Neural tube defects in Australia: An epidemiological report

This report describes the prevalence and trends of neural tube defects (NTD) in Australia during the past decade to provide baseline prevalence of NTD, prior to the implementation of mandatory folic acid fortification of bread flour in September 2009. &nbsp

Report of the Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network 2003

This is the 9th annual report of the Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network and presents information on the network's 2003 annual audit of high risk neonates. Among the babies admitted to all level III Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) throughout Australia and New Zealand there were 7,178 babies who met the criteria for the Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network’s (ANZNN) high-risk audit in 2003. This represents 2.34% of the 307,334 total live births in Australia and New Zealand in 2003. Of the babies registered to ANZNN cohort 3,250 were born before 32 completed weeks of gestational age. The number of babies in ANZNN cohort who required assisted ventilation was 6,404, and 3,594 of them were born at more than 31 weeks gestational age. There were 197 babies who were born after 31 weeks gestational age and had birth weight less than 1500 grams who did not require assisted ventilation. Of the babies who had major surgery, 613 were born after 31 weeks gestation

Public policy and private health insurance: distributional impact on public and private hospital usage in New South Wales

The new private health insurance reforms - in particular the 30 per cent rebate and Lifetime Health Cover - were partly aimed at relieving pressures on public hospitals. Combining the use of two new models - Private Health Insurance and NSW hospitals - Agnes Walker, Richard Percival, Linc Thurecht, Jim Pearse estimate that, with the reforms, 15 per cent fewer individuals will use public hospitals in 2010 than without these reforms. But they find that most of the impact was due to Lifetime Health Cover, and not to the 30 per cent rebate

Report of the Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network 2004

This is the 10th annual report of the Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network and presents information on the network's 2004 annual audit of high risk neonates. All level III NICUs in Australia and New Zealand participate in the network's quality assurance measure.Of the babies admitted to all NICUs in Australia and New Zealand, 7399 fulfilled registration criteria for ANZNN and represent 2.37% of the 312,273 total live births in the two countries in 2004

Report of the Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network 2005

This is the 11th annual report of the Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network and presents information on the network's 2005 annual audit of high risk neonates. All level III NICUs in Australia and New Zealand participate in the network's quality assurance.Of the babies admitted to all NICUs in Australia and New Zealand, 7629 fulfilled registration criteria for ANZNN and represent 2.44% of the 312,545 total live births in the two countries in 2005

Blood dioxin biomonitoring to assess local residents\u27 exposure from a large urban remediation project

Background A total of 265 000 m3 of dioxin contaminated soil and sediments from past industrial activity was treated on site in an urban setting in Sydney, Australia. To respond to local community concerns about potential dioxin exposure from fugitive emissions a human biomonitoring study was undertaken. Objective To determine whether local residents were exposed to significant amounts of dioxin from the remediation process. Methods: Blood samples were collected from local residents around the site and a representative metropolitan control group. They were pooled within age and sex strata and the change in dioxin concentrations over the remediation period and a summary of the mid point and post remediation dioxin concentrations were compared between groups. Information on dietary intake was collected to look for possible confounding. Results The mean dioxin Toxic Equivalent concentrations (TeQ) decreased among both the local resident and control groups over the remediation period by 1.9 and 2.1 pg gm−1 lipid respectively. Modelled blood concentrations adjusting for age and sex did not detect a significant difference between groups for changes in either TeQ or 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (2,3,7,8 TCDD). The summary measure approach did however demonstrate that the 2,3,7,8 TCDD concentrations among the local resident group was approximately 0.7 pg g−1 lipid higher compared to the control group post remediation. There were no significant changes in dietary intake sources of dioxin. Conclusion Biomonitoring demonstrated that local residents were not exposed to significant quantities of dioxin. Large scale remediation of dioxin contaminated land can be safely undertaken in an urban setting

Blood dioxin biomonitoring to assess local residents' exposure from a large urban remediation project

Background: A total of 265 000 m(3) of dioxin contaminated soil and sediments from past industrial activity was treated on site in an urban setting in Sydney, Australia. To respond to local community concerns about potential dioxin exposure from fugitive emissions a human biomonitoring study was undertaken