DENIS-P J1228.2-1547 -- A New Benchmark Brown Dwarf

We present optical spectroscopy of three brown dwarf candidates identified in the first 1% of the DENIS sky survey. Low resolution spectra from 6430 - 9150A show these objects to have similar spectra to the brown dwarf candidate GD 165B. High resolution spectroscopy shows that one of the objects -- DENIS-P J1228.2-1547 -- has a strong 2.3+-0.05A equivalent width absorption line of Li I 6708A, and is therefore a brown dwarf with mass below 0.065Msol, and age < 1.5 Gyr. DENIS-P J1228.2-1547 can now be considered a proto-type for brown dwarfs closer to the hydrogen burning limit than Gl 229B.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures in Postscript uses AASTeX and epsf.sty. Revised version as accepted by ApJ (in press) Full postscript available at http://www.aao.gov.au/local/www/cgt/aaoarea/preprints.htm

Exploring undergraduate midwifery students' readiness to deliver culturally secure care for pregnant and birthing Aboriginal women

Background: Culturally secure health care settings enhance accessibility by Aboriginal Australians and improve their satisfaction with service delivery. A culturally secure health service recognises and responds to the legitimate cultural rights of the recipients of care. Focus is upon the health care system as well as the practice and behaviours of the individuals within it. In an attempt to produce culturally secure practitioners, the inclusion of Aboriginal content in health professional programs at Australian universities is now widespread. Studies of medical students have identified the positive impact of this content on knowledge and attitudes towards Aboriginal people but relatively little is known about the responses of students in other health professional education programs. This study explored undergraduate midwifery students' knowledge and attitudes towards Aboriginal people, and the impact of Aboriginal content in their program. Methods: The study surveyed 44 students who were in their first, second and third years of a direct entry, undergraduate midwifery program at a Western Australian (WA) university. The first year students were surveyed before and after completion of a compulsory Aboriginal health unit. Second and third year students who had already completed the unit were surveyed at the end of their academic year. Results: Pre- and post-unit responses revealed a positive shift in first year students' knowledge and attitudes towards Aboriginal people and evidence that teaching in the unit was largely responsible for this shift. A comparison of post-unit responses with those from students in subsequent years of their program revealed a significant decline in knowledge about Aboriginal issues, attitudes towards Aboriginal people and the influence of the unit on their views. Despite this, all students indicated a strong interest in more clinical exposure to Aboriginal settings. Conclusions: The inclusion of a unit on Aboriginal health in an undergraduate midwifery program has been shown to enhance knowledge and shift attitudes towards Aboriginal people in a positive direction. These gains may not be sustained, however, without vertical integration of content and reinforcement throughout the program. Additional midwifery-specific Aboriginal content related to pregnancy and birthing, and recognition of strong student interest in clinical placements in Aboriginal settings provide opportunities for future curriculum development

Applying a midwifery lens to indigenous health care delivery: the contribution of campus learning and rural placements to effecting systemic change

STUDY BACKGROUND:Increasing cultural safety in health settings is essential to address stark health disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Respect for cultural knowledge, better communication, and recognition of racism as a determinant of health are required for improved service delivery. How this knowledge is acquired in health professional training and translated to clinical settings is poorly understood. PURPOSE:Impacts of an innovative Indigenous health unit and remote clinical placements on knowledge acquisition and attitude change were explored among midwifery students to inform cultural competency initiatives in health professional training. METHODS:A multiphased, mixed methods research design used surveys, observations, and interviews. Qualitative analysis was strengthened through triangulation with quantitative data. RESULTS:A unit conceived with substantial Indigenous Australian input and which privileged these voices enhanced knowledge and shifted attitudes in a positive direction; however, immediate gains diminished over time. Remote placements had a profound effect on student learning. Exposure to Indigenous Australians in classrooms and communities, and the self-reflection generated, helped dispel stereotypes and challenge assumptions based on limited cultural knowledge and contact. CONCLUSION:Optimization of receptivity to Indigenous Australian content and opportunities for remote placements contributed to students' developing cultural capabilities with implications for all health professional training. Whether this heightened awareness is enough to address institutional racism identified in health service delivery remains unanswered. The focus must include those established health practitioners and administrators who influence organizational culture if real systemic change is to occur. Given appropriate on-going support, graduates can play a vital role in expediting this process.Rosalie D. Thackrah, Sandra C. Thompso

Policing the nineties In whose interest?

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