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A case study of clustering in regional Australia : Public policies and private action

A comparative study of antipsychotic medication taking in people with schizophrenia

  • Authors: McCann, Terence , Deans, Cecil , Clark, Eileen , Lu, Sai
  • Date: 2008
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: International Journal of Mental Health Nursing Vol. 17, no. 6 (2008), p. 428-438
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  • Description: Medication adherence is problematic in all chronic illnesses, none more so than in individuals with schizophrenia. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the factors that impacted upon antipsychotic medication taking in people with schizophrenia living in regional-rural and metropolitan Victoria, Australia, and to assess if differences existed between these two groups of participants in the factors that affected medication taking. The Factors Influencing Neuroleptic Medication Taking Scale was used with a non-probability survey sample of 81 people with schizophrenia. Ethics approval was given by university and hospital ethics committees. The results showed, overall, that there were no significant differences between the sets of participants in several demographic characteristics, insight, stigma, substance abuse, types of antipsychotic medications, significant others' support, and access to case managers and general practitioners. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups concerning living circumstances, involvement in religious/spiritual activities, perceived impact of medication side-effects, and access to psychiatrists. However, there were no statistically significant relationships between these factors and medication omission. The implications of the findings for consumers, mental health nurse case managers, families, mental health service provision, and further research, are considered. © 2008 The Authors.

A framework for Australian Universities and public libraries supporting regional, rural and remote students

  • Authors: Partridge, Helen , Power, Emma , Ostini, Jenny , Owen, Sue , Pizzani, Blanca
  • Date: 2021
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association Vol. 70, no. 4 (2021), p. 391-404
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  • Description: University students living in regional, rural and remote (RRR) communities of Australia face unique challenges including geographical isolation, lack of access to face-to-face support, and technological barriers. This paper outlines a project funded by the Australian Government’s Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program that was undertaken by five universities with significant enrolments of students from low socio-economic backgrounds living in RRR communities. The project established a Framework for Australian Universities and Public Libraries Supporting Regional, Rural and Remote Students that provides a set of strategic recommendations that will guide the development of accessible, relevant and sustainable study and learning support to meet the needs of low socio-economic students living in RRR communities. This national project provided a unique opportunity for Australia’s universities and public libraries to work together in order to ‘future proof’ the education of students from low socio-economic backgrounds living in regional and remote communities. © 2021 Helen Partridge, Emma Power, Jenny Ostini, Sue Owen and Blanca Pizzani.

A possible me? Inspiring learning among regional young people for the future world of work

  • Authors: Glowrey, Cheryl , Levy, Stuart , Green, Monica , Fletcher, Anna , Plunkett, Margaret
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Book chapter
  • Relation: Inclusion, equity, diversity, and social justice in education: a critical exploration of the sustainable development goals Chapter 8 p. 109-124
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  • Description: This chapter examines discourses that address the obstacles confronting regional youth transitioning to the future world of work (WoW). Mainstream discourses associated with cultural capital and youth aspirations tend to be deficit focused, highlighting perceived challenges and limitations. As such, this chapter adopts new lenses using possible selves and self-determination theories to inform strategic approaches to support youth transitions into the future WoW in the Latrobe Valley, Australia. These support the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, Quality Education, which promotes educational opportunities that contribute towards a progressive and healthy society. They also link closely to SDG 8, Decent Work and Economic Growth. It is widely accepted that schools, families, industries and communities in partnership have vital roles in preparing young people for the changing WoW and their future lives. The literature informing this chapter identified that interventions to sustain Middle Years student aspirations require active rather than passive experiences with the WoW and are particularly pertinent for regions such as the Latrobe Valley, as they transition away from trades related work roles to an uncertain future. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023.

A scoping review of community-based adult suicide prevention initiatives in rural and regional australia

  • Authors: Dabkowski, Elissa , Porter, Joanne , Barbagallo, Michael , Prokopiv, Valerie , Jackson, Megan
  • Date: 2022
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol. 19, no. 12 (2022), p.
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  • Description: The need for continued research into suicide prevention strategies is undeniable, with high global statistics demonstrating the urgency of this public health issue. In Australia, approximately 3000 people end their lives each year, with those living in rural and regional areas identified as having a higher risk of dying by suicide. Due to decreased access and support services in these areas, community-based suicide prevention initiatives provide opportunities to educate and support local communities. A scoping review was conducted to explore the literature pertaining to such programs in rural and/or regional communities in Australia. This review follows the five-stage Arksey and O’Malley (2005) framework and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist. Nine databases were searched, from which studies were considered eligible if suicide prevention programs were community-based and catered for adults (aged

Action research methods : Case study

Adult deterioration detection system (ADDS) : An evaluation of the impact on met and code blue activations in a regional healthcare service

  • Authors: Missen, Karen , Porter, Joanne , Raymond, Anita , de Vent, Kerry , Larkins, Jo-Ann
  • Date: 2018
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Collegian Vol. 25, no. 2 (2018), p. 157-161
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  • Description: Aims: To evaluate the impact of Acute Deterioration Detection System (ADDS) charts introduced to a regional healthcare service. Background: To assist health professionals in identifying essential elements for recognizing patient clinical deterioration, a national initiative introduced track and trigger observation charts, to hospitals in Australia. This study investigated whether the introduction of ADDS charts had an impact on the number of Medical Emergency Team (MET) and Code Blue activations at one regional healthcare service, according to their incident recording database. Method: A retrospective study of all Code Blue and MET activations was undertaken at a regional hospital, pre and post the introduction of ADDS charts in a two year period, June 2012 to June 2014. Results: There was a significant increase in MET activations from 5.91 to 11.27 per 1000 admissions (p < 0.01) after the implementation of ADDS charts. There was also an unexplained non-significant increase from 0.50 to 0.88 per 1000 admissions in the activations of Code Blue during this period (p = 0.05). It was also found that ADDS charts did not overly influence the activation criteria for calling a MET/Code Blue, except for an increase in reports of high heart rate and a decrease in the use of the criteria ‘worried’. Conclusion: The introduction of ADDS charts has provided health professionals with a clear track and trigger set of criteria, improving the detection of early signs of deterioration in patients. This study demonstrated an increase in activations as a result of the introduction of ADDS charts in one regional healthcare service.

Chronic ill health in a regional Victoria setting: A 13-year comparison

  • Authors: Glenister, Kristen , Bourke, Lisa , Terry, Daniel , Simmons, David
  • Date: 2019
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Australian Journal of Rural Health Vol. 27, no. 6 (2019), p. 527-534
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  • Description: Objective: High-quality data regarding the prevalence of chronic disease in rural areas are essential in understanding the challenges faced by rural populations and for informing strategies to address health care needs. This study compared the prevalence of a range of self-reported chronic conditions and utilisation of GP services and emergency department in a regional Victorian setting between two studies conducted in the same region in 2001-2003 and 2014. Design: Repeat cross-sectional studies conducted over a decade apart. Setting: The projects were conducted in the Goulburn Valley in regional Victoria. Participants: The earlier study randomly selected households from local government lists. The later study randomly selected householders from the telephone directory. Main outcome measures: Participants were asked whether they had been diagnosed with a range of chronic health conditions and how often they had visited a general practitioner or emergency department in the past 12 months. Results: The age-standardised prevalence of depression was higher in the 2014 study than the 2001-2003 study in men (increased by 8.0% (95% CI 4.5, 11.5%)) and women (increased by 13.7% (95% CI 8.4, 19.0%)). Similarly, the prevalence of age-standardised diabetes and hypertension was higher in 2014 than 2001-2003 (men increased by 3.6% (95% CI 0.7, 6.5% (diabetes)) and 13.6% (95% CI 8.6, 18.6% (hypertension)), women increased by 3.1% (95% CI 0.3, 6.5% (diabetes)) and 8.4% (95% CI 2.3, 14.5% (hypertension))). Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the prevalence of self-reported depression, diabetes and hypertension has increased in this regional Victorian area over the past 13 years. The reasons for these observed increases and the subsequent impact on the health care needs of regional communities warrants further investigation. © 2019 National Rural Health Alliance Ltd.

Closing the loop between research and sustainable regional development

  • Authors: Schwarz, Imogen , McRae-Williams, Pamela
  • Date: 2008
  • Type: Text , Conference paper
  • Relation: Paper presented at 12th SEGRA Conference 2008 : Creative Solutions - expect them to be different, Albury, New South Wales : 18th-20th August 2008
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  • Description: There is continued debate between researchers, policy makers and regional communities on the effectiveness of research in identifying and engaging with regional issues and transferring this research to facilitate polices and initiatives that are adaptive and relevant. This paper reviews these current trends in thinking and describes a model of regional engagement where researchers, decision makers and community are beginning to work together to establish an effective framework to facilitate adaptive decision making, social learning and participatory research initiatives at a regional scale. The paper describes the evolution of the Water in Drylands Collaborative Research Program (WIDCORP) in Western Victoria. The model provides insights and highlights difficulties in converting research into creative solutions for sustainable regional development. Co-location, bridging partnerships across disciplines to deliver regional research needs, and developing good communication are key elements of this model. It also suggests that models of this type may be a stepping stone to integrate research into regional development decision making.
  • Description: 2003006872

Continuing professional development of allied health professionals : A regional study

  • Authors: Schenk, Peter
  • Date: 2022
  • Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
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  • Description: Background The Australian healthcare system is challenged by an ageing population and lifestyle risk factors that disproportionately affect people in regional (non-metropolitan) geographic regions. In addition, the allied health professionals who work in knowledge-intensive occupations in regional Victoria face barriers regarding profession related learning. Allied health professionals provide diagnostic and therapeutic patient care services, and within these professions, healthcare diagnoses and treatments are expected by society and government to be founded on scientific evidence. Therefore, remaining up-to-date with rapidly developing knowledge requires continuing professional development (CPD). Purpose This study explores pertinent issues affecting the CPD programs of allied health professionals and the interaction with regional Victorian public hospitals’ knowledge management (KM) approaches. Consequently, the study identifies opportunities for improving profession related learning, enhancing evidence-based practice and the efficacy of diagnoses and treatments. The proposed outcome of this study addresses perceived inadequacies of allied health professionals’ CPD and its contribution to medical errors. Furthermore, greater availability and effectiveness of profession related learning in these occupations should improve patients’ health outcomes. The study described in this thesis answers the primary research question: 1) What factors significantly influence the availability and effectiveness of continuing professional development (CPD) for allied health professionals (radiographers, sonographers and physiotherapists)? In addition, it also answers the secondary research question: 2) How can the findings of this research be represented to improve the CPD of allied health professionals and knowledge management (KM) in regional Victorian public hospitals? Methodology This study explores subjective phenomena involving human behaviour; therefore, the philosophical foundations of this study are post-positivist, with knowledge claims of interpretivist research. This research employs multi-site embedded case studies, defined as empirical enquiries investigating contemporary phenomena in real-world contexts. Therefore, they are suitable for this investigation, where participant experiences and contexts are equally important. Case selection in this study expresses regionalism through remoteness classifications of inner and outer regional areas, and hospital size comparing small/medium and large/referral regional hospitals. The 37 respondents to semi-structured interviews include hospital managers and purposefully selected allied health professionals (radiographers, sonographers and physiotherapists). The interviews were conducted from March to June 2017, with thematic analysis completed thereafter. Results Respondents in this study propose a holistic concept of CPD, encompassing all profession related learning opportunities, including learning from CPD activities and practice-based learning. Furthermore, the allied health professionals had various motivations for undertaking CPD, including maintaining and enhancing profession related knowledge, personal interest, supporting hospital needs, and meeting mandatory requirements. In addition, they discussed the factors that influenced their CPD planning, including their preference for formal face-to-face CPD activities, the availability of hospital-provided or local CPD activities, online learning, and overcoming barriers of their regional location. Finally, the factors influencing allied health professionals’ CPD include their planning of CPD programs, the influence of hospitals’ KM, and the competencies they consider necessary for good practice. Conclusion The thematic analysis in this study represents this study’s findings as a normative conceptual model in answer to the secondary research question. The Model of Allied Health Professionals’ CPD (described in section 6.7) proffers a heuristic framework depicting reflective feedback and the process of deliberative planning of CPD. Extrapolating knowledge from the literature and respondents’ experiences with CPD, the model’s elements include interrelationships between allied health professionals’ CPD planning and activities, hospitals’ approaches to KM, and informal workplace learning. Furthermore, the combined outcomes of CPD and KM contribute to allied health professionals’ competencies and expertise, presumably contributing to improving patients’ healthcare, including diagnoses and treatments.
  • Description: Doctor of Philosophy

Coping with stigma : Coming out and living as lesbians and gay men in regional and rural areas in the context of rural confidentiality and social exclusion

  • Authors: Gottschalk, Lorene
  • Date: 2007
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Rural Social Work and Community Practice Vol. 12, no. 2 (2007), p. 31-46
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  • Description: The lesbian and gay community largely depend on each other to organise services and support. This informal system (in that it is removed from the State) enjoys some success in Melbourne where there is a sizeable lesbian and gay population, but does not work so well in regional and rural Victoria where the lesbian and gay population is smaller and more dispersed. This study, conducted for the Department of Human Services (Grampians Region) in Victoria, found that gay men and lesbians experience similar types of stigma and discrimination in rural areas as those in urban centres, but that this was exacerbated by the lack of anonymity in the smaller communities. Furthermore it was found that few services and little support were available for lesbians and gay men in regional and rural areas and indeed were difficult to provide in the context of rural confidentiality and social exclusion.
  • Description: C1
  • Description: 2003005681

Creating and sustaining online communities : Web-based services meeting the diverse needs of regional and rural Australia

Exploring hospital inpatients’ awareness of their falls risk : a qualitative exploratory study

  • Authors: Dabkowski, Elissa , Cooper, Simon , Duncan, Jhodie , Missen, Karen
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol. 20, no. 1 (2023), p.
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  • Description: Patient falls in hospital may lead to physical, psychological, social and financial impacts. Understanding patients’ perceptions of their fall risk will help to direct fall prevention strategies and understand patient behaviours. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions and experiences that influence a patient’s understanding of their fall risk in regional Australian hospitals. Semi-structured, individual interviews were conducted in wards across three Australian hospitals. Participants were aged 40 years and over, able to communicate in English and were mobile prior to hospital admission. Participants were excluded from the study if they returned a Standardised Mini-Mental State Examination (SMMSE) score of less than 18 when assessed by the researcher. A total of 18 participants with an average age of 69.8 years (SD ± 12.7, range 41 to 84 years) from three regional Victorian hospitals were interviewed for this study. Data were analysed using a reflexive thematic analysis identifying three major themes; (1) Environment (extrinsic) (2) Individual (intrinsic), and (3) Outcomes, as well as eight minor themes. Participants recognised the hazardous nature of a hospital and their personal responsibilities in staying safe. Falls education needs to be consistently delivered, with the focus on empowering the patient to help them adjust to changes in their clinical condition, whether temporary or permanent. © 2022 by the authors.

Exploring partnerships between public libraries and universities in regional low-socioeconomic communities : the student experience

  • Authors: Power, Emma , Partridge, Helen , Owen, Sue , Pizzani, Blanca
  • Date: 2022
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Higher Education Research and Development Vol. 41, no. 7 (2022), p. 2324-2337
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  • Description: Students from low-socioeconomic (low-SES) backgrounds living in rural, regional and remote (RRR) communities in Australia experience intersecting equity challenges and disadvantages impacting upon their study success. Using in-depth semi-structured interviews, this study explored the experience of 42 students living in low-SES RRR communities in Australia. More specifically, the study considers, from the student experience, how public libraries and universities can work in partnership to support study success. Thematic analysis revealed two key themes: ‘student as person’, encompassing RRR low-SES students’ context, lived experience and study needs; and ‘access’, describing key enablers and barriers to students’ access to key study needs and support from the public library in their local areas, and their university. This study shows that collaboration between universities and public libraries through understanding of the needs, context and experience of RRR low-SES students can initiate and inform targeted action to help support these students, increase inclusion and belonging, and facilitate student success. © 2021 HERDSA.

Frog bogs, turbines and biodiversity : bringing children's sustainability knowledge to life through handmade artefacts

  • Authors: Green, Monica
  • Date: 2019
  • Type: Text , Book chapter
  • Relation: Educational researchers and the regional university : agents of regional-global transformations p. 153-172
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  • Description: Globally, sustainability is a complex and contested term with multiple meanings and interpretations. This chapter highlights research that was undertaken by a FUGuE (Federation University Australia Gippsland) academic who used a participatory arts-based methodology to frame research with Gippsland children involved in sustainability education. The study originated from the author's involvement in the Regional Centre of Expertise in Education for Sustainable Development (known as RCE Gippsland), a global network of formal, non-formal and informal education organisations responsible for the mobilisation of education for sustainable development (ESD). Drawing on RCE Gippsland's inaugural Sustainable Schools Expo, an event that supports primary school students to engage in sustainability themes and workshops and share their respective education for sustainability initiatives, the study involved working with children who were keynote Expo speakers. A key innovation of the study was the use of sustainability artefacts created by children, which represented their sustainability learning and knowledge and were used in recorded dialogical conversations. Findings from the study highlight regional children's well-developed views about the state of the world, including their concern for humankind's impact on planetary sustainability and the subsequent decline of ecological systems locally and globally. Further to this, the immersion of regional children in places where they lived and learnt was highlighted as integral to their sustainability knowledge and understanding. The chapter concludes with a discussion about the methodological contributions of the study and its capacity to illustrate the voice of regional children and their place-oriented lifeworlds. © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2019. All rights are reserved.

Functional specialisation and socio-economic factors in population change : A clustering study in non-metropolitan Australia

  • Authors: Mardaneh, Karim
  • Date: 2015
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Urban Studies Vol. 53, no. 8 (2015), p. 1591-1616
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  • Description: Although research has examined population growth and decline using functional specialisation, little attention has been paid to the possible combined effects of functional specialisation and socio-economic factors on population change. Using the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census Data 2001–2006 for statistical local areas, this study presents an investigation of the role of both functional specialisation and socio-economic factors in population change in non-metropolitan areas under the sustenance framework. The uniqueness of the study is twofold. Conceptually it develops a framework to compare the combined role of functional specialisation and socio-economic factors on population change; and, empirically it uses data mining (cluster analysis) techniques to investigate the extent of this combined role. The results show the significance of both functional specialisation and socio-economic factors. Policy implications of the study indicate the need to examine regional development and population change in relation to functional specialisation and socio-economic factors and their impact on viability of non-metropolitan areas. © Urban Studies Journal Limited 2015.

Gippsland regional labour force participation report

  • Authors: Taylor, Philip , Carter, Corey , O'Loughlin, Andrew
  • Date: 2022
  • Type: Text , Technical report , Report
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  • Description: This report details the findings of research that considered issues of low labour force participation in the Latrobe-Gippsland Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4), from here on simplified to ‘Gippsland’. The project commenced in June 2021 and was completed in June 2022. It comprised a review of academic and ‘grey’ literature, analysis of a range of existing national, State, and local quantitative datasets and was supplemented by primary qualitative research. The objectives were to understand the factors influencing labour force participation and to make recommendations as to interventions that will raise this for specific groups. In synthesising data from a range of sources, and in collecting data from and engaging in a dialogue with community stakeholders the study also contributed to capacity building at the local level.

Hidden treasures: The methodological challenges of unearthing older gay men

  • Authors: Morris, Simon
  • Date: 2006
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Gay and Lesbian Issues and Psychology Review Vol. 2, no. 3 (2006), p. 145-148
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  • Description: The invisibility of older gay men from any readily identifiable sampling frame has contributed to a paucity of research about this population. A number of methodological challenges must be overcome to reach these older gay men and research their experiences. Factors thought to contribute to this invisibility include the abscence of older gay men who are more likely to live in surburban and regional areas. Research efforts to recruit these men have traditionally been resource in small sample sizes. Alternative recruitment methods are discussed including the use of Internet, email, newsgroups and snowball sampling.
  • Description: C1
  • Description: 2003001865

Increasing the digital literacy skills of regional SMEs through high-speed broadband access

  • Authors: Ollerenshaw, Alison , Corbett, Jennifer , Thompson, Helen
  • Date: 2021
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Small Enterprise Research Vol. 28, no. 2 (May 2021), p. 115-133
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  • Description: Universal challenges exist for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) in regional and rural areas to utilize digital technologies for entrepreneurial advancement. Barriers include insufficient understanding of digital technologies and a lack of skills necessary for digital adoption. In Australia, training programs were introduced to enhance the digital uptake for the business and community sectors. Research was conducted to examine the impact on participants’ perceived digital literacy awareness and knowledge of online services, and their skills development. Survey data was collected from program participants (n = 101) comprising SMEs and not-for-profit organizations (NFP), and from program mentors/facilitators (n = 9). The findings show that training supports knowledge transfer, learning and skills development, fostering confidence about digital technologies. It is recommended that ongoing training is delivered regionally so that SMEs and NFPs can exploit digital innovations within their businesses and organizations.

Networking tourism SMEs : E-commerce and e-marketing issues in regional Australia

  • Authors: Braun, Patrice
  • Date: 2002
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Information Technology and Tourism Vol. 5, no. 1 (2002), p. 13-23
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  • Description: Networks, knowledge, and relationships have become crucial assets to business survival in the new economy. Research indicates that network building is a major new source of competitive advantage and an essential regional and indeed global management requirement. Because regional policies encourage interfirm alliances and the development of regional economic communities, the fostering of a culture of connectivity, networking, learning, and trust between regional Australian small and medium- size tourism enterprises (SMTEs) may offer a potential solution to the possible loss of competitive advantage for Australian tourism enterprises. It is suggested that SMTEs would benefit from increased information flow through regional networking and cooperative e-marketing campaigns to enhance market visibility, global positioning, and strategic leverage in the new economy.
  • Description: C1
  • Description: 2003000256