Healthy Lifestyle Care vs Guideline-Based Care for Low Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: An unhealthy lifestyle is believed to increase the development and persistence of low back pain, but there is uncertainty about whether integrating support for lifestyle risks in low back pain management improves patients' outcomes.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of the Healthy Lifestyle Program (HeLP) compared with guideline-based care for low back pain disability.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This superiority, assessor-blinded randomized clinical trial was conducted in Australia from September 8, 2017, to December 30, 2020, among 346 participants who had activity-limiting chronic low back pain and at least 1 lifestyle risk (overweight, poor diet, physical inactivity, and/or smoking), referred from hospital, general practice, and community settings.

Prediction of white matter hyperintensities evolution one-year post-stroke from a single-point brain MRI and stroke lesions information.

Predicting the evolution of white matter hyperintensities (WMH), a common feature in brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of older adults (i.e., whether WMH will grow, remain stable, or shrink with time) is important for personalised therapeutic interventions.

Time-Restricted Eating in Real-World Healthcare Settings: Utilisation and Short-Term Outcomes Evaluation.

Background: Time-restricted eating (TRE) shows promise for managing weight and metabolic issues, yet its application in real-world healthcare settings remains underexplored. This study aims to assess the real-world utilisation and short-term outcomes of TRE in clinical practice.

Methods: This observational study used a retrospective chart review of 271 adults who attended a metabolic specialist clinic between 2019 and 2023.

Virtual Care Appointments and Experience Among Older Rural Patients with Chronic Conditions in New South Wales: An Analysis of Existing Survey Data.

This retrospective, descriptive study, conducted in 2024, analysed Virtual Care Survey (2020-2022) data of patients' self-reported reflections on use and experiences to investigate relationships between demographics, the number of chronic conditions, and virtual care use among older rural patients (≥65 years with at least one chronic condition) living in New South Wales, and their satisfaction with virtual care. Associations between categorical variables were assessed using chi-squared tests, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for continuous variables. Qualitative feedback was analysed thematically.

Identifying Unique Integrated Care Competencies to Inform Health Profession Curriculum Development.

Background: Integrated care can enhance health outcomes for patients, as well as improve healthcare efficiency for organisations. However, it is unclear what values and competencies health professionals need to develop at the pre-qualification stage to engage in integrated care practice upon graduation. Therefore, this review aimed to identify published integrated care competencies for professional entry health professional education programmes.

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).

Rural nursing and allied health placements during the latter stage of the COVID-19 public health emergency: A national study.

Objective: To explore changes to rural nursing and allied health placements during the latter stage of the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Setting: Regional, rural and remote Australia.

Participants: Nursing and allied health students with a scheduled University Department of Rural Health (UDRH) facilitated rural placement between 1 January 2022 and 31 October 2022.

Pilot cluster randomised controlled trial of Stepping Stones and Creating Futures Plus to reduce emotional dysregulation among young men in rural areas and urban informal settlements in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa.

Aim: Emotional dysregulation (ED) - the difficulty to control emotional responses to stressors - is a potential driver of intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration among young men in HIV endemic resource-limited settings. This two-armed pilot cluster randomised controlled trial investigated the effectiveness of Stepping Stones and Creating Futures Plus (SSCF+), a participatory gender transformative and livelihood strengthening intervention, on the emotional dysregulation (ED) among young men in South Africa (SA).

Methods: A total of 163 young men ages 18 to 30 years were recruited in 30 clusters (friendship groups) in urban informal settlements and rural areas in KwaZulu-Natal, SA.

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.

Association of 24-h movement behaviors during Covid-19 pandemic with spinal musculoskeletal disorders in undergraduate students: a cross-sectional study.

Background And Aims: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are an important health problem, and the Covid-19 pandemic affected several lifestyle and health aspects worldwide, including moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), sedentary behavior (SB) and sleep time, which compose the 24-h movement guidelines (24-hMG). It is unclear whether meeting 24-hMG during pandemic have been associated with MSD in adult population and this study aimed to analyze the association of meeting 24-hMG with spinal MSD in undergraduate students during Covid-19 pandemic.

Methods: A sample of 71 undergraduate students were assessed (24.

Integrated solutions for sustainable fall prevention in primary care: a pragmatic hybrid-type 2 mixed methods implementation and effectiveness study.

Unlabelled: The iSOLVE implementation project established and evaluated integrated processes and pathways, including a decision-making tool and educational interventions for general medical practitioners (GPs) and the upskilling of allied health professionals (AHPs). The study used a mixed-methods (parallel) design comprising surveys, qualitative methodologies, and an embedded cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT). Sampling was conducted within a Primary Health Network (PHN) geographic area in Sydney, Australia.

Measuring Indigenous food security-A case for Indigenous designed tools.

Food insecurity disproportionately impacts Indigenous peoples, leading to significant health disparities. Indigenous peoples globally share a deep and interconnected relationship to their lands, waterways and seas that ensures optimum health, and cultural, spiritual, social and emotional wellbeing. However, food security definitions and assessment frameworks in research and policy predominantly stem from capitalist and colonial food system values.

Older rural women's pre-visit planning and involvement in South Australian general practices: A candidacy theory perspective.

Objective: To explain older rural women's participation in clinical decision-making with GPs and explore factors associated with their pre-visit planning and involvement in treatment processes.

Methods: A sequential, theory-driven mixed-method study was conducted. Women aged 65 years or above who had visited a GP three months prior were recruited from five rural towns in South Australia through the local Rotary Club.

Exploring the Possible Relationship Between Mother's Dietary Intake of Tryptophan and Melatonin Levels in Her Breast Milk.

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that is not produced in the body and can only be consumed through diet. Tryptophan is a precursor for serotonin, which, in turn, helps produce melatonin. Melatonin exhibits a circadian rhythm, peaking at night and dissipating during the day, with basal levels significantly differing between mothers.

First Nations women's experiences of out-of-hospital childbirth: Insights for enhancing paramedic practice - A scoping review.

Background: Birthing on Country principles in Australia have seen a revitalisation in midwifery care over the last decade with it being seen as a metaphor for the best start to life for First Nations peoples. This scoping review aimed to explore the extent of evidence of Australian First Nations women's experiences of out-of-hospital childbirth and the alignment with Birthing on Country principles to inform paramedic practice.

Methods: Four databases were searched including MEDLINE, CINAHL, EBSCOhost Health and Scopus utilising the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for Scoping Reviews.

Study on the co-occurrence of multiple health service needs throughout the lifecourse of rural residents in China based on association rules.

Objective: To understand the multiple health service needs of rural residents in China and explore the co-occurrence patterns of these needs throughout the entire life course, providing a basis for the formulation and optimization of health service packaging policies.

Methods: This study utilized a stratified random sampling method, resulting in a final sample size of 15,125 individuals. The R statistical software was employed to apply the Apriori algorithm to mine the co-occurrence relationships among multiple health service needs across the life course and to explore the packaging model of these services.

Rural physicians and social capital: the potential and promises of a rural health research capacity building program.

Background: Accessible and contextually relevant healthcare research programs and networks for rural physicians are exceedingly rare, which hinders the development of social capital in an already isolating profession. This study aims to examine the impact of the Rural Health Research Capacity Building (RRCB) Program on enhancing cognitive, structural, and relational social capital through comprehensive research skills training, supported by professional teams and resources.

Methods: This study uses a mixed-methods approach with utilization of qualitative and quantitative data and pre-post quasi-experimental design.

Using the adaptive action method to tackle wicked problems in rural faculty development.

Medical educators face wicked (complex) problems. Few faculty development (FD) programs exist specifically designed for rural physicians. Memorial University created the 6for6 program, a longitudinal FD program in foundational research skills for rural physicians.

Longitudinal associations between fruit and vegetable intakes and depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older adults from four international twin cohorts.

Beneficial associations between higher fruit and vegetable intakes and risk of depression appear to exist but few studies have focused on adults aged 45 + years and the potential that associations are due to residual confounding has not been tested. This longitudinal study of twins (n = 3483, age 45-90 years) from Australia, Denmark, Sweden and USA, assessed the associations between baseline fruit/vegetable intake and depressive symptoms over 5-11 years using linear mixed effects models. Intakes from food frequency questionnaires were trichotomized.

Barriers and facilitators for strengthening primary health systems for person-centred multimorbid care in low-income and middle-income countries: a scoping review.

Objective: To understand barriers and facilitators for strengthening health systems for person-centred care of people with multiple long-term conditions-multimorbidity (MLTC-M) at the primary healthcare (PHC) level in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Design: A scoping review.

Methods: We adopted a systematic scoping review approach to chart literature guided by Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework.

Effectiveness of strategies for implementing guideline-concordant care in low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

Background: International low back pain guidelines recommend providing education/advice to patients, discouraging routine imaging use, and encouraging judicious prescribing of analgesics. However, practice variation occurs and the effectiveness of implementation strategies to promote guideline-concordant care is unclear. This review aims to comprehensively evaluate the effectiveness of implementation strategies to promote guideline-concordant care for low back pain.