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The ideal period for implementing environmental education or education for sustainability is during the early childhood years. The educational context of playgroups can be a platform for both children and their parents to learn together and together engage in early childhood education for sustainability (ECEfS), however there is a paucity of literature examining ECEfS within Australian playgroup contexts. The Little Explorers Playgroup (LEP) is a facilitated playgroup located in a sustainable living centre in Sydney, Australia, and provides opportunities for children and their parents to engage in ECEfS. The study purpose was to evaluate the effect of the LEP on the participating children and parents' environmental attitudes and behaviours. This qualitative study was designed as a single critical case study employing semi-structured telephone interviews conducted with twenty-three participants, including three LEP playgroup facilitators and 20 parents. The data generated by the interviews was analysed thematically and the findings indicated that the LEP empowered and positively transformed both the children and parents' environmental attitudes and behaviours. This was evident through the children and parents' adoption of more environmentally responsible attitudes and behaviours. The findings demonstrate that playgroups may be an untapped opportunity for facilitating community change towards sustainable living.

Skin cancer prevention efforts in Australia have increasingly incorporated a focus on protection during incidental sun exposure. This complements the long-present messages promoting protection in high-risk settings and avoidance of acute intense bouts of sun exposure. Data from two waves of a cross-sectional direct observational survey was used to assess the prevalence and correlates of N = 12,083 adolescents' and adults' sun protection behavior (arm and leg cover, hat, sunglasses, and shade cover). Individuals were observed in public outdoor settings in Melbourne, Australia during peak ultraviolet (UV) times (11 a.m.-3 p.m.) on summer weekends. Settings included pools and beaches, parks and gardens, and for the first time in 2018, outdoor streets and cafés which may capture more incidental forms of sun exposure and represent another public setting where Australians commonly spend time outdoors. Females and older adults were consistently better protected than males and adolescents. Physical activity was strongly associated with low shade cover across settings. Weather was more strongly associated with sun protection at outdoor streets/cafes and parks/gardens than at pools/beaches but use of observed sun protection (particularly arm cover and covering hat) was low across settings. Continued public education about UV risk and its relation to weather and the seasons is needed to promote the routine use of multiple forms of sun protection during outdoor activities in peak UV times, especially among males and adolescents. Findings also highlight the importance of considering activity demands of public spaces in shade planning to optimize sun protection during outdoor activities in public spaces.

Demographic data, such as highest level of education attained, are often assumed to be relatively free from measurement error. As part of an evaluation of an early childhood parenting intervention, 654 parents reported their highest level of education via telephone interview at baseline and self-directed questionnaire at follow-up 5.7 years later. At follow-up, 14% reported a lower level of education compared to baseline, indicating measurement error in one of the data collections. Comparison with data collected by an external agency for a subsample of participants (n = 261) 3.2 years after baseline indicated error in both the baseline and follow-up data. Probable causes of error included respondent and interviewer confusion regarding the names of post-school qualifications and item construction incorrectly implying linear pathways through education. We make recommendations around question construction and data collection methods for reducing measurement error in self-reported educational attainment.

The introduction of a new work-integrated learning (WIL) policy for university environmental health education programs seeking professional accreditation identified a number of problems. This included how to evaluate the acceptability of differing approaches to WIL for course accreditation purposes and a need to develop an agreed understanding of what constitutes WIL in environmental health. This paper describes a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach undertaken as an initial step towards addressing these problems. The key recommendation from this research is the need to develop a framework to evaluate approaches to WIL in environmental health. In such a framework, it is argued that a shift in focus from a specified period of time students are engaged in WIL, to greater consideration of the essential pedagogical features of the WIL activity is required. Additionally, input from all stakeholder groups, universities, students, employers and the professional body, is required.

Participant attrition is a significant challenge for longitudinal studies, particularly those involving disadvantaged populations. We attempted to re-engage n = 990 families in a five-year follow-up of a randomised controlled trial of an early childhood parenting intervention. Tracing was attempted for n = 90/990 (9.1%) uncontactable participants. Evidence for the identification of a matching Facebook profile was classified as strong, moderate or weak. A private message was sent to those with strong evidence (n = 63/90, 70.0%), of which 32 responded, 22 agreed to participate and 19 provided data. Compared to participants engaged using traditional methods, those re-engaged through Facebook were more likely at initial recruitment to have a younger child (p =0.02), to be a single parent (p =0.04), less educated (p <0.001), lower income (p =0.01) and in an unemployed household (p <0.001). Findings suggest that social media can be an effective engagement tool, helping to minimise overall and selective attrition in longitudinal studies, particularly for hard-to-reach populations.

With the increasing acknowledgement of the benefits of early childhood education, there is a need to ask critical questions about whether ample leadership exists for guiding ambitious systemic change in the field. This review of leadership in early childhood educational contexts between 1995 and 2015 examines the epistemological assumptions embedded in the literature (and those advantaged and marginalized as a result), the expressed "purposes" of leadership work and specifically, whether, and to what extent, considerations of social justice and equity have been included in leadership theorizing. Eighty-one publications were identified through a search of major electronic databases and analysed using an analytic review template that includes definitions of leadership, modern and postmodern epistemologies underlying these texts, and considerations of social justice. Findings suggest that while traditional hierarchical conceptions are common, there is a shift towards more distributed and relational understandings of leadership. More recently, leadership is being described as a socially constructed, situated, culturally informed and dynamic process. There has also been an increase in the number of scholars emphasizing postmodern thinking in discussions of leadership over modernist conceptions. Still, there is less explicit discussion of postmodern intersectional identities in leadership. In addition, most literature does not include explicit discussion of social justice in theorizing about leadership, or the expressed purposes of leadership. This suggests the importance of critically examining the epistemological assumptions represented in leadership discourse and of more intentional links between leadership and goals that address social injustices for children, families and the early childhood workforce.

The aim of this study was to explore women's preferences and experiences of degree of control in decision making when planning an induction of labor (IOL). This multi‐method study was conducted using semi‐structured individual interviews and the completion of two Control Preferences Scales by eight postnatal women from a metropolitan health service in Melbourne, Australia. Four themes were generated from the interview data: "shared decision making"; "changing expectations"; "IOL experience"; and "informed consent." Women's expectations of, and preferences for, an IOL changed during pregnancy and were influenced by their perception of risk to the fetus, indication for the procedure, and trust in clinicians. Information that was personalized to the woman to include practical aspects, risks, and alternative options was rarely provided. Overall, women reported that they did not experience the degree of control they preferred when planning an IOL. Clinician understanding of decision making preferences of women when planning an IOL can assist with care that is individualized and aligned to women's values, which is crucial to improving the quality of care provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To describe an Aboriginal cultural immersion delivered to dietetics students at a large university in Australia and assess its effectiveness as a method to teach Aboriginal history, culture, diet, and health in dietetics. Methods: Taking a strength‐based approach, Aboriginal processes of learning were privileged, with the cultural immersion being co‐designed with immersion educators, a First Nations researcher, and dietetics academic. The cultural immersion consisted of an opening ceremony and four stations of yarning, weaving, bush tucker, and artefacts/medicines. A mixed‐methods approach was used, with triangulation of data from pre‐ and postsurveys, station mapping, and focus group interviews. Quantitative and qualitative data were simultaneously analysed from participating first‐year Master of Nutrition and Dietetics students and then drawn together for an integrated understanding of the impact of the cultural immersion on student learnings. Results: Fifty‐three students completed pre‐ and postsurveys and 36 participated in focus groups. Through sharing lived experiences, learning through culture, and keeping sessions practical and Aboriginal leadership, each cultural immersion station utilised Aboriginal processes of learning that meaningfully engaged students with Aboriginal education content, appreciate holistic health and increased their general knowledge on Aboriginal history, culture, diet, and health (all p < 0.001). Conclusion: Cultural immersion is one teaching method to enhance student knowledges and can be a part of a programmatic and integrated approach that embeds Aboriginal content throughout the whole curriculum. It is necessary that institutions recognise the value of cultural immersions to student learnings and commit to providing ongoing support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deleterious effects of maternal depression on child emotional and behavioral development are well documented, yet many children exposed to maternal depression experience positive outcomes. The aim of this study was to identify psychosocial factors associated with the emotional-behavioral resilience of four-year-old children of first-time mothers experiencing depressive symptoms across the early childhood period. Data were from 1085 mother-child dyads in the Maternal Health Study collected prospectively at five time-points from pregnancy to child age four. Longitudinal trajectories of maternal depressive symptoms were identified, and children were regarded as resilient or competent if they scored in the normal range on the Total Difficulties subscale of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. We found that 22% of women had a pattern of moderate to high depressive symptoms, and within this group 78% of their children were identified as resilient. Maternal tertiary education and maternal involvement in home learning activities were unique predictors of children's resilience. Higher maternal age at the time of pregnancy and financial security were factors associated with positive outcomes for all children. The findings highlight the importance of policy and intervention efforts to strengthen the quality of maternal-child interactions and the home learning environment to promote the emotional and behavioral functioning of children whose mothers are experiencing mental health difficulties in the early years of parenting.

In higher education, assessment is key to student learning. Assessments which promote critical thinking necessary for sustained learning beyond university are highly valued. However, the design of assessment tasks to achieve these types of thinking skills and dispositions to act in professional practice has received little attention. This research examines how academics design assessment to achieve these learning goals in Indigenous health education. Indigenous health education is an important area of learning for health practitioners to help address worldwide patterns of health inequities that exist for Indigenous people. We used a constructivist qualitative methodology to (i) explore learning goals and assessment strategies used in Indigenous health tertiary education and (ii) examine how they relate to higher education assessment ideals. Forty-one academics (from nine health disciplines) involved in teaching Indigenous health content participated in a semi-structured interview. Thematic analysis revealed learning goals to transform students' perspectives and capacities to think critically and creatively about their role in Indigenous health. In contrast, assessment tasks encouraged more narrowly bounded thinking to analyse information about historical and socio-cultural factors contributing to Indigenous health. To transform students to be critical health practitioners capable of working and collaborating with Indigenous people to advance their health and well-being, the findings suggest that assessment may need to be nested across many aspects of the curriculum using a programmatic approach, and with a focus on learning to think and act for future practice. These findings accord with more recent calls for transformation of learning and assessment in health education.

This study examined the socio-demographic factors associated with trajectories of parental involvement in shared book reading and other home activities for children aged 2-6 years. The study uses data from 3836 families participating in "Growing up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children." Latent growth curve models were estimated to describe associations between trajectories of parental involvement, socio-demographic factors, and children's learning outcomes. Higher levels of parental involvement at 2 years were associated with better learning outcomes at 6 years. On average, the frequency of parental involvement in home learning activities decreased over time. Family socio-economic disadvantage and being a male child were associated with lower levels of parental involvement at age 2 years, and more rapid decreases in parental involvement in home activities over time. Continued attention is needed to identify effective strategies that can address inequalities in children's home learning opportunities before children begin school.

Approximately one in four Australian children aged 5-17 years are overweight or obese. Most of the health effects of overweight and obesity in childhood do not eventuate until into adulthood; therefore, motivation for children to have a healthy diet may be low. This scoping review examined the literature for associations between diet quality in 5-18 year olds and "school-valued" outcomes including student attendance, academic performance, behaviour at school and mental health. A literature search for studies that assessed dietary intake and at least one "school-valued" outcome in schoolchildren, in highly developed countries was conducted. After applying selection criteria, 35 studies were included examining academic performance (46%), behaviour (11%), mental health (31%) and 11% examining two of these outcomes each. No relevant studies addressed attendance. In general, dietary factors including consumption of fruit and vegetables, discretionary foods and/or beverages, or overall diet quality, were suggested to be correlates of the "school-valued" outcomes. However, the evidence is not comprehensive. This review elucidates the extent and nature of available literature, and provides a basis for future research where the potential benefits of diet on "school-valued" outcomes can be thoroughly explored.

Background: Globally, frailty is associated with a high prevalence of avoidable hospital admissions and emergency department visits, with substantial associated healthcare and personal costs. International guidelines recommend incorporation of frailty identification and care planning into routine primary care workflow to support patients who may be identified as pre-frail/frail. Our study aimed to: (1) determine the feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness and determinants of implementing a validated FRAIL Scale screening Tool into general practices in two disparate Australian regions (Sydney North and Brisbane South); and (2) map the resources and referral options required to support frailty management and potential reversal. Methods: Using the FRAIL Scale Tool, practices screened eligible patients (aged ≥75 years) for risk of frailty and referred to associated management options. The percentage of patients identified as frail/pre-frail, and management options and referrals made by practice staff for those identified as frail/pre-frail were recorded. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with practice staff to understand the feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness and determinants of implementing the Tool. Results: The Tool was implemented by 19 general practices in two Primary Health Networks and 1071 consenting patients were assessed. Overall, 80% of patients (n = 860) met the criterion for frailty: 33% of patients (n = 352) were frail, and 47% were pre-frail (n = 508). They were predominantly then referred for exercise prescription, medication reviews and geriatric assessment. The Tool was acceptable to staff and patients and compatible with practice workflows. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that frailty is identified frequently in Australians aged ≥75 years who visit their general practice. It's identification, linked with management support to reverse or reduce frailty risk, can be readily incorporated into the Medicare-funded annual 75+ Health Assessment. In older persons, the risk of developing frailty increases with age, and people with frailty experience higher morbidity, mortality and lower quality of life. However, frailty risk is not currently formally assessed and tracked in general practice in Australia. This pilot study demonstrates that frailty in Australians aged ≥75 years is identified frequently, and its identification and the subsequent management recommendations to reverse or reduce frailty risk, can be readily incorporated into the general practice workflow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women athletes in elite leagues are increasingly viewed as professional, but often this label is aspirational and does not reflect their experience. They are rarely provided with professional working conditions, which creates barriers to becoming elite, full-time athletes. This research aimed to explore the barriers faced by Australian women basketballers at the elite and sub-elite level, how those barriers vary at each stage on the professionalization continuum, and how this impacted the athlete's experience. Concept Mapping is a two-phased mixed-methods technique that was used to explore the barriers faced by elite and sub-elite women basketballers. Participants in both groups separately brainstormed barriers they faced, sorted them into groups based on similarity of meaning, and rated them for importance and frequency. For sub-elite players, barriers resulting from the inability to balance sporting commitment with other facets of their lives were rated the most important and most frequently experienced. For elite players, the main barrier was low pay. Both these types of barriers link to the respective stage of professionalization of their leagues. Cluster maps and go-zones for each group represent the data. By placing the results in the context of Bowes and Culvin's (2021) definition of professionalization, this research adds to the understanding of how the current stage of professionalization in Australian women's basketball hinders career progression for these athletes, and diminishes their experience as a player. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children's sleep problems and self-regulation problems have been independently associated with poorer adjustment to school, but there has been limited exploration of longitudinal early childhood profiles that include both indicators. Aims: This study explores the normative developmental pathway for sleep problems and self-regulation across early childhood and investigates whether departure from the normative pathway is associated with later social-emotional adjustment to school. Sample: This study involved 2,880 children participating in the "Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC)-Infant Cohort" from Wave 1 (0-1 years) to Wave 4 (6-7 years). Method: Mothers reported on children's sleep problems, emotional, and attentional self-regulation at three time points from birth to 5 years. Teachers reported on children's social-emotional adjustment to school at 6-7 years. Latent profile analysis was used to establish person-centred longitudinal profiles. Results: Three profiles were found. The normative profile (69%) had consistently average or higher emotional and attentional regulation scores and sleep problems that steadily reduced from birth to 5 years. The remaining 31% of children were members of two non-normative self-regulation profiles, both characterized by escalating sleep problems across early childhood and below mean self-regulation. Non-normative group membership was associated with higher teacher-reported hyperactivity and emotional problems, and poorer classroom self-regulation and prosocial skills. Conclusion: Early childhood profiles of self-regulation that include sleep problems offer a way to identify children at risk of poor school adjustment. Children with escalating early childhood sleep problems should be considered an important target group for school transition interventions.

With the globalisation of university education, national frameworks are commonly used to prescribe standardised learning outcomes and achieve accountability. However, these frameworks are generally not accompanied by guiding pedagogy to support academics in adjusting their teaching practices to achieve the set outcomes. This paper reports the results of a scoping review of health science literature aimed at identifying pedagogy and teaching strategies relevant to achieve the learning outcomes specified by the Australian Qualifications Framework at a master's degree level. Eight practical teaching messages emerged from the review and three broad pedagogical trends were identified: the need to use authentic disciplinary-based learning activities; ensure that students are able to discover different perspectives about future practice and bring student reflection about their own knowledge into curricula. More critically, the review highlights that academics attempting to translate national learning outcome frameworks into their teaching practices face a complex and time-consuming task which may involve searching beyond their own disciplinary focus to identify practical teaching strategies to meet prescribed learning outcomes.

This study examined play memories from adults who grew up in a wide range of international contexts. Surveys and semi-structured interviews asking adults to recollect play memories were completed with 135 adults (100 Females, 35 Males) who grew up in 21 countries. Play memories were analysed to identify adults' favourite types of childhood play, barriers preventing their play, beliefs about the impact of their childhood play across their lifespan, the emotions associated with recollecting their play, and the similarities and variations represented across the adults' play memories. Pretend play, play in nature, and risk-taking were prevalent themes, however, the data reflect how variation in sociocultural and historical contexts strongly influenced children's play experiences. The majority of participants associated play memories with positive feelings and reported lifelong benefits of early play experiences. The literature on sociocultural variations in children's play and neuroscience research on memories as reconstructions informs discussion of the findings.

Little is known about long-term outcomes for homeless youth once they leave secondary school. The present study aimed to fill this gap. An online survey was completed by 29 ex-students who, during 1997-2011, attended a small alternative secondary school in an inner suburb of a large city in Australia. While at the school most achieved at least a basic qualification. One question was whether this had any impact on their later prospects for stable housing, employment, income, and life satisfaction. Another question was whether the outcomes for these students were better in the short term or the long term. The results showed that (1) gaining further qualifications after leaving school was associated with stable housing and employment and (2) that in the long term (but not short term) ex-students were more likely to be employed, earning a higher income, in stable housing, and satisfied with their lives.

Objective. Data linkage is a very powerful research tool in epidemiology, however, establishing this can be a lengthy and intensive process. This paper reports on the complex landscape of conducting data linkage projects in Australia. Methods. We reviewed the processes, required documentation, and applications required to conduct multi-jurisdictional data linkage across Australia, in 2023. Results. Obtaining the necessary approvals to conduct linkage will likely take nearly 2 years (estimated 730 days, including 605 days from initial submission to obtaining all ethical approvals and an estimated further 125 days for the issuance of unexpected additionally required approvals). Ethical review for linkage projects ranged from 51 to 128 days from submission to ethical approval, and applications consisted of 9-25 documents. Conclusions. Major obstacles to conducting multi-jurisdictional data linkage included the complexity of the process, and substantial time and financial costs. The process was characterised by inefficiencies at several levels, reduplication, and a lack of any key accountabilities for timely performance of processes. Data linkage is an invaluable resource for epidemiological research. Further streamlining, establishing accountability, and greater collaboration between jurisdictions is needed to ensure data linkage is both accessible and feasible to researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sindbis virus (SINV) is a widely dispersed mosquito-borne alphavirus. Reports of Sindbis disease are largely restricted to northern Europe and South Africa. SINV is frequently sampled in Australian mosquito-based arbovirus surveillance programs, but human disease has rarely been reported. Molecular epidemiological studies have characterized six SINV genotypes (G1–G6) based on E2 gene phylogenies, mostly comprising viruses derived from the African–European zoogeographical region and with limited representation of Australasian SINV. In this study, we conducted whole genome sequencing of 66 SINV isolates sampled between 1960 and 2014 from countries of the Australasian region: Australia, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea. G2 viruses were the most frequently and widely sampled, with three distinct sub-lineages defined. No new G6 SINV were identified, confirming geographic restriction of these viruses to south-western Australia. Comparison with global SINV characterized large-scale nucleotide and amino acid sequence divergence between African–European G1 viruses and viruses that circulate in Australasia (G2 and G3) of up to 26.83% and 14.55%, respectively, divergence that is sufficient for G2/G3 species demarcation. We propose G2 and G3 are collectively a single distinct alphavirus species that we name Argyle virus, supported by the inapparent or mild disease phenotype and the higher evolutionary rate compared with G1. Similarly, we propose G6, with 24.7% and 12.61% nucleotide and amino acid sequence divergence, is a distinct alphavirus species that we name Thomson's Lake virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Multiple myeloma (MM) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) are treatable but incurable conditions that can substantially impact the daily lives of people living with these conditions and their carers. We sought to understand the experience of people living with and carers affected by these conditions in Tasmania, a regional area of Australia. Methods: Exploratory qualitative study. People living with MM or MDS or their carers in Southern Tasmania were recruited by a haematology nurse and invited to participate in focus groups. Data collection was by groups held online and face‐to‐face in 2022. Thematic analysis was used. Results: Ten groups were held with 48 participants (n = 23 with MM, n = 9 with MDS, n = 16 carers). Key themes arising from focus groups with people living with MM/MDS were (1) Relationships and Support; (2) Positive Attitude; (3) Perception of Condition; and (4) Symptoms and Comorbidities. Some people with MM/MDS had to take on a caring role for their carer due to carer illness. Key themes arising from carer focus groups included (1) Supportive Relationships; (2) Accommodating Change; and (3) Own Needs. Not all carers viewed their caring role as burdensome. Conclusion: Future work should consider what supports are required for patients acting as carers, and carer burden should not be assumed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]