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Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify correlates of tobacco smoking behaviour across various socio-demographic segments of the Australian population. Design/methodology/approach: Data from two nationally representative, probability samples of persons 18 and over, surveyed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2001 and 2017-2018 were analysed using multinomial logistic regression. Findings: Overall, the prevalence of current smokers declined from 24.3 to 15%. More than half of the population had never smoked. The prevalence of ex-smokers increased slightly to 30%. Prevalence of current smoking was higher among older age groups and among those with lower educational achievement, lower income, living in a disadvantaged area and experiencing increasing stress. Females were more likely than males to be never-smokers. Males were more likely than females to be current smokers. Research limitations/implications: The findings are based on two cross-sectional surveys conducted 17 years apart. It is not possible to draw any conclusions about the actual trajectories of the changes in the values reported or any correlations between those trajectories. Nor is it possible to make any meaningful forecasts about likely future trends in smoking status in these various segments based on these data sets. The classifications used in the surveys generate some heterogeneous groups, which can obscure important differences among respondents within groups. Data are all self-reported, and there is no validation of the self-reported smoking status. This might lead to under-reporting, especially in a community where tobacco smoking is no longer a majority or even a popular habit. Because the surveys are so large, virtually, all the findings are statistically significant. However, the increasing preponderance of never-smokers in many categories might mean that never-smokers could come to dominate the data. Practical implications: The findings from this paper will help tobacco-control policy-makers to augment whole-of-community initiatives with individual campaigns designed to be more effective with particular sociodemographic segments. They will also assist in ensuring better alignment between initiatives addressing mental health and tobacco smoking problems facing the community. Originality/value: The examination of smoking behaviour among individual population sub-groups, chosen by the authors, is commonplace in the literature. This paper uses data from two large surveys to model the whole, heterogeneous population, measured at two different points in time.

Data show that educated workers earn higher wages and are unemployed less often. Some researchers believe that education improves a worker's productivity (or "human capital"), making them more desirable on the job market, while others believe that it improves a worker's network (or "social capital"), giving them more information about lucrative openings and more resources to secure a job (such as references from peers). Much of the research on human and social capital focuses on quantifying the various impacts of schooling on workers and often overlooks how economic systems actually manage to produce those outcomes. This paper develops an agent-based complex adaptive system featuring formal schooling and on-the-job training, social networks, labour market search and durable employment contracts to explain the process linking education to labour market outcomes and economic performance in New Zealand (and similar economies). Sample simulations show that human capital accumulation explains many of the novel facts seen in the data, while social capital alone is not enough.

Detection of HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) is vital to successful anti‐retroviral therapy (ART). HIVDR testing to determine drug‐resistance mutations is routinely performed in Australia to guide ART choice in newly diagnosed people living with HIV or in cases of treatment failure. In 2022, our clinical microbiology laboratory sought to validate a next‐generation sequencing (NGS)‐based HIVDR assay to replace the previous Sanger‐sequencing (SS)‐based ViroSeq. NGS solutions for HIVDR offer higher throughput, lower costs and higher sensitivity for variant detection. We sought to validate the previously described low‐cost probe‐based NGS method (veSEQ‐HIV) for whole‐genome recovery and HIVDR‐testing in a diagnostic setting. veSEQ‐HIV displayed 100% and 98% accuracy in major and minor mutation detection, respectively, and 100% accuracy of subtyping (provided > 1000 mapped reads were obtained). Pairwise comparison exhibited low inter‐and intrarun variability across the whole‐genome (Jaccard index [J] = 0.993; J = 0.972) and the Pol gene (J = 0.999; J = 0.999), respectively. veSEQ‐HIV met all our pre‐set criteria based on WHO recommendations and successfully replaced ViroSeq in our laboratory. Scaling‐down veSEQ‐HIV to a limited batch size and sequencing on Illumina iSeq. 100, allowed easy implementation of the assay into the workflow of a small sequencing laboratory with minimal staff and equipment and the ability to meet clinically relevant test turn‐around times. As HIVDR‐testing moves from SS‐ to NGS‐based methods and new ART drugs come to market (particularly those with targets outside the Pol region), whole‐genome recovery using veSEQ‐HIV provides a robust, cost‐effective and "future‐proof" NGS method for HIVDR‐testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Despite widespread anti-smoking campaigns, prevalence and the consequent damage to the community remains high and are therefore of concern to health educators. Several studies have identified a clear socio-economic status gradient in smoking prevalence. One purpose of this paper is to re-examine this gradient to assist in the more accurate targeting of anti-smoking campaigns. Another purpose of this paper is to examine the financial cost of smoking from a household perspective and also to compare survey data with data compiled by other means to test whether smokers are accurately reporting their smoking behaviour. This can assist in the refining of anti-smoking message strategies. Design/methodology/approach: Data from a large-scale survey of Australian households--the Household Expenditure Survey--was analysed and compared with data from other sources to examine demographic correlates and self-reported estimates of smoking behaviour. Findings: Approximately one third of households reported expenditure on tobacco. Expenditure is more prevalent among households with a female head and among lower status occupations. Young people are continuing to take up smoking. Smoking households appear to underestimate their expenditure on tobacco by more than 40 percent. Research limitations/implications: Data are drawn from households, not individuals therefore exact estimations of smoking prevalence and individual smoking behaviour are not possible. Originality/value: The findings provide important guidance for health educators developing anti-smoking campaigns. The findings provide assistance in the development of targeting and message strategy guidelines. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.)

Background: Few studies have examined complementary medicine (CM) use in diabetes. Australian data are inconsistent, limited in scope and have not considered cost. Aims: To evaluate the prevalence, associates and costs of CM in a contemporary Australian urban, community‐based cohort of people with type 2 diabetes. Methods: Baseline CM use was determined as part of a detailed assessment in 1543 of 1551 Fremantle Diabetes Study Phase II (FDS2) participants with type 2 diabetes (mean age 65.7 years, 51.8% males, median diabetes duration 9.0 years) recruited to the FDS2 between 2008 and 2011 who self‐reported medication use including CM defined as non‐prescription medicinal products. Results: A total of 672 FDS2 type 2 participants (43.6%) used at least one type of CM, 92% of which were nutritional supplements (omega‐3 fatty acids/fish oil in 24% of CM users followed by calcium in 11%, glucosamine in 10% and others in <10%). Independent associates of CM use included older age, female sex, any mobility problem, and, inversely, Southern European or Indigenous Australian background, lack of English fluency, ex/current smoking status, taking oral glucose‐lowering medications and higher HbA1c. The total annual estimated cost of CM used by FDS2 participants with type 2 diabetes was A$121 640 or A$79 ± 208 per person (range A$0–2993). Extrapolating these data, the 1 million Australians with type 2 diabetes spend A$79 million/year on CM. Conclusions: CM use in type 2 diabetes is both common and costly. Healthcare professionals should consider discussing safe and cost‐effective use of CM with their patients with type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aims of this study were to estimate the average annual out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure on health care by households in Australia in 2015–16, and to compare this with the estimate for 2009–10. Methods: Data from the most recent Household Expenditure Survey (HES) conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics were used. Various statistical methods were used to estimate the annual OOP expenditures at the household and national levels. Results: The average annual OOP expenditure was A$4290 per household, representing 5.8% of the amount spent on all goods and services. Private health insurance (PHI) premiums, although not a direct expenditure on health care, were 40.6% of the total OOP expenses. Of the remaining 59.4%, nearly half was spent on doctors and other health professionals, and approximately one-third was spent on medicines. Dental treatments and specialist consultations were the most expensive, whereas visits to general practitioners incurred the least OOP expenditure. Households with PHI (58.6%) spent fourfold more on health care than those not insured. Compared with the 2009–10 survey, the biggest increases were in the cost of PHI (50.7%) and copayments to specialists (34.8%) and other health professionals (42.0%). Conclusions: OOP expenditure on health care as a proportion of the total household expenditure on all goods and services has increased by more than 25% between 2009–10 and 2015–16. What is known about the topic?: Australian households incur OOP expenses for health care in Australia for a wide range of goods and services, such as copayments to doctors and other health professionals beyond the Medicare rebates, the cost of medicines and other pharmaceutical goods not covered entirely by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and PHI premiums. Although other estimates of OOP expenditure are available in official reports of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, they are based on administrative records rather than consumer reports, and cannot be disaggregated by item or the characteristics of households. What does this paper add?: This paper provides detailed information on OOP expenditure on health care as reported by a probability sample of households interviewed for the HES conducted by the ABS during 2015–16. These estimates of OOP expenditure, based on consumer reports, add a further dimension to the information available from administrative records only. What are the implications for practitioners?: Practitioners should take account of the effect of increasing copayments for their services, especially on patients belonging to the lower socioeconomic categories. Increasing copayments may lead to people foregoing medical care. Health planners and politicians should note the steady upward drift in OOP expenses and factor these into their policies for future funding of health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the current article is to highlight the potential of a care coordination model in promoting interagency collaboration when designing recovery-oriented services. The authors argue the case using exemplars from the literature and lessons learned from Australia's Partners in Recovery initiative. Interagency collaboration is paramount when designing a recovery-oriented service system. A care coordination model has the potential to overcome most challenges that preclude implementation of service system integration. Although the care coordination model is relatively new in recovery-oriented services and effectiveness studies of this model have yet to be undertaken, the model has the potential to be a viable alternative to service system integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the premise that current trends in healthcare spending are unsustainable, the Australian Government has proposed in the recent Budget the introduction of a compulsory $7 co-payment to visit a General Practitioner (GP), alongside increased medication copayments. This paper is based on a recent submission to the Senate Inquiry into the impact of out-of-pocket costs in Australia. It is based on a growing body of evidence highlighting the substantial economic burden faced by individuals and families as a result of out-of-pocket costs for health care and their flow-on effects on healthcare access, outcomes and long-term healthcare costs. It is argued that a compulsory minimum co-payment for GP consultations will exacerbate these burdens and significantly undermine the tenets of universal access in Medicare. Alternative recommendations are provided that may help harness unsustainable health spending while promoting an equitable and fair health system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which aims to analyse the out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure on health care in Australia. The study employs descriptive analysis of statutory data collected by Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), cluster sampling, and surveys. Results reveal that OOP expenses account for around 22% of the total medical care cost in Australia and health care cost was higher for older households with lower income.

This paper describes the origins and size of the Muslim population in Australia, at present about 1% of the total population. Their age distribution is younger and their sociodemographic characteristics are different from those of the rest of the Australian population. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study examines data from 47,238 episodes of hospitalization in New South Wales, Australia, pertaining to the patients suffering from mental disorders, i.e. those patients with a principal diagnosis coded from 290 to 315 inclusive, according to the 8th revision of the International Classification of Diseases.An overall prevalence of nine episodes of hospitalization due to mental disorders was found per 1000 population per annum. Major disease categories were neuroses and alcoholism (each accounting for 21% of the total episodes) followed by schizophrenia (16%) and affective psychosis (11%); there were substantial differences by age, sex, marital status and ethnic origin. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper examines the current fertility (1971–72) of migrant women in Australia, in order to compare the fertility levels and patterns prevalent among migrants from nine selected countries with those of the Australian born women. Birth registration data have been mainly used in the analysis.Three main points emerge. Among the married women there were few differences in fertility regardless of the country of birth. A major exception was the somewhat higher fertility levels among the southern European migrants. Extramarital fertility seemed to vary substantially between different migrant groups: New Zealanders had the highest and the Italians and Greeks had the lowest levels. There were major differences in the proportion of women married among the various migrant groups; again the southern Europeans had highest proportions married. Comparison of the reproductive behaviour of migrants with their counterparts in the countries of origin showed that the southern European migrants in Australia had higher fertility rates than those prevalent in their countries of origin. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]