic organisations recognised the need to proactively undertake RCB.

Cultivating participatory approaches in health promotion planning, delivery, and evaluation: A case study of an academic-health service partnership in rural Victoria.

Issue Addressed: Community participation in planning, delivery, and evaluation of health promotion (HP) programs is a poorly explored topic. However, this approach has the potential to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequities, particularly for residents of rural and remote areas.

Methods: This case study describes the outputs of an academic-health service partnership in rural Victoria.

A five year descriptive analysis of potentially preventable hospitalisations for Ear, Nose, and Throat conditions in regional Victoria, Australia, from 2015 to 2020.

Background: Potentially preventable hospitalisations of ear, nose, and throat conditions in the Murray Primary Health Network region have been found to be higher than the state average of Victoria, Australia. This study aimed to examine the association between selected patient-level characteristics and the likelihood of residing in a Murray PHN postcode with higher than expected numbers of potentially preventable ENT hospitalisations.

Methods: Unit record hospital separation data were obtained from the Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset.

Implementing community paramedicine: A known player in a new role. A narrative review.

Background: Community Paramedicine is a model of care which is effective and accepted by health professionals and the community. Community paramedicine delivers low acuity primary care to disadvantaged communities and addresses service gaps. We aimed to identify successful implementation of community paramedicine models and signalled opportunities and challenges.

Evaluation Methods in Community Microgrant Programs for Health Promotion: A Scoping Review.

Context: Evaluating community-based health promotion programs is an essential aspect of public health programming to ensure evidence-based practices, justify limited resource allocation, and share knowledge about promising strategies. Community microgrant schemes represent a viable strategy to strengthen local health promotion, yet limited guidance exists surrounding the evaluation of such programs.

Objective: This research aimed to map methods used in evaluating community microgrants programs for health promotion.

Workplace violence against emergency health care workers: What Strategies do Workers use?

Background: Workplace violence by patients and bystanders against health care workers, is a major problem, for workers, organizations, patients, and society. It is estimated to affect up to 95% of health care workers. Emergency health care workers experience very high levels of workplace violence, with one study finding that paramedics had nearly triple the odds of experiencing physical and verbal violence.

Perpetrator and situational characteristics associated with security alerts in regional Australian emergency departments.

Background: Workplace violence is a regular feature of emergency departments (ED) and reported to be increasing in frequency and severity. There is a paucity of data from regional EDs in Australia. The aim of this study was to identify the perpetrator and situational characteristics associated with security alerts in regional emergency departments.

Daily reality of violence in a rural emergency department: Is violence becoming the new normal?

Objectives: Violence in emergency healthcare is a persistent and concerning problem. The objective of the present study was to explore and understand rural nurses' views on the daily experience and impact of violence, and its perpetrators.

Methods: The present study took a descriptive exploratory approach.

Exploring the ability of self-report measures to identify risk of high treatment burden in chronic disease patients: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Effective self-management of chronic health conditions is key to avoiding disease escalation and poor health outcomes, but self-management abilities vary. Adequate patient capacity, in terms of abilities and resources, is needed to effectively manage the treatment burden associated with chronic health conditions. The ability to measure different elements of capacity, as well as treatment burden, may assist to identify those at risk of poor self-management.

Perceptions and Interpretation of Contemporary Masculinities in Western Culture: A Systematic Review.

The social construct of masculinity evolves in response to changes in society and culture. Orthodox masculinity is mostly considered to be hegemonic and is evidenced by the dominance of men over women and other, less powerful men. Contemporary shifts in masculinity have seen an emergence of new masculinities that challenge traditional male stereotypes.