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Aust J Rural Health 2022 May 25. Epub 2022 May 25.

College of Health Sciences, Vin University, Hanoi, Vietnam.

Aim: COVID-19 rapidly transformed how Australians access health care services. This paper considers how the inability for urban patients to access in-person care expediated the introduction of virtual solutions in health service delivery thus creating a new access paradigm for rural and remote Australians.

Context: 'Physical distancing' is a phrase synonymous with public health responses to COVID-19 in Australia, but distance is a decades-long problem for rural health access. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 May 23. Epub 2022 May 23.

Southwest Healthcare, Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia.

Objective: To explore reasons for survival disparities for patients with prostate cancer in the Barwon South West area of Victoria.

Design, Setting And Participants: We have described incidence, diagnostics, treatment pathways, and survival for four regions of the Barwon South Western Victoria. Analysis included all newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients from 2009 to 2015 in the Evaluation of Cancer Outcomes Barwon South West Registry. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 May 21. Epub 2022 May 21.

Deakin University, Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia.

Introduction And Objective: Building rural health workforce research capacity is critical to addressing rural health inequalities. Research training is a mainstay research capacity building strategy. This paper describes the delivery and evaluation of a research training program for rural and regional allied health professions (AHPs). Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 May 21. Epub 2022 May 21.

Rural and Remote Health NT, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Darwin, NT, Australia.

Aims: To elucidate key considerations for effective health promotion with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males in remote Northern Territory.

Context: Despite the significant disparities in health outcomes amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males, particularly in remote Northern Territory, investment in health promotion policy and practice has been inadequate. Progressing towards self-determination with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males, and to meet the unique health and well-being needs of this marginalised demographic, consideration for staff retention and training, strengths-based approaches, and implications of divergent masculinities must be considered when devising and delivering culturally responsive and appropriate health promotion interventions. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 May 14. Epub 2022 May 14.

Adelaide Dental School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.

Introduction: There has been a recent surge in the use of teledentistry services in Australia that has paralleled the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the limited published literature reflecting on this transition, this article employed a systematic scoping review methodology.

Objective: The objective was to explore the role of teledentistry in the provision of clinical dental services in Australia. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 May 14. Epub 2022 May 14.

Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.

Introduction: It is well established that rural workforce outcomes are more likely among medical graduates who spend time training in non-urban areas; however, fewer studies have assessed whether graduates are more likely to return to the specific area where they undertook rural training.

Objective: This study aimed to determine whether graduates who had undertaken a regional-rural immersion program in Northland, NZ, were more likely to have returned to work in Northland as of mid-2021, relative to peers who did not participate.

Design: This prospective cohort study used longitudinal tracking survey responses, medical school administrative data and workforce outcome information. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 May 5. Epub 2022 May 5.

Department of Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Central Clinical School, The Alfred Hospital, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Objective: The Australian COVID-19 Frontline Healthcare Workers study examined the prevalence and severity of mental health symptoms during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. This substudy examined the differences in psychological well-being between rural and metropolitan health care workers (HCWs).

Design: A nationwide survey conducted between August and October 2020. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 Apr 23. Epub 2022 Apr 23.

School of Nursing, Jilin University, Changchun, China.

Introduction: Maintaining care for elderly individuals in rural areas is heavily dependent on support from informal caregivers. Many informal caregivers of the elderly in rural areas feel burdened and urgently require professional support. Interests in telehealth that can provide support irrespective of geographical location have been increasing. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 Apr 16. Epub 2022 Apr 16.

Murrumbidgee Local Health District, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia.

Aim: This commentary presents practical and evidenced based guidelines for the development and delivery of real-time online training workshops aimed at rural health professionals.

Context: Online learning is increasingly being used as an avenue for delivering education, particularly to rural and remote sites where barriers persist in upskilling health workers. Further, online learning has become essential during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 04;30(2):132-134

School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University and Institute of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Melbourne, Australia.

Aust J Rural Health 2022 04;30(2):298-299

Aust J Rural Health 2022 Apr 12. Epub 2022 Apr 12.

Department of Neurology, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.

Objective: Report on feasibility, use and effects on investigations and treatment of a neurologist-supported stroke clinic in rural Australia.

Design: Data were collected prospectively for consecutive patients referred to atelehealth stroke clinic from November 2018 to August 2021.

Settings, Participants And Interventions: Patients attended the local hospital, with a rural stroke care coordinator, and were assessed by stroke neurologist over videoconference. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 Apr 5. Epub 2022 Apr 5.

Adelaide Rural Clinical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.

Objective: To understand how contemporary socio-cultural factors may impact medical students' rural career intent.

Design: Cross-sectional study using data from the national Federation of Rural Australian Medical Educators survey.

Participants/setting: Medical students across 18 Australian universities who completed a full academic year of clinical training in rural areas in 2019. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 Apr 5. Epub 2022 Apr 5.

School of Medicine Sydney, Rural Clinical School (Wagga), The University of Notre Dame Australia, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia.

Objective: There is public concern regarding rural workforce shortages and closure of smaller obstetric centres.

Aim: To identify whether safety is a concern for Murrumbidgee hospitals that fit primary medical care models and ascertain general practitioner (GP) obstetricians' perspectives regarding the benefits and challenges to practising in the region.

Design: Mixed-method retrospective analysis of selected outcomes in the NSW Mothers and Babies Reports 2012-2015 and semi-structured interviews with GP obstetricians. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 Apr 5. Epub 2022 Apr 5.

Queensland Health, Stanthorpe, Queensland, Australia.

Objective(s): The objective of the study was to validate a clinical aid to guide the assessment and management of a patient's listed beta-lactam antibiotic allergy for use in rural areas of Australia.

Design: Rural generalists, pharmacists and junior doctors completed an online assessment of eight patient case studies using the tool.

Setting: The study was conducted in the Southern Downs, QLD. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 Apr 25;30(2):252-263. Epub 2022 Mar 25.

College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Science, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.

Objective: To explore rural motor vehicle collision (MVC) fatalities by trends over time, mode of transport, age, state, sex, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status.

Design: A retrospective total population-based time series was conducted using the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) death registration data.

Setting: All statistical local area (SLA) within Australia from 2006 to 2017. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 Mar 24. Epub 2022 Mar 24.

Centre for Rural and Remote Health, James Cooke University, Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia.

Objective: To determine the work location (metropolitan, regional, rural and remote) of graduates in nursing, allied health and oral health disciplines who complete their professional training, end-to-end training, in a regional or rural area noting the potential inclusion of a metropolitan-based placement for speciality practice not available in rural or regional Victoria.

Methods: We tracked the place of employment from the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA) of all graduates from a regional/rural tertiary education provider. The student home address at enrolment, locations where they undertook all placements and their current place of work were described using an objective geographical model of access, the Modified Monash Model. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 Mar 17. Epub 2022 Mar 17.

College of Public Healths, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.

Objective: To address access to cardiac rehabilitation (CR) for people in R&R areas, this research aimed to investigate: (1) post discharge systems and support for people returning home from hospital following treatment for heart disease (HD). (2) propose changes to improve access to CR in R&R areas of NQ.

Setting: Four focus communities in R&R areas of NQ. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 Mar 14. Epub 2022 Mar 14.

Rural Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia.

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted medical students' learning experiences. Students in one Australian Rural Clinical School were surveyed to investigate the impact of disruptions to clinical placements and satisfaction with educational changes implemented as a result of the pandemic.

Design: Cross-sectional survey. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 Mar 11. Epub 2022 Mar 11.

Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Introduction: General practitioners (GPs) play a crucial role in cancer care and GPs are often the first doctor that patients with symptoms suggestive of cancer will encounter. Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a relatively uncommon presentation in primary care, and evidence suggests that times to diagnosis and treatment of HNC vary based on geographical location of patients. This may be due to barriers to referral faced by regional or rural GPs as compared to those in metropolitan cities in Australia. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 Apr 10;30(2):264-280. Epub 2022 Mar 10.

Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney School of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Introduction: A better understanding of the predictors of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue in health care workers in rural and remote communities is needed to inform preventative interventions for this sector of the health workforce.

Objective: To identify predictors of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue in health care workers providing health and rehabilitation services in rural and remote locations.

Design: A scoping review informed by Arksey and O'Malley's five-stage framework and the scoping review protocol of the PRISMA-ScR statement. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 Mar 7. Epub 2022 Mar 7.

Deakin Rural Health, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.

Aust J Rural Health 2022 Mar 3. Epub 2022 Mar 3.

Centre for Sport Research, School of Exercise & Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.

Introduction: Rural Australians have comparatively higher rates of overweight and obesity, as well as some mental health issues. Intuitive eating has been shown to be positively associated with an array of physical and mental health indicators. Few studies, however, have been conducted with general populations, and none has explicitly examined intuitive eating among rural residents. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 Mar 1. Epub 2022 Mar 1.

Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.

Introduction: Low retention is a significant contributor to medical workforce shortages in rural and remote regions of Australia, including in the Northern Territory (NT). Many of these areas are susceptible to climate change, which could exacerbate workforce retention problems.

Objective: To examine factors influencing medical workforce retention in the NT, including the potential impact of climate change. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 Apr 1;30(2):238-251. Epub 2022 Mar 1.

Western Australian Centre for Rural Health, The University of Western Australia, Karratha, Western Australia, Australia.

Introduction: As the coronavirus pandemic unfolded during 2020, widespread financial uncertainty emerged amongst university students across the globe. What is not yet clear is how Australian health students were financially impacted during the initial stages of the pandemic and whether this influenced their ability to undertake planned rural or remote placements.

Objective: To examine (a) financial concern amongst health students during COVID-19, (b) the financial implications of changes to planned rural or remote placements and (c) the impact of these factors on students' ability to undertake placements during the pandemic. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 Mar 1. Epub 2022 Mar 1.

Department of Rural Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Objective: To explore the ways in which the Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected Australians who live and travel in cross-border regions in the course of their daily lives.

Design: Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with participants by telephone. The analysis utilised qualitative exploratory methods and provided rich data through immersive and reflexive analysis. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 Mar 1. Epub 2022 Mar 1.

School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.

Objective: To describe the context of low back pain (LBP) presentations to emergency departments (EDs) by remoteness areas, hospital delineation level and staffing portfolios.

Design: A retrospective observational study using routinely captured ED and admission data over a 5-year period (July 2014-June 2019).

Settings: Thirty seven EDs across a large health district in NSW, Australia, covering major cities, inner regional areas and outer regional areas. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 Feb 23. Epub 2022 Feb 23.

School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.

Objective: To investigate whether practice rurality and rural training pathway are associated with general practitioner registrars' participation in their practice's after-hours care roster.

Design: A cross-sectional analysis of data (2017-2019) from the Registrar Clinical Encounters in Training study, an ongoing inception cohort study of Australian general practitioner registrars. The principal analyses used logistic regression. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 Apr 23;30(2):228-237. Epub 2022 Feb 23.

Darling Downs Health, Murgon, Queensland, Australia.

Objective: To understand the experience of rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in engaging with oral health care services and programs in order to support the development of oral health services and prevention programs that better meet their needs.

Design: The study used a qualitative research design, which aims to describe participants' lived experience of engaging with oral health services and prevention programs in a rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were conducted with 27 participants. Read More

Aust J Rural Health 2022 Feb 21. Epub 2022 Feb 21.

Centre for Mental Health Research, Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.

Objective: Physical and natural environments might strongly influence mental health and well-being. Many studies have examined this relationship in urban environments, with fewer focused on rural settings. The aim of this systematic review was to synthesise quantitative evidence for the relationship between environmental factors (drought, climate and extreme weather events, land use/environmental degradation, green space/vegetation, engagement in natural resource management activities) and mental health or well-being in rural areas. Read More