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Australian Journal of Primary Health Australian Journal of Primary Health Society
The issues influencing community health services and primary health care
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Australian Journal of Primary Health

Australian Journal of Primary Health

Australian Journal of Primary Health publishes contributions on the theory and evidence-based practise of community health services and primary health care. Read more about the journalMore

Editors-in-Chief: Virginia Lewis and Liz Sturgiss

Publishing Model: Hybrid. Open Access options available.

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Latest

These articles are the latest published in the journal. Australian Journal of Primary Health has moved to a continuous publication model. More information is available on our Continuous Publication page.

Published online 19 September 2024

PY24042Codesigning a Community Health Navigator program to assist patients to transition from hospital to community

Mark F. Harris, An Tran, Mamta Porwal, Parisa Aslani, John Cullen, Anthony Brown, Elizabeth Harris, Ben Harris-Roxas, Fiona Doolan-Noble, Sara Javanparast, Michael Wright, Richard Osborne and Regina Osten
 

Community health workers have been demonstrated in overseas research to play a key role in supporting patients to prevent hospital readmission. This role is now emerging in Australia especially for vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. This study identifies the key potential roles in the Australian context and the training and supervision required.

PY24042 Abstract  |  PY24042 Full Text  | PY24042PDF (259 KB)  | PY24042Supplementary Material (2.6 MB)   Open Access Article

Published online 16 September 2024

PY24046Australian healthcare professionals’ beliefs and practice behaviours in management of chronic pelvic pain: a cross-sectional survey

Jennifer Vardy 0009-0004-3048-5587, Edwina Chan, Marika Hart, Rebecca Dallin, Emma Wise 0000-0003-1810-9525, Emmanuel Karantanis and Darren Beales 0000-0002-7176-4644
 

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a common, debilitating condition. Sufferers present to healthcare professionals with variable complex symptoms and co-morbidities. This online survey demonstrated that Australian healthcare professionals (HCPs) demonstrated good knowledge of pain mechanisms, largely followed guideline recommended care, but lacked confidence treating patients with CPP. Patient experiences suggest discrepancy exists between HCPs beliefs and actual practice behaviours. A collaborative approach is needed to help guide targeted research and education to further improve confidence in the management of CPP.

PY24046 Abstract  |  PY24046 Full Text  | PY24046PDF (309 KB)  | PY24046Supplementary Material (1.4 MB)   Open Access Article

Published online 13 September 2024

PY23100General practice registrars’ practice in outer metropolitan Australia: a cross-sectional comparison with rural and inner metropolitan areas

Michael Tran, Anna Ralston, Elizabeth Holliday, Amanda Tapley, Alison Fielding, Dominica Moad, Jocelyn Ledger, Susan Wearne, Andrew Davey, Mieke van Driel, Jean Ball, Vanessa Moran, Jason Dizon and Parker Magin
 

General practice in outer metropolitan regions is unique. In GP registrars’ practice in these regions, fewer specialist, pathology and imaging referrals were generated, and care of older patients and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients was more likely than in inner metropolitan areas. Care of patients from non-English speaking backgrounds was more likely than in rural areas. A gradient (from inner metropolitan to outer metropolitan to rural regions) existed for many characteristics of registrars, practices, patients and clinical care.

PY23100 Abstract  |  PY23100 Full Text  | PY23100PDF (248 KB)  | PY23100Supplementary Material (1 MB)   Open Access Article

Published online 12 September 2024

PY23198Hepatitis C elimination: amplifying the role of primary care nurses in Australia

Jacqueline A. Richmond, Melinda Hassall and Jack Wallace
 

Hepatitis C elimination in Australia is stalling. Primary care nurses are in regular contact with people with/at risk of hepatitis C and have a unique opportunity to contribute to the elimination effort. This study interviewed primary care nurses to identify the individual and systemic enablers that support these nurses to work to their full scope of practice and contribute to achieving Australia’s elimination goal.

PY23198 Abstract  |  PY23198 Full Text  | PY23198PDF (264 KB)   Open Access Article

Published online 03 September 2024

PY23171Primary healthcare providers’ knowledge, practices and beliefs relating to preventive sexual and reproductive health care for women from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds in Australia: a national cross-sectional survey

Natasha Davidson, Karin Hammarberg and Jane Fisher
 

Primary healthcare providers are usually refugee and asylum seekers’ first point of care in resettlement countries. Findings indicate direct professional experience characteristics influence healthcare providers’ knowledge and beliefs regarding refugee women’s sexual and reproductive health. Clinical practice changes and cultural competency training are needed to improve the preventive sexual and reproductive health care of refugee women and women seeking asylum.

PY23171 Abstract  |  PY23171 Full Text  | PY23171PDF (331 KB)  | PY23171Supplementary Material (1.7 MB)   Open Access Article

Published online 02 September 2024

PY24089Providing a localised cervical cancer screening course for general practice nurses

Joanne E. Porter 0000-0002-1784-3165, Elizabeth M. Miller, Valerie Prokopiv, Lauren Sewell, Kaye Borgelt and Vaughan Reimers
 

Low cervical cancer screening rates in regional, rural and remote areas result in a higher rate of cancer diagnosis and death. General practice nurses when upskilled are able to address barriers to cervical screening, especially in regional and rural areas. Localised training courses may assist general practice nurses to be upskilled in their region.

PY24089 Abstract  |  PY24089 Full Text  | PY24089PDF (216 KB)   Open Access Article

Published online 30 August 2024

PY24021Oral health status and oral health-related quality of life: a cross-sectional study of clients in an Australian opioid treatment program

Grace Wong 0000-0003-1364-6866, Venkatesha Venkatesha, Mark Enea Montebello, Angela Masoe, Kyle Cheng, Hannah Cook, Bonny Puszka and Anna Cheng
 

Opioid-dependent individuals face substantial oral health challenges influenced by both opioid effects and lifestyle factors. This study investigated the oral health status and quality of life among opioid treatment program (OTP) clients, revealing prevalent dental caries and inadequate oral cleanliness, resulting in physical pain and psychological discomfort that impacted their quality of life. This identified correlation between oral health status and quality of life highlights the critical need for timely intervention to enhance the health and well-being of clients attending OTPs.

PY24021 Abstract  |  PY24021 Full Text  | PY24021PDF (277 KB)   Open Access Article

Published online 30 August 2024

PY24014Community-based COVID-19 vaccination services improve user satisfaction: findings from a large household survey in Bali Province, Indonesia

I. Made Dwi Ariawan, Anak Agung Sagung Sawitri, Putu Cintya Denny Yuliyatni, Desak Nyoman Widyanthini and I. Nyoman Sutarsa
 

Without effective treatments, with emerging variants and waning immunity, vaccination remains our primary defence against COVID-19. Maintaining high population immunity is crucial. Both health facility and community-based approaches to vaccination yielded high satisfaction during the pandemic. It is recommended that the government prioritise and optimise these programs for future vaccination initiatives, especially during public health emergencies.

PY24014 Abstract  |  PY24014 Full Text  | PY24014PDF (323 KB)  | PY24014Supplementary Material (643 KB)   Open Access Article

Published online 29 August 2024

PY23204Paramedic perceptions of conveying patients to an emergency department who were suitable for primary care: a cross-sectional survey

Belinda Delardes 0000-0001-8966-5858, Meg Powell, Kelly-Ann Bowles, Samantha Chakraborty 0000-0002-9708-4532, Karen Smith and Alexander Olaussen
 

Paramedics are increasingly attending low- and medium-acuity patients, and paramedics in our survey self-reported that at least half of the patients they conveyed to an ED were appropriate for a primary care pathway. Notable barriers to primary care referrals included limited access to suitable primary care and fear of organisational repercussions or litigation following non-conveyance. This research has important implications for the educational, practical and organisational support given to paramedics regarding primary care diversion for suitable patients.

PY23204 Abstract  |  PY23204 Full Text  | PY23204PDF (282 KB)   Open Access Article

Published online 29 August 2024

PY24026Efficacy of a structured audio-visual asthma care session during GP visit in Australia: a single GP centre intervention trial

Md Imrose Hasan, K. M. Shahunja 0000-0002-9345-206X and Abdullah Mamun
 

The effectiveness of an asthma educational adjunct to standard management during a general practice visit is not well studied. A recent study in a Queensland general practice clinic examined the impact of a structured audio-visual educational session on asthma management and showed a significant improvement in Asthma Control Test scores in the intervention group compared to controls. This suggests the potential efficacy of such interventions in enhancing asthma control during general practice visits, although further multi-centre studies are necessary for conclusive evidence.

PY24026 Abstract  |  PY24026 Full Text  | PY24026PDF (378 KB)  | PY24026Supplementary Material (864 KB)   Open Access Article

Published online 12 August 2024

PY24016Older patients want to talk about sexual health in Australian primary care

Louise Bourchier, Meredith Temple-Smith, Jane S. Hocking and Sue Malta
 

Sexual health is an aspect of holistic care that is often missed for older patients. Using 107 free-text comments from survey participants aged ≥60 years, we investigate the barriers in accessing sexual health care in the Australian primary care setting. The findings highlight the need for practitioners to initiate sexual health conversations with their older patients.

PY24016 Abstract  |  PY24016 Full Text  | PY24016PDF (242 KB)   Open Access Article

Published online 02 August 2024

PY23231An In-Home Withdrawal Service for individuals with low-to-moderate substance dependence: implementation and program evaluation

James Mussared, Helen Tosin Oni, Taylah Jacinta Gregory, Andrew Fernandes, Anna Mazzacano, Debby Kadarusman and Sarah Fraser
 

Individuals with low-to-moderate levels of substance dependence require targeted services to safely manage their withdrawal. This paper evaluates a holistic approach to withdrawal that broadens the common medicalised approach through pre- and post-withdrawal stages of care and support from a multidisciplinary team including lived experience practitioners. The service reduces levels of substance use while also improving overall quality of life, demonstrating the need for more withdrawal services to consider the inclusion of holistic approaches to substance dependence support.

PY23231 Abstract  | PDF (243 KB) - $35.00   | PY23231Supplementary Material (1.1 MB)
Published online 09 July 2024

PY24017Measuring what counts in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander care: a review of general practice datasets available for assessing chronic disease care

Liam McBride Kelly 0009-0004-0694-3648, Deborah Wong 0000-0002-8445-4450 and Andrea Timothy 0000-0003-3190-4443
 

Considerable data are collected on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, extracted from primary healthcare services. We reviewed these datasets for their capacity to provide insight into chronic disease care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Most data providers have the potential capability to capture detailed indicators across many chronic diseases. It is critical that more accurate, comprehensive, and culturally meaningful Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healthcare data are collected to support evidence-based policy.

PY24017 Abstract  |  PY24017 Full Text  | PY24017PDF (227 KB)   Open Access Article

Just Accepted

These articles have been peer reviewed and accepted for publication. They are still in production and have not been edited, so may differ from the final published form.

Most Read

The Most Read ranking is based on the number of downloads in the last 60 days from papers published on the CSIRO PUBLISHING website within the last 12 months. Usage statistics are updated daily.

Collections

Collections are a curation of articles relevant to a topical research area

Access to Primary Health Care

This collection of Australian Journal of Primary Health papers focuses on access to care. The papers showcase a variety of topics and illustrate new approaches to working with allied health clinicians, policy change to improve access to oral health and workforce capability, and a theory-informed approach to data analysis. This collection documents current experiences of access to care among different populations and highlights new approaches and models to improve access.

All papers in this collection are published Open Access and free to read.

Collection Editors
Annette Peart (Eastern Health Clinical School, Monash University)
Sabuj Kanti Mistry (School of Population Health, University of New South Wales)
Siân Slade (Nossal Institute for Global Health, The University of Melbourne)

Last Updated: 13 Aug 2024

Australian Journal of Primary Health Top Downloads 2022/23

This Collection demonstrates the depth and breadth of research in primary health care. The wide ranging topics and the many methods that are needed to rigorously investigate the questions that matter to our communities. These 10 most downloaded papers from 2022 and 2023 demonstrate the broad scope of the AJPH and cover a range of issues influencing community health services and primary health care, particularly focused on comprehensive primary health care research, evidence-based practice and primary health care policy issues.

Virginia Lewis (La Trobe University)
Liz Sturgiss (Monash University)

Last Updated: 22 Mar 2024

Interdisciplinary Approaches to Improving Oral Health

The aim of this Collection is to highlight papers that describe health promoting interdisciplinary and professional team efforts to address various aspects of oral healthcare, including access, vulnerable groups and new models of service delivery. We hope this issue will encourage initiatives and research on the integration of non-dental professionals into oral health and putting the mouth back into the body.

Collection Editors
Dr Bradley Christian and Dr Ron Knevel

Last Updated: 18 Jul 2019

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health

This Collection focusses on research papers involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health which have been published in Australian Journal of Primary Health from around the country. We have included research papers which respond to community health priorities, and were authored by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Included papers used a variety of research methods including qualitative, quantitative, geospatial mapping, and systematic review methodology.

Collection Editors
Geoffrey Spurling, Catrina Felton-Busch and Sarah Larkins

Last Updated: 26 Oct 2018

Challenges in China’s Health System Reform: Lessons from Other Countries

Over the last three decades, there has been rapid development and modernisation of China’s tertiary hospitals, but the primary care system has been seriously weakened. We provided an overview of the major challenges in China’s health system reform in our recent Editorial (Liu and Legge 2017). This Collection of Australian Journal of Primary Health brings together 12 recent papers with relevance to these challenges.

Collection Editors
Chaojie Liu and David Legge

Last Updated: 11 Sep 2017

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We are seeking reviewers to join the team. Australian Journal of Primary Health Reviewers

Best Oral Paper Prize AAAPC 2024

Joanne Wong has been awarded the Best Oral Paper Prize for 2024.

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