Community perceptions of bushfire risk

The public often view and evaluate risk differently from researchers and experts. Understanding how the public construct their perceptions of risk can greatly improve risk communication, and direct risk reduction strategies most appropriately. This chapter explores the social construction of risk in two peri-urban bushfire-prone communities in Queensland. These case studies were undertaken in 2005 using a multiplemethods approach, which included group interviews with community and fire brigade members, and a community survey. While there are common factors that can similarly influence perceptions of bushfire risks within and between communities, there are often local-based issues unique to a community that have important implications for bushfire management. Through understanding and clarifying fire issues in communities, fire managers can address problems affecting bushfire risk mitigation in their local cOl1ullUnily. Engaging the community through a number of means could help considerably. The community should be viewed as a resource - communities have the capacity to act, despite vulnerabilities

Patient views of over 75 years health assessments in general practice

Objective: To gain an understanding of the value and timeframe of health assessments (HA) from the perspective of the patient.\ud \ud Design: A self-completed questionnaire for patients who had undergone an over 75 years HA in a 12 month period excluding patients in residential or hospital care.\ud \ud Setting: General practice patient group in a regional Queensland town.\ud \ud Subjects: 65 general practice patients with a response rate of 45.1% (65/144). The respondents were 67.7% (44/65) female and 30.8% (20/65) male with one gender (1.5%) not recorded.\ud \ud Main outcome measure: Whether patients found the over 75 HAs beneficial, and whether they considered the annual timeframe for HAs appropriate.\ud \ud Results: The majority of respondents 77% (47/61) indicated that their most recent HA was beneficial even though few respondents had a new health concern identified at this HA. A majority (82.5%, 52/63) also supported the current time frame of annual HAs, although 12.7% (8/63) thought once every 2 years was acceptable.\ud \ud Conclusion: The findings confirm the benefits of health assessments in providing timely treatment for new health concerns and allaying anxiety in the elderly patients of this practice

Recruiting general practitioners for surveys and other research: additional lessons learned

This letter acknowledges the work of Parkinson et al. 'Recruiting general practitioners for surveys: reflections on the difficulties and some lessons learned' (Australian Journal of Primary Health, 2014, doi:10.1071/PY13129), but contributes additional reflections and lessons learned from a successful practice-based research network

Recommending vaccination general practice intervention with new parents\ud

Background: Parents can be the source of vaccine preventable diseases that their children contract. The vaccination status of parents may not be readily available, and uptake rates are affected by factors such as complexity of vaccination schedules, personal perception of risks, and physician recommendation.\ud \ud Methods: Parents at eight general practices in North Queensland had immunisation histories recorded and vaccine recommendations made when they brought in their infants for vaccination. They were followed up by practice nurses after 2 months. This article describes parental immunisation status at eight general practices and examines whether parents in these clinics acted on recommendations for vaccination.\ud \ud Results: Vaccination was recommended for 66.1% of parents. Of these parents, 53% complied, resulting in improved up-to-date vaccination status from 33.9–68.9% (p<0.0001).\ud \ud Discussion: Taking an immunisation history from parents and recommending specific vaccinations to them is likely to be a worthwhile intervention to add to general practice consultations for childhood vaccinations. Trialling this intervention in a broader cross section of general practices would be a useful next step

Stress, personal and educational problems in vocational training: a prospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION: Australian general practitioners suffer from high levels of stress, but the incidence among GP registrars during vocational training is less well described.\ud \ud METHODS: All 400 new Australian GP registrars in 1999 were invited to participate in the study. Consenting registrars completed an annual questionnaire and initial psychometric scales. Medical educators also provided information annually about known registrar problems.\ud \ud RESULTS: Participating numbers were 213 (year 1), 226 (year 2), 203 (year 3), and 98 (year 4). More than half reported at least one problem in years 2, 3 and 4. Those reporting problems scored significantly higher on initial psychometric scales, and reported lower enthusiasm for training (p<0.01). Problems reported included unsatisfactory work conditions, administrative concerns and issues with rural terms. These problems were often not detected by their training providers. Recommendations are presented to minimise the frequency and impact of training problems.\ud \ud CONCLUSION: Registrars in vocational training for Australian general practice commonly experience problems. Structural changes in the provision of general practice training provide an opportune time to consider ways to ameliorate some of these problems

Literature, evaluations and research on Australian Indigenous young parents programs: a review

[Extract] Queensland Health has recognised the strategic importance of providing additional support to young Indigenous parents to optimise outcomes for them and their children. However, limited evidence is available about best practice in providing such support.\ud \ud This review has two primary aims:\ud \ud 1. To gather evidence from the literature (both published and unpublished), from program evaluations and from primary research with service providers and young parents to identify:\ud \ud • Key issues impacting on young Indigenous mothers and fathers in Queensland\ud \ud • Innovation and good practice for delivering young parent programs\ud \ud • The supports/resources needed by service providers/workers to ensure effective delivery of these types of programs\ud \ud • Mechanisms for engaging with young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are "at risk" of becoming young parents or who are pregnant or already parenting\ud \ud • Barriers to effective implementation of such programs and strategies to minimize the likelihood of these barriers occurring.\ud \ud 2. To provide advice about how the evidence collected can best be turned into practice in government and non-government provided services

Genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection: a study of general practice management in northern Queensland

Background Most diagnoses of genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection in Queensland are made by general practitioners. This study aimed to describe GP knowledge of recommended guidelines for chlamydia management and ascertain GPs' preferred model for contact tracing. Method A questionnaire completed by 35 GPs in northern Queensland in January 2011. Results Although the majority of GPs reported treating uncomplicated chlamydia infection correctly with azithromycin, very few (26%) used empirical treatment. Most reported testing for re-infection within 6 weeks of initial positive results, earlier than recommended. The GPs preferred the notifiable disease register to refer the patient directly to a specialist contact tracer. Conclusion General practitioners in this regional location and probably elsewhere would benefit from education around the timing of re-testing. Public health units and sexual health services should consider ways of providing a contact tracing service for patients with positive chlamydia results in general practice

Genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection: a study of general practice management in northern Queensland

Background Most diagnoses of genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection in Queensland are made by general practitioners. This study aimed to describe GP knowledge of recommended guidelines for chlamydia management and ascertain GPs' preferred model for contact tracing. Method A questionnaire completed by 35 GPs in northern Queensland in January 2011. Results Although the majority of GPs reported treating uncomplicated chlamydia infection correctly with azithromycin, very few (26%) used empirical treatment. Most reported testing for re-infection within 6 weeks of initial positive results, earlier than recommended. The GPs preferred the notifiable disease register to refer the patient directly to a specialist contact tracer. Conclusion General practitioners in this regional location and probably elsewhere would benefit from education around the timing of re-testing. Public health units and sexual health services should consider ways of providing a contact tracing service for patients with positive chlamydia results in general practice

Genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection: a study on testing in general practice

Background Genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection is prevalent in Australia. Although testing rates are increasing, studies suggest that levels of testing of asymptomatic, sexually active people aged 16-29 years remain relatively low. Various barriers to testing in general practice have been identified. This article reports on one component of a study conducted to gain an understanding of chlamydia management in general practice in northern Queensland. Method Nine general practices participated in a prospective audit over a 3 month period, which recorded the reason for chlamydia testing and if a follow up visit for test results was recommended. Results A total of 521 patients had chlamydia testing recorded, with females comprising over three-quarters of patients (77%). Asymptomatic presentations accounted for 50% of referrals for testing; of these, less than half had a recommendation for follow up of test results recorded (41%). Patients with a known positive case contact were most often recommended for follow up (59%). Discussion Half of those undergoing chlamydia testing were asymptomatic, with a third screened at the time of Pap testing. This suggests that general practitioners are appropriately initiating chlamydia screening with Pap tests. There is potential to increase rates of opportunistic testing for asymptomatic women

Evaluating the use of Enhanced Primary Care Health Assessments by general practices in north Queensland

The Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) program funds GPs to provide preventative health assessments through a specific set of Medicare item numbers. The study aimed to show whether patients completing these health assessments had better recorded screening rates than those receiving usual care. A retrospective clinical record audit was undertaken in north Queensland general practices by practice nurses from the North Queensland Practice Based Research Network. Comparisons were made between the recorded screening test rates for patients who completed an over-75-years health assessment with those who did not. A questionnaire was also completed by practice nurses and practice principals. Screening tests were recorded more frequently in patients with a completed health assessment: notably urinalysis, visual acuity and faecal occult blood test/colonoscopy. Blood pressure was the most frequently recorded test with or without a health assessment. The questionnaires provided useful information on how health assessments are implemented and whether GPs believe they are useful