Building research capacity in gerontology : Experiences and lessons form Australia
- Authors: Bartlett, Helen , Carroll, Matthew
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: The Asian gerontologial experience : Capacity building in social gerontology training and translational research in Asia Chapter 4 p. 76-90
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- Description: Over the past decade, increased policy attention on the consequences of demographic ageing in Australia has led to a more focused research agenda on ageing, greater funding opportunities and raised awareness and recognition of gerontology as an important field of study. Research capacity building efforts in ageing have been considerable and have improved collaboration between the policy, research and service sectors, raising expectations of research funding streams and translation of research into policy and practice. The discourse on ageing has also shifted gradually from a deficit model to focus more on healthy, active or productive ageing, indicating a broader multidisciplinary approach and more positive perceptions of ageing. This shift in focus has enabled social gerontology to flourish in Australia, with a number of ageing research centres having social gerontology streams. While much has been achieved over this period, there are ongoing challenges in sustaining the progress made to date and in building research capacity that has longer-term strategic prospects. This paper outlines Australia’s efforts to build research capacity in gerontology over the past decade, examining key successes and future challenges, with consideration of how this experience may be relevant to Asia.
Preventing social isolation in later life : Findings and insights from a pilot Queensland intervention study
- Authors: Bartlett, Helen , Warburton, Jeni , Lui, Chi-wai , Peach, Linda , Carroll, Matthew
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Ageing and Society Vol. 33, no. 7 (2013), p. 1167-1189
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- Description: The isolation of older people is recognised as a major social problem in contemporary Western society. While the risk factors and social or health outcomes of isolation and loneliness in later life are well documented, evidence regarding the effectiveness of programmes aimed at reducing social isolation in older people remains inconclusive. This paper reports on the challenges of attempting to undertake a rigorous evaluation of three demonstration pilot projects targeting older people at risk of social isolation, conducted within different social settings in Queensland, Australia. The demonstration projects were part of the Queensland Cross-Government Project to Reduce Social Isolation in Older People (CGPRSIOP) led by the Office for Seniors within the Queensland Department of Communities. In the absence of good evaluation of programmes aimed at social isolation, this government-run programme incorporated validated psychological measures to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. While use of these measures suggested some promising results, the focus of this paper is on the methodological and practical challenges associated with utilising evaluation measures in community-based interventions. The detailed consideration of the methodological issues involved in this programme highlights some key lessons and offers new insights into evaluating interventions for reducing social isolation.
Ageing well across cultures
- Authors: Carroll, Matthew , Bartlett, Helen
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Routledge Handbook of Cultural Gerontology Chapter 36 p. 285-292
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- Description: The active ageing appoach has become a leading global response to population ageing, having been widely adopted as a policy direction across the European Union (EU) and various national and local governments. This trend has been greatly influenced by the World Health Organization pulication of Active Ageing: A Policy Framework (WHO 2002), which has provided the basis for many national policies. The framework defined active ageing as 'the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age' (WHO 2002: 12). The WHO model conceptualises active ageing broadly as 'continuing participation in social, economic, cultural, spriitual and civic affairs, not just the ability to be physically active or to participate in the labour force', and highlights the importance of maintaining autonomy and independence (WHO 2002: 12). Both culture and gender are recognised in the WHO model as cross-cutting factors that have a major influence on active ageing. Given that it is over a decade since the release of the WHO Active Ageing Framework, it is timely to consider the impact of this initiative, particularly on how older people from different cultures and groups experience active ageing.
Connected environments for healthy aging
- Authors: Bartlett, Helen , Carroll, Matthew
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Nursing case studies on improving health-related quality of life in older adults Chapter 19 p. 213-222
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- Description: This globally focused resource integrates sound research evidence, real-life case scenarios, and effective, practical strategies to address a key health care initiative of the 21st century: optimal quality of life for older adults. Distinguished by its broad outlook, the book includes contributions from an international cadre of widely published scholars and is designed for easy integration into traditional nursing education curricula. The book explores the experiences of older adults at home, in assisted living, and in nursing home environments, examining their complex and wide-ranging health, spiritual, and emotional needs.
Why isn't there a plan? Community vulnerability and resilience in the Latrobe Valley's open cut coal mine towns
- Authors: Duffy, Michelle , Wood, Pamela , Whyte, Sue , Yell, Susan , Carroll, Matthew
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Responses to disasters and climate Change: Understanding vulnerability and fostering resilience Chapter 19 p. 199-209
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- Description: On February 9, 2014, the town of Morwell in Victoria, Australia, was confronted with several bushfires, resulting in a blaze at the Morwell open cut coal mine adjacent to the Hazelwood power station. For 45 days, the local communities were impacted by smoke, ash, and reports of raised carbon monoxide levels. The duration of the crisis placed an unprecedented strain on the capacity of the community and the authorities to adequately respond. Many see Morwell as vulnerable to future events because it is surrounded by coal mines, power stations, forests, and pine plantations. Drawing on interviews from key stakeholders in the community and a detailed analysis of media reports and social media, this chapter examines the factors that both harm and promote community resilience. It emphasizes the complexity of resilience and the importance of communal narratives as community members react to and recover from traumatic experiences and unknown futures.
An exploration of the trajectory of psychological distress associated with exposure to smoke during the 2014 Hazelwood coal mine fire
- Authors: Carroll, Matthew , Campbell, Timothy , Smith, Catherine , Gao, Caroline , Maybery, Darryl , Berger, Emily , Brown, David , Allgood, Shantelle , Broder, Jonathan , Ikin, Jillian , McFarlane, Alexander , Sim, Malcolm , Walker, Judi , Abramson, Michael
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health Vol. 241, no. (2022), p.
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- Description: Due to climate change, catastrophic events such as landscape fires are increasing in frequency and severity. However, relatively little is known about the longer-term mental health outcomes of such events. Follow-up was conducted of 709 adults exposed to smoke from the 2014 Hazelwood mine fire in Morwell, Victoria, Australia. Participants completed two surveys evaluating posttraumatic distress, measured using the Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R), three and six years after the mine fire. Mixed-effects regression models were used to evaluate longitudinal changes in distress. IES-R total scores increased on average by 2.6 points (95%CI: 1.2 to 3.9 points) between the two survey rounds, with increases across all three posttraumatic distress symptom clusters, particularly intrusive symptoms. This increase in distress was evident across all levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure to the mine fire smoke. Age was an effect modifier between mine fire PM2.5 exposure and posttraumatic distress, with younger adults impacted more by exposure to the mine fire. Greater exposure to PM2.5 from the mine fire was still associated with increased psychological distress some six years later, with the overall level of distress increasing between the two survey rounds. The follow-up survey coincided with the Black Summer bushfire season in south-eastern Australia and exposure to this new smoke event may have triggered distress sensitivities stemming from exposure to the earlier mine fire. Public health responses to disaster events should take into consideration prior exposures and vulnerable groups, particularly younger adults. © 2022 Elsevier GmbH
Impacts of coal mine fire-related PM2.5 on the utilisation of ambulance and hospital services for mental health conditions
- Authors: Carroll, Matthew , Gao, Caroline , Campbell, Timothy , Smith, Catherine , Dimitriadis, Christina , Berger, Emily , Maybery, Darryl , Ikin, Jillian , Abramson, Michael , Sim, Malcolm , McFarlane, Alexander , Smith, Karen , Guo, Yuming
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Atmospheric Pollution Research Vol. 13, no. 5 (2022), p.
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- Description: Climate change and an increase in the number of major fire events occurring around the world have drawn attention to the importance of understanding the association between air pollution events and mental health. In 2014, the Morwell open-cut brown coal mine adjacent to the Hazelwood power station in the Latrobe Valley region of Victoria, Australia, caught fire as a result of nearby wildfires, and exposed the local community to a prolonged period of deteriorated air quality. The aim of this study was to examine how exposure to coal mine fire-related fine particulate matter (PM2.5) during the event affected the utilisation of local health services (ambulance attendances; emergency department (ED) presentations; hospital admissions) for mental health conditions. A time-series analysis indicated that mine fire-related PM2.5 exposure was associated with short-term increases in ambulance attendances and ED presentations but not hospital admissions. To allow for delays between exposure and changes in service utilisation, different lag periods were assessed. The most prominent effects were observed over a 5-day lag period where, for each 10 μg/m3 increase in daily mean mine fire-related PM2.5, the risk of an ambulance attendance for anxiety increased by 38% (95%CI: 13%–69%) and the risk of an ED presentation for depression increased by 36% (95%CI: 3%–79%). Accordingly, ambulance and hospital services should expect to encounter an increase in the number of people seeking assistance for mental health conditions during extreme air pollution events and mechanisms need to be in place to ensure that surges in demand for mental health care during these circumstances can be accommodated. © 2022 Turkish National Committee for Air Pollution Research and Control
The psychological impacts of a smoke event on young adults compared to other aged adults in Victoria, Australia
- Authors: O'Donohue, Katelyn , Berger, Emily , McLean, Louise , Gao, Caroline , Broder, Jonathan , Abramson, Michael , Sim, Malcolm , Ikin, Jillian , Brown, David , Dimitriadis, Christina , Walker, Judi , Carroll, Matthew
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction Vol. 70, no. (2022), p.
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- Description: A cross-sectional survey of 3090 Morwell adults, including 446 young adults (18–34) was administered approximately 2.5 years following the 2014 Hazelwood smoke event in Morwell, Victoria. Young adults with higher smoke exposure tended to experience greater psychological distress than other ages. For every 10 (μg/m3) increase in exposure there was a 2.08 point increase in event related psychological distress for young adults (95% CI: 0.11 to 4.10) compared to no increase for adults aged 65 and over (−0.04; 95% CI: -0.75 to 0.67). A similar non-significant trend was identified for general psychological distress. Prior mental health conditions and prior traumatic event exposures also tended to place young adults at higher risk of general psychological distress. These findings have critical implications for intervening with young adults following prolonged smoke events. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd
The social justice issues of smoke im/mobilities
- Authors: Duffy, Michelle , Yell, Sue , Walker, Larissa , Morgan, Damian , Carroll, Matthew
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Geographer Vol. 54, no. 4 (2023), p. 573-587
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- Description: In 2014, the Hazelwood mine fire burned for 45 days. Local communities were impacted by smoke and ash, and there were reports of raised carbon monoxide levels. Local news and social media reported residents experiencing numerous physical symptoms of smoke inhalation, including bleeding noses, coughing, wheezing and chest tightness. Paper masks to filter particulate matter were made available to residents to wear outside. The dust and ash constantly seeped into homes and offices, which required cleaning daily and sometimes multiple times during the day. Smoke was free to move across physical and bodily boundaries while those most vulnerable were hampered by lack of movement: pregnant women, the elderly and children were advised to leave the area. However, this suggestion to ‘simply’ move ignored the context of a community disproportionately impacted through years of economic decline and societal change. This paper explores the unequal mobilities of smoke and people that arose as a result of this event and draws on concepts of mobility justice (Sheller 2018) and emergency mobilities (Adey 2016) to reflect on the political dimensions of uneven mobility in times of crisis. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.