Rural obesity, healthy weight and perceptions of risk: struggles, strategies and motivation for change.

Objective: To explore risk logics, embodiment (the interplay between the physical, social and subjective body) and issues related to adult obesity in remote New South Wales.

Design: Qualitative multiple-method design using semistructured interviews and visual aids (food and exercise palm cards) to explore the saliency of food and exercise options. A one-page demographic survey incorporated self-reported body mass index.

Mobilising a rural community to lose weight: impact evaluation of the WellingTonne Challenge.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of the WellingTonne Challenge.

Design: Before-after study.

Setting: The National Action Agenda for the prevention and control of obesity in Australia identified community action and development as a key theme.

Screening children for elevated blood lead - learnings from the literature.

Introduction: Although it is important that children at risk of developing elevated blood lead receive regular screening, attendance at screening programs is variable. A literature review was undertaken to better understand the factors that affect carers' decisions about whether or not to take their children for blood lead screening.

Method: Electronic databases (Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Psychinfo) were searched to identify relevant publications, supported by reviewing reference lists of identified articles and searching with internet-based search engines.

Using problem-based learning in public health service based training.

Objectives: This study explored the suitability and benefits of problem-based learning (PBL) in competency-based postgraduate public health training. The PBL was delivered within a rural retreat and included site visits.

Methods: Qualitative semistructured interviews with trainee public health officers and key informants.

Value adding through regional coordination of rural placements for all health disciplines: The Broken Hill experience.

Objective: To describe the experience of the University of Sydney's Broken Hill Department of Rural Health (BHUDRH) delivering a regional program in far western NSW.

Design: Case Study Setting: The Australian Government's University Departments of Rural Health Program, established in 1997, has been responsible for setting up regionally coordinated rural placement programs for students from all health disciplines in each state and territory.

Results: Over nine years the BHUDRH has harnessed both academic and administrative resources to achieve greater efficiency in program delivery, increased support for students during their placement, and enhanced educational opportunities that draw on regional issues.

Lead dust in Broken Hill homes: effect of remediation on indoor lead levels.

This study was undertaken to determine whether home remediation effectively reduced indoor lead levels in Broken Hill, a long-established silver-lead-zinc mining town in outback Australia. A before-after study of the effect of home remediation on indoor lead levels was embedded into a randomized controlled trial of the effectiveness of remediation for reducing elevated blood lead levels in young children. Moist towelettes were used to measure lead loading (microg/m2) on internal windowsills and internal and entry floors of 98 homes; samples were collected before, immediately after, and 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 months after remediation.