Suchergebnisse

Abstract Background Population level data regarding the general mental health status, and the socio-demographic factors associated with the mental health status of adolescents in Australia aged 12–16 years is limited. This study assessed prevalence of mental health problems in a regional population of Australian students in Grades 7–10, and investigated associations between mental health problems and socio-demographic factors. Methods A web-based survey was conducted in 21 secondary schools located in disadvantaged local government areas in one regional local health district of NSW Australia. Mental health problems were measured using the youth self-report Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) total SDQ score and three subscale scores (internalising problems, externalising problems and prosocial behaviour). Associations between each SDQ outcome and student socio-demographic characteristics (age, gender, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Status, remoteness of residential location and socio-economic disadvantage) were investigated. Results Data are reported for 6793 students aged 12–16 years. Nineteen percent of participants scored in the 'very high' range for the total SDQ, 18.0 % for internalising problems, 11.3 % for externalising problems and 8.9 % for prosocial behaviour problems. Gender and Aboriginal status were associated with all four SDQ outcomes, while age was associated with two, excluding externalising problems and prosocial behaviour. Aboriginal adolescents scored higher for mental health problems than non-Aboriginal adolescents for all four SDQ outcomes. Females scored higher than males for total SDQ and internalising problems, with mean difference greatest at age 15. Males scored higher for externalising problems and lower for prosocial behaviour than females. Conclusions The finding that mental health problems significantly varied by age, gender and Aboriginality may suggest a need for tailored interventions for groups of adolescents with highest levels of mental health problems. Trial Registration ANZCTR ACTRN12611000606987. Registered 14/06/2011.

BACKGROUND: Greater use of knowledge translation (KT) strategies is recommended to improve the research impact of public health trials. The purpose of this study was to describe (1) the research impact of setting-based public health intervention trials on public health policy and practice; (2) the association between characteristics of trials and their research impact on public health policy and practice; and (3) the association between the use of KT strategies and research impacts on public health policy and practice. METHODS: We conducted a survey of authors of intervention trials targeting nutrition, physical activity, sexual health, tobacco, alcohol or substance use. We assessed the use of KT strategies aligned to domains of the Knowledge-To-Action Framework. We defined "research impact" on health policy and practice as any one or more of the following: citation in policy documents or announcements, government reports, training materials, guidelines, textbooks or court rulings; or endorsement by a (non)governmental organization; use in policy or practice decision-making; or use in the development of a commercial resource or service. RESULTS: Of the included trials, the authors reported that 65% had one or more research impacts. The most frequently reported research impact was citation in a policy document or announcement (46%). There were no significant associations between the effectiveness of the intervention, trial risk of bias, setting or health risk and trial impact. However, for every one unit increase in the total KT score (range 0–8), reflecting greater total KT activity, the odds of a health policy or practice research impact increased by approximately 30% (OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.66; p = 0.031). Post hoc examination of KT domain scores suggests that KT actions focused on providing tailored support to facilitate program implementation and greater use of research products and tools to disseminate findings to end-users may be most influential in achieving impact. CONCLUSIONS: Trials of public ...

Objective: Individual and environmental resilience protective factors are suggested to be associated with adolescent condom use; however, previous studies have not comprehensively examined such associations. This study aimed to determine the associations between condom use, and numerous individual and environmental resilience protective factors in sexually active Australian adolescents. Methods: Participants were Grade 10 students attending 28 Australian government high schools (n=1,688). An online survey (2011) collected data regarding: sexual intercourse (past year), condom use and 14 individual and environmental resilience protective factors. Multivariable backward stepwise logistic regression models examined associations between student condom use and protective factors (total, subscale). Results: Only total environmental protective factors remained in the final total score model; students with higher total environmental protective factors scores were 2.59 times more likely to always use a condom(95%CI:1.80-3.74). Only three of 14 protective factor subscales were associated with a higher likelihood of always using a condom in the final subscale model (individual: goals/aspirations; environmental: community participation, pro-social peers). Conclusions: Total environmental and three protective factor subscales demonstrated prominent associations with consistent use of condoms in sexually active adolescents. Implications for public health: Consideration of particular resilience protective factors in adolescent sexual risk behaviour prevention, such as condom use, is warranted.