Faith and toleration in neoliberal times : Australia as a case study

This chapter uses Australia and its recent national inquiries on religious freedom to explore issues of faith and toleration in a neoliberal context. While the debate on religious freedom is happening independently from a social and economic assessment, faith-based organisations, as a form of support to a reduced welfare state, are growing and are providing more and more to those in need. This chapter highlights a change of discourse in the Australian public sphere with regard to freedom of religion, from one which is about tolerating and even celebrating all beliefs and religious practices to one which allows religious individuals and groups to discriminate in the name of religion. This, as presented, is more than a simple debate on freedom of expression as it can lead to social consequences against minority groups deemed excluded from welfare provision in the name of religion and, paradoxically, in the name of freedom of expression

[In Press] The impact of outdoor therapeutic recreation on suicidality : a mixed-method systematic review

The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize the evidence on the impact of outdoor therapeutic recreation (TR) on suicidality. Five databases were interrogated, and critical appraisal, data extraction and synthesis for included articles were conducted according to the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines. Nine studies met the inclusion criteria. Synthesised themes included: Interpersonal Relationships; Self-Discovery; The Therapeutic Milieu; Future-Focused Ways of Thinking; and Program Structure. Meta-analysis revealed no significant difference in suicidal ideation scores among those who received TR and those who did not, however, a reduction in depression rates were observed in people who received TR (SMD –0.74; 95% CI –1.24 to –0.24; p = 0.92; I2 0%). While there was no significant difference in suicidal ideation scores, there was a reduction in depression rates among individuals who participated in TR. Further research is needed to ascertain the effectiveness of outdoor TR in reducing suicidality

[In Press] Grazing induces positive direct effect of shrubs on nematode diversity but suppresses indirect effects through microbial pathways

Background and aims: Dominant plants shape belowground communities, which in turn influences ecosystem functioning. Similarly, herbivores affect belowground communities through physical disturbance and redistribution of organic inputs, but also through their interactions with plants themselves. However, we know little about how grazing moderates the effects of dominant plants on belowground organisms. Methods: We established a three-year shrub removal experiment in a grazed and an ungrazed alpine meadow on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau to assess how grazing moderates the effects of a dominant plant, Dasiphora fruticosa, on nematode communities. We used piecewise structural equation modelling to assess how grazing moderates the direct effects of dominant plants and, indirect effects via changes in edaphic variables and microbial pathways. Results: We found that 1) grazing significantly decreased nematode diversity mainly due to a reduction in omnivores; 2) there was a significant grazing by shrub interaction effect on nematode diversity, whereby shrub had a positive direct effect on nematode diversity only in the grazed meadow; 3) in the ungrazed alpine meadow, microbial diversity was a strong predictor of nematode, while in the grazed meadow, grazing suppressed the microbial pathways of shrub presence. Conclusion: The study shows that grazing decreases the diversity of soil communities and suppresses the interactions among soil biota, while shrub presence plays a vital role in alleviating the negative effects of grazing on understory communities. Therefore, the findings further highlight herbivory in inducing facilitation of dominant shrubs on understory community stabilization and ecosystem functioning in alpine meadows of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau

[In Press] Whose concerns? : young adults discussing (their) concerns with pornography

Concerns regarding pornography have always existed, and perhaps this is nowhere more pronounced than in the contexts of young people’s viewing. Pornography is often framed in binary ways (sexual revelation versus moral turpitude), often by people who do not specialise in pornography, and young people’s experiences are often neglected. Against this backdrop, this article engages with interview and focus group data that sought to explore young adults’ experiences and understandings of pornography. Focusing on the issue of ‘concern’, the emergent themes included the following: concern that pornography is too readily accessible for young people; concern that pornography is addictive; and finally, concern that pornography is unrealistic. Importantly, these findings were largely inflected through a ‘third person’ effect and, in turn, the internalisation of broader prevailing social discourses. The findings also illustrate that attitudes towards pornography are not as clearcut or binary as some research suggests, with feelings of ambivalence structuring many expressions of concerns and experiences. In this context, the article reflects upon the dis/connections between social attitudes and viewer experiences, and identifies some ways in which better porn literacies can enable more efficacious forms of porn engagement and social discussion

[In Press] Outcomes and associated clinical features of people with eating disorders participating in residential treatment facilities : a scoping review

Residential treatment programs for eating disorders (EDs) have gained popularity in recent years, expanding beyond the United States to countries such as Canada, Italy, and the United Kingdom. These programs offer a “home-like” environment where individuals reside for several weeks or months, emphasising both physical restoration and psychological recovery. This scoping review aimed to provide an update since the most recent reviews on the literature regarding outcomes of residential treatment programs for EDs and to explore clinical features that were associated with these outcomes. Methods used followed the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines for scoping reviews. A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted, and 12 studies met the inclusion criteria. All studies reported improvements in various outcomes from admission to discharge, including changes in eating psychopathology, weight restoration, depression, anxiety, and quality of life. Additionally, three studies reported positive outcomes at intervals after discharge and three predictive factors (self-compassion, personality organisation, and resistance to emotional vulnerability) were reported in a small number of studies. While residential treatment facilities consistently showed positive outcomes, the review highlights the need for randomised controlled studies to establish the efficacy of these programs for EDs. Future research should include controlled studies comparing residential facilities to other treatment settings and incorporate long-term follow-up outcomes and further studies of emergent predictive factors identified in this review

[In Press] How and why do people with chronic low back pain modify their physical activity? : a mixed‐methods survey

Background: This study investigated the impact of Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP) on individuals' physical activity (PA) behaviours, specifically, how they modify, cease, or continue PA when experiencing CLBP. The primary aim was to explore the relationship between CLBP and PA and how this is influenced in different contexts (e.g., necessity of a task). Methods: A mixed‐methods survey was administered to 220 participants, including self‐reported outcomes, and capturing responses to three distinct questions related to PA and CLBP. The data was analysed via a content analysis. Results: The findings revealed that individuals with CLBP are most likely to modify PA in work‐related contexts and least likely to cease it in the same setting. Housework emerged as the most common domain for cessation of PA, while work/ study activities were predominantly continued. Reasons for these trends were typically task‐based rather than health or enjoyment based and influenced by the perceived necessity of the task in question. Conclusion: The study highlights the role of occupational and educational settings in individual responses to CLBP. The findings also highlight a gap in public awareness regarding effective CLBP management strategies, emphasising the need for increased education and awareness programs

[In Press] Oral health knowledge, attitudes and practices of dietitians in Australia : a national survey

Aim: Dietitians are a well-placed profession to be providing pre-emptive oral health promotion. Despite recommendations that oral health promotion should be routinely part of dietetic practice, there is limited data informing the current practices of clinical dietitians in this area across Australia. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge and practices of Australian dietitians and oral health promotion. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was undertaken involving registered clinical dietitians in Australia using purposive and snowballing sampling (social media/dietetic organisations/public databases). Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: A total of 149 dietitians participated in the national survey. Overall, dietitians were knowledgeable about oral health risk factors and preventative measures across general health domains. Majority of dietitians agreed that oral health can affect nutrition interventions (95.5%) and dietitians should be discussing oral health (88.0%). However, nearly half were not confident in providing counselling or education and felt that undergraduate training for oral health promotion was inadequate (78.2%). A small proportion (6.0%) of dietitians were already providing oral health promotion regularly. Key barriers included a lack of clear guidelines for practice, limited training opportunities and indistinct referral pathways. Conclusion: Dietitians have acknowledged that oral health promotion should be incorporated into their practice. However, they are challenged by a lack of resources and training to support this in clinical practice. So What?: Capacity building dietitians to promote oral health allows opportunity for improvement in the oral health, nutritional status and quality of life of priority population groups

Searching for homogeneous regions in regional flood frequency analysis for Southeast Australia

Study region: Southeast Australia Study focus: This study examines identification of homogeneous regions for regional flood frequency analysis (RFFA) using 201 gauged catchments and applying principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis. Quantile regression technique (QRT) is applied to develop prediction equations. Leave-one-out (LOO) validation is used to evaluate the accuracy of the developed prediction equations. New hydrologic insights for the region: For the regions formed based on PCA and cluster analysis, the Hosking and Wallis’ heterogeneity (H1) statistics are found to vary in the range of 11.55–24.52, and 5.11–26.27, respectively. The assumed regions are highly heterogeneous as H1 values are much higher than 1.00. The median of absolute relative error values associated with the developed prediction equations for the assumed regions are found to vary in the range of 17–62 %, which are comparable to similar RFFA studies. PCA and cluster analysis do not deliver sufficiently homogeneous regions in southeast Australia. The degree of heterogeneity of a region has little effect on the relative accuracy of flood quantile estimates. The findings of this study will assist to update RFFA technique in Australian Rainfall and Runoff (national guideline)

Comparative utility of the DSM-5 and ICD-11 diagnostic classifications of eating disorders of recurrent binge eating in an Australian community-based sample

Objective: The present study aimed to compare the estimated prevalence, sociodemographic features and impacts of Bulimia Nervosa (BN), Binge Eating Disorder (BED) and Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED; BN or BED of low frequency and/or limited duration) when comparing the DSM-5 with the broader ICD-11 diagnostic criteria for size and specifiers of binge-eating episodes in a general population epidemiological sample. Methods: 2977 individuals (1524 women and 1453 men) aged ≥15 years from randomly selected households in South Australia were interviewed in person. Participants were asked questions relating to sociodemographic features, symptoms of eating disorder pathology, physical and mental health-related quality of life (HRQoL; SF-12) and role impairment. Results: The estimated prevalence of only one diagnosis, namely BED, was lower when applying DSM-5 criteria than when applying ICD-11 criteria, largely due to the Criterion B binge-eating specifiers of the DSM-5. There were no significant differences in participants' demographic features, HRQoL, or role impairment between the comparable diagnosis of either scheme. Conclusions: There were few differences in distribution and similar levels of health impacts when applying either diagnostic scheme in this epidemiological study. However, cases of BED may be missed when using the stricter criteria of DSM-5 in epidemiological surveys. Further studies are needed to assess the clinical utility of the DSM-5 and ICD-11 diagnostic specifiers of binge-eating

[In Press] Pandemic risks in PPPs : comparative analysis within developing countries

Globally, Public-private partnerships (PPPs) become a widely adopted method for advancing large-scale infrastructure projects. However, the inherent uncertainties and risks associated with these projects represent a significant managerial challenge, particularly when confronted with unforeseen events such as those triggered by COVID-19. This paper aims to identify and assess risk associated with the pandemic in PPPs in developing nations through a specific form of mixed-methods research, an embedded multiple-case study, involving the PPP programs in two developing countries in Central Asia and Latin America. Through a comprehensive analysis of risk assessment (including probability, severity, and impact) and applying Kendall’s concordance and Cronbach’s alpha tests with the SPSS 26 tool, a comparative examination of these risks between the two countries is conducted. Complementary, the embedded cases were analyzed through the triangulation of project reports, governmental websites, SPV’s websites, and interviews. The findings reveal variations in risk perception and priorities, with less mature PPP programs displaying higher risk aversion and concerns regarding project disruptions; and more developed programs seeking to address short-term liquidity challenges. Risk management strategies are proposed for PPP decision-makers to face unforeseen events more effectively