Neighbourhood satisfaction among residents : a snap shot of 60+ year olds

Neighbourhood satisfaction is an important component of life satisfaction and is associated with levels of well-being among older residents. Older resident’s satisfaction plays a significant role in influencing their level of engagement and interaction with neighbours and their feeling of safety within their neighbourhood. This ‘snap shot’ highlights the extent to which residents aged 60 years and over living in six Victorian municipalities (3 metropolitan and 3 regional) felt satisfied and engaged with their neighbourhood. The sample comprised 816 residents drawn from a total sample of 2,313 residents. The data was collected from a self-completed survey distributed as a letterbox drop. Residents were asked to indicate their level of agreement to a number of statements covering various aspects of their neighbourhood. Data was collected in 2010 for VicHealth

Anticholinergic Impact On Cognition In Schizophrenia

This secondary analysis examined the relationship between the total anticholinergic load and scores on cognitive tests in 94 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Cognitive impairment is a core feature of schizophrenia, and studies have shown that it is a strong predictor of functional outcomes in this population. Anticholinergic medications have been demonstrated to have a negative impact on cognition. Some antipsychotic medications have anticholinergic properties, and anticholinergic medications are often prescribed to patients with schizophrenia to treat or prevent extrapyramidal side effects of antipsychotics. We did not find any significant correlations between anticholinergic load as measured by benztropine equivalents and any of the MATRICS cognitive tests. In addition there were no significant differences in the mean scores of subjects in the highest anticholinergic quartile and subjects in the lowest anticholinergic quartile. These same analyses were performed comparing chlorpromazine equivalents and again there were no statistically significant results. Our results suggest that the anticholinergic load or dose of antipsychotic medication do not significantly contribute to cognitive deficits in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. The relatively small sample size was inadequate to detect a small difference

Codebook: The LSAY 1995 Year 9 Sample Wave 11 (2005) Technical Report No. 36

In 1995, a nationally representative sample of approximately 13,000 Year 9 students was selected to form the first cohort of the new Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth program. The sample was constructed by randomly selecting two Year 9 classes from a national sample of 300 schools designed to represent state and sector. Reading and numeracy tests were administered to students in their schools to provide information on school achievement for use in later analyses of educational and labour market participation. Students also completed a background questionnaire about their educational and vocational plans and attitudes to school. In 1996, these students provided information in response to a mailed questionnaire. Information was also obtained from their schools about curricula and organisation. In 1997, members of the sample were contacted in the first of the annual telephone interviews (conducted by AC Nielsen, then Reark Research). That questionnaire included questions on school; transitions from school; post school education and training; work; job history; job search history; non-labour force activities; health, living arrangements and finance; and general attitudes. Subsequent surveys (now conducted by the Wallis Consulting Group) have asked similar questions but with the emphasis changing over time from school, to post-school education and training, and to work. Details on the 1995 survey are provided in LSAY Technical Report No. 9 (not publicly distributed). Details of the subsequent telephone surveys are covered by Technical Reports Nos. 11, 17, 18, 21, 25, 27, 28 and 31. The 2005 Y95 Telephone Survey was conducted with 4233 of the 4597 participants who formed the 2004 sample, the remainder having withdrawn from the study prior to the interviews. Of the active sample, 4233 useable interviews were completed successfully (92% of the active sample). There were 157 refusals (3% of the active sample). The remainder could not be contacted. The 2005 sample consisted primarily of young people in the seventh year following the completion of secondary school. The survey instrument collects data on their educational and labour market participation. It has a particular emphasis on pathways through further education and training, and life-long learning. The survey involves around 25 minutes of telephone interview time

PISA Australia in Focus Number 3: Motivation

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) has collected information about student motivation in each cycle, but the types of motivation focused on has varied over the cycles in line with the major domain (or the main focus) of the assessment for that cycle – reading, mathematical or scientific literacy. The focus of PISA 2015 is on science learning. It collected data about students’ achievement motivation in relation to science learning using their responses to the following five items measured on a four-point Likert scale (strongly agree; agree; disagree; and strongly disagree): I want top grades in most or all of my courses. I want to be able to select from among the best opportunities available when I graduate. I want to be the best, whatever I do. I see myself as an ambitious person. I want to be one of the best students in my class. Section A of this report focuses on achievement motivation and motivation evaluation (also referred to as motivation calibration) from PISA 2015. Section B focuses on instrumental motivation to learn science from the 2006 and 2015 PISA cycles and changes in how students have responded to these items over time. Eleven countries, including both high-performing and culturally similar English-speaking countries were selected for comparison with Australia

Footprints in time

This report presents the results of two projects examining Indigenous Children\u27s language development.AbstractThis report presents the results of administration of the Who Am I? and the Renfrew Word Finding Vocabulary Test for the LSIC Wave 2 data collection in 2009. Who am I? is a developmental assessment that requires the child to write their name, copy shapes, write letters, numbers and words in a small booklet, with simple instructions and encouragement from the interviewer. Who am I? is not language dependent and is suitable for children with limited English. The assessment takes about 10 minutes to complete and is suitable for preschool children and children in the first two years of school. The Renfrew Word Finding Vocabulary Test assesses children’s expressive vocabulary (compared, for instance, with the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, which is a test of receptive vocabulary). It assesses the extent to which pictures of objects, arranged in order of difficulty, can be named correctly. Most of the objects illustrated have no alternative names, so the responses of children can be quickly measured. The assessment contains 50 line-drawn pictures and is suitable for children aged 3-9 years. The assessments are being used as part of Footprints in Time, which is the name given to the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children managed by FaHCSIA.. Footprints in Time works with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families from sites in Australia seeking their consent to participate in annual interviews to help better understand what impacts on their children’s lives over time. LSIC especially explores how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children can be better supported to grow up strong and resilient, regardless of location

Codebook: The LSAY 1998 Year 9 Sample Wave 8 (2005) Technical Report No. 37

In 1998, a nationally representative sample of approximately 14,000 Year 9 students was selected to form the second cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth. The sample was constructed by randomly selecting two Year 9 classes from a sample of schools designed to represent state and sector. Reading and numeracy tests were administered to students in their schools to provide information on school achievement for use in later analyses of educational and labour market participation. Students also completed a background questionnaire about their educational and vocational plans and attitudes to school. Details on the 1998 survey are provided in LSAY Technical Report No. 19. In 1999 sample members were administered a brief mail survey sent to their home addresses. Details on the 1999 (Wave 2) survey are included in LSAY Technical Report No. 22, the 2000 (Wave 3) survey in LSAY Technical Report No. 24, the 2001 (Wave 4) survey in LSAY Technical Report No. 26, the 2002 (Wave 5) survey in LSAY Technical Report No. 29, the 2003 (Wave 6) survey in LSAY Technical Report No. 30 and the 2004 (Wave 7) survey in LSAY Technical Report No.32. The 2005 Y98 Telephone Survey was conducted with 5356 of the 5905 participants who formed the 2004 sample, the remainder having withdrawn from the study prior to the interviews. Of the active sample, 5356 useable interviews were completed successfully (91% of the active sample). There were 280 refusals (5% of the active sample). The remainder could not be contacted. This was the sixth year of telephone interviewing for this cohort. The survey instrument collects data on their educational and labour market experiences, as well as housing, family and financial issues. The survey involves around 25 minutes of telephone interview time

The On Track Survey 2011 longitudinal report : the 2007 cohort 4 years on

This report examines the pathways of young people who left a Victorian government school in 2007. The participants in this On Track longitudinal survey comprised 2346 Year 12 or equivalent completers and 1130 early school leavers. These young people were first contacted in 2008 as part of the annual On Track survey and were interviewed in each subsequent year until 2011. In the first year after leaving school, 70% of Year 12 or equivalent completers were participating in education and training, comprising 39% at university, 20% studying for a certificate and 11% in an apprenticeship or traineeship. By the fourth year of the study, 93% of Year 12 or equivalent completers had participated in some form of education and training, including 56% who had attended university for at least one year. Among early school leavers, 78% had participated in education in the four years. In the first year after leaving school, 56% were in education and training. Apprenticeship was the most common form of education and training among early school leavers

The LSAY 2003 Sample of 15 Year-olds Wave 1 (2003) Technical Report No. 34

In 2003, a nationally representative sample of approximately 12,500 15 year-old students was selected to participate in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). More than 10,000 of these young people became the third cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth. The PISA sample was constructed by randomly selecting fifty 15 year-old students from a sample of schools designed to represent state and sector. Assessments in mathematical literacy, reading literacy, scientific literacy and problem solving were administered to students in their schools to provide information on school achievement for use in later analyses of educational and labour market participation. Students also completed a background questionnaire about their families, educational and vocational plans, and attitudes to school. In follow-up telephone interviews, students provided further information on their schools and on part-time work. In 2004, members of the Y03 cohort were contacted again for telephone interviews. The 2003 Y03 Telephone Survey was conducted with 11 619 of the students who formed the PISA 2003 sample. The PISA sample was 12 551, however a number of students withdrew from the study or had not provided correct contact information on the PISA student questionnaire form. Of 11 619 whose details were available, 10 370 useable interviews were completed successfully (89% of the active sample). There were 278 refusals or terminations of interview (2.4% of the available sample), 567 non-contactable (4.9%) and 188 others not interviewed (1.6%). The 2004 Y03 Telephone Survey was conducted with 9831 members of the 2003 sample. The 2003 final sample was 10 370, however 13 members withdrew from the study and 4 were not approached because of illness or travel. Of the 10 353 available for interviews, 9378 useable interviews were completed successfully (91% of the active sample). There were 258 refusals or terminations of interview (2.5% of the sample), 387 non-contactable (3.7%) and 330 others not interviewed (3.2%)

Breast, Prostate, Colorectal, and Lung Cancer Incidence and Risk Factors in Women Who Have Sex with Women and Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analysis Using UK Biobank

Background: There is limited evidence about cancer incidence for lesbian, gay and bisexual women and men, although the prevalence of cancer risk factors may be higher. Aim. To describe cancer incidence for four common cancers (breast, lung, colorectal and prostate). Methods. This project used UK Biobank participant data. We explored risk factor prevalence (age, deprivation, ethnicity, smoking, alcohol intake, obesity, parity, and sexual history), and calculated cancer risk, for six groups defined based on sexual history; women who have sex exclusively with men (WSEM), or women (WSEW), women who have sex with men and women (WSWM); men who have sex exclusively with women (MSEW), or men (MSEM), and men who have sex with women and men (MSWM). Results. WSEW, WSWM, MSEM, and MSMW were younger, more likely to smoke, and to live in more deprived neighbourhoods. We found no evidence of an association between sexual history and breast, colorectal, or prostate cancer in age-adjusted models. Lung cancer incidence was higher for WSWM compared with WSEM, HR (95%CI) 1.78 (1.28–2.48), p = 0.0005, and MSWM compared with MSEW, 1.43 (1.03–1.99), p = 0.031; after adjustment for smoking, this difference was no longer significant. Conclusions. Sexual minority groups have a higher risk for lung cancer, due to greater exposure to smoking

Australian 15-year-old students living in an integrated world

Global competence is defined in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) as a multidimensional capacity that encompasses the ability to examine issues of local, global and cultural significance; understand and appreciate the perspectives and worldviews of others; engage in open, appropriate and effective interactions across cultures; and take action for collective well-being and sustainable development (OECD, 2020). This report focuses on aspects of the global competence module in the PISA 2018 Student Questionnaire and the School Questionnaire. It examines aspects of data collected from student and principal self-reports from the Australian perspective. This report focuses on the similarities between students in Australia and a number of participating countries and economies, referred to as comparison countries, and similarly differences between principals in Australia and comparison countries. It also focuses on differences between students and in Australian states and territories, and between students from different demographic groups, regarding their attitudes, learning opportunities at school. The report also covers aspects of global competence from the perspective of schools and how schools promote global competence