Keryn Johnson | University of Wollongong (original) (raw)

Papers by Keryn Johnson

Research paper thumbnail of Midwives and pregnant women talk about alcohol: what advice do we give and what do they receive?

Midwifery, Aug 1, 2011

Background: the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recently revised ... more Background: the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recently revised its guidelines for alcohol consumption during pregnancy and breast feeding, moving from a recommendation of minimising intake to one of abstinence. Women are potentially exposed to a variety of messages about alcohol and pregnancy, including from the media and social contacts, and are likely to see midwives as the source of expert advice in understanding these contradictory messages. Objective: to explore the advice that midwives believe they give to pregnant women about alcohol consumption, and the advice that pregnant women believe they receive; the knowledge and attitudes of both groups regarding alcohol consumption and the consistency with the NHMRC guidelines; and the receptivity and comfort of both groups in discussing alcohol consumption in the context of antenatal appointments. Design: individual semi-structured interviews with midwives and pregnant women. Setting: face-to-face interviews with midwives and telephone interviews with pregnant women were conducted in two regional areas of New South Wales in 2008-2009. Participants: 12 midwives and 12 pregnant women. Findings: midwives and pregnant women consistently agreed that conversations about alcohol are generally limited to brief screening questions at the first visit, and the risks are not discussed or explained (except for high-risk women). Key conclusions: both groups expressed comfort with the idea of discussing alcohol consumption, but lacked knowledge of the risk and recommendation, and it appears that this opportunity to provide women with information is under-utilised. Implications for practice: there is a need to provide midwives with accurate information about the risks of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and effective communication tools to encourage them to discuss the risks and recommendations with their patients.

Research paper thumbnail of Women'S Awareness of Cancer Symptoms: A Review of the Literature

Women's Health, Sep 1, 2012

Improvements in cancer detection and treatment have led to consistent declines in mortality from ... more Improvements in cancer detection and treatment have led to consistent declines in mortality from many cancers. However, many patients present for treatment at a point where more invasive treatment is required and/or treatment outcomes are less than optimal. One factor that has been consistently shown to be associated with late diagnosis and treatment is delay in seeking help for symptoms. This paper reviews the literature on women's awareness of cancer symptoms and aims to identify knowledge gaps that need to be addressed in order to improve help-seeking behaviors. The discovery of substantial gaps in awareness suggest a need for improved community education regarding cancer symptoms.

Research paper thumbnail of Methodological difficulties in a systematic review of social marketing for sun protection: implications for research and practice

This paper reports on a systematic review of all published skin cancer primary prevention interve... more This paper reports on a systematic review of all published skin cancer primary prevention interventions aimed at improving the sun protection of children and adolescents, from 1980 to 2005. This was undertaken to inform the development of future social marketing campaigns for the prevention of skin cancer. Rather than reporting the findings of the review, in terms of conclusions drawn about the effectiveness of interventions, this paper focuses on the systematic review process itself-identifying and discussing the methodological difficulties that arose in conducting this review. These difficulties, from lack of information on the development and theoretical background of interventions through to lack of sufficient data to quantify study outcomes, severely limit our ability to draw conclusions as to the relative effectiveness of different types of programs. There is a need for authors to consistently provide the information that is necessary to enable a systematic comparison of interventions if we are to utilise published research to further our understanding of effective strategies and consequently improve practice.

Research paper thumbnail of Using health risk assessments to target and tailor: An innovative social marketing program in aged care facilities

Ms Joanne Telenta works as a Research Project Manager in The Centre for Health Initiatives and ha... more Ms Joanne Telenta works as a Research Project Manager in The Centre for Health Initiatives and has contributed to social marketing research in the areas of autism spectrum disorders, sun protection for adolescents, pregnant women and alcohol consumption, injecting drug users, and a number of cancer projects with The NSW Cancer Council. She also has extensive project management experience in clinical trials research in both Australia and Europe.

Research paper thumbnail of Don\u27t let the sun get under your skin: Targeting adolescent sun protection with a novel social marketing campaign

The adolescent demographic is signifi cantly different in how it perceives and performs sun prote... more The adolescent demographic is signifi cantly different in how it perceives and performs sun protection; it therefore needs interventions which acknowledge this difference, developing messages and strategies to minimize the barriers to sun protection and providing salient benefi ts that can be realized in the short rather than long term

Research paper thumbnail of Women\u27s awareness of cancer symptoms: a review of the literature

Improvements in cancer detection and treatment have led to consistent declines in mortality from ... more Improvements in cancer detection and treatment have led to consistent declines in mortality from many cancers. However, many patients present for treatment at a point where more invasive treatment is required and/or treatment outcomes are less than optimal. One factor that has been consistently shown to be associated with late diagnosis and treatment is delay in seeking help for symptoms. This paper reviews the literature on women\u27s awareness of cancer symptoms and aims to identify knowledge gaps that need to be addressed in order to improve help-seeking behaviors. The discovery of substantial gaps in awareness suggest a need for improved community education regarding cancer symptoms

Research paper thumbnail of Promoting respite for carers of people with dementia: a case study of social marketing effectiveness in hard to reach audiences

Journal of Social Marketing

Purpose This study aims to describe the development and approach of a theory-informed social mark... more Purpose This study aims to describe the development and approach of a theory-informed social marketing intervention that aimed to promote respite for carers of people with dementia. Despite a high need for respite, carers of people with dementia are often low users of available respite services. The reasons for this are complex, including knowledge, attitudinal, behavioural and systemic barriers. In the context of an aging population, effective strategies to support respite use by carers of people with dementia are needed. Design/methodology/approach Via formative research, the authors gained an in-depth understanding of a hard-to-reach and vulnerable group (carers of people with dementia). The resulting intervention informed, persuaded and supported carers to rethink the use of respite addressing specific barriers to service use. The intervention was evaluated using a naturalistic effects model. Findings Carers of people with dementia who were exposed to community-level campaign ac...

Research paper thumbnail of The Characteristics of the Literature

Women's awareness of cancer symptoms: a review of the literature Improvements in cancer dete... more Women's awareness of cancer symptoms: a review of the literature Improvements in cancer detection and treatment have led to consistent declines in mortality from many cancers. However, many patients present for treatment at a point where more invasive treatment is required and/or treatment outcomes are less than optimal. One factor that has been consistently shown to be associated with late diagnosis and treatment is delay in seeking help for symptoms. This paper reviews the literature on women's awareness of cancer symptoms and aims to identify knowledge gaps that need to be addressed in order to improve help-seeking behaviors. The discovery of substantial gaps in awareness suggest a need for improved community education regarding cancer symptoms.

Research paper thumbnail of Knowledge, help-seeking and efficacy to find respite services: an exploratory study in help-seeking carers of people with dementia in the context of aged care reforms

BMC Geriatrics, 2019

Background: Research highlights the need for carers of people with dementia to acquire relevant a... more Background: Research highlights the need for carers of people with dementia to acquire relevant and timely information to assist them to access appropriate respite services. Unfortunately, negative experiences of information-seeking can create additional stress for carers and contribute to delays in uptake , or not using respite services at all. Methods: Cross-sectional survey data was collected from a convenience sample of n = 84 carers of older people with dementia living in the Illawarra-Shoalhaven region of NSW, Australia. We assessed knowledge, attitudes, information seeking behaviours, and unmet need for respite services in 2016, following national aged care reforms. Results: Over the previous 12 months, 86% of carers sought respite service information. The majority (73%) of all carers reported an unmet need for respite services, and were relying on personal networks to provide support for respite information. Few utilised the new government gateway 'My Aged Care' phone line (11%) or website (25%). However, 35% used a pre-existing helpline to access short term or emergency respite. We found a preference for interpersonal information sources, including local doctor (65%), professionally and volunteer led carer support groups (49%), and family and friends (46%). Those using four or more information sources showed higher capacity to name local respite services. Respite service information seekers were more likely to be caring for someone with behavioural problems, to have received assistance to access services, and to have used respite services in the past 3 to 6 months. Conclusions: New reforms in the Australian aged care sector have not adequately responded to the needs of carers of people with dementia for respite service information and support. Wider, community-based messaging promoting positive service options and the provision of active personal support is required to address the unmet need for respite in carers of people with dementia.

Research paper thumbnail of Guidelines for the development of social marketing programmes for sun protection among adolescents and young adults

Public Health, 2009

Skin cancer is a very real and prominent health problem for Australians. For adolescents in parti... more Skin cancer is a very real and prominent health problem for Australians. For adolescents in particular, despite adequate knowledge levels, they are continuing to have negative sun safe behaviours as attitudinal and social factors overpower health promotion efforts. Through a comprehensive literature review, competitors to health promotion are addressed and the need for a more comprehensive strategy for behaviour change is outlined. Social marketing is introduced as a potential and effective strategy in behaviour change interventions. It is believed to be far more appropriate for hard to change behaviours such as adolescent sun protection, as it uses to go beyond mere education and addresses the underlying issues.

Research paper thumbnail of Teaching critical appraisal skills for Nursing research

Nurse Education in Practice, 2011

Background: Evidence-based practice is a major focus in nursing, yet the literature continues to ... more Background: Evidence-based practice is a major focus in nursing, yet the literature continues to document a research-practice gap. Reasons for this gap stem partly from a lack of skills to critique and synthesize the literature, a lack of search skills and difficulty in understanding research articles, and limited knowledge of research by nursing professionals. Method: An innovative and quality driven subject to improve critical appraisal and critical thinking skills was developed for the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Indigenous Health at the University of Wollongong, based on formative research with postgraduate students and supervisors. Through face-to-face and online teaching modules students worked through a structured process of analysing the key aspects of published papers using structured analysis tools for each study design. Results: Pre and post surveys of students found improvements in perceived knowledge of all key skills of critical appraisal. External independent evaluation determined that it was a high quality subject showing many hallmarks of good assessment practice and good practice in use of information and communication technology (ICT) in support of the learning outcomes.

Research paper thumbnail of Midwives and pregnant women talk about alcohol: what advice do we give and what do they receive?

Midwifery, 2011

Background: the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recently revised ... more Background: the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recently revised its guidelines for alcohol consumption during pregnancy and breast feeding, moving from a recommendation of minimising intake to one of abstinence. Women are potentially exposed to a variety of messages about alcohol and pregnancy, including from the media and social contacts, and are likely to see midwives as the source of expert advice in understanding these contradictory messages. Objective: to explore the advice that midwives believe they give to pregnant women about alcohol consumption, and the advice that pregnant women believe they receive; the knowledge and attitudes of both groups regarding alcohol consumption and the consistency with the NHMRC guidelines; and the receptivity and comfort of both groups in discussing alcohol consumption in the context of antenatal appointments. Design: individual semi-structured interviews with midwives and pregnant women. Setting: face-to-face interviews with midwives and telephone interviews with pregnant women were conducted in two regional areas of New South Wales in 2008-2009. Participants: 12 midwives and 12 pregnant women. Findings: midwives and pregnant women consistently agreed that conversations about alcohol are generally limited to brief screening questions at the first visit, and the risks are not discussed or explained (except for high-risk women). Key conclusions: both groups expressed comfort with the idea of discussing alcohol consumption, but lacked knowledge of the risk and recommendation, and it appears that this opportunity to provide women with information is under-utilised. Implications for practice: there is a need to provide midwives with accurate information about the risks of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and effective communication tools to encourage them to discuss the risks and recommendations with their patients.

Research paper thumbnail of University of Wollongong Research Online Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences- Papers

Methodological difficulties in a systematic review of social marketing for sun protection: implic... more Methodological difficulties in a systematic review of social marketing for sun protection: implications for research and practice

Research paper thumbnail of Using health risk assessments to target and tailor: An innovative social marketing program in aged care facilities

The number of Australians over the age of 65 years is expected to double by 2021. Many older Aust... more The number of Australians over the age of 65 years is expected to double by 2021. Many older Australians suffer from one or more chronic diseases including cancer, coronary heart disease, respiratory diseases (AIHW, 2009) resulting in increased morbidity and mortality, lower quality of life and a higher need for health care (Hickey and Stilwell, 1991). There is increasing evidence that the adoption of healthy lifestyles can have significant benefits even into older age (Haveman-Nies et al, 2002). This project utilized a social marketing framework to support aged residents of retirement homes to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviours to improve their health.

Research paper thumbnail of Rethinking respite in Australia: A naturalistic effect study of a multicomponent community program to promote respite knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of carers of people with dementia

Health & social care in the community, 2020

'Rethink Respite' was a prospective, naturalistic cohort study conducted in the Illawarra... more 'Rethink Respite' was a prospective, naturalistic cohort study conducted in the Illawarra-Shoalhaven (NSW, Australia) to improve knowledge, attitudes and uptake of respite strategies in carers of people with dementia. A convenience sample of n = 70 carers were recruited in 2014-15 to establish a baseline for knowledge, attitudes and use of respite for a cohort of carers in the region. Carer perceived need for respite, burden and self-efficacy were also assessed. A co-designed multi-component community-based intervention was subsequently rolled at in the region from 2015 to 2016. The intervention supported: awareness raising media; carer education sessions; access to web and print respite information resources; and an option to participate in a tailored one-on-one in-home coaching program. At program completion, a follow-up survey was administered to the cohort, with n = 44/70 responding. All n = 44 respondents reported participation in and exposure to 'Rethink Respite' media, information and education during the intervention period. Eighteen of the 44 also self-selected to receive the active tailored coaching support. At follow-up, few positive results were reported on the assessed carer variables for the cohort over time. However, post hoc sub-group analyses found those who also self-selected to receive active support (provided through coaching) (n = 18), showed improvements to their respite knowledge, attitudes and self-efficacy (p < .05). Intention to use respite, and levels of personal gain from caring in this sub-group also increased (p < .05). In contrast, carers who only participated in the informational/educational aspects of the program (and did not self-select to the respite coaching), experienced negative changes over time to their respite beliefs and 'role captivity'. Overall, this pilot study suggests that passive respite information and educational strategies are insufficient, without more active supports (tailored respite coaching) to address observed carer decline over time. Future research should seek to replicate these results using a larger sample and an experimental design.

Research paper thumbnail of ‘Rethink Respite’: An Innovative Community Pilot Intervention for Carers of People with Dementia to Improve Knowledge About, Attitudes Toward, and Use of Respite Services and Strategies

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluating the effects of a physical activity on agitation and wandering (PAAW) experienced by individuals living with a dementia in care homes

Journal of Research in Nursing

Evaluating the effects of a physical activity on agitation and wandering (PAAW) experienced by in... more Evaluating the effects of a physical activity on agitation and wandering (PAAW) experienced by individuals living with a dementia in care homes Abstract Aim and Methods: The aim was to evaluate the implementation of a structured physical activity (PA) programme for individuals living with a dementia in care homes. More specifically, the study aimed to test the effects on the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) using the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory and Algase Wandering Scale. The study was undertaken over 16 weeks using a quasiexperimental design. Registered nurses, physiotherapists, assistants in nursing and physiotherapy aids from one aged care organisation in NSW, Australia, undertook the study with academics. Results: A total of 72 individuals living with a dementia from four care homes participated. Implementation of the structured PA programme generated statistically significant findings with reductions in agitation (p < 0.001) and eloping (p = 0.001) achieved for individuals living with a dementia in care homes. Conclusions: Physiotherapists and exercise physiologists can complement nursing-focused care teams and contribute to a holistic model of care for individuals living with dementia in care homes. The study demonstrated how a structured PA programme positively affected the levels of agitation and wandering experienced by individuals living with a dementia. Individuals living with a dementia in care homes who participated in a structured PA experienced positive outcomes from the programme. The findings demonstrated that they benefited from the programme and PA should be promoted for this group just as it is for other population groups, including general populations of older people.

Research paper thumbnail of Methodological difficulties in a systematic review of social marketing for sun protection: implications for research and practice

This paper reports on a systematic review of all published skin cancer primary prevention interve... more This paper reports on a systematic review of all published skin cancer primary prevention interventions aimed at improving the sun protection of children and adolescents, from 1980 to 2005. This was undertaken to inform the development of future social marketing campaigns for the prevention of skin cancer. Rather than reporting the findings of the review, in terms of conclusions drawn about the effectiveness of interventions, this paper focuses on the systematic review process itself-identifying and discussing the methodological difficulties that arose in conducting this review. These difficulties, from lack of information on the development and theoretical background of interventions through to lack of sufficient data to quantify study outcomes, severely limit our ability to draw conclusions as to the relative effectiveness of different types of programs. There is a need for authors to consistently provide the information that is necessary to enable a systematic comparison of interventions if we are to utilise published research to further our understanding of effective strategies and consequently improve practice.

Research paper thumbnail of Don't let the sun get under your skin: Targeting adolescent sun protection with a novel social marketing campaign

Research paper thumbnail of Using health risk assessments to target and tailor: An innovative social marketing program in aged care facilities

Using health risk assessments to target and tailor: An innovative social Using health risk assess... more Using health risk assessments to target and tailor: An innovative social Using health risk assessments to target and tailor: An innovative social marketing program in aged care facilities. marketing program in aged care facilities.

Research paper thumbnail of Midwives and pregnant women talk about alcohol: what advice do we give and what do they receive?

Midwifery, Aug 1, 2011

Background: the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recently revised ... more Background: the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recently revised its guidelines for alcohol consumption during pregnancy and breast feeding, moving from a recommendation of minimising intake to one of abstinence. Women are potentially exposed to a variety of messages about alcohol and pregnancy, including from the media and social contacts, and are likely to see midwives as the source of expert advice in understanding these contradictory messages. Objective: to explore the advice that midwives believe they give to pregnant women about alcohol consumption, and the advice that pregnant women believe they receive; the knowledge and attitudes of both groups regarding alcohol consumption and the consistency with the NHMRC guidelines; and the receptivity and comfort of both groups in discussing alcohol consumption in the context of antenatal appointments. Design: individual semi-structured interviews with midwives and pregnant women. Setting: face-to-face interviews with midwives and telephone interviews with pregnant women were conducted in two regional areas of New South Wales in 2008-2009. Participants: 12 midwives and 12 pregnant women. Findings: midwives and pregnant women consistently agreed that conversations about alcohol are generally limited to brief screening questions at the first visit, and the risks are not discussed or explained (except for high-risk women). Key conclusions: both groups expressed comfort with the idea of discussing alcohol consumption, but lacked knowledge of the risk and recommendation, and it appears that this opportunity to provide women with information is under-utilised. Implications for practice: there is a need to provide midwives with accurate information about the risks of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and effective communication tools to encourage them to discuss the risks and recommendations with their patients.

Research paper thumbnail of Women'S Awareness of Cancer Symptoms: A Review of the Literature

Women's Health, Sep 1, 2012

Improvements in cancer detection and treatment have led to consistent declines in mortality from ... more Improvements in cancer detection and treatment have led to consistent declines in mortality from many cancers. However, many patients present for treatment at a point where more invasive treatment is required and/or treatment outcomes are less than optimal. One factor that has been consistently shown to be associated with late diagnosis and treatment is delay in seeking help for symptoms. This paper reviews the literature on women's awareness of cancer symptoms and aims to identify knowledge gaps that need to be addressed in order to improve help-seeking behaviors. The discovery of substantial gaps in awareness suggest a need for improved community education regarding cancer symptoms.

Research paper thumbnail of Methodological difficulties in a systematic review of social marketing for sun protection: implications for research and practice

This paper reports on a systematic review of all published skin cancer primary prevention interve... more This paper reports on a systematic review of all published skin cancer primary prevention interventions aimed at improving the sun protection of children and adolescents, from 1980 to 2005. This was undertaken to inform the development of future social marketing campaigns for the prevention of skin cancer. Rather than reporting the findings of the review, in terms of conclusions drawn about the effectiveness of interventions, this paper focuses on the systematic review process itself-identifying and discussing the methodological difficulties that arose in conducting this review. These difficulties, from lack of information on the development and theoretical background of interventions through to lack of sufficient data to quantify study outcomes, severely limit our ability to draw conclusions as to the relative effectiveness of different types of programs. There is a need for authors to consistently provide the information that is necessary to enable a systematic comparison of interventions if we are to utilise published research to further our understanding of effective strategies and consequently improve practice.

Research paper thumbnail of Using health risk assessments to target and tailor: An innovative social marketing program in aged care facilities

Ms Joanne Telenta works as a Research Project Manager in The Centre for Health Initiatives and ha... more Ms Joanne Telenta works as a Research Project Manager in The Centre for Health Initiatives and has contributed to social marketing research in the areas of autism spectrum disorders, sun protection for adolescents, pregnant women and alcohol consumption, injecting drug users, and a number of cancer projects with The NSW Cancer Council. She also has extensive project management experience in clinical trials research in both Australia and Europe.

Research paper thumbnail of Don\u27t let the sun get under your skin: Targeting adolescent sun protection with a novel social marketing campaign

The adolescent demographic is signifi cantly different in how it perceives and performs sun prote... more The adolescent demographic is signifi cantly different in how it perceives and performs sun protection; it therefore needs interventions which acknowledge this difference, developing messages and strategies to minimize the barriers to sun protection and providing salient benefi ts that can be realized in the short rather than long term

Research paper thumbnail of Women\u27s awareness of cancer symptoms: a review of the literature

Improvements in cancer detection and treatment have led to consistent declines in mortality from ... more Improvements in cancer detection and treatment have led to consistent declines in mortality from many cancers. However, many patients present for treatment at a point where more invasive treatment is required and/or treatment outcomes are less than optimal. One factor that has been consistently shown to be associated with late diagnosis and treatment is delay in seeking help for symptoms. This paper reviews the literature on women\u27s awareness of cancer symptoms and aims to identify knowledge gaps that need to be addressed in order to improve help-seeking behaviors. The discovery of substantial gaps in awareness suggest a need for improved community education regarding cancer symptoms

Research paper thumbnail of Promoting respite for carers of people with dementia: a case study of social marketing effectiveness in hard to reach audiences

Journal of Social Marketing

Purpose This study aims to describe the development and approach of a theory-informed social mark... more Purpose This study aims to describe the development and approach of a theory-informed social marketing intervention that aimed to promote respite for carers of people with dementia. Despite a high need for respite, carers of people with dementia are often low users of available respite services. The reasons for this are complex, including knowledge, attitudinal, behavioural and systemic barriers. In the context of an aging population, effective strategies to support respite use by carers of people with dementia are needed. Design/methodology/approach Via formative research, the authors gained an in-depth understanding of a hard-to-reach and vulnerable group (carers of people with dementia). The resulting intervention informed, persuaded and supported carers to rethink the use of respite addressing specific barriers to service use. The intervention was evaluated using a naturalistic effects model. Findings Carers of people with dementia who were exposed to community-level campaign ac...

Research paper thumbnail of The Characteristics of the Literature

Women's awareness of cancer symptoms: a review of the literature Improvements in cancer dete... more Women's awareness of cancer symptoms: a review of the literature Improvements in cancer detection and treatment have led to consistent declines in mortality from many cancers. However, many patients present for treatment at a point where more invasive treatment is required and/or treatment outcomes are less than optimal. One factor that has been consistently shown to be associated with late diagnosis and treatment is delay in seeking help for symptoms. This paper reviews the literature on women's awareness of cancer symptoms and aims to identify knowledge gaps that need to be addressed in order to improve help-seeking behaviors. The discovery of substantial gaps in awareness suggest a need for improved community education regarding cancer symptoms.

Research paper thumbnail of Knowledge, help-seeking and efficacy to find respite services: an exploratory study in help-seeking carers of people with dementia in the context of aged care reforms

BMC Geriatrics, 2019

Background: Research highlights the need for carers of people with dementia to acquire relevant a... more Background: Research highlights the need for carers of people with dementia to acquire relevant and timely information to assist them to access appropriate respite services. Unfortunately, negative experiences of information-seeking can create additional stress for carers and contribute to delays in uptake , or not using respite services at all. Methods: Cross-sectional survey data was collected from a convenience sample of n = 84 carers of older people with dementia living in the Illawarra-Shoalhaven region of NSW, Australia. We assessed knowledge, attitudes, information seeking behaviours, and unmet need for respite services in 2016, following national aged care reforms. Results: Over the previous 12 months, 86% of carers sought respite service information. The majority (73%) of all carers reported an unmet need for respite services, and were relying on personal networks to provide support for respite information. Few utilised the new government gateway 'My Aged Care' phone line (11%) or website (25%). However, 35% used a pre-existing helpline to access short term or emergency respite. We found a preference for interpersonal information sources, including local doctor (65%), professionally and volunteer led carer support groups (49%), and family and friends (46%). Those using four or more information sources showed higher capacity to name local respite services. Respite service information seekers were more likely to be caring for someone with behavioural problems, to have received assistance to access services, and to have used respite services in the past 3 to 6 months. Conclusions: New reforms in the Australian aged care sector have not adequately responded to the needs of carers of people with dementia for respite service information and support. Wider, community-based messaging promoting positive service options and the provision of active personal support is required to address the unmet need for respite in carers of people with dementia.

Research paper thumbnail of Guidelines for the development of social marketing programmes for sun protection among adolescents and young adults

Public Health, 2009

Skin cancer is a very real and prominent health problem for Australians. For adolescents in parti... more Skin cancer is a very real and prominent health problem for Australians. For adolescents in particular, despite adequate knowledge levels, they are continuing to have negative sun safe behaviours as attitudinal and social factors overpower health promotion efforts. Through a comprehensive literature review, competitors to health promotion are addressed and the need for a more comprehensive strategy for behaviour change is outlined. Social marketing is introduced as a potential and effective strategy in behaviour change interventions. It is believed to be far more appropriate for hard to change behaviours such as adolescent sun protection, as it uses to go beyond mere education and addresses the underlying issues.

Research paper thumbnail of Teaching critical appraisal skills for Nursing research

Nurse Education in Practice, 2011

Background: Evidence-based practice is a major focus in nursing, yet the literature continues to ... more Background: Evidence-based practice is a major focus in nursing, yet the literature continues to document a research-practice gap. Reasons for this gap stem partly from a lack of skills to critique and synthesize the literature, a lack of search skills and difficulty in understanding research articles, and limited knowledge of research by nursing professionals. Method: An innovative and quality driven subject to improve critical appraisal and critical thinking skills was developed for the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Indigenous Health at the University of Wollongong, based on formative research with postgraduate students and supervisors. Through face-to-face and online teaching modules students worked through a structured process of analysing the key aspects of published papers using structured analysis tools for each study design. Results: Pre and post surveys of students found improvements in perceived knowledge of all key skills of critical appraisal. External independent evaluation determined that it was a high quality subject showing many hallmarks of good assessment practice and good practice in use of information and communication technology (ICT) in support of the learning outcomes.

Research paper thumbnail of Midwives and pregnant women talk about alcohol: what advice do we give and what do they receive?

Midwifery, 2011

Background: the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recently revised ... more Background: the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recently revised its guidelines for alcohol consumption during pregnancy and breast feeding, moving from a recommendation of minimising intake to one of abstinence. Women are potentially exposed to a variety of messages about alcohol and pregnancy, including from the media and social contacts, and are likely to see midwives as the source of expert advice in understanding these contradictory messages. Objective: to explore the advice that midwives believe they give to pregnant women about alcohol consumption, and the advice that pregnant women believe they receive; the knowledge and attitudes of both groups regarding alcohol consumption and the consistency with the NHMRC guidelines; and the receptivity and comfort of both groups in discussing alcohol consumption in the context of antenatal appointments. Design: individual semi-structured interviews with midwives and pregnant women. Setting: face-to-face interviews with midwives and telephone interviews with pregnant women were conducted in two regional areas of New South Wales in 2008-2009. Participants: 12 midwives and 12 pregnant women. Findings: midwives and pregnant women consistently agreed that conversations about alcohol are generally limited to brief screening questions at the first visit, and the risks are not discussed or explained (except for high-risk women). Key conclusions: both groups expressed comfort with the idea of discussing alcohol consumption, but lacked knowledge of the risk and recommendation, and it appears that this opportunity to provide women with information is under-utilised. Implications for practice: there is a need to provide midwives with accurate information about the risks of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and effective communication tools to encourage them to discuss the risks and recommendations with their patients.

Research paper thumbnail of University of Wollongong Research Online Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences- Papers

Methodological difficulties in a systematic review of social marketing for sun protection: implic... more Methodological difficulties in a systematic review of social marketing for sun protection: implications for research and practice

Research paper thumbnail of Using health risk assessments to target and tailor: An innovative social marketing program in aged care facilities

The number of Australians over the age of 65 years is expected to double by 2021. Many older Aust... more The number of Australians over the age of 65 years is expected to double by 2021. Many older Australians suffer from one or more chronic diseases including cancer, coronary heart disease, respiratory diseases (AIHW, 2009) resulting in increased morbidity and mortality, lower quality of life and a higher need for health care (Hickey and Stilwell, 1991). There is increasing evidence that the adoption of healthy lifestyles can have significant benefits even into older age (Haveman-Nies et al, 2002). This project utilized a social marketing framework to support aged residents of retirement homes to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviours to improve their health.

Research paper thumbnail of Rethinking respite in Australia: A naturalistic effect study of a multicomponent community program to promote respite knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of carers of people with dementia

Health & social care in the community, 2020

'Rethink Respite' was a prospective, naturalistic cohort study conducted in the Illawarra... more 'Rethink Respite' was a prospective, naturalistic cohort study conducted in the Illawarra-Shoalhaven (NSW, Australia) to improve knowledge, attitudes and uptake of respite strategies in carers of people with dementia. A convenience sample of n = 70 carers were recruited in 2014-15 to establish a baseline for knowledge, attitudes and use of respite for a cohort of carers in the region. Carer perceived need for respite, burden and self-efficacy were also assessed. A co-designed multi-component community-based intervention was subsequently rolled at in the region from 2015 to 2016. The intervention supported: awareness raising media; carer education sessions; access to web and print respite information resources; and an option to participate in a tailored one-on-one in-home coaching program. At program completion, a follow-up survey was administered to the cohort, with n = 44/70 responding. All n = 44 respondents reported participation in and exposure to 'Rethink Respite' media, information and education during the intervention period. Eighteen of the 44 also self-selected to receive the active tailored coaching support. At follow-up, few positive results were reported on the assessed carer variables for the cohort over time. However, post hoc sub-group analyses found those who also self-selected to receive active support (provided through coaching) (n = 18), showed improvements to their respite knowledge, attitudes and self-efficacy (p < .05). Intention to use respite, and levels of personal gain from caring in this sub-group also increased (p < .05). In contrast, carers who only participated in the informational/educational aspects of the program (and did not self-select to the respite coaching), experienced negative changes over time to their respite beliefs and 'role captivity'. Overall, this pilot study suggests that passive respite information and educational strategies are insufficient, without more active supports (tailored respite coaching) to address observed carer decline over time. Future research should seek to replicate these results using a larger sample and an experimental design.

Research paper thumbnail of ‘Rethink Respite’: An Innovative Community Pilot Intervention for Carers of People with Dementia to Improve Knowledge About, Attitudes Toward, and Use of Respite Services and Strategies

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluating the effects of a physical activity on agitation and wandering (PAAW) experienced by individuals living with a dementia in care homes

Journal of Research in Nursing

Evaluating the effects of a physical activity on agitation and wandering (PAAW) experienced by in... more Evaluating the effects of a physical activity on agitation and wandering (PAAW) experienced by individuals living with a dementia in care homes Abstract Aim and Methods: The aim was to evaluate the implementation of a structured physical activity (PA) programme for individuals living with a dementia in care homes. More specifically, the study aimed to test the effects on the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) using the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory and Algase Wandering Scale. The study was undertaken over 16 weeks using a quasiexperimental design. Registered nurses, physiotherapists, assistants in nursing and physiotherapy aids from one aged care organisation in NSW, Australia, undertook the study with academics. Results: A total of 72 individuals living with a dementia from four care homes participated. Implementation of the structured PA programme generated statistically significant findings with reductions in agitation (p < 0.001) and eloping (p = 0.001) achieved for individuals living with a dementia in care homes. Conclusions: Physiotherapists and exercise physiologists can complement nursing-focused care teams and contribute to a holistic model of care for individuals living with dementia in care homes. The study demonstrated how a structured PA programme positively affected the levels of agitation and wandering experienced by individuals living with a dementia. Individuals living with a dementia in care homes who participated in a structured PA experienced positive outcomes from the programme. The findings demonstrated that they benefited from the programme and PA should be promoted for this group just as it is for other population groups, including general populations of older people.

Research paper thumbnail of Methodological difficulties in a systematic review of social marketing for sun protection: implications for research and practice

This paper reports on a systematic review of all published skin cancer primary prevention interve... more This paper reports on a systematic review of all published skin cancer primary prevention interventions aimed at improving the sun protection of children and adolescents, from 1980 to 2005. This was undertaken to inform the development of future social marketing campaigns for the prevention of skin cancer. Rather than reporting the findings of the review, in terms of conclusions drawn about the effectiveness of interventions, this paper focuses on the systematic review process itself-identifying and discussing the methodological difficulties that arose in conducting this review. These difficulties, from lack of information on the development and theoretical background of interventions through to lack of sufficient data to quantify study outcomes, severely limit our ability to draw conclusions as to the relative effectiveness of different types of programs. There is a need for authors to consistently provide the information that is necessary to enable a systematic comparison of interventions if we are to utilise published research to further our understanding of effective strategies and consequently improve practice.

Research paper thumbnail of Don't let the sun get under your skin: Targeting adolescent sun protection with a novel social marketing campaign

Research paper thumbnail of Using health risk assessments to target and tailor: An innovative social marketing program in aged care facilities

Using health risk assessments to target and tailor: An innovative social Using health risk assess... more Using health risk assessments to target and tailor: An innovative social Using health risk assessments to target and tailor: An innovative social marketing program in aged care facilities. marketing program in aged care facilities.