Microplastic transport in soil by earthworms

Despite great general benefits derived from plastic use, accumulation of plastic material in ecosystems, and especially microplastic, is becoming an increasing environmental concern. Microplastic has been extensively studied in aquatic environments, with very few studies focusing on soils. We here tested the idea that microplastic particles (polyethylene beads) could be transported from the soil surface down the soil profile via earthworms. We used Lumbricus terrestris L., an anecic earthworm species, in a factorial greenhouse experiment with four different microplastic sizes. Presence of earthworms greatly increased the presence of microplastic particles at depth (we examined 3 soil layers, each 3.5 cm deep), with smaller PE microbeads having been transported downward to a greater extent. Our study clearly shows that earthworms can be significant transport agents of microplastics in soils, incorporating this material into soil, likely via casts, burrows (affecting soil hydraulics), egestion and adherence to the earthworm exterior. This movement has potential consequences for exposure of other soil biota to microplastics, for the residence times of microplastic at greater depth, and for the possible eventual arrival of microplastics in the groundwater

The Relocation Tool Kit project; Policies to enhance residents’ health, wellbeing and social inclusion

Copyright 2011, Brotherhood of St Laurence. Published version of the paper reproduced here with permission from the publisher (www.bsl.org.au

Deliberately casual? Workers' agency, health, and nonstandard employment relations in Australia

This item is under embargo for a period of 12 months from the date of publication, in accordance with the publisher's policy.Objective: We explored Australian workers’ experiences of nonstandard employment, how it related to health and wellbeing, and the role that Bourdieu’s forms of capital (cultural, economic and social resources) played in underpinning workers’ agency. Methods: Qualitative data from semistructured interviews with 32 causal workers were analysed based on framework analysis. Results: Most participants were ‘deliberate casuals’ who had chosen casual over permanent employment, with half of that group naming improved health and wellbeing as motivation. Those with greater access to capital felt more able to exercise choice, whereas those with fewer capital resources felt constrained to be casual. Gendered structures and labour market dynamics were also significant in shaping agency. Conclusions: Access to capital and a buoyant labour market underpinned workers’ agency in Australia, enabling some to gain health and wellbeing benefits from nonstandard employment

Positive and negative impacts of job loss on family life: the perceptions of Australian car workers

This article contributes to research on the impact of job loss on families. It is based on survey responses from 371 workers and in‑depth interviews with 39 of them about the family impacts of their job loss from the Mitsubishi car factory in Adelaide in 2004‑2005. A majority of workers said family life had been affected by their job loss. Quantitative analysis identified four variables significantly associated with family impacts: marital status, children living at home, employment status and financial management. Qualitative responses showed the predominantly negative impacts were financial strain, loss of relationship stability, and general stress and worry, although few faced catastrophic impacts from their job loss. However, in contrast to most previous research, the in‑depth interviews also revealed positive impacts from job loss, such as having more time at home and to spend with their family. We conclude that the existence of ongoing income support and public health insurance in Australia were important in avoiding catastrophic financial impacts on these workers and their families.The authors acknowledge support from the National Health and Medical Research Council Capacity Building Grant (324724). The research was also supported by the SA Department of Health and the SA Department of Families and Communities through the Human Services Research and Innovation Program (HSRIP), and the Australian Research Council Linkage Program (LP0562288), with the Department of Health serving as Industry Partner. Professor Fran Baum was supported by an ARC Federation Fellowship and Drs Newman and Ziersch by the SA Premier’s Science and Research Fund

Enabling pathways to health equity: developing a framework for implementing social capital in practice

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Background Mounting evidence linking aspects of social capital to health and wellbeing outcomes, in particular to reducing health inequities, has led to intense interest in social capital theory within public health in recent decades. As a result, governments internationally are designing interventions to improve health and wellbeing by addressing levels of social capital in communities. The application of theory to practice is uneven, however, reflecting differing views on the pathways between social capital and health, and divergent theories about social capital itself. Unreliable implementation may restrict the potential to contribute to health equity by this means, yet to date there has been limited investigation of how the theory is interpreted at the level of policy and then translated into practice. Methods The paper outlines a collaborative research project designed to address this knowledge deficit in order to inform more effective implementation. Undertaken in partnership with government departments, the study explored the application of social capital theory in programs designed to promote health and wellbeing in Adelaide, South Australia. It comprised three case studies of community-based practice, employing qualitative interviews and focus groups with community participants, practitioners, program managers and policy makers, to examine the ways in which the concept was interpreted and operationalized and identify the factors influencing success. These key lessons informed the development of practical resources comprising a guide for practitioners and briefing for policy makers. Results Overall the study showed that effective community projects can contribute to population health and wellbeing and reducing health inequities. Of specific relevance to this paper, however, is the finding that community projects rely for their effectiveness on a broader commitment expressed through policies and frameworks at the highest level of government decision making. In particular this relationship requires long term vision, endorsement for cross-sectoral work, well-developed relationships and theoretical and practical knowledge. Conclusions Attention to the practical application of social capital theory shows that community projects require structural support in their efforts to improve health and wellbeing and reduce health inequities. Sound community development techniques are essential but do not operate independently from frameworks and policies at the highest levels of government. Recognition of the interdependence of policy and practice will enable government to achieve these goals more effectively. Keywords: Social capital; Health inequities; Community development; Policy and practice; Health promotio

Neighbourhood Life, Social Capital and Perceptions of Safety in the Western Suburbs of Adelaide

In this paper we report on a South Australian study of perceptions of safety and aspects of neighbourhood life including social capital which involved the analysis of 2400 self-completed questionnaires. A path analysis found that perceptions of safety were directly associated with gender, age, perceptions of neighbourhood pollution and neighbourhood trust, and indirectly associated with age, neighbourhood pollution and neighbourhood connections. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of the findings for public policy

A mixed methods systematic review of studies examining the relationship between housing and health for people from refugee and asylum seeking backgrounds

This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ This author accepted manuscript is made available following 36 month embargo from date of publication (July 2018) in accordance with the publisher’s archiving policyHousing is an important social determinant of health and a key element of refugee integration into countries of resettlement. However, the way in which housing may affect mental and physical health for refugees and asylum seekers has not been systematically examined. This systematic review aimed to explore the effects of housing on health and wellbeing for this population, in order to identify key pathways for public health interventions. The review was undertaken following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) guidelines. We identified publications through a search of Medline, PsychInfo, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, Cohrane Library, Google, ProQuest, OpenGrey, MedNar and WHOLIS. Eligibility criteria included: publication in English between 1997 and 2017, with findings pertaining to the relationship between housing and health for refugees and/or asylum seekers. Out of 2371 items, 25 papers were included with a further five identified through reference lists. Eleven of the papers explored housing and health for those refugees and asylum seekers living within refugee camps, with 19 focusing on countries of resettlement. All studies identified housing issues for refugees and asylum seekers, with physical housing conditions particularly poor in refugee camps, and issues of affordability, suitability, insecure tenure and mobility as well as difficulties securing housing also highlighted in countries of resettlement. Consistent relationships were found between physical aspects of housing and physical and mental health, with other aspects of housing such as safety and overcrowding linked to mental health. There were a number of methodological issues with most of the studies, making it difficult to specify precise pathways. However, improvements to housing quality particularly in refugee camps, and targeted housing interventions more generally for refugees and asylum seekers would likely have an important public health benefit.This review was not directly funded, but was conducted by the authors who were funded through an Australian Research Council grant and fellowship (LP130100782, FT120100150)

In our own backyard: urban health inequities and Aboriginal experiences of neighbourhood life, social capital and racism.

This report is about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who live in urban areas. Thus it contributes to filling the gap in literature and knowledge about the health and everyday life experience of urban Indigenous peoples.This study, the Adelaide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (AATSIH) project, was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and focused on neighbourhood life, social capital, experiences of racism and health. This was a ‘companion’ project to another NHMRC project (the General Location and Health project (the General L&H project) – see Baum, Ziersch, Zhang et al, 2007) that explored neighbourhood life and social capital for the general population in four contrasting socio-economic areas in Adelaide

Practical Social Capital: a policy briefing.

This briefing is intended for policy makers who fund and make decisions about the availability of community based programs that intend to strengthen social capital and promote health and wellbeing. The briefing synthesises a more extensive guide (Practical Social Capital: a Guide to Creating Health and Wellbeing) and draws out key lessons for policy makers. The Guide is based on three case studies of the practical application of social capital to health, arts and local government projects. It uses the lessons from these case studies to demonstrate how social capital can be a tool in interventions designed to promote health and health equity. The Guide also provides tools and resources for organisations that want to adopt a social capital approach, and reviews literature on health and wellbeing, social capital and community development and capacity building. The case studies on which the Guide and this briefing paper are based were part of a research project funded by an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant and undertaken in collaboration with industry partners: SA Department of Health, Onkaparinga City Council and Arts SA

Discrimination: a health hazard for people from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds resettled in Australia

BACKGROUND:Research has shown that discrimination is harmful to health, but there is relatively little known about discrimination experienced by people from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds in resettlement countries and associated health effects. This qualitative-focused mixed methods paper reports on discrimination experienced by refugees and asylum seekers, responses to discrimination, and impacts on health. METHODS:As part of a broader study of housing, social inclusion and health, surveys were completed by 423 adult refugees and asylum seekers living in South Australia who had been in Australia for up to 7 years. The survey included questions on discrimination based on skin colour, ethnicity and religion, as well as questions on hope, trust, belonging, sense of control and health (including the SF-8). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 65 survey participants, purposively sampled by visa status, continent and gender, further exploring experiences of discrimination. These and survey open-ended responses were analysed thematically. RESULTS:Twenty-two percent of survey participants reported experiences of discrimination since arriving in Australia (14% in the last year), and 90% of these felt that discrimination had harmed their health. Key settings of discrimination were public transport, within the neighbourhood, and in relation to employment. Those who reported discrimination had significantly worse mental health (p < .000) but not physical health. Discrimination was also associated with less sense of belonging (p = .001), lower levels of trust (p = .038), reduced sense of control (p = .012) and less hope (p = .006). Incidents described in interviews and the open-ended survey responses included incivility, physical assault, and denial of services, experienced across intersecting characteristics of race/ethnicity, religion, gender and visa status. Responses to discrimination spanned affective, cognitive and behavioural dimensions, ranging across types of experience, participant characteristics and context, with most individuals reporting multiple response types. While some of the responses were reported by participants as protective of health, participants' reflections indicated significant negative impacts on mental health in particular. CONCLUSION:Discrimination featured in the resettlement experiences of a significant number of refugees and asylum seekers, with participants reporting clear negative impacts on mental health. Addressing discrimination is a key resettlement and health issue requiring urgent action.Anna Ziersch, Clemence Due and Moira Wals