Speech pathologists’ perspectives on transitioning to telepractice: What factors promote acceptance?

Little is understood about factors that influence speech-language pathologists’ (SLPs’) acceptance of telepractice. The aim of this study was to investigate SLPs’ perceptions and experiences of transitioning to a school-based telepractice service to identify factors that contributed to positive clinician attitudes. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 SLPs who recently commenced providing school-based telepractice services. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim, and thematic analysis was used to interpret interviews, with themes compared and contrasted across the group. Results indicated that although SLPs reported initially having mixed feelings towards telepractice, they later evaluated telepractice positively and viewed it as a legitimate service delivery mode. The overarching theme was that positive beliefs about telepractice were associated with perceptions of its consistency with the underlying principles of face-to-face therapy. In evaluating telepractice, SLPs considered: (a) therapeutic relationships with children; (b) collaboration with parents and teachers; (c) adequacy of technology and resources; and (d) access to support for learning telepractice. Therapy assistants and specific clinician attributes emerged as key strategies used to manage threats to acceptability. Preparation of SLPs transitioning to telepractice should address factors that support positive experiences with, and attitudes towards, telepractice to ensure that training achieves the greatest, most sustained change

Alcohol prevention for school students: Results from a 1-year follow up of a cluster-randomised controlled trial of harm minimisation school drug education

Aims: The Drug Education in Victorian Schools (DEVS) programme taught about licit and illicit drugs over two years (2010–2011), with follow up in the third year (2012). It focussed on minimising harm and employed participatory, critical-thinking and skill-focussed pedagogy. This study evaluated the programme’s residual effectiveness at follow up in reducing alcohol-related risk and harm. Methods: A cluster-randomised, controlled trial was conducted with a student cohort during years eight (13–14 years old), nine (14–15 years old) and 10 (15–16 years old). Schools were randomly allocated to the DEVS programme (14 schools, n = 1163), or their usual drug education (7 schools, n = 589). Multi-level models were fitted to the data, which were analysed on an intent-to-treat basis. Statistically significant findings: Over the 3 years, there was a greater increase in intervention students’ knowledge about drugs, including alcohol. Their alcohol consumption did not increase as much as controls. Their alcohol-related harms decreased, while increasing for controls. There were fewer intervention group risky drinkers, and they reduced their consumption compared to controls. Similarly, harms decreased for intervention group risky drinkers, while increasing for controls. Conclusions: Skill-focussed, harm minimisation drug education can remain effective, subsequent to programme completion, in reducing students’ alcohol consumption and harm, even with risky drinkers

Collaborative care : primary health workforce and service delivery in Western New South Wales - a case study

Objective: To explore how four small towns in rural New South Wales known as the 4Ts are addressing challenges accessing quality care and sustainable health services through a collaborative approach to workforce planning using the collaborative care framework. Design: Descriptive case study approach. Setting: The collaborative care project was developed as a result of ongoing partnerships between 2 rural Local Health Districts, 2 Primary Health Networks and a non-governmental health workforce organisation. The collaboration works with 5 subregions each comprising 2 or more rural communities. This paper focuses on the 4Ts subregion. Participants: Stakeholders of the collaborative design including organisations and the community. Intervention: A place-based approach to co-designing health services with community in one sub-region of Western New South Wales. Main outcome measures: A synthesis of field observations and experiences of community and jurisdictional partners in implementation of the 4Ts subregional model. Mapping of implementation processes against the collaborative care framework. Results: The collaborative care framework is a useful planning and community engagement tool to build health workforce literacy and to impact on system change at the local level. We identify key elements of effectiveness in establishing the 4Ts model, including the need for coordinated health system planning, better integrating existing resources to deliver services, community engagement, building health workforce literacy and town-based planning. Conclusion: This study adds to the body of knowledge about how to successfully develop a collaborative primary health care workforce model in practice. The findings demonstrate that the implementation of a collaborative primary health care workforce model using the collaborative care framework can improve service access and quality, which in turn might facilitate workforce sustainability

Alcohol consumption and sport: a cross-sectional study of alcohol management practices associated with at-risk alcohol consumption at community football clubs

BackgroundExcessive alcohol consumption is responsible for considerable harm from chronic disease and injury. Within most developed countries, members of sporting clubs participate in at-risk alcohol consumption at levels above that of communities generally. There has been limited research investigating the predictors of at-risk alcohol consumption in sporting settings, particularly at the non-elite level. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between the alcohol management practices and characteristics of community football clubs and at-risk alcohol consumption by club members.MethodsA cross sectional survey of community football club management representatives and members was conducted. Logistic regression analysis (adjusting for clustering by club) was used to determine the association between the alcohol management practices (including alcohol management policy, alcohol-related sponsorship, availability of low- and non-alcoholic drinks, and alcohol-related promotions, awards and prizes) and characteristics (football code, size and location) of sporting clubs and at-risk alcohol consumption by club members.ResultsMembers of clubs that served alcohol to intoxicated people [OR: 2.23 (95% CI: 1.26-3.93)], conducted &lsquo;happy hour&rsquo; promotions [OR: 2.84 (95% CI: 1.84-4.38)] or provided alcohol-only awards and prizes [OR: 1.80 (95% CI: 1.16-2.80)] were at significantly greater odds of consuming alcohol at risky levels than members of clubs that did not have such alcohol management practices. At-risk alcohol consumption was also more likely among members of clubs with less than 150 players compared with larger clubs [OR:1.45 (95% CI: 1.02-2.05)] and amongst members of particular football codes.ConclusionsThe findings of this study suggest a need and opportunity for the implementation of alcohol harm reduction strategies targeting specific alcohol management practices at community football clubs.<br /

Drug education in victorian schools (DEVS): the study protocol for a harm reduction focused school drug education trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This study seeks to extend earlier Australian school drug education research by developing and measuring the effectiveness of a comprehensive, evidence-based, harm reduction focused school drug education program for junior secondary students aged 13 to 15 years. The intervention draws on the recent literature as to the common elements in effective school curriculum. It seeks to incorporate the social influence of parents through home activities. It also emphasises the use of appropriate pedagogy in the delivery of classroom lessons.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>A cluster randomised school drug education trial will be conducted with 1746 junior high school students in 21 Victorian secondary schools over a period of three years. Both the schools and students have actively consented to participate in the study. The education program comprises ten lessons in year eight (13-14 year olds) and eight in year nine (14-15 year olds) that address issues around the use of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and other illicit drugs. Control students will receive the drug education normally provided in their schools. Students will be tested at baseline, at the end of each intervention year and also at the end of year ten. A self completion questionnaire will be used to collect information on knowledge, patterns and context of use, attitudes and harms experienced in relation to alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and other illicit drug use. Multi-level modelling will be the method of analysis because it can best accommodate hierarchically structured data. All analyses will be conducted on an Intent-to-Treat basis. In addition, focus groups will be conducted with teachers and students in five of the 14 intervention schools, subsequent to delivery of the year eight and nine programs. This will provide qualitative data about the effectiveness of the lessons and the relevance of the materials.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The benefits of this drug education study derive both from the knowledge gained by trialling an optimum combination of innovative, harm reduction approaches with a large, student sample, and the resultant product. The research will provide better understanding of what benefits can be achieved by harm reduction education. It will also produce an intervention, dealing with both licit and illicit drug use that has been thoroughly evaluated in terms of its efficacy, and informed by teacher and student feedback. This makes available to schools a comprehensive drug education package with prevention characteristics and useability that are well understood.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Register (ANZCTR): <a href="http://www.anzctr.org.au/ACTRN12612000079842.aspx">ACTRN12612000079842</a></p

2025 Position statement on active outdoor play

Background: In 2015, the Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play was released in Canada, emphasizing the critical role of active outdoor play—with its risks—in fostering children’s healthy development. Building on this foundation, a 10-year update of the Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play (AOP10) was initiated to broaden its scope and impact, by encompassing all age groups and extending its reach conceptually and globally. Here we explain and present the new 2025 Position Statement. Methods: Development of the 2025 Position Statement was informed by 18 rigorous literature reviews, a series of leadership group meetings, three rounds of draft AOP10 surveys, followed by extensive communication, translation, production, and dissemination activities. Results: The 2025 Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play states: “Active outdoor play promotes holistic health and well-being for people of all ages, communities, and environments, and for our entire planet. It is critical given the multiple global challenges we face today (e.g., social and health inequities, climate change and digital addiction). Together, as a collective of the outdoor play sector, we recommend increasing opportunities for active outdoor play in all settings where people live, learn, work, and play. To achieve this, it is important to collaborate across sectors, settings, and societies to preserve, promote, and value equitable access to active play outdoors and in nature.” We also provide key evidence pertaining to the nine core themes that informed the development of the 2025 Position Statement and offer recommendations across sectors, calling for multi-sectoral, multi-level collaborations. Across all three survey rounds, responses indicated strong support for the 2025 Position Statement and its supporting content (Round 3: 93–98%). Comprehensive, proactive knowledge translation and dissemination plans were executed to maximize the reach and impact of the 2025 Position Statement. Conclusions: The 2025 Position Statement calls for systemic changes that prioritize equitable access to active outdoor play opportunities and aims to create healthier communities. Achieved through international collaboration and consensus, the 2025 Position Statement aspires to connect, advise, inspire, and activate active outdoor play worldwide