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Compared the use of formal and informal methods of information gathering by faculty at Central Queensland University (Australia) for teaching and research activities. Explored the use of electronic sources, levels of competence, and characteristics of the faculty who used informal methods of information gathering, including personal communication. (LRW)

Presents information on a study which compared the use of formal and informal methods of information gathering by faculty for teaching and research activities. Methodology of the study; Results and discussion on the study.

Regular screening is an important preventive method in reducing morbidity and mortality from cervical and breast cancer. In 1998, a cross-sectional study was conducted in Brisbane, Australia, among 145 Thai immigrant women, to explore cultural and social factors related to their use of Pap smear tests and breast self-examination (BSE). The study aimed at describing women's beliefs and perceptions about the body, breast and cervical cancer, and their perceptions of the causes of the diseases. It explored the women's perception of the severity and the effects of both cancers on aspects of patients' lives, and their chance of developing both cancers. The Thai immigrant women explained the causes of breast and cervical cancer using both traditional beliefs and medical knowledge. They perceived that both cancers affect a patient's health and her daily activities. Some women believed that they would develop cervical cancer if their perineum or vulva was 'dirty.' Some believed that they would have breast cancer because they had a history of benign tumor or cyst of a breast. Forty-four percent of the women had biennial Pap smears in the past five years and only 25% conducted BSE monthly in the past two years. Information relating to perceived barriers to undertake regular cervical cancer and breast cancer screenings and other health beliefs can be applied by health care personnel to increase Thai immigrant women's preventive health behaviors. KEYWORDS. Pap smear tests, breast-self examination, mammography, etiology of cancer, Thai immigrants, Australia

Objectives: To assess health outcomes of home follow-up visits after postpartum discharge and assess relationships between the number of home visits and selected outcomes among women who gave birth at two Queensland, Australia, regional hospitals. Design: A cross sectional study. Services provided during the home visits were responsive to a woman's need rather than having a structured protocol of services. Main Outcome Measures: The four measured health outcomes were: 1) postpartum depression; 2) confidence to undertake maternal roles; 3) breastfeeding; and, 4) satisfaction with postpartum care. Results: Of 210 women who were invited to participate in the study, 143 (68.1%) provided information. Women who received a higher number of home visits had significantly lower confidence to undertake maternal roles than those who received fewer home visits. There was a positive correlation between the number of home follow-up visits and postpartum depression among women who gave birth at one hospital (Hospital B), but not at the other (Hospital A). No relationship was found between the home postpartum visits and the other outcomes. Conclusion: These results could be explained in that home follow-up visits were offered to all women at Hospital A while Hospital B only provided home visits to women who had a health risk due to their social, physical and psychological characteristics. The lack of protocol home visits and the characteristics of women receiving the visits were probably the major factors which influenced these limited beneficial outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The maternal mortality rate (MMR) in Thailand is higher than neighbouring developing countries including Malaysia and Singapore. The 1993 MMR of Thailand was 249 per 100 000 livebirths which was four times higher than the rates in Malaysia and Singapore (World Health Organization 1995). The major causes of these deaths were haemorrhage, toxaemia of pregnancy and sepsis which were likely to be prevented by adequate prenatal care (Thailand Ministry of Public Health 1996). A large proportion of Thai pregnant women have poor health. Between 1994 and 1995, a national study conducted by Thailand Ministry of Health showed that 39% of pregnant women were anaemic, defined as haemoglobin concentration lower than 33% (Supamethaporn 1997). Another study conducted in the southern region also indicated that 13.8% of pregnant women were anaemic caused by iron deficiency (Phatthanapreechakul et al. 1997). Other behaviours which increased risks associated with child birth included non-antenatal care (ANC) attendance, undertaking physically demanding tasks and failure to increase nutritional intake during their pregnancy period (N. Phiriyanuphong et al. 1992, unpublished report). These factors emphasize the importance of a health education programme which could facilitate women to, for example, increase protein and iron intake during pregnancy which would reduce complications from their poor health status. This study was conducted in a regional hospital in Thailand where there was no systematic and well-planned health education programme for pregnant women. The initial aim was to design a health education programme using input from the hospital health care professionals including obstetricians, nurses, nutritionists, health educators and health promoters. An active involvement of these personnel assisted to sustain the provision of the programme provided for pregnant women after the cessation of the study project. Another aim of the study was to evaluate the outcomes of the... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to report the prevalence rates of chronic diseases using two sampling units: (a) the rural and remote areas of the Queensland Fitzroy and Central West Statistical Divisions and (b) four rural communities within the Queensland Fitzroy Statistical Division. The design was a cross-sectional survey. The setting was rural and remote Queensland. The first sample unit was 641 households stratified and randomly selected from a commercial electronic database of 36,423 telephone numbers. Of these 641 households, 270 agreed to take part. One respondent from each household provided information, including chronic illnesses, for all 697 household members. The second sample unit was all 356 households in four small rural communities. Of these, 223 agreed to provide information regarding 594 household members. The main outcome measures were the age and gender distribution of two sample groups and the prevalence rates of chronic illnesses. The people of the first sample unit had a significantly lower proportion of university or college graduates compared with the people in the second sample unit. There was a lower prevalence rate of asthma among people in the first unit than the rate reported by people in the second unit.

This paper aims to describe chronic diseases including hearing loss reported by people in a small rural community. It will present the results of audiometric screening among a group of people in this community and their self reported risk factors of hearing loss. Different risk factors experienced by men and women will be compared. Two surveys were conducted in a small Queensland rural community. The first survey gathered information relating to chronic diseases among 604 people using a telephone interview method. The second survey assessed the level of hearing among 64 people who presented themselves for audiometric screening, their history of exposure to loud noise and their previous use of hearing protective measures. A higher rate of "industrial deafness" was reported (110.75 per 1,000 population) than the 1995 National rate (95.2 per 1,000 population). Of 64 people who attended the audiometric assessment, 60 (93.8%) had some level of hearing loss using the 2000 International Standard of hearing level (ISO 7029: 2000) taking age and gender into account. However, 15 persons (23.4%) perceived that they had good hearing. When compared to ISO 7029: 2000 standard, men and women had a similar pattern of hearing loss. Compared to men, a lower percentage of women were exposed to different sources of loud noise and were less likely to use hearing protection devices.

This descriptive study aimed to document cigarette retailers' knowledge and behaviors about the minimum legal age of cigarette buyers, and their estimates of the proportion of children and women among cigarette buyers. The study was conducted among 70 shop attendants in Hat Yai and Chon Buri cities. A semi-structured interview method was used to collect data using open-ended and close-ended questions. Qualitative data gained from observation and in-depth interviews among six shop owners provided information to support data collected from semi-structured interviews. Cigarettes are sold in small family-run food and household item shops. Although cigarette sales provide limited profits, they were described as essential to attract customers. Twenty-four percent sold only Thai cigarettes, 4% sold only imported cigarettes and 72% sold both. Almost one-third said they did not know the minimum legal age and more than half sold cigarettes to persons younger than 18 years. Single Thai cigarettes were sold to poor customers and to children. A small proportion (13%) said that 50% of their cigarette customers were women. It is possible that women and children were buying for adult males. Although cigarette sales to children younger than 18 years have been prohibited in Thailand for almost ten years, this information was only acknowledged by a small proportion of the shopkeepers. More research is needed on smoking prevalence and the reasons for initiating of smoking in women and children.

The characteristics of patients with non-fatal road traffic injuries who received care from non-referral hospitals are described; an assessment of the difference between the characteristics of patients who received care at a referral hospital and those of patients who were treated at non-referral hospitals is made. A retrospective study, conducted in Chon Buri Province, Thailand, reviewed information from two sources: 324 records from eight non-referral hospitals and the 1999 Injury Surveillance Report of Chon Buri Hospital, a referral hospital. A data collection tool was designed to retrieve information from the non-referral hospitals. Data were analysed descriptively and analytically. The majority of the patients of the non-referral hospitals were male (71.1%) motorcyclists (84.2%), and received ambulatory care (83.9%). Young patients had a higher risk of being admitted to these hospitals. Non-motorcyclists, pedestrians, and nonlocal persons were more likely to receive care from the referral hospital. The results were similar to those of previous studies. The different characteristics of patients who receive care at referral--and non-referral hospitals need to be taken into account when designing traffic accident reduction programs.