Obesity rates in Australia are rising. New approaches are needed that help target obesity interventions with greater precision. We developed a digital dashboard that can use data from electronic medical records to monitor obesity rates over time, place, and area in a large state in Australia. After further validation, the dashboard could be used by public health practitioners to plan obesity interventions, target areas with higher burden and risk, and monitor trends over time.

Involving young people in the development of health interventions can result in interventions that are more fit for purpose. However, few, if any, studies outline how to successfully and meaningfully engage young people in the development process. This report outlines the successes and challenges of three strategies we used to involve young people in designing a health intervention targeting young people. It is hoped that our experience can help inform other researchers how young people can be meaningfully engaged in research.

The term ‘culturally and linguistically diverse’ stems from historical social categorisation that divides the Australian population into positions of ‘them’ and ‘us’. The use of the term as a standard language in health literature and public discourse has increased dramatically. With the popularity of the term and the normalising of its use, the potential for harm to social cohesion, individuals and groups is heightened. As public health researchers and practitioners, we should refrain from continuing to use this term.

This study examined how much local governments in Australia are considering health when planning for climate change. In 2023, only 23% of local governments had a climate change adaptation plan, but all plans mentioned health. Although implementation of these plans will likely reduce the risks of climate change for health in these local government areas, which tended to be urban and more advantaged, there is an opportunity for other local governments to develop plans that address the health risks.

Few studies have examined in detail the funding invested in addressing violence against women despite its importance for achieving global elimination targets. This review of Australian Government budget reports found increasing funding over time, with resources directed towards strengthening the response to violence. Documenting a long-term, need-based strategy is necessary in the future to ensure adequate resources and optimal investment in comprehensive strategies to address violence against women effectively.

Public health relies on a diverse workforce to address global health challenges, yet many students face uncertainty about career options. This study analyses the career paths of over 14,000 public health graduates, revealing key employment sectors, major employers and essential skills. By tracking alumni through networking sites, institutions can refine public health education to align with workforce needs, ensuring graduates are well-prepared for impactful careers.

This Editorial highlights recent publications included in the 10th anniversary collection of Public Health Research & Practice. The collection offers reflections from our Editorial Board members and other invited experts on several critical public health issues from the past 10 years, while also looking to future opportunities and challenges.

This article belongs to the collection: A Decade of Insight: 10th Anniversary Collection of Public Health Research & Practice.

Government-organised bowel cancer screening, using Faecal Occult Blood Tests, is a proven public health method for early detection and demonstrates high efficacy in reducing population morbidity and mortality. Despite the positive influence general practitioners have on their patients’ screening participation rates, endorsement is not routinely included within policy and practice. Research findings contribute new evidence regarding the resources, preferences and system-level requirements needed to support routine general practice endorsement of bowel cancer screening.

Maternal and infant health services are vital for Aboriginal infants to have the best possible start to life. These services are not evenly distributed, leaving some Aboriginal families unable to access the care needed for both mums and babies. Being unable to access these important services affects babies’ growth and development. Culturally safe and targeted services based on population needs are required to improve continuity of care in the first 1000 days.

COVID-19 highlighted the importance of epidemiological evidence in understanding the dynamics of viral transmission and informing policy. The pandemic also revealed gaps globally in evidence generation and investment in a coordinated approach to surveillance data reporting and evidence synthesis. Real-time public health research in crises must have infrastructure in place to support granular real-world investigation into who is at most risk of exposure, and disease and intervention impacts, especially in low- and middle-income countries where health resources are limited.

This article belongs to the collection: A Decade of Insight: 10th Anniversary Collection of Public Health Research & Practice.

Despite the critical role of healthcare providers in increasing vaccine coverage and public confidence in vaccines, they have limited engagement with vaccine safety surveillance systems in Australia. This study examined the awareness and practices of healthcare providers in relation to vaccine safety surveillance systems and found that gaps exist, particularly with AusVaxSafety, and that efforts must be made to increase the accessibility and utility of AusVaxSafety vaccine safety data.

Indoor mould exposure is increasingly recognised as a physical and mental health stressor. Our article investigates the experiences and perceptions of Australian residents living in mould-affected housing, exploring the causes of mould growth, the health impacts, and the barriers to fixing mould problems. Our findings emphasise the need for better education on mould prevention and remediation plus better regulations to enforce rental and building minimum standards.

Food insecurity in early childhood has adverse effects throughout life; however, little is known about how many young children in Australia experience a lack of access to food. This research investigates trends in the prevalence of children who arrived at school hungry in their first year of school in Australia from 2009 to 2021, with findings aligned with evidence that food insecurity is growing. There is a need to explore how school meal provision can better support children experiencing food insecurity.

This project aimed to co-design a strategic consumer involvement framework for an Australian hospital and health service. Using a co-design approach, the project involved five stages: stakeholder consultation, staff survey, group sessions with consumers and staff, data synthesis, and a final workshop. Results identified a need for governance, infrastructure, capacity building, and leadership and culture to support consumer involvement in research. Implementation strategies were adapted to the local context. The project emphasises the importance of supporting consumer–researcher collaboration, offering a blueprint for creating local, contextualised strategies to enhance the relevance and impact of research in Australian hospital and health services.