Evaluation Framework for NSW Implementation of Healthy Workers Initiative

This document presents a framework for the evaluation of the NSW implementation of the Healthy Workers Initiative being undertaken as part of the National Partnership Agreement on Preventive Health. The NSW Healthy Workers Initiative seeks to address unhealthy lifestyle factors by reaching individuals in the workplace, and supporting behaviour change for healthy lifestyles in and through businesses

A disease in search of a cause: a study of self-citation and press release pronouncement in the factoid of wind farms causing “vibroacoustic disease”.

Background In recent years, claims have proliferated that wind turbines cause a large variety of diseases. Two of these, “Wind Turbine Syndrome” (WTS) and “Vibroacoustic disease” (VAD) are frequently mentioned. Seventeen reviews of the evidence for wind turbines causing harm have concluded the evidence to be poor yet some regulatory authorities are now referencing health concerns as part of the rationale for set-back guidelines from residences, greatly reducing siting opportunities. Methods and Findings Google returns 158,000 hits for WTS and 298,000 for VAD. We conducted a search for all papers and citations on WTS or VAD, and searched for evidence for any association between wind turbine exposure and VAD. No papers on WTS were found in indexed journals. Thirty five papers on VAD were found, none reporting on an association between VAD and wind turbines. Of the 35 papers on VAD, 34 had a first author from a single Portuguese research group. Seventy four per cent of citations to these papers were self-citations by the group. Median self-citation rates in science are around 7%. Two unpublished case reports presented at conferences were found alleging that VAD was “irrefutably demonstrated” to be caused by wind turbines. Conclusions VAD has received virtually no scientific recognition beyond the group who invented the term. The claim that wind turbines cause VAD is a factoid that has gone “viral” in cyberspace and may be contributing to nocebo effects among those living near turbines

Scoping review for the NSW Get Healthy@Work Organisational Support Service: a component of the NSW Healthy Workers Initiative

This review was commissioned by the NSW Office of Preventive Health to inform the ongoing development of the NSW Get Healthy@Work Organisational Support Service, as part of the NSW Healthy Workers Initiative. It is a rapid appraisal and synthesis of the literature for evidence regarding potential components of a support and facilitation service for workplace health promotion. Nb. Appendices presented as separate document for viewing concurrently with main report

Employer Perspectives of Workplace Health Promotion

This report presents the findings of a qualitative study exploring the views of a small group of employers (n=25) about WHP, in particular the value and priority placed on promoting employee health, who should be responsible, as well as key barriers and facilitators. Interviews also aimed to gain an understanding of how workplace health programs and activities are currently being implemented by workplaces. The findings provide important preliminary insights into the key issues to be addressed when implementing health promotion programs in the workplace

Spatio-temporal differences in the history of health and noise complaints about Australian wind farms: evidence for the psychogenic, “communicated disease” hypothesis.

Background and objectives With often florid allegations about health problems arising from wind turbine exposure now widespread in parts of rural Australia and on the internet, nocebo effects potentially confound any future investigation of turbine health impact. Historical audits of health complaints across periods when such claims were rare are therefore important. We test 4 hypotheses relevant to psychogenic explanations of the variable timing and distribution of health and noise complaints about wind farms in Australia. Setting All (n=51) Australian wind farms (with 1634 turbines) operating from 1993–2012 . Methods Records of complaints about noise or health obtained from wind farm companies regarding residents living near 51 Australian wind farms, expressed as proportions of estimated populations residing within 5km of wind farms, and corroborated with complaints in submissions to 3 government public enquiries and news media records and court affidavits . Results There are large spatio-temporal variations in wind farm noise and health complaints.33/51(64.7%) of Australian wind farms including 17/34(50%) with turbine size >1MW have never been subject to noise or health complaints. These 33 farms have some 21,592 residents within 5km of their turbines and have operated complaint-free for a cumulative total of 267 years. Western Australia and Tasmania Have seen no complaints. Only 131 individuals across Australia representing approximately 1 in 250 residents living within 5km of wind farms appear to have ever complained, with 94(72%) of these being residents near 6 wind farms which have been targeted by anti wind farm groups . About 1 in 87 (126/10901) of those living near turbines >1MW have ever complained. The large majority 104/131(79%) of health and noise complaints commenced after 2009 when anti wind farm groups began to add health concerns to their wider opposition. In the preceding years, health or noise complaints were rare despite large and small turbined wind farms having operated for many years. Conclusions In view of scientific consensus that the evidence for wind turbine noise and infrasound causing health problems is poor, the reported spatio-temporal variations in complaints are consistent with psychogenic hypotheses that health problems arising are “communicated diseases” with nocebo effects likely to play an important role in the aetiology of complaints

Results of a Survey on Workplace Health Promotion in Businesses in Lithgow

In partnership with the Nepean Blue Mountains and Western Sydney Local Health Districts, a survey on workplace health promotion (WHP) was developed and piloted in workplaces in the Lithgow local government area in 2011. This document reports on the development, administration and findings of the survey

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Disseminating Workplace Health Promotion Resources to Businesses

Encouraging workplaces to undertake health promotion is important yet little is known of the types of information small and medium size workplaces would find useful. Two resources on workplace health promotion were mailed to 213 workplaces. The resources provided information on the benefits of workplace health promotion, suggestions for low-cost activities and components of a sustainable program. 62% of respondents rated the resources as either ‘very useful’ or ‘somewhat useful’. Workplaces in ‘contemplation’ and ‘preparation’ stages of change for engaging in WHP were most likely to have undertaken an activity to support the health and well-being of employees or be intending to, as a result of reading the resources .The findings of this study provide useful information on the reach and impact of dissemination of health promotion resources by mail to workplaces, and particularly small businesses

A Review of Available Information on Workplace Physical Activity and Nutrition Challenges

This review examined the evidence surrounding workplace nutrition and physical activity challenge events and the extent of these challenges in Australia, and internationally. A search of the peer-reviewed literature, grey literature and websites revealed 18 peer-reviewed studies meeting the inclusion criteria, six reports involving evaluations of workplace challenges, and a number of websites supporting challenge events

Evidence Update On Obesity Prevention Across The Life-course

This Evidence Update, prepared for NSW Ministry of Health, provides a summary of evidence on the prevention of overweight and obesity in order to guide the development of the NSW State Obesity Plan 2012–2015. A solutions-focused approach to identifying promising strategies across different stages of the life course has been applied

Reaching “an audience that you would never dream of speaking to”: influential public health researchers’ views on the role of news media in influencing policy and public understanding.

While governments and academic institutions urge researchers to engage with news media, traditional academic values of public disengagement have inhibited many from giving high priority to media activity. In this interview-based study, we report on the views about news media engagement and strategies used by 36 peer-voted leading Australian public health researchers in six fields. We consider their views about the role and importance of media in influencing policy; their reflections on effective or ineffective media communicators; and strategies used by these researchers about how to best retain their credibility and influence while engaging with the news media. A willingness and capacity to engage with the mass media was seen as an essential attribute of influential public health researchers.NHMR