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Background: Dysphagia affects over half of adults after stroke. Dysphagia rehabilitation aims to improve swallowing and reduce negative outcomes for these adults. However, significant variability exists in dysphagia rehabilitation. Research is needed to explore the underlying clinician‐specific and workplace factors that contribute to variability in dysphagia rehabilitation after stroke. Aim: To explore factors influencing speech pathology practice in dysphagia rehabilitation after stroke. Methods & Procedures: We used a phenomenological approach with an interpretivist perspective. Twenty speech pathologists working in dysphagia rehabilitation participated from different workplace settings around Australia. Five semi‐structured focus groups were conducted online. Data were inductively analysed using thematic analysis with a coding reliability method. Outcomes & Results: Four themes were discussed within focus groups: (1) relationship between experienced and less experienced clinicians: 'Following what other people have done', (2) need for collaborative learning: 'A safe space to share and train', (3) variation between settings impacts on continuity of care: 'There's a difference between community and acute', and (4) working effectively with multidisciplinary teams (MDT): 'An MDT which can listen to the voice of speech pathology'. Conclusions & Implications: Relationships between senior and junior speech pathologists, within speech pathology and MDT, and across inpatient and community settings influenced speech pathology practice. Flattened hierarchies in speech pathology, collaborative learning in workplaces, mutual respect within teams and connection across inpatient and community settings could improve the quality and consistency of dysphagia rehabilitation after stroke. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on this subject: Dysphagia rehabilitation can improve swallowing after a stroke. However, dysphagia rehabilitation is characterised by variability in clinical practice. Clinician‐specific and workplace factors influence clinical practice and may contribute to variability in dysphagia rehabilitation. What this study adds: Professional relationships influence speech pathologists' clinical practice, including relationships between senior and junior clinicians, between inpatient and community settings and with peers and multidisciplinary teams. Workplace norms and hierarchies, poor continuity of care between settings and competing priorities from other disciplines can hinder dysphagia rehabilitation. However, collaborative learning, positive workplace cultures and respectful transdisciplinary care can improve the quality and consistency of clinical practice. What are the clinical implications of this work?: Flattening hierarchies in the workplace can foster a safe learning space. Further, questioning workplace norms and seeking out peer learning within and across settings can build clinical skills and confidence. Developing positive workplace cultures that support continuous development may be key for empowering speech pathologists to provide high‐quality and consistent dysphagia rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe and discuss the variables which have contributed to the adoption of positive behaviour support (PBS) and applied behaviour analysis (ABA). Differences and similarities are highlighted, applications to contemporary issues in the UK and Australia are emphasised, and considerations posed for their improved adoption. Design/methodology/approach: A conceptual framework for diffusion of innovations theory is used to guide the analysis of three sets of articles, and application of the framework is guided by narrative analysis. Findings: Eight variables from the conceptual framework were identified, and the communication networks for PBS and ABA are argued to be distinct. There has been a positive change in the perception of PBS by the ABA field, but PBS has leveraged diffusion more successfully. ABA appears to have been separated from PBS in the UK while Australia is yet to fully benefit from the contributions of ABA. Those working in the fields of PBS and ABA should further collaborate for their mutual benefit. Practical implications: Greater attention to the factors which promote diffusion can assist PBS and ABA to improve their adoption. Originality/value: This is the first paper to use diffusion of innovations theory to analyse the adoption of PBS and ABA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cashless debit card is Australia's recent and most punitive form of income management; a social-security focused social policy approach to behaviour change. Evidence suggests the policy is a harmful social experiment which does not reduce the social harms or dysfunction it set out to perform. This paper questions the underlying motivations of cashless debit card policy implementation via contrasting policy theory and objectives with existing and emerging evidence of policy impact. Three key issues concern the creation and implementation of cashless debit card policy in terms of the vague aims and lack of evidence of the policy's success; issues of stigmatisation in relation to power, morality, and deviance; and the influence of economic ideology and profit making in social governance. An alternative approach to policy making is suggested based on addressing lived social contexts instead of problematising dysfunction resulting from individual deficits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quandong or native peach (Santalum acuminatum R.Br.) has been recognised as an important and tasty food resource among Aboriginal Australians in arid and semi-arid areas of southern Australia. It is valued for its fruit that is consumed raw or dried, and for its kernel, which is eaten raw or ground into paste for medicinal and skin care purposes. This paper reports on a study of ground stone implements within the Murray Darling Basin that has identified quandong stones as a distinct type of implement made specifically for the efficient cracking of quandong nuts. Data are presented on 1,327 ground stone implements from collections in 12 different locations in the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), an area almost completely devoid of stone sources. Given the paucity of stone, multi-purpose use of implements is widely documented. Although it was common to find pits present in mortars and other ground stone tools demonstrating multiple functions, including use as anvils, a class of single purpose stones with multiple pits and distinctive form was identified. Most of these were found in areas known for groves of quandong and four were analysed for use-wear and residues along with two other ground stone items from the MDB. The results support their identification as specialised anvil stones for cracking quandong nuts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent explosion of research on the travel behaviour of the millennial generation has found that compared to past generations they are taking longer to get a driving license, driving less, owning fewer cars and using transit more. Yet these findings are not universal with some countries seeing increases in driver licensing, little change in driving or reductions in public transport use. Most past research has explored wider social and economic explanations for these trends, such as income constraints and delays in adult life transitions. Very few studies have examined the role that local context plays in explaining the change (or the lack of change) in millennial travel behaviour. This paper aims to compare how trends in young adult travel behaviour differ across diverse city contexts. It uses a comparative descriptive analysis of household travel surveys from cities in three countries (UK, USA and Australia), focussing on auto-miles and transit-miles travelled. We find that each city experienced markedly different trends in young adult travel behaviour that are unlikely to be explained by economic differences alone. We suggest that changes to the transport systems in these cities are likely to be playing an under-recognised role in shaping travel behaviour. We suggest that further research should pay greater attention to the role of the transport system in supporting changes to travel behaviour among the next generation of young adults. • Explores travel behaviour of millennials in 6 areas of the UK, USA and Australia • Macroeconomic trends impact car use among millennials. • Some evidence life stage is impacting travel of millennials. • City investments in transit likely play an important role in these trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of voluntary behaviour change programmes have been implemented in Australia to help people to help themselves reduce demand for water and other services such as transport, waste and energy. This is undertaken by encouraging people to think about their own needs and having facilitated conversations to help them identify ways they want to change their use and ways to implement those changes. This paper describes water saving - assessed quantitatively using meter reading data and control groups - where the goal was a 15% saving; the results have been conservatively assessed at 21%. This corresponds to a saving of 60 litres/person per day when typical usage in the area is 224 litres/person per day. The annualised savings during the project amounted to 264 million litres for the area and pledged actions predict 345 million litres. The paper draws conclusions from the implementation of these programmes and their effectiveness in achieving their intended benefits. While there are some differences in consumer behaviour between Australia and the UK, because approaches to implementation are always modified to suit different consumer groups and objectives, the principles of achieving demand reduction through behaviour change are considered to be universal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the social burden and significant cost of dementia care in Australia, finding evidence-based approaches that improve outcomes, maintain independence, and reduce the impact on patients and families is essential. Finding effective ways to train and assist the healthcare staff who support these individuals is also critical, as they are considered to be at risk of workplace stress, burnout, and other psychological disturbances which negatively affects standards of care. The current paper describes a protocol for evaluating the effects of a Montessori-based approach to dementia care, in non-residential respite centres. An 18 month prospective observational, cohort controlled design is suggested that will compare participants from a community respite service that has undergone a Montessori-based workplace culture change and those from a service that provides a person-centred ‘care as usual’ approach. To achieve this, the protocol includes the assessment of participants across multiple variables on a monthly basis including the cognitive, behavioural, and emotional functioning of clients with dementia, levels of caregiver burden experienced by informal carers, and burnout, compassion satisfaction and workplace engagement among respite staff. The protocol also employs a qualitative evaluation of program fidelity. This approach will provide further insight into the potential benefits of early intervention with Montessori approaches for persons living with dementia in the community, their caregivers, and the staff and volunteers who assist them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding what people like about birds can help target advocacy for bird conservation. However, testing preferences for characteristics of birds is methodologically challenging, with bias difficult to avoid. In this paper we test whether preferred characteristics of birds in general are shared by the individual bird species the same people nominate as being those they consider most attractive. We then compare these results with the birds which appear most frequently in the imagery of conservation advocates. Based on a choice model completed by 638 general public respondents from around Australia, we found a preference for small colourful birds with a melodious call. However, when the same people were asked which five birds they found most attractive, 48% named no more than three, mostly large well-known species. Images displayed by a leading Australian bird conservation organisation also favoured large colourful species. The choice model results suggest conservation advocates can promote a much wider range of bird types as flagships, particularly smaller species that might otherwise be neglected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Betting on impulse, without thoughtful consideration, research or informed decision-making, may cause financial and other harms and lead to the development of gambling problems. Impulse betting undermines responsible consumption of gambling because it reflects self-regulatory failure, impaired control, unreflective decision-making and betting more than planned. In this paper we define impulse gambling and report on a study that aimed to understand more about the intrinsic characteristics of sports bettors who have a greater tendency to bet on impulse. Specifically, the study aimed to identify behavioural, psychological and socio-demographic predictors of impulse sports betting. A sample of 1816 Australian sports bettors completed an online survey that measured the proportion of their bets placed on impulse both before and during sporting events, as well as bets that were researched and planned in advance. Impulse betting was common, accounting for nearly one-half of all past-year sports bets by respondents. Over three-quarters of respondents had placed one or more impulse bets in the last year and one in seven respondents had made all of their sports bets on impulse. More impulsive sports bettors were characterised as having higher trait impulsiveness, higher problem gambling severity, more frequent sports betting and a shorter history of sports betting. They favoured betting on in-match contingencies instead of overall match outcomes. While health promotion strategies are needed to discourage impulse betting, research into contextual factors that arouse urges to bet would also provide direction for harm minimisation measures that help consumers to resist impulsive betting decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health can affect young people’s sense of wellbeing and life satisfaction, their ability to participate in employment and education, and their onward opportunities in life. This paper offers a rare opportunity to longitudinally examine mental health in a population-representative study of children aged 4–5 years to 14–15 years. Using data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC), this study examined maternally-reported child mental health over a 10 year period, in order to understand their initial mental health status early in life and its change over time, as measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Longitudinal models were fitted from ages 4–5 to 14–15 years. Results showed that child sex, maternal mental health, socio-economic status (family income, maternal education, neighbourhood disadvantage), maternal hostility, and child temperament (persistence, sociability, reactivity) are all independent contributors to child mental health at age 4. These effects largely persist over time, with the effects of maternal mental health increasing slightly over time. Persistence of these effects suggests the need for early intervention and supports. The independent contribution of these factors to child mental health suggests that multi-faceted approaches to child and maternal mental health are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gay and bisexual men (GBM) use illicit drugs at higher rates than most other population groups and their use has been associated with sexual risk behavior. The measure of sexual sensation-seeking has been a useful tool for understanding sexual risk behavior in this population, but there is no equivalent measure for sensation-seeking in relation to drug-using behaviors.Objective: This paper explores baseline associations with illicit drug use in an online prospective observational study of licit and illicit drug use among GBM. We describe the development of a measure of drug-use sensation-seeking, and its association with illicit drug use.Methods: Australian GBM were invited to enroll online through social networking and gay community sites. Between September 2014 and July 2015, a total of 2251 GBM completed the questionnaire and 1900 men provided useable baseline data on items designed to measure drug use sensation-seeking.Results: Mean age was 32.8 years (SD 12.7). Half (50.7%) had used illicit drugs within the previous six months. Among these 963 recent users, 27.3% had used illicit drugs weekly or more often. Responses to items to measure drug use sensation-seeking formed a reliable scale (α=0.944). Within the total sample, any illicit drug use within the previous six months was associated with a higher score on the measure of drug use sensation-seeking (aOR=1.18; 95%CI=1.16-1.20). When we restricted our analyses to men who reported recent illicit drug use, it was also associated with using those drugs at least weekly in the previous six months (aOR=1.09; 95%CI=1.07-1.11).Conclusion: We developed a reliable measure of drug use sensation-seeking for this sample of GBM. Our measure predicted any use of illicit drugs within the total sample, and when restricted to men who reported illicit drug use, it also predicted more frequent use of those drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper charted the cognitive and behavioural profiles from toddlerhood to middle childhood in 48 children diagnosed with ASD at 24-months. The Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) was administered at 24- and 48-months and the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) at school age. Autism severity was derived using The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) Results: Developmental Disability/Intellectual Disability (DD/ID; Developmental Quotient <70) reduced from 64% at 24-months to 8% at outcome. Seventy-three percent of children continued to meet ADOS cut-off at school age. Conclusion: Diagnoses at 24-months, appear to be reliable and stable. Further research is needed to investigate whether early identification, which provides more opportunity to access early intervention, may in turn facilitate cognitive development over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth alcohol consumption has been steadily declining in Australia, as in other countries; fewer young people are drinking and the age of initiation is increasing. However, young people, their parents and others in their communities continue to believe that adolescent (excessive) drinking is the norm. This perception, and the concurrent misperception that the majority of parents are happy to provide their underage children with alcohol, creates a perceived culture of acceptance of youth alcohol consumption. Young people believe that it is accepted, and even expected, that they will drink; and parents perceive that not providing their adolescent children with alcohol will lead to social exclusion. There is evidence that shifting social norms can have an immediate and lasting effect adolescents’ (and adults’) alcohol related attitudes and behaviors. This paper reports on a novel, community based social marketing intervention designed to correct misperceptions of alcohol related social norms in an Australian community. The project utilized a social marketing approach, informed by the full complement of Andreasen’s social marketing benchmarking criteria, and concurrently targeted adolescents, parents of adolescents and the broader community. Using extensive formative research and multiple evaluation techniques, the study demonstrates that shifts in community social norms are possible and suggests that this approach could be used more widely to support the positive trends in youth alcohol consumption and parental supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Dichotic Digits difference Test (DDdT) was developed to investigate the relationship between dichotic processing and cognitive abilities and, through the use of differential test scores, to provide professionals with a clinical tool that could aid in differentiation of clients with genuine dichotic deficits from those where cognitive disorders affect test performance. The DDdT consists of four subtests: dichotic free recall (FR), dichotic directed left ear, dichotic directed right ear, and diotic. Scores are calculated for six conditions: FR left ear (LE), right ear (RE), and total, as well as the directed left ear, directed right ear, and diotic, and four difference measures: dichotic advantage, RE advantage FR, RE advantage directed, and attention advantage. Purpose: To investigate the role of cognitive abilities on DDdT test performance. Research Design: Correlational analysis between the various DDdT conditions and difference measures, as well as between dichotic, diotic, and cognitive factors (memory, intelligence, and attention). Study Sample: Fifty typically developing children (aged 7 yr 0 mo to 12yr 1 mo, mean = 9yr2mo) and ten children recruited from the Australian Flearing CAPD Service who were diagnosed with a memory or dichotic deficit (aged 7 yr 0 mo to 15 yr 0 mo, mean = 9 yr 5 mo) took part in the study. Data Collection and Analysis: The Pearson product moment correlations were used to determine the strength of relationships between DDdT conditions as well as relationships between scores on these conditions and performance on the various cognitive assessment tools, which included the number memory forward and reversed subtests of the Test of Auditory Processing Skills-Third Edition, IVA + Plus Continuous Performance Test, and the Test of Non-Verbal Intelligence-4 (TONI-4). A parent questionnaire (Fisher's Auditory Checklist) and a participant questionnaire (Listening Inventory for Education) were also administered. Results: Diotic performance was significantly correlated with performance on all the DDdT dichotic FR conditions (r = 0.6-0.8; p < 0.00001). Further, significant correlations were found between the FR LE, total, and diotic conditions, and the cognitive measures of attention and memory, with r ranging from 0.4 to 0.5 (p < 0.01-0.001). Right-ear performance was not significantly correlated to any cognitive measure, except for FR RE and number memory forward (r = 0.35; p = 0.006). The DDdT dichotic advantage measure was investigated in a subset of clinical children and found to aid in differentiating true dichotic from spurious results. Conclusions: As found in the DDdT normative data study that precedes in the companion paper (DDdT Study Part 1; Cameron et al, 2016), the high correlation between dichotic and diotic performances by the clinical and typically developing participants suggests that factors other than dichotic performance play a substantial role in a child's ability to perform a dichotic listening task. Indeed, 61% of the variance in FR total scores for the children in this study was accounted for by factors that do not involve the perception of dichotic stimuli. This view is supported by the correlations between measures of attention and memory and dichotic scores. This result has wide-spread implications in respect to interpretation of central auditory processing disorder test results and further investigation of the use of the DDdT in a clinical population is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The annual incidence of laboratory-confirmed influenza is usually between 2 to vaccinate their children. The aim of our study was to determine parental intentions and behavior regarding influenza vaccination for their children and to explore explanatory variables. We conducted a cross-sectional survey in 16 child-care centers in Sydney, Australia, between November and December 2009, just after the first wave of the 2009 influenza pandemic. Survey packets were distributed at the child-care centers and e-mails were sent to parents of children aged 6 months to 5 years, asking them to complete the questionnaire either on paper or over the web. The questions addressed knowledge, behavior, intentions and beliefs regarding seasonal influenza and vaccination. We analyzed the data by descriptive statistics as well as using both univariate and multivariate tests with logistic regression. We received 431 completed questionnaires (response rate: 44%). Vaccination was chosen by 59% of respondents as a method for preventing influenza. 21% of parents were extremely or very concerned about the likelihood of their child contracting influenza. During 2009, 12% of children were offered seasonal influenza vaccine by a health-care professional, but only 8% received it. For the coming 2010 season, 22% of parents were planning to have their child vaccinated while 52% were unsure about vaccinating. Nearly half (45%) were "unsure" whether influenza vaccine is more of a risk for children than actually having influenza. About 60% were unsure whether or not the vaccine should be recommended for chronically ill children. The two strongest discouragers to vaccination were a parental perception that the vaccine was new and the requirement for annual vaccination. The strongest behavioral predictors for vaccination in 2009 were the offer of vaccination by a health-care professional (OR: 35.7, 95% CI: 13.2-90.9) and the perception that the vaccine is safe for children aged 1-5 years (OR: 27.8, 95% CI: 3.6-200.0). Australian parents had limited knowledge about seasonal influenza vaccine, with almost half unsure about its safety for children. Health-care professionals are pivotal to promoting vaccination uptake, as parents considered them the most reliable source of information. Health-care professionals should be educated to provide up-to-date, accurate information to parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Australia, as in many countries, the early advertising industry had a poor reputation for honesty. However, in 1920 “truth in advertising” and raising ethical behavior became the focus of the Second Convention of Advertising Men of Australasia, held in Sydney. This was a major event in Australia's advertising history and was seen as a way to legitimize the industry in the eyes of those who doubted advertising's honesty. This paper will look at the Sydney Advertising Convention, with particular reference to quotes from presenters and the establishment of self-regulatory bodies, to help gain an insight into the beginning of a system to observe ethical behavior in advertising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Men and women who use illicit drugs have a heavy reliance on health care in emergency departments and acute care wards. Nurses' care however, is known to be constrained by inadequate drug education and policy and practice standards. This paper describes an additional constraint on care, namely, patients' behaviour. The findings are part of a broader mixed-methods study of nurses' therapeutic attitude to this patient group. The themes of violence, manipulation and irresponsibility emerged from the data analysis of written reports provided by a sub-sample (N = 311) of the main study sample. Recommendations are made for assisting nurses to reconceptualise their role with this patient group, and importantly, for an increase in violence management education and organisational role support, safety and security measures. Finally, further research in the field is recommended so that a comprehensive analysis of the difficulties faced by nurses and patients can be made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observation of mouthpart cleaning behavior in an adult anystid mite (Acari: Anystidae) using a video camera revealed that it used its legs to clean the mouthpart (palps) on and off. It used left and right legs in a certain order. Also, it used only one leg at a time in a certain pattern. One leg was never used to clean the other leg or the idiosoma. It was observed that (1) left legs were used nine times and (2) right legs were used 10 times. In the case of left legs, the sequence was as follows: (A) leg I = 4, (B) leg II = 4, (C) leg III = 1, and (D) leg IV = 0 (total = 9 times). In the case of right legs, the sequence was as follows: (A) leg I = 3, (B) leg II = 2, (C) leg III = 1, and (D) leg IV = 4 (total = 10 times). Most often, the left legs were alternated with right legs (or right legs with left legs) but this was not the case in three instances. It is concluded in this study that: (1) there is a fixed pattern of behavior in the cleaning process of the mouthpart in anystid mites by alternate use of left to right legs; (2) a fixed, precise pattern in the use of legs I-IV, either on left or right side, is not evident; (3) possibly the mite uses any preferred leg on the left and then on the right side of the body. These behavior patterns are discussed in the paper with photos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Changes in residential accommodation models for adults with intellectual disability (ID) over the last 20 years in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States have involved relocation from institutions primarily into dispersed homes in the community. But an evolving alternative service style is the cluster centre. Methods This paper reports on the relocation of a matched group of 30 pairs of adults with moderate and severe IDs and challenging behaviour who were relocated from an institution into either dispersed housing in the community or cluster centres but under the same residential service philosophy. Adaptive and maladaptive behaviour, choice-making and objective life quality were assessed prior to leaving the institution and then after 12 and 24 months of living in the new residential model. Results Adaptive behaviour, choice-making and life quality increased for both groups and there was no change in level of maladaptive behaviour compared with levels exhibited in the institution. However, there were some significant differences between the community and cluster centre group as the community group increased some adaptive skills, choice-making and objective life quality to a greater extent than the cluster centre group. Conclusions Both cluster centre and dispersed community living offer lifestyle and skill development advantages compared with opportunities available in large residential institutions. Dispersed community houses, however, offer increased opportunities for choice-making, acquisition of adaptive behaviours and improved life quality for long-term institutionalized adults with IDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents results from a qualitative analysis of the perceptions Australian young women cigarette smokers have of the medical health messages espoused through anti-smoking campaigns. The study aims to show that the deployment of medico-scientific knowledges in the most recent series of anti-smoking campaigns disseminated in New South Wales Australia (those which emerged in the 1990s under the auspices of the National Tobacco Campaign (NTC)), means that for a number of reasons, the anti-smoking message becomes detached from the everyday life circumstances and smoking choices of the young women. Semi-structured face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted with a sample of 20 Australian young women smokers aged 18 to 24. The sample was purposively selected according to gender, age, and smoking status. Interviewees were drawn from the Sydney metropolitan and surrounding Sydney area, the Newcastle area and the Hunter Valley area. The interviews were one-off and took place from May to December 2002. The study found that there are a range of important issues which flow from the tendency of the anti-smoking discourse to characterise and profile smoking as a ‘risky’ health behaviour. For young women who smoke for the positive benefits associated with the activity (such as stress relief and enhanced social interactions), the risks may be justified as part of a risk profiling, where the smoker sees the risk as a risk they are willing to take in an inherently uncertain and risky world. For anti-smoking campaigns to impact on young people, they must adopt strategies which increase the awareness of young people regarding their own particular health risks, and do so in ways which are non-judgemental and even optimistic, without tacitly endorsing risky behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - To prospectively investigate the alcohol consumption and health-related behaviours of Australian police officers. Design/methodology/approach - Demographic, work environment, general health and wellbeing, and alcohol consumption measures were obtained from 100 Australian police officers at two time points; the first as they underwent initial training before the commencement of operational policing duties (time 1), and the second after they had completed 12 months of operational duties (time 2). Findings - Results indicated a significant increase in the quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption over time. The number of female officers, but not male officers, who reported drinking at harmful levels increased between time periods. Overall, there were no changes in the number of officers who reported risk of harmful drinking or alcohol dependency. Alcohol consumption measure scores were not associated with age, marital status, education level, general health and wellbeing, or work-environment variables. Smoking was associated with harmful drinking behaviour at time 1, but not at time 2. The number of officers who reported smoking increased significantly over time. Originality/value - This paper builds on findings of previous studies by examining the within-groups reported drinking behaviours of a sample of Australian police officers for changes over time associated with exposure to police work and the police environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This commentary is in response to the article, Concepts of Normal Bereavement, by P. Burnett, W. Middleton, B. Raphael, M. Dunne, A. Moylan, and N. Martinek, published in the 1994 issue of the Journal of Traumatic Stress. The authors administered a mailed questionnaire to three groups of bereavement researchers and clinicians: persons attending an international bereavement conference in London, England in 1998, persons who have publications in the field and to care workers in Australia. The purpose of the survey was to obtain common perceptions of short and long-term bereavement phenomena. To the authors' credit, the report made an important conceptual distinction between grief and bereavement. However, the definition does not account for cultural norms regarding final rituals and expected behavior over time. The paper was titled bereavement, yet only grief responses were studied. In summary, the survey apparently tapped a rich resource--an international sample of bereavement professionals with many years of experience in the field. One might expect to learn how to identify common and unique concerns of various bereaved populations and what to do about them. However, it was difficult to identify any contribution the article made to knowledge of bereavement.