Australian Health Promotion Association

by Neil Orr, Andrew J. Milat, Ming Lin, Leonie Neville and Liz Develin

Issue addressed: The consumption of soft and other sweetened drinks is an emerging nutrition issue in Australia. In 2005-6, 63% of NSW children aged between 2 and 15 years consumed sweetened drinks (soft drinks, cordials or sports drinks) weekly, 33% of which consumed at least 6 cups per week. In 2008 NSW Health implemented the ‘Water Campaign’ to increase the proportion of NSW children up to 15 years of age who consume

by Ilse Blignault, Sally Smith, Lisa Woodland, Vince Ponzio, Dushan Ristevski and Suzanna Kirov

Issues addressed: Previous research has revealed low levels of mental health service utilisation and widespread discrimination towards people with mental illness in Sydney’s Macedonian community. As an extension to a multifaceted community intervention to improve mental health literacy and reduce stigma, a Macedonian-language play was produced.

by Nina Fotinatos, Adrian Warmington, Todd Walker and Mark Pilbeam

Issue addressed: There is increasing evidence of unacceptably high levels of cervical cancer abnormalities in Vanuatu. The purpose of this research was to determine cervical health awareness in local women from rural and urban environments.

by Husna Razee, Hidde P. van der Ploeg, Ilse Blignault, Ben J. Smith, Adrian E. Bauman, Mark McLean and N. Wah Cheung

Issue addressed: Women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes; this risk is higher in non-Caucasian women. This study explored the beliefs, attitudes, social support, environmental influences and other factors related to diabetes risk behaviours among Arabic, Cantonese/Mandarin, and English speaking women with

by Nadine Brayley and Patricia L. Obst

Issue addressed: Measures of ‘social identity’ and ‘psychological sense of community’ were included within a broader formative research inquiry to gain insight into the identity characteristics and level of connectedness among older recreational road travellers (commonly known as Grey Nomads). The research sought to gain insights on how best to reach or speak to this growing driver cohort.

by Susan Furber, Susan Quine, Janet Jackson, Rachel Laws and Deborah Kirkwood

Issue addressed: To investigate the role of a community kitchen for clients living in a socio-economically disadvantaged neighbourhood.

by Magdalene Woloszyn, Avinna Trzesinski, Mutsumi Takahashi and Isabelle Ellis

Issue addressed: The study investigates the sun-protective behaviours of beach goers in the north-west of Western Australia as the basis for a new health promotion intervention to be implemented in the area.

by Asha Kiran and Janice Knights

Issue addressed: This study investigated the effectiveness of Traditional Indigenous Games (TIG) to improve physical activity and cultural connectedness among primary school students in the community renewal areas of Townsville in North Queensland.

by Alexander Voukelatos and Sufia Khan

Introduction: Learning to ride a bicycle is a common and joyful experience of childhood (up to 68% of children reported riding a bicycle in a two-week period) that has many health benefits. However, children have the highest bicycle-related injury rates compared to other age groups. In NSW, bicycle injury-related hospitalisations in people aged 5-14 years account for approximately half of all bicycle injury-related hospitalisations.

by Sharon Miskell, Willa Xu and Chris Rissel

Introduction: The public health benefits of cycling are well-recognised. Individual health benefits include reduced risk of mortality, morbidity and obesity. Environmental health benefits include reduced pollutants, carbon emissions and traffic congestion. To promote community cycling and reduce the landfill requirement for discarded bicycles, Fairfield City Council in 2007 established the Western Sydney Cycling Network (WSCN), which incorporates a

Edited by Hilary Graham. Published by McGraw-Hill Open University Press 2009. ISBN-9780335234592

Reviewed by Marilyn Wise, Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, University of New South Wales

Introduction: The fact that unfair, unjust, avoidable inequalities in the health of populations have persisted, despite decades of evidence of their existence, suggests that there is a continuing need for greater understanding of the inequalities – what they are, who is affected, why and where they

Edited by Pranee Liamputtong. Published by Oxford University Press, Sydney. 2010. ISBN 9780195568172

Reviewed by Alexandra McManus, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute and Centre of Excellence for Science Seafood & Health (CESSH), Curtin University, Western Australia.

Introduction: Research Methods in Health edited by Pranee Liamputtong is a substantial book divided into six main parts: 1) methods and principles; 2) qualitative approaches and principles; 3)

By Johanna Wyn. Published by Oxford University Press, South Melbourne. ISBN:9780195560466

Reviewed by Louise Rowling, University of Sydney, New South Wales

Introduction: The audience for this text is broad; teachers, health workers, youth workers and parents. Readers may be misled by the title Youth Health and Welfare as the dominant phrase used is not welfare, but youth health and wellbeing. Welfare does not appear in the index nor in the contents page, whereas a whole chapter is devoted to

By Michael Sparks

Introduction:  If one thing can be said about political engagement, it is that the Kenyan's know how to do it very well. The World Health Organization's 7th Global Conference on Health Promotion (7th GCHP) was held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 26 to 30 October 2009. The conference was opened by the President of the Republic of Kenya, closed by the Vice President and attended by both the Minister for Public Health and Sanitation and the Minister for Medical Services.

By Ben J. Smith

Introduction:  It can be a disconcerting experience as a health promoter when the question comes up "So ....what do you do?". In reply you might say: "I manage health promotion projects", or "I am a health promotion researcher". The smile that you receive indicates that your interlocutor likes the sentiment of what you are saying, but the quizzical furrow on her or his brow suggests a lack of certainty about what it is you mean. If you are in the mood you might

by Janelle Borg, Dafna Merom and Chris Rissel

Issue addressed: The Step by Step self-help walking program plus a pedometer previously motivated a community sample of adults to be physically active for up to three months. This study evaluates the effect of enhancement of this program over an additional nine months in a workplace.