Australia Website Research Articles

Evaluation of the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Hub Australia website.

To evaluate use and utility of the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Hub Australia website. Online REDCap user survey incorporating the Website Evaluation Questionnaire, open ended questions, Google metrics data and an accessibility audit. Seventy-six participants: researchers (32%), health professionals (29%) and policymakers/advocates (16%) completed the survey. Most were from Australia (95%) and were likely or very likely to recommend the FASD Hub to colleagues (92%), friends (74%) and patients (72%). The mean Website Evaluation Questionnaire score was at least 3.45/5 for all dimensions (ease of use, hyperlinks, structure, relevance, comprehension, completeness, layout, search option); range 3.45 (search option) to 4.04 (relevance). Participants found the content trustworthy (92%) but wanted more information for, and to support, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and improved search capacity. Google metrics identified 25,534 unique users over 6 months (82% new users); 83% aged 18-44 years, 72% female and 35% international. Users found the FASD Hub accessible, authoritative and useful and suggested improvements.

SMART Family and Friends: Feasibility and outcomes of a video-conference delivered intervention for families impacted by another's methamphetamine use

IntroductionFamilies affected by another's substance use, including methamphetamine, experience harms to their mental and physical health. Yet, research has paid little attention to support and service needs of this population. This pilot study examines the feasibility and outcomes of SMART Family and Friends, a video-conference-delivered mutual-support group targeting families affected by another's methamphetamine use. MethodsRecruitment for this study occurred between March–October 2021 via the SMART Recovery Australia website. Participants were English-speaking Australian residents, ≥18 years, affected by another's methamphetamine use, interested in participating in a manualised eight-module group delivered via video-conferencing. Feasibility was evaluated by attendance rates, participant satisfaction, fidelity ratings, and semi-structured interviews. Measures of distress, quality of life, and family functioning assessed outcomes at baseline and one-month post-treatment conclusion. ResultsForty-three participants commenced SMART Family and Friends groups. 84 % (n = 36) completed ≥4 modules, 67 % (n = 29) completed ≥6, and 42 % (n = 18) completed all 8 modules. Participant satisfaction (M = 4.32, SD = 0.66, out of 5) and facilitator fidelity (>94 % for all modules) were high. A within-group analysis, without comparison condition demonstrated significant improvements in psychological distress (d = 0.38), family impact (d = 0.64), family strain symptoms (d = 0.48), and total family burden (d = 0.69) post-treatment. Qualitative findings illustrated the benefits and challenges of the video-conference-delivered group, as well as recommendations for improvement. ConclusionsResults provide initial support for the feasibility and positive outcomes of the SMART Family and Friends program. These findings demonstrate the successful provision of a mutual-support group for affected families delivered via video-conferencing, and merit further sufficiently powered randomised-control-trials to evaluate efficacy.

Teaching the principles of least-cost poultry feed formulation utilizing the Solver function within a computer software workbook

A Microsoft Excel workbook, User-Friendly Feed Formulation with Data from Australia (UffdAu.xlsm), has been developed for teaching feed formulation techniques to tertiary level, university students. It runs under both Microsoft Windows and Apple iOS operating systems. The example ingredient composition matrix is based on the Australian Feed Ingredient Database to illustrate the biological and econometric principles of least-cost feed formulation. The nutrient data are based roughly on recent primary breeder company recommendations. The workbook is easily adapted to appropriate ingredients, nutrients, and prices most relevant to the students, wherever it is used. The workbook uses the linear routines of Excel's Solver add-in under the Data heading in the header Ribbon. There is a worksheet illustrating how to adapt non-linear responses such as exogenous enzymes to typical linear models using a step function. Additional worksheets illustrate how proximate analysis can be interpreted in modern analytical chemistry terms and, how various feed energy measures are related to feed composition. UffdAu.xlsm is available free of charge from the Poultry Hub Australia website (https://www.poultryhub.org).

The Impact of Australian Bushfires on Asthma Medicine Prescription Dispensing.

Air pollution can cause numerous health problems and increase the need for medicines to treat and prevent asthma in affected areas. There is limited evidence about the association between airborne particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or smaller (PM2.5) and asthma medicine usage. This study examined the potential association between the levels of PM2.5 and the supply of prescription asthma medicines in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Australia, during the severe bushfire season between November 2019-January 2020. Daily data was obtained from an ACT air quality monitoring station from November 2019 to January 2020 (study period) and November 2018 to January 2019 (control period, no bushfire). The number and types of government-funded asthma medicine prescriptions were obtained from the Services Australia (government) website by searching under 'Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme Item Reports' and using relevant item codes during the study and control periods. The medians for PM2.5 levels for the study period were significantly higher than those for the control period (p < 0.001). There were increases in the number of dispensed prescriptions of short-acting beta-2 agonists (SABA), inhaled corticosteroids, and long-acting beta-2 agonists combined with inhaled corticosteroids. The greatest difference was seen with the inhaled corticosteroids: a 138% increase. The increase in the number of dispensed asthma prescriptions during the bushfire season should be used to inform the stock holdings of these medicines in preparation for future events to ensure access to lifesaving asthma medicines.

Survivors' Experiences of Hyperemesis Gravidarum.

Hyperemesis gravidarum can result in life-threatening physical and psychological maternal morbidity, including severe dehydration, weight loss, electrolyte imbalance, depression, and suicidal ideation. The reported prevalence of hyperemesis gravidarum ranges from 0.3% to 3.6%. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate what blogs can tell us about women's experiences of hyperemesis gravidarum. Thirty-three blogs written by hyperemesis gravidarum survivors posted on Hyperemesis Australia's website were analyzed using Krippendorff's qualitative content analysis method. Clustering was used and yielded 6 themes: (1) debilitating physical and mental health problems: digging deep to persevere, (2) heartbreaking choices, (3) lack of understanding and dismissed, (4) so much guilt surrounding their unborn infant, (5) it takes a village to support women with hyperemesis gravidarum, and (6) warriors and survivors: giving back. Infusion nurses are in a perfect position to provide support and compassionate care for women who are repeatedly coming to the hospital for rehydration treatment. Infusion nurses can validate women's physical and emotional struggles with hyperemesis gravidarum and help to no longer make women feel stigmatized.

Participatory Design and Evaluation of the "Stem Cells Australia" Website for Delivering Complex Health Knowledge: Mixed Methods Study.

The internet has become a commonly used information source for people seeking to understand their health care options. However, inconsistent representation about what stem cell treatments are available and from whom, coupled with the lack of transparency about what has been shown to work or is even safe, can distract and mislead users. Given these challenges, there is a need to develop effective evidence-based tools for delivering information about health care options involving stem cells. A need to redesign an existing website in Australia was identified to provide trustworthy information about stem cell research and to counter misinformation. Using a participatory design approach to generate an understanding of what information users need for stem cell treatments, the Stem Cells Australia website serves as a case study for the development and evaluation of websites delivering complex messages about science and health. This study comprised 3 steps. First, a focus group and several one-on-one interviews with a purposive sample of users (n=12) were conducted to identify their needs and requirements. Second, we designed a new version of the website based on findings from the focus group and interviews. Finally, for evaluating the participatory design process, we collected 180 days of Google Analytics data for both the original and redesigned versions (90 days for each) and compared their differences using 2-sample z tests. The feedback from participants was grouped into 3 themes-needed and unwanted information, how and where to obtain information, and their information preferences. These were translated into requirements for rebuilding the website. The redesigned version reached users in other continents, despite the daily numbers of users (-61.2%; P<.001) and sessions (-61.7%; P<.001) decreasing. The redesigned version also showed substantial decrease in daily bounce rate (-97.2%; P<.001), significant increase in the daily average of page reads per session (+110.8%; P<.001), and long daily average for session duration (+22.9%; P=.045). Navigation flow analysis showed more traffic toward web pages related to health conditions in the redesigned version. Websites about stem cell research need to provide content for vulnerable global audiences. Participatory design that addresses knowledge gaps and information needs can produce better performance and engagement, which can be evaluated using Google Analytics, a common web analytics tool used by many websites. Learnings for improving the metrics regarding website identity, research updates, and clinical trials are concluded, which can inform the future design of websites seeking to engage users and provide reliable and accessible science and health information including but not limited to stem cell research and therapies.

Miscarriage Australia: the use of a human centered design approach to design and develop a website for those affected by miscarriage.

Past research has shown that Australians affected by miscarriage want a website specific to both miscarriage and their local region that is accessible, comprehensive, evidence-based and informed by experts. The aim of this study was to design, develop and evaluate the Miscarriage Australia website using human centered design. A four stage human centered design approach was used to develop the Miscarriage Australia website which aimed to: (1) Understand the issue and why users need a website; (2) Define users' specific needs; (3) Design solutions to meet those needs; and (4) Evaluate the design by testing with end users. Across the four stages, various types of data and data analysis were developed and utilized including interviews, desktop research, development of personas and tone of voice, followed by usability testing. Process and content were guided by designers, developers and an expert advisory committee of key stakeholders. Analysis and synthesis of user research across Stages 1 and Stage 2 found 11 key themes pertaining to user's miscarriage experiences and support needs. Using the themes, common experiences, goals, motivations and behaviors of users were identified and similar user types grouped and used to inform the development of two personas. Using the personas and user research findings, design elements (Stage 3) including the "tone of voice guidelines" were developed recommending the Miscarriage Australia website be calm, empathetic, hopeful and authoritative. The tone of voice guidelines guided branding and over 100 pages of content was informed by the research team and reviewed by a 13-member Expert Clinical Advisory Committee over two rounds to ensure it was evidence based and reflected best practice. Using a contextual inquiry approach, usability testing was undertaken with 8 end users to test a low fidelity mockup and high-fidelity prototype of the website. Overall, end users reported the website was highly acceptable in terms of the design, content, layout, language and terminology, describing it in line with the intended tone of voice. Users reported the website was easy to use and navigate and provided useful and appropriate content and resources. Minor areas for improvement included slight changes to specific images, improved links for navigating sections, and a title change to one section heading. The Miscarriage Australia website was successfully implemented and commended by users as meeting their needs. As a result of using human centered design, the Miscarriage Australia website provides an ideal template or blueprint on how to develop a successful and useful digital resource for users, particularly around sensitive women's health issues.

Standardised treatment and monitoring protocol to assess safety and tolerability of bacteriophage therapy for adult and paediatric patients (STAMP study): protocol for an open-label, single-arm trial

IntroductionThere has been renewed interest in the therapeutic use of bacteriophages (phages); however, standardised therapeutic protocols are lacking, and there is a paucity of rigorous clinical trial data assessing efficacy.Methods...

Almost Everyone’s Bonegilla: An Expanded Digital Archive on the Reception of Newly Arrived Migrants

ABSTRACT Many new arrival registration cards and official administration records drawn from the Bonegilla Migrant Reception Centre when it closed were digitised and placed on a National Archives of Australia website in 2020. This expansion of the digital archive is important to family historians and to immigration scholars from a variety of disciplines. Now online, both these sets of records trigger further investigations into reception arrangements and newcomer arrival experiences. They extend the ways onsite and online visitors to Bonegilla look for family and personal connections and try to make sense of place and time. This expansion of the digital archive illustrates how Bonegilla has developed as both a designated National Heritage Place and a public memory place.

A web-based comprehensive head and neck cancer patient education and support needs program: Usability testing.

Background: With increasing accessibility of the World Wide Web, patients are using it to obtain patient education materials (PEM). With this in mind, our group (surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, nursing, allied health professionals and academic researchers) developed a comprehensive information resource for patients with head and neck cancer (HNC), the Head and Neck Cancer Australia, formerly Beyond Five website. The aim of this study was to determine patient usability of the Head and Neck Cancer Australia website. Methods: Usability testing (Cognitive walkthrough & Think-Aloud) in 18 patients treated for HNC was undertaken at a Cancer centre (anonymous for reviewers). Results: The tasks rated easiest by patients were finding information on psychological well-being (mean time spent: 66s, range: 10-565), health and well-being effecting quality of life (mean time spent: 36s, range 9-117) and carer information (mean time spent: 10s, range 3-35). Patients indicated the website contained a lot of information, covers most topics, was a trusted source of information and a springboard to other information. Conclusions: The Head and Neck Cancer Australia website provides a wide range of information and support in multiple formats available to HNC patients. Further refinements in design, navigation and website instructions are needed to allow effective patient interaction.

Industry payments to Australian medical oncologists and clinical haematologists: a cross-sectional analysis of publicly available disclosures.

Payments to medical oncologists and clinical haematologists can negatively affect prescribing practice, but the extent of payments to these specialists is unknown in Australia. To analyse the extent of payments from the pharmaceutical industry to Australian cancer physicians as reported during the first collated period of the Disclosure Australia website. We performed a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of payments made from November 2018 to April 2019, using a file downloaded from the Disclosure Australia website. We checked the names of listed medical practitioners against Medical Board of Australia records to assign specialties. The number of medical oncologists, clinical haematologists, other specialist physicians and non-specialist physician medical practitioners was calculated, along with the payments to each of these groups. A total of A$7 332 407 was paid to 2775 medical practitioners. Of these, 236 were medical oncologists, 189 were haematologists and 1145 were other specialist physicians. This represents 31.7% of Australian medical oncologists and 30.9% of Australian haematologists, compared with 11.7% of all other specialist physicians and 1.1% of all other non-specialist physician medical practitioners. Medical oncologists received significantly higher payments (median A$2131.26) than other specialist physicians (median A$1376.00, 2-tailed P = 0.004) and other medical practitioners (median A$709.00, 2-tailed P < 0.001), while haematologists received significantly higher payments (median A$1519.95) than other medical practitioners (2-tailed P < 0.001), but similar payments to other specialist physicians (2-tailed P = 0.08). Australian cancer physicians receive payments at a higher proportional frequency and in greater dollar amounts than other specialist physicians and other medical practitioners in general.

Imaging of patients with multiple myeloma and associated plasma cell disorders: consensus practice statement by the Medical Scientific Advisory Group to Myeloma Australia.

Imaging modalities for multiple myeloma (MM) have evolved to enable earlier detection of disease. Furthermore, the diagnosis of MM requiring therapy has recently changed to include disease prior to bone destruction, specifically the detection of focal bone lesions. Focal lesions are early, abnormal areas in the bone marrow, which may signal the development of subsequent lytic lesions that typically occur within the next 18-24 months. Cross-sectional imaging modalities are more sensitive for the detection and monitoring of bone and bone marrow disease and are now included in the International Myeloma Working Group current consensus criteria for initial diagnosis and treatment response assessment. The aim of this consensus practice statement is to review the evidence supporting these modalities. A more detailed Position Statement can be found on the Myeloma Australia website.

Consumer protection in E-tailing computer sales: a case study of Dell

ABSTRACT E-tailing is an important feature of e-commerce in general. This is particularly true for the Dell Corporation (Dell). Literature on Dell generally focuses on its competitive features in direct sales, products and services, overlooking its e-consumer protection. This paper aims to address this gap by reviewing the information available on Dell’s (Australia) website and secondary data to examine: (i) the current e-consumer protection regulatory framework, using Australia as a case study; (ii) consumer protection by Dell; (iii) consumer experiences with Dell; and (iv) implications for theories and practices concerning e-consumer protection. Overall, Dell has adhered to its corporate governance to comply with the existing legal framework for customer protection; however, less consistent with consumer redress. The study proposes that better treatment and education of consumer rights may help e-tailers retain existing customers and attract new customers. A blend of regulatory improvement and changes in stakeholders’ mindset and behaviour are essential to enhance e-consumer protection. Proper compliance measures, including both regulatory and non-regulatory, are required to protect the interests of both e-tailers and e-consumers.

A comprehensive overview and qualitative analysis of government-led nutrition policies in Australian institutions

BackgroundInstitutions are a recommended setting for dietary interventions and nutrition policies as these provide an opportunity to improve health by creating healthy food environments. In Australia, state and territory governments encourage or mandate institutions in their jurisdiction to adopt nutrition policies. However, no work has analysed the policy design across settings and jurisdictions. This study aimed to compare the design and components of government-led institutional nutrition policies between Australian states and territories, determine gaps in existing policies, and assess the potential for developing stronger, more comprehensive policies.MethodsGovernment-led institutional nutrition policies, in schools, workplaces, health facilities and other public settings, were identified by searching health and education department websites for each Australian state and territory government. This was supplemented by data from other relevant stakeholder websites and from the Food Policy Index Australia website. A framework for monitoring and evaluating nutrition policies in publicly-funded institutions was used to extract data and a qualitative analysis of the design and content of institutional nutrition policies was performed. Comparative analyses between the jurisdictions and institution types were conducted, and policies were assessed for comprehensiveness.ResultsTwenty-seven institutional nutrition policies were identified across eight states and territories in Australia. Most policies in health facilities and public schools were mandatory, though most workplace policies were voluntary. Twenty-four included nutrient criteria, and 22 included guidelines for catering/fundraising/advertising. While most included implementation guides or tools and additional supporting resources, less than half included tools/timelines for monitoring and evaluation. The policy design, components and nutrient criteria varied between jurisdictions and institution types, though all were based on the Australian Dietary Guidelines.ConclusionsNutrition policies in institutions present an opportunity to create healthy eating environments and improve population health in Australia. However, the design of these policies, including lack of key components such as accountability mechanisms, and jurisdictional differences, may be a barrier to implementation and prevent the policies having their intended impact.

The quality of diagnosis and triage advice provided by free online symptom checkers and apps in Australia.

To investigate the quality of diagnostic and triage advice provided by free website and mobile application symptom checkers (SCs) accessible in Australia. 36 SCs providing medical diagnosis or triage advice were tested with 48 medical condition vignettes (1170 diagnosis vignette tests, 688 triage vignette tests). Correct diagnosis advice (provided in first, the top three or top ten diagnosis results); correct triage advice (appropriate triage category recommended). The 27 diagnostic SCs listed the correct diagnosis first in 421 of 1170 SC vignette tests (36%; 95% CI, 31-42%), among the top three results in 606 tests (52%; 95% CI, 47-59%), and among the top ten results in 681 tests (58%; 95% CI, 53-65%). SCs using artificial intelligence algorithms listed the correct diagnosis first in 46% of tests (95% CI, 40-57%), compared with 32% (95% CI, 26-38%) for other SCs. The mean rate of first correct results for individual SCs ranged between 12% and 61%. The 19 triage SCs provided correct advice for 338 of 688 vignette tests (49%; 95% CI, 44-54%). Appropriate triage advice was more frequent for emergency care (63%; 95% CI, 52-71%) and urgent care vignette tests (56%; 95% CI, 52-75%) than for non-urgent care (30%; 95% CI, 11-39%) and self-care tests (40%; 95% CI, 26-49%). The quality of diagnostic advice varied between SCs, and triage advice was generally risk-averse, often recommending more urgent care than appropriate.

A seafloor habitat map for the Australian continental shelf

Here we outline the genesis of Seamap Australia, which integrates spatial data of the seabed of Australia’s continental shelf (0–200 m depth) from multiple sources to provide a single national map layer of marine habitat. It is underpinned by a hierarchical classification scheme with registered vocabulary, enabling presentation of nationally consistent information at the highest resolution available for any point in space. The Seamap Australia website enables users to delineate particular areas of interest, overlay habitat maps with many other marine data layers, and to directly access the data and metadata underlying the maps they produce. This unique resource represents a step-change in capacity to access and integrate large and diverse marine data holdings and to readily derive information and products to underpin decision making around marine spatial planning and conservation prioritisation, state-of-environment reporting, and research. It is a world first fully integrated national-scale marine mapping and data service.

An archived taxonomic website: Millipedes of Australia.

The taxonomic parts of the privately maintained Millipedes of Australia website (2006-2019), now offline, have been archived in Zenodo and are no longer being updated. Core taxonomic information about the Australian millipede fauna is now available on MilliBase, a global taxonomic resource for millipedes. Most of the locality records for named, native Australian millipedes formerly available as downloads on the Millipedes of Australia website are now accessible through the Atlas of Living Australia and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Leukocyte telomere length in the Thoroughbred racehorse.

Thoroughbred racehorses possess superior cardiorespiratory fitness levels and are at the pinnacle of athletic performance compared to other breeds of horses. Although equine athletes have undergone years of artificial selection for racing performance, musculoskeletal injuries and illnesses are common and concerns relating to animal welfare have been proposed. Leukocyte telomere length is indicative of biological age, and accelerated telomere shortening occurs with excess physical and psychological stress. This study was designed to explore the association between leukocyte telomere length, biological factors (age, sex and coat colour), training status, winnings and race history parameters. Blood was collected from 146 Thoroughbred racehorses from around Geelong, Victoria, Australia. DNA was extracted from leukocytes; telomere length was measured using qPCR and analysed in context with traits obtained from the Racing Australia website. Age was inversely correlated with telomere length (r=-0.194, P=0.019). The oldest horses (≥11years) in the highest age quartile possessed shorter telomeres compared to younger horses in the first, second and third quartiles (≤2, 3-5 and 6-10years respectively; P<0.05). No statistically significant associations were observed between telomere length and biological factors, training status, winnings or race history parameters in age-adjusted analyses. The study findings suggest that Thoroughbred horses may undergo age-related telomere shortening similar to other mixed breeds and humans. Despite concerns from some quarters regarding the welfare of racehorses, there was a lack of accelerated biological ageing observed in the present study, as indicated by leukocyte telomere length.

Judicial sentencing considerations in cases of violent offenders versus sexual offenders

The overall aim of this study is to explore the judicial sentencing considerations in South Australian criminal cases of violent offenders versus sexual offenders in order to identify aggravating and mitigating factors. A total of 37 cases involving violent offenders (n = 25) and sexual offenders (n = 12) were downloaded from the Courts Administration Authority of South Australia website and subjected to a retrospective content analysis of the text contained in the published judicial sentencing remarks. The results reveal that offender- and offence-related aggravating factors are more salient judicial sentencing considerations in the cases of the violent offenders, whereas victim-related aggravating factors are more salient judicial considerations in the cases of the sexual offenders. Certain mitigating factors that were seen as salient considerations in the cases of the violent offenders – resulting in reduced culpability and a lighter sentence – appear to have had little impact in the cases of the sexual offenders. The implications of the findings for legal practice, social policy and future research are discussed.

Online Relinquishments of Dogs and Cats in Australia.

Simple SummaryThe aim of this study was to analyze dog and cat advertisements on a popular online trading website in Australia in February 2016. A total of 2640 ads for dogs and 2093 ads for cats were classified as being relinquished on Gumtree. A total of 23% of dog ads and 62% of cat ads were for free animals. The median age was 1.42 years in dogs and 0.9 years in cats. Compared to the human population there were proportionately more ads in Queensland and fewer ads in Victoria. In comparison to pets from animal shelters advertised on PetRescue, there were more purebred dogs on Gumtree, although the common breeds were similar. Fifteen people who had relinquished a dog or cat on Gumtree were interviewed. They used Gumtree because they believed shelters were full, they wanted to see/interview the new owner, or because they originally got the animal on Gumtree and it works. These results shed light on a hitherto under-studied population of relinquished dogs and cats.While traditionally people relinquish their pets to an animal shelter or pound, the internet provides a newer method to re-home. We analyzed advertisements (ads) on the largest website in Australia for trading dogs and cats: Gumtree. Data was collected in 2016. Dogs were sampled on 7, 16 and 24 February 2016 and cats on 9, 19 and 26 February 2016, with 2640 ads for relinquished dogs, and 2093 ads for relinquished cats. It was estimated >31,000 puppies/dogs and >24,000 kittens/cats are relinquished on Gumtree per year. The median age of dogs was 1.42 and cats 0.9 years of age. There were 23% of dog ads and 62% of cat ads for free animals. Compared to the human population, there were proportionately more ads in Queensland and fewer ads in Victoria. A total of 15 people were surveyed who had relinquished a dog or cat using Gumtree. The dog owners used Gumtree for two reasons: because they believed the shelters were full (n = 4); and they wanted to see/interview the new owner (n = 2). For cat owners: they had originally got the cat on Gumtree (n = 2); they use Gumtree for other things, and it works (n = 2), and; they wanted to see/interview the new owner (n = 2). The data collected will be valuable for implementation of policy and interventions to protect the welfare of unwanted dogs and cats.