Virtual Issues

Australian Journal of Primary Health Top Downloads 2022/23

We are very pleased to launch the first of our Virtual Issues as a Collection in the new Continuous Publishing model.

We have gathered the 10 papers from each volume of 2022 and 2023 that have been downloaded most often. These papers demonstrate the scope of the AJPH very well. They 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.

There are several papers that reflect on health inequalities from a theoretical perspective and many papers that explore the ways in which community-based healthcare works to overcome inequity and address the effects of the social determinants of health (Flavel et al. 2022; Harris and Harris 2023; Clunel et al. 2023).

Four papers look at Aboriginal people’s health, from the role of Elders through to how to ensure the healthcare system recognises and responds appropriately to culture in the way it delivers services and measures outcomes (Burgess et al. 2022; Cox et al. 2022; Rissel et al. 2022; Tane et al. 2022).

The ongoing challenge of chronic disease in Australia, and the role of community-based multi-disciplinary primary health in addressing it are the focus of a number of papers (Berkovic et al. 2022; Chua et al. 2022; Hosseinzadeh et al. 2022; Hunter et al. 2022; Manski-Nankervis et al. 2022; Nagarajan et al. 2022; Weselman et al. 2022).

Other research reported in the journal considers models of care for common health concerns such as chronic pain, telehealth, access to abortion, and advance care planning (De Morgan et al. 2022; Srinivasan et al. 2022). One of the most downloaded papers explored an “upstream” health issue of access to drinking water in rural and remote settings (Perry et al. 2022)

From a system perspective, there are papers about wellbeing of the health workforce in crises and a paper that explores what a community health service is across Australia (Khalil et al. 2022; Lewis et al. 2022; Ng et al. 2022).

This Virtual Issue 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.

We hope that you enjoy reading this collection and that you explore other papers from the AJPH. Please make sure you sign up for the Early Alerts to keep up-to-date with future papers and collections.

Interdisciplinary Approaches to Improving Oral Health

Globally, oral diseases are highly prevalent and a major public health issue in populations. The cost of managing the morbidity associated with oral diseases is as high or higher than that of other major non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancers. The Global Burden of Disease studies report that dental caries is the most prevalent non-communicable disease (NCD). Yet, oral diseases are generally neglected in major health policies or health advocacy documents, most likely due to low mortality associated with oral diseases, while ignoring the very high disease burden due to morbidity.

Health promoting, interdisciplinary and team approaches are emerging as effective methods to manage and prevent oral diseases, improve oral health outcomes and reduce health inequalities. In alignment with other non-communicable diseases common risk factor approaches are needed for more efficient disease prevention.

The aim of this virtual issue is to highlight those 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.

Dr Bradley Christian and Dr Ron Knevel

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health

This virtual issue focusses on research papers involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health which have been published in Australian Journal of Primary Health in the last ten years 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.

A key message these research papers convey is the importance of community-driven, culture strengthening interventions in primary health care settings.

Geoffrey Spurling, Catrina Felton-Busch and Sarah Larkins

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 virtual issue of Australian Journal of Primary Health brings together 12 recent papers with relevance to these challenges.

Lin (2016) describes a Chinese program providing comprehensive community-based aged care. Social work agencies are contracted to provide case management. This article is complemented by a review of commissioning for integrated care in the National Health Service in the UK (Addicott 2016).

Hillen and colleagues (2016) argue that there is considerable scope for strengthening collaborations between general practice and aged care in Australia. Kralik and colleagues (2008) report on a literature review of medication management for community-dwelling older people with dementia and other chronic conditions.

In two Australian studies, researchers explore well-coordinated primary health care and the impact on emergency and hospital care (Evangelista et al., 2016; Mallitt et al., 2017). Mclnnes and colleagues (2017) identify challenges building effective GP-nurse partnerships in Australia under fee for service arrangements. The experiences of GPs in the Netherlands with 'pay for performance' are described by Kirschner and colleagues (2013).

Quality in primary health depends on consumer engagement and collaboration among health professionals. Ranson and colleagues (2016) discuss challenges facing service providers and families with chronic conditions in rural Australia. A survey of non-prescribed antibiotic use in the Australian Chinese community is described by Hu and Wang (2016). Mitchell and colleagues (2015) summarise approaches to integrating the work of specialist and primary care practitioners. In a policy paper from Ireland, Wallace (2009) reports on the experience of partnership building.

Chaojie Liu and David Legge