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This article explores historical, contemporary and emerging sites of contestation within sports, with a particular focus on women’s Australian Rules football in Australia. Sport played out on the field, in the media, popular culture, governance and legal arenas are positioned in this article as contested public spaces. The increasing presence of women in these spaces is seen as a shift towards a more socially just sporting space. With an emphasis on the contemporary sporting landscape and the historical commencement of the national women’s Australian Football League Women (AFLW) competition in February 2017, the evolution of this sport as a contested space can be understood as it relates to narratives of hope and opportunity for women. With overwhelming public feeling that the first AFLW season was a success, it is time to pause and consider what this development means for elite women’s sport, and women in contemporary Australian society more broadly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundThe sale of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) containing nicotine is prohibited in all Australian states and territories; yet, the growing availability and convenience of the internet enable the promotion and exposure of e-cigarettes across countries. Social media’s increasing pervasiveness has provided a powerful avenue to market products and influence social norms and risk behaviors. At present, there is no evidence of how e-cigarettes and vaping are promoted on social media in Australia. ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate how e-cigarettes are portrayed and promoted on Twitter through a content analysis of vaping-related tweets containing an image posted and retweeted by Australian users and how the portrayal and promotion have emerged and trended over time. MethodsIn total, we analyzed 1303 tweets and accompanying images from 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018 collected through the Tracking Infrastructure for Social Media Analysis (TrISMA), a contemporary technical and organizational infrastructure for the tracking of public communication by Australian users of social media, via a list of 15 popular e-cigarette–related terms. ResultsDespite Australia’s cautious approach toward e-cigarettes and the limited evidence supporting them as an efficacious smoking cessation aid, it is evident that there is a concerted effort by some Twitter users to promote these devices as a health-conducive (91/129, 70.5%), smoking cessation product (266/1303, 20.41%). Further, Twitter is being used in an attempt to circumvent Australian regulation and advocate for a more liberal approach to personal vaporizers (90/1303, 6.90%). A sizeable proportion of posts was dedicated to selling or promoting vape products (347/1303, 26.63%), and 19.95% (260/1303) were found to be business listings. These posts used methods to try and expand their clientele further than immediate followers by touting competitions and giveaways, with those wanting to enter having to perform a sequence of steps such as liking, tagging, and reposting, ultimately exposing the post among the user’s network and to others not necessarily interested in vaping. ConclusionsThe borderless nature of social media presents a clear challenge for enforcing Article 13 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which requires all ratifying nations to implement a ban on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship. Countering the advertising and promotion of these products is a public health challenge that will require cross-border cooperation with other World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control parties. Further research aimed at developing strategies to counter the advertising and promotion of e-cigarettes is therefore needed.

BackgroundAs the majority of Twitter content is publicly available, the platform has become a rich data source for public health surveillance, providing insights into emergent phenomena, such as vaping. Although there is a growing body of literature that has examined the content of vaping-related tweets, less is known about the people who generate and disseminate these messages and the role of e-cigarette advocates in the promotion of these devices. ObjectiveThis study aimed to identify key conversation trends and patterns over time, and discern the core voices, message frames, and sentiment surrounding e-cigarette discussions on Twitter. MethodsA random sample of data were collected from Australian Twitter users who referenced at least one of 15 identified e-cigarette related keywords during 2012, 2014, 2016, or 2018. Data collection was facilitated by TrISMA (Tracking Infrastructure for Social Media Analysis) and analyzed by content analysis. ResultsA sample of 4432 vaping-related tweets posted and retweeted by Australian users was analyzed. Positive sentiment (3754/4432, 84.70%) dominated the discourse surrounding e-cigarettes, and vape retailers and manufacturers (1161/4432, 26.20%), the general public (1079/4432, 24.35%), and e-cigarette advocates (1038/4432, 23.42%) were the most prominent posters. Several tactics were used by e-cigarette advocates to communicate their beliefs, including attempts to frame e-cigarettes as safer than traditional cigarettes, imply that federal government agencies lack sufficient competence or evidence for the policies they endorse about vaping, and denounce as propaganda “gateway” claims of youth progressing from e-cigarettes to combustible tobacco. Some of the most common themes presented in tweets were advertising or promoting e-cigarette products (2040/4432, 46.03%), promoting e-cigarette use or intent to use (970/4432, 21.89%), and discussing the potential of e-cigarettes to be used as a smoking cessation aid or tobacco alternative (716/4432, 16.16%), as well as the perceived health and safety benefits and consequences of e-cigarette use (681/4432, 15.37%). ConclusionsAustralian Twitter content does not reflect the country’s current regulatory approach to e-cigarettes. Rather, the conversation on Twitter generally encourages e-cigarette use, promotes vaping as a socially acceptable practice, discredits scientific evidence of health risks, and rallies around the idea that e-cigarettes should largely be outside the bounds of health policy. The one-sided nature of the discussion is concerning, as is the lack of disclosure and transparency, especially among vaping enthusiasts who dominate the majority of e-cigarette discussions on Twitter, where it is unclear if comments are endorsed, sanctioned, or even supported by the industry.

Issue Addressed: E-cigarettes are a significant concern in schools due to their rising use by adolescents. This research aimed to identify current and preferred intervention strategies to respond to vaping in the Western Australian school setting., Methods: Interviews and focus groups were held with 15 school professionals (leaders, teachers and nurses), parents (n = 12) and students aged 13-17 years (n = 32). Discussions were transcribed verbatim, anonymised and thematically analysed using a deductive approach aligned to the Health Promoting Schools Framework., Results: Participants suggested that limited and varied attention has been directed towards policy in response to vaping in the school setting. Teaching and learning opportunities existed for students, parents and school professionals, albeit somewhat ad hoc in their approach. Additional training would benefit the whole-school community (students, parents and staff) to raise awareness of e-cigarette harms, increase knowledge and build skills in responding to student vaping., Conclusions: Clearly articulated policies are needed to guide school strategies and actions towards vaping. There needs to be a dedicated, developmentally appropriate, cross-subject vaping curriculum for students that incorporates mental health outcomes and social skills reinforcement; professional development for school staff; awareness of and access to school-based health services for help and information; visual cues to de-normalise vaping and parent and community involvement to support vape-free school environments. SO WHAT?: Comprehensive prevention activities are required to reduce the uptake of vaping among adolescents. Building students', school professionals' and parents' awareness of vaping and strategies to prevent use will contribute to de-normalising and reducing this practice among adolescents., (© 2024 The Author(s). Health Promotion Journal of Australia published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australian Health Promotion Association.)

Purpose: To understand from the perspectives of school professionals, parents and young people the socio-ecological factors that may facilitate and prevent e-cigarette use among young people in Perth, Western Australia., Methods: Purposive sampling was used to recruit school professionals, parents and young people for one-on-one ( n  = 35) or joint ( n  = 3) interviews (in-person n  = 11 or online n  = 27). Data were analysed using thematic analysis and classified into four domains based on the socio-ecological model: i) individual, ii) interpersonal, iii) organizational/community and iv) societal/policy., Results: Factors that were found to support vaping among young people included sensation-seeking and risk-taking behaviour; a low-risk perception of vapes; attractive characteristics of vapes; ease of access; perception vaping is a social activity; and lack of knowledge about vaping among parents and school professionals. Vaping prevention messages originating from the familial, educational and community spheres are lacking but wanted by adults and young people., Conclusions: The pervasiveness of the e-cigarette trade and persistent challenges related to surveillance and enforcement need to be addressed to reduce exposure and access to e-cigarettes. A mixture of "hard" and "soft" public policy tools involving key stakeholders in a range of settings is needed to prevent e-cigarette access and uptake by young people.

Background: The social media landscape is now ubiquitous in people's everyday lives. It is a space where culture, politics, economics and sociological and public health discourses occur. There is mounting evidence that e-cigarette products are being promoted and advertised on social media, a media platform particularly popular with young people. Our research aimed to understand industry professionals' perceptions of social media harms and potential management strategies using vaping as a case study., Methods: A critical realist perspective guided reflexive thematic analysis of the qualitative in depth, semi structured interviews. Data collection occurred in January and February 2023 with 13 participants working in the areas of public health, digital media, law, governance, tobacco control and advocacy., Results: Two superordinate themes emerged from the data: (1) Fathoming a complex system (social media) that contained the subordinate themes of Traversing Boundaries (crossing borders, crossing sectors) and Ungovernable (global and local landscapes, vested interests, self-regulation and opacity). (2) Addressing complexity (social media)- that contained the subordinate themes of Strengthening Institutions (global to local, policy and legislation, individuals and organisations); Defanging Industry (responsibility and transparency, moderation and algorithms, complaints); and Engaging Citizens (raising awareness, framing messaging)., Conclusions: There was consensus among participants that e-cigarette related social media content can be harmful and government action is urgently needed. There was an identified need for the development of government led national-level regulatory frameworks, with government led appropriate legislation; identification of an organisation or organisations with suitable levels of regulatory power and resources to monitor, enforce and penalise noncompliant social media companies; accompanied by increased community awareness raising of harmful social media content and improved digital literacy., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Mounting evidence suggests that electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are extensively promoted and marketed using social media, including through user-generated content and social media influencers. This study explores how e-cigarettes are being promoted on Instagram, using a case-study approach, and the extent to which Meta's Restricted Goods and Services Policy (Meta's policy) is being applied and enforced., Methods: We identified the accounts followed by an Australian Instagram influencer who primarily posts e-cigarette-related content. The main foci of these 855 accounts were coded and 369 vaping-focused accounts were identified. These vaping-focused accounts were then further coded by two trained coders., Results: All (n=369; 100.0%) of the vape content posted by these accounts was positive in sentiment. One-third of the vape accounts (n=127; 34.4%) had a shared focus, indicating that vape content may permeate into other online communities through shared interests. A total of 64 accounts (17.3%) potentially violated Meta's policy by attempting to purchase, sell, raffle or gift e-cigarette products., Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that pro-vaping information is available and accessible on Instagram. Much of the content identified in this study promoted the purchase or gifting of e-cigarette products and potentially violates Meta's policy. Greater regulation and/or stronger enforcement of e-cigarette content on social media platforms such as Instagram is necessary to prevent the ongoing promotion of these harmful products., Competing Interests: The authors have completed and submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. The authors declare that they have no competing interests, financial or otherwise, related to the current work. All authors report that since the initial planning of the work, this study was supported by the Western Australian Health Promotion Foundation (Healthway) and payments were made to Curtin University. J. Jancey is on the Board of the Australian Council of Smoking and Health and the board of the Health Promotion Journal of Australia (unpaid roles). She also reports support for attending the Australian Health Promotion Association Symposium. B. Freeman in the past 36 months has received relevant consulting fees from the World Health Organization, Heart Foundation NSW, Cancer Council NSW, Cancer Council Australia, Cancer Institute NSW, NSW Health and Sax Institute, and payments or honoraria for lectures/presentations to the Department of Health, the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the US Food and Drug Administration, and BMJ Tobacco Control. She has received relevant research grant funding from the Cancer Council NSW, VicHealth, Ian Potter Foundation, NSW Health, the National Health and Medical Research Council, Healthway, and the Medical Research Future Fund. She reports support to attend the Oceania Tobacco Control Conference, the Australian Public Health Association Conference, the Australian Association for Adolescent Health meeting and the Australasian Epidemiology Association meeting. She was an Expert Member of the National Health and Medical Research Council Electronic Cigarettes Working Committee (paid role). B. Freeman is an expert advisor to the Cancer Control Tobacco Issues Committee, a member of the Cancer Institute Vaping Communications Advisory Panel and a member of the CHO NSW E-cigarette expert panel (unpaid roles). S. Bialous in the past 36 months has received grants from the US National Cancer Institute (# 1U01CA261620 and R01CA268491) and California’s Tobacco Related Diseases Research Program (# T32IP4743). She has also received relevant consulting fees from the World Health Organization. She reports support for attending the European Lung Cancer Congress, and meetings with the Union International for Cancer Control and the World Health Organization. S. Bialous declares being a board member of the Union International for Cancer Control and the Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights., (© 2024 Jancey J. et al.)

E-cigarettes are promoted extensively on TikTok and other social media platforms. Platform policies to restrict e-cigarette promotion seem insufficient and are poorly enforced. This paper aims to understand how e-cigarettes are being promoted on TikTok and provide insights into the effectiveness of current TikTok policies. Seven popular hashtag-based keywords were used to identify TikTok accounts and associated videos related to e-cigarettes. Posts were independently coded by two trained coders. Collectively, the 264 videos received 2,470,373 views, 166,462 likes and 3426 comments. The overwhelming majority of videos (97.7%) portrayed e-cigarettes positively, and these posts received 98.7% of the total views and 98.2% of the total likes. A total of 69 posts (26.1%) clearly violated TikTok's own content policy. The findings of the current study suggest that a variety of predominantly pro-vaping content is available on TikTok. Current policies and moderation processes appear to be insufficient in restricting the spread of pro-e-cigarette content on TikTok, putting predominantly young users at potential risk of e-cigarette use.

Background: In Australia, there is no Federal legislation that directly applies to e-cigarettes, instead, several existing laws relating to poisons, therapeutic goods and tobacco control apply. Across all Australian States and Territories, it is illegal to sell nicotine-containing e-cigarettes, however, users can legally import nicotine-containing vaporisers through the Personal Importation Scheme. Western Australia differs from other Australian States and Territories in that products which resemble tobacco products are banned, effectively prohibiting the use of e-cigarettes. This study aimed to understand how e-cigarette users navigate Western Australia's regulatory environment to access vaping products and the health and safety issues encountered., Methods: Working from a constructionist epistemology and a symbolic interaction framework, in-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 37 current (89%) and former (11%) adult vapers (70% male, mean age of 32.5). Data was analysed via thematic analysis., Results: Vape retailers were said to be circumventing Western Australia's e-cigarette restrictions by selling the components of 'open system' devices that do not resemble a tobacco product when sold individually. Participants were unsure of the legality of importing, accessing and using nicotine and e-cigarettes, however, the majority continued to use nicotine-containing vaporisers and implemented strategies in an attempt to avoid detection and safeguard their health. The internet facilitated access to desired products, information on health and safety, and discussions of personal experiences., Conclusions: The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration has recently (21 December 2020) confirmed that from 1 October 2021 smokers who have tried quitting with other approved cessation pharmacotherapies will be required to obtain a prescription for nicotine-containing vaporiser products from a registered medical practitioner. The results of this study suggest further consideration of regulatory measures are however required to support the different characteristics of vapers and to mitigate the health and safety concerns experienced by e-cigarette users., Competing Interests: Declarations of Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: There are no data on the effect of X-Ray irradiation to the vulnerable pelvic organs of babies during DDH follow-up. This study aims to calculate, for the first time, the radiation exposure to infants during follow-up for DDH harness treatment, and thus quantify the lifetime risk of malignancy., Methods: Patients who had completed 5 years' follow-up following successful Pavlik harness treatment were identified from the hospital DDH database. The radiation dose was extracted from the Computerised Radiology Information System database for every radiograph of every patient. The effective dose (ED) was calculated using conversion coefficients for age, sex and body region irradiated. Cumulative ED was compared to Health Protection Agency standards to calculate lifetime risk of malignancy from the radiographs., Results: All radiographs of 40 infants, successfully treated in Pavlik harness for DDH, were assessed. The mean number of AP pelvis radiographs was 7.00 (range: 6-9, mode: 7). The mean cumulative ED was 0.25 mSv (Range: 0.11-0.46, SD: 0.07). This is far lower than the annual 'safe' limit for healthcare workers of 20 mSv and is categorised as "Very Low Risk"., Conclusion: Clinicians involved in the treatment DDH can be re-assured that the cumulative radiation exposure from pelvic radiographs following Pavlik harness treatment is "Very Low Risk". Whilst being mindful of any radiation exposure in children, this study provides a scientific answer that help addresses parental concerns., Competing Interests: Conflict of InterestOn behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest., (© Crown 2021.)

Background: Vaping is a relatively new practice, and therefore its symbolic meanings and social practices are yet to be fully understood, especially within Australia where the practice is strictly regulated. This study aimed to examine vapers motivations for use, reinforcing influences, and association with the vaper subculture., Methods: Working from a constructivist epistemology and a symbolic interaction framework, in-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 37 current (89%) and former (11%) adult vapers, 70% male, mean age of 32.5. Data was analysed via thematic analysis., Results: Vapers largely started vaping to quit smoking and underwent common experiences during their initiation phase. Subsequently, vapers tended to adopt one of two dominant identities, that of the 'cloud chaser' or the 'substitute', which some users moved between during different stages of their vaping career. The social and symbolic meaning of e-cigarettes and vaping varied and involved concepts of harm reduction, addiction, pleasure, stigma and community, and for some, connection to the vaper subculture., Conclusions: Understanding the complexities of vaping, and the nuanced differences of 'cloud chasers' and 'substitute' vapers may have important implications for health communication, research and policy. E-cigarette users within this sample were not a homogeneous group and differed in their motivations for use, association with the vaper subculture and relationship with the vape community. These findings provide new insights into the socialisation process and subsequent identity adoption of vapers within the unique regulatory environment of Western Australia.

Background: There has been a rapid rise in the popularity of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) over the last decade, with growth predicted to continue. The uptake of these devices has escalated despite inconclusive evidence of their efficacy as a smoking cessation device and unknown long-term health consequences. As smoking rates continue to drop or plateau in many well-developed countries, transnational tobacco companies have transitioned into the vaping industry and are now using social media to promote their products. Evidence indicates e-cigarettes are being marketed on social media as a harm reduction alternative, with retailers and manufacturers utilizing marketing techniques historically used by the tobacco industry., Objective: This study aimed to identify and describe the messages presented in e-cigarette-related social media (Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest) promotions and discussions and identify future directions for research, surveillance, and regulation., Methods: Data sources included MEDLINE, Scopus, ProQuest, Informit, the Journal of Medical Internet Research, and Google Scholar. Included studies were published in English between 2007 and 2017, analyzed content captured from e-cigarette-related social media promotions or discussions, and reported results for e-cigarettes separately from other forms of tobacco and nicotine delivery. Database search ceased in October 2017. Initial searches identified 536 studies. Two reviewers screened studies by title and abstract. One reviewer examined 71 full-text articles to determine eligibility and identified 25 studies for inclusion. This process was undertaken with the assistance of the Web-based screening and data extraction tool-Covidence. The review was registered with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Systematic Reviews database and followed the methodology for JBI Scoping Reviews., Results: Several key messages are being used to promote e-cigarettes including as a safer alternative to cigarettes, efficacy as a smoking cessation aid, and for use where smoking is prohibited. Other major marketing efforts aimed at capturing a larger market involve promotion of innovative flavoring and highlighting the public performance of vaping. Discussion and promotion of these devices appear to be predominantly occurring among the general public and those with vested interests such as retailers and manufacturers. There is a noticeable silence from the public health and government sector in these discussions on social media., Conclusions: The social media landscape is dominated by pro-vaping messages disseminated by the vaping industry and vaping proponents. The uncertainty surrounding e-cigarette regulation expressed within the public health field appears not to be reflected in ongoing social media dialogues and highlights the need for public health professionals to interact with the public to actively influence social media conversations and create a more balanced discussion. With the vaping industry changing so rapidly, real-time monitoring and surveillance of how these devices are discussed, promoted, and used on social media is necessary in conjunction with evidence published in academic journals., (©Kahlia McCausland, Bruce Maycock, Tama Leaver, Jonine Jancey. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 05.02.2019.)

We present a programmable droplet-based microfluidic device that combines the reconfigurable flow-routing capabilities of integrated microvalve technology with the sample compartmentalization and dispersion-free transport that is inherent to droplets. The device allows for the execution of user-defined multistep reaction protocols in 95 individually addressable nanoliter-volume storage chambers by consecutively merging programmable sequences of picoliter-volume droplets containing reagents or cells. This functionality is enabled by "flow-controlled wetting," a droplet docking and merging mechanism that exploits the physics of droplet flow through a channel to control the precise location of droplet wetting. The device also allows for automated cross-contamination-free recovery of reaction products from individual chambers into standard microfuge tubes for downstream analysis. The combined features of programmability, addressability, and selective recovery provide a general hardware platform that can be reprogrammed for multiple applications. We demonstrate this versatility by implementing multiple single-cell experiment types with this device: bacterial cell sorting and cultivation, taxonomic gene identification, and high-throughput single-cell whole genome amplification and sequencing using common laboratory strains. Finally, we apply the device to genome analysis of single cells and microbial consortia from diverse environmental samples including a marine enrichment culture, deep-sea sediments, and the human oral cavity. The resulting datasets capture genotypic properties of individual cells and illuminate known and potentially unique partnerships between microbial community members.