ORCID Profile
0000-0002-6639-2030
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In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Demography | Family and Household Studies | Public Health and Health Services | Social Policy | Health and Community Services | Social Change | Epidemiology | Population Trends and Policies |
Families and Family Services | Expanding Knowledge through Studies of Human Society | Social Structure and Health | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Development and Welfare | Social Class and Inequalities
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 2010
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 11-09-2013
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 08-02-2020
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 18-10-2010
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-11-2013
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 11-02-2010
Abstract: Many western nations continue to have high rates of teenage pregnancies and births, which can result in adverse outcomes for both mother and child. This study identified possible antecedents of teenage pregnancy using linked data from administrative sources to create a 14-year follow-up from a cross-sectional survey. Data were drawn from two sources - the 1993 Western Australian Child Health Survey (WACHS), a population-based representative s le of 2,736 children aged 4 to 16 years (1,374 girls) and administrative data relating to all their subsequent births and hospital admissions. We used weighted population estimates to examine differences between rates for teenage pregnancy, motherhood and abortion. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to model risk for teenage pregnancy. There were 155 girls aged less than 20 years at the time of their first recorded pregnancy. Teenage pregnancy was significantly associated with: family type highest school year completed by primary carer combined carer income whether the primary carer was a smoker and whether the girl herself displayed aggressive and delinquent behaviours. An age-interaction analysis on the association with aggressive and delinquent behaviours found that while girls with aggressive and delinquent behaviours who were older at the time of the survey were at highest risk of teenage pregnancy, there was elevated risk for future teenage pregnancy across all ages. Our findings suggest that interventions to reduce teenage pregnancy rates could be introduced during primary school years, including those that are focused on the prevention and management of aggressive and delinquent behaviour.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 07-08-2009
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 13-01-2022
DOI: 10.1186/S13034-021-00433-Y
Abstract: The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been vast and are not limited to physical health. Many adolescents have experienced disruptions to daily life, including changes in their school routine and family’s financial or emotional security, potentially impacting their emotional wellbeing. In low COVID-19 prevalence settings, the impact of isolation has been mitigated for most young people through continued face-to-face schooling, yet there may still be significant impacts on their wellbeing that could be attributed to the pandemic. We report on data from 32,849 surveys from Year 7–12 students in 40 schools over two 2020 survey cycles (June/July: 19,240 October: 13,609), drawn from a study of 79 primary and secondary schools across Western Australia, Australia. The Child Health Utility Index (CHU9D) was used to measure difficulties and distress in responding secondary school students only. Using comparable Australian data collected six years prior to the pandemic, the CHU9D was calibrated against the Kessler-10 to establish a reliable threshold for CHU9D-rated distress. Compared to 14% of responding 12–18-year-olds in 2013/2014, in both 2020 survey cycles almost 40% of secondary students returned a CHU9D score above a threshold indicative of elevated difficulties and distress. Student distress increased significantly between June and October 2020. Female students, those in older Grades, those with few friendships or perceived poor quality friendships, and those with poor connectedness to school were more likely to score above the threshold. In a large dataset collected during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the proportion of secondary school students with scores indicative of difficulties and distress was substantially higher than a 2013/2014 benchmark, and distress increased as the pandemic progressed, despite the low local prevalence of COVID-19. This may indicate a general decline in social and emotional wellbeing exacerbated by the events of the pandemic. Trial registration: ANZCTRN (ACTRN12620000922976). Retrospectively registered 17/08/2020. www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=380429& isReview=true .
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 11-05-2013
Publisher: American Public Health Association
Date: 09-2013
Abstract: We summarized the data related to foods high in saturated fat and risk of mortality. We searched Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and ProQuest for studies from January 1952 to May 2012. We identified 26 publications with in idual dietary data and all-cause, total cancer, or cardiovascular mortality as endpoints. Pooled relative risk estimates demonstrated that high intakes of milk, cheese, yogurt, and butter were not associated with a significantly increased risk of mortality compared with low intakes. High intakes of meat and processed meat were significantly associated with an increased risk of mortality but were associated with a decreased risk in a subanalysis of Asian studies. The overall quality of studies was variable. Associations varied by food group and population. This may be because of factors outside saturated fat content of in idual foods. There is an ongoing need for improvement in assessment tools and methods that investigate food sources of saturated fat and mortality to inform dietary guidelines.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 05-01-2011
DOI: 10.1017/S0033291710002485
Abstract: This study sought to determine the social and emotional impact of maternal loss on Aboriginal children and young people using data from the Western Australian Aboriginal Child Health Survey (WAACHS). Data were from a population-based random s le of 5289 Aboriginal children aged under 18 years. Interview data about the children were gathered from primary carers and from their school teachers. Probabilistic record linkage to death registrations was used to ascertain deaths. Association between maternal death and subsequent psychosocial outcomes was assessed using univariate analyses and logistic regression. Of the 5289 Aboriginal children, 57 had experienced the death of their birth mother prior to the survey. Multi-variable adjustment accounting for age and gender found that, relative to children who were living with their birth mother, children whose birth mother had died were at higher risk for sniffing glue or other substances [odds ratio (OR) 3.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3–8.7], using other drugs (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.2–6.8), talking about suicide (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.2–5.7) and attempting suicide (OR 7.0, 95% CI 1.6–31.1). Although the death of a birth mother is relatively rare and the vast majority of Aboriginal children with adverse developmental outcomes live in families and are cared for by their birth mother, the findings here suggest that the loss of a birth mother and the circumstances arising from this impart a level of onward developmental risk for mental health morbidity in Australian Aboriginal children.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-2011
DOI: 10.1111/J.1360-0443.2011.03451.X
Abstract: It has been argued that the preponderance of studies into in idual smoking cessation therapies seems grossly out of proportion to the number of people who use these therapies to quit smoking, and that this imbalance is due to factors such as the role of the pharmaceutical industry in funding research and a general bias towards in idual- rather than population-based approaches to medical and health problems. We believe that there are other significant factors that affect the balance of research in smoking cessation, such as the higher standards of evidence required to justify the implementation of in idual medical therapies compared with population-based interventions. We argue that research practitioners in the area of population tobacco control are well placed to address this imbalance by setting more rigorous standards of evidence for population health interventions. This could be achieved by setting aside a small proportion of funds from population health and advocacy activities to invest in studying their effectiveness. We believe that this would potentially return information of sufficient value to justify increasing overall population investment beyond the cost of the additional research component. Additional benefits would be gained from increased research in this area, such as better understanding of how to translate tobacco control initiatives to developing countries with high smoking rates, and how to target disadvantaged and marginalized populations more effectively in developed countries that continue to have high rates of smoking and low rates of smoking cessation, despite the existence of broad population-based strategies.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 12-2011
DOI: 10.3109/00048674.2011.619961
Abstract: Objective: The aim of this paper was to estimate the degree to which smoke-free facilities may facilitate smoking cessation in smokers with mental illness by estimating the proportion of smokers with mental illness who receive inpatient treatment, their smoking rates and average durations of stay. Method: Smoking and hospitalization rates were estimated from the Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Information on duration of inpatient treatment was calculated from the Western Australian Mental Health Information System. Results: Of Australia's estimated 3 567 000 current adult smokers, 32.4% had a mental illness in the past 12 months, and 66.6% had a lifetime mental illness. However, only 1.4% of smokers were hospitalized for a mental health problem in the past 12 months, and 6.3% had ever been hospitalized for a mental health problem. Of those hospitalized for mental health treatment in the past 12 months, 61.2% were current smokers. In 2007 median duration of inpatient mental health admissions was 1 day, and 57% of admissions had duration of 2 days or less. Conclusions: The majority of smokers with mental illness are not treated in inpatient facilities, and where inpatient admissions occur they are generally of short duration. While smoking cessation is an important goal in treatment of smokers with mental illness, support after discharge from inpatient care is important for longer term cessation. Other strategies will be required to support smoking cessation efforts for the majority of smokers with mental illness not in contact with mental health services.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 09-2010
DOI: 10.3109/00048674.2010.482921
Abstract: To examine the relationship between smoking behaviour, mental disorders and emotional and behavioural problems in a nationally representative s le of young people. Data were taken from the child and adolescent component of the National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing which assessed mental health problems in two main ways: using a fully structured interview (the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children) and using the Child Behaviour Checklist and the Youth Self Report, which assess emotional and behavioural problems on a dimensional scale. The relationship between smoking and mental health problems was assessed using logistic regression. Among young people with conduct disorder 72% had smoked in the last 30 days, 46% of young people with depressive disorder, and 38% among young people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This compared with 21% of young people with none of these disorders. Odds ratios (OR) for current smoking were consistently elevated for young people with mental health problems after adjusting for demographic and socio-economic factors across all measures of mental health used. The OR for current smoking in young people with parent-reported externalizing behaviours in the clinical range was 4.5 (95%CI: 3.1-6.8), and for young people with parent-reported internalizing problems in the clinical range the OR was 2.7 (95%CI: 1.8-4.0). Young people with mental health problems started smoking on average at a younger age, were more likely to progress to current smoking, and smoked on average a higher number of cigarettes per day. After adjusting for demographic and socio-economic factors, young people with mental health problems were more likely to start smoking, progress to daily smoking, and smoke more heavily. Mental illness is an important issue to consider in tobacco control in young people.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-2007
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 05-03-2023
DOI: 10.1007/S10578-023-01502-3
Abstract: This article continues evaluation of the construct validity of the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) through comparison with linked data from a s le of 2216 4–5 year old children collected as part of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC). This builds on the construct validity assessment of Brinkman et al . (Early Educ Dev 18(3):427–451, 2007) based on a smaller s le of linked Australian Early Development Instrument (AvEDI) and LSAC children, in which moderate to large correlations were apparent between teacher-rated AvEDI domains and subconstructs and LSAC measures, with lower levels apparent for parent reported LSAC measures. In the current study, the data showed moderate to low correlations between the domains and subdomains from the AEDC and teacher reported LSAC data. Differences in testing times, data sources (e.g. teachers versus carers) and levels of exposure to formal schooling at the time of testing are all discussed to account for the observed outcomes.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 19-06-2015
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 15-04-2021
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2023
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 22-02-2021
DOI: 10.3389/FPUBH.2021.636921
Abstract: Introduction: Amidst the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, understanding the transmission dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is key to providing peace of mind for the community and informing policy-making decisions. While available data suggest that school-aged children are not significant spreaders of SARS-CoV-2, the possibility of transmission in schools remains an ongoing concern, especially among an aging teaching workforce. Even in low-prevalence settings, communities must balance the potential risk of transmission with the need for students' ongoing education. Through the roll out of high-throughput school-based SARS-CoV-2 testing, enhanced follow-up for in iduals exposed to COVID-19 and wellbeing surveys, this study investigates the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 transmission and the current psychosocial wellbeing impacts of the pandemic in school communities. Methods: The DETECT Schools Study is a prospective observational cohort surveillance study in 79 schools across Western Australia (WA), Australia. To investigate the incidence, transmission and impact of SARS-CoV-2 in schools, the study comprises three “modules”: Module 1) Spot-testing in schools to screen for asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Module 2) Enhanced surveillance of close contacts following the identification of any COVID-19 case to determine the secondary attack rate of SARS-CoV-2 in a school setting and Module 3) Survey monitoring of school staff, students and their parents to assess psycho-social wellbeing following the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in WA. Clinical Trial Registration: Trial registration number: ACTRN12620000922976
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 05-08-2011
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 18-07-2013
Abstract: High consumption of refined carbohydrate, in particular sugar, has been identified as a possible contributory factor in greater risk of excess weight gain. In spite of data limitations, one recent paper suggests that Australian sugar consumption has decreased over the same time period that obesity has increased, a so called ‘Australian Paradox’. Given the significant public health focus on nutrition, we aimed to estimate Australian sugar supply and consumption over recent decades, to determine whether these data could be used to make any conclusions about sugar’s role in obesity. Foods high in sugar were identified. Data relating to sugar supply and consumption from 1988 to 2010 were obtained from multiple sources. Using these data we attempted to generate a time series estimate of sugar in Australia’s food supply. Australia produces and exports sugar from sugar cane and the sugar in imported foods has received little attention . We were unable to produce a reliable and robust estimate of total sugars in the Australian diet due to data limitations and a lack of current data sources. However, available Import data showed large increases in the volume and value of imported sweetened products between 1988 and 2010 to over 30 grams of sugar per person per day. Value estimates of local production of sweetened products also show substantial increases in this period. The Australian Paradox assertion is based on incomplete data, as it excludes sugar contained in imported processed foods, which have increased markedly. A major Australian public health target is to improve the quality of the food supply, and actions have been set in terms of achieving broader environmental changes. However, evaluation of progress is h ered by lack of high quality data relating to supply and consumption. We recommend the regular collection of comprehensive food supply statistics, which include both local production and imports. This would provide an inexpensive addition to survey data and could assist in monitoring sugar consumption trends in food supply. Such information would also help inform public health policy.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2022
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 22-04-2011
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-2011
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 24-07-2019
Abstract: Indigenous children have much higher rates of ear and lung disease than non-Indigenous children, which may be related to exposure to high levels of geogenic (earth-derived) particulate matter (PM). The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between dust levels and health in Indigenous children in Western Australia (W.A.). Data were from a population-based s le of 1077 Indigenous children living in 66 remote communities of W.A. ( ,000,000 km2), with information on health outcomes derived from carer reports and hospitalisation records. Associations between dust levels and health outcomes were assessed by multivariate logistic regression in a multi-level framework. We assessed the effect of exposure to community s led PM on epithelial cell (NuLi-1) responses to non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) in vitro. High dust levels were associated with increased odds of hospitalisation for upper (OR 1.77 95% CI [1.02–3.06]) and lower (OR 1.99 95% CI [1.08–3.68]) respiratory tract infections and ear disease (OR 3.06 95% CI [1.20–7.80]). Exposure to PM enhanced NTHi adhesion and invasion of epithelial cells and impaired IL-8 production. Exposure to geogenic PM may be contributing to the poor respiratory health of disadvantaged communities in arid environments where geogenic PM levels are high.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 18-08-2023
DOI: 10.1007/S00181-023-02483-X
Abstract: The reciprocal relationship between psychiatric and substance use disorders is well-known, yet it remains largely unknown whether mental health morbidity causally leads to addictive behaviours. This paper utilises a fixed effects instrumental variables model, which is identified by time-varying sources of plausibly exogenous variations in mental health, and a nationally representative panel dataset from Australia to present robust evidence on the causal impact of mental distress on cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking behaviours. We find that mental distress significantly increases the prevalence and intensity of either cigarette or alcohol consumption. Further analysis reveals that mental distress also substantially increases household monetary expenditures on either tobacco or alcohol. The impact is greater for lower educated in iduals or children of smokers, and is slightly higher for males. Our findings highlight the importance of mental health screening and treatment programs, especially among lower educated in iduals or children of smokers, to assist in the prevention of addictive activities.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 13-04-2012
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2017
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 16-03-2017
DOI: 10.1002/BERJ.3267
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 18-02-2013
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 02-03-2022
DOI: 10.1002/AJS4.206
Abstract: There is a large volume of research on the persistence of advantage and disadvantage across generations. Intergenerational studies typically address family resources as independent factors, which ignores how risks cluster together and accumulate over time. Using data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, we conducted two latent class analyses to separately identify latent classes based on grandparent and parent characteristics for study children. We then examined the association between our identified latent classes and grandchild educational outcomes in Years 3 to 9. Five distinct latent classes of grandparent characteristics and four latent classes of parent characteristics were identified. There was association between parent and grandparent latent classes indicating intergenerational multiple disadvantage. Grandchildren in at‐risk parent latent classes tended to have significantly lower literacy and numeracy scores from Years 3 to 9. The effects of grandparent latent classes were inconsistent. The developmental circumstances of children can be defined using the characteristics of both parents and grandparents, and the role of grandparents on children's development extends beyond the influence they have on parent outcomes. This study highlights that addressing intergenerational transfers of disadvantage requires multiple, integrated and coordinated policy approaches that go beyond in idual indicators of disadvantage.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-09-2012
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-2013
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2020
DOI: 10.1016/J.JPEDS.2020.01.012
Abstract: To investigate the longitudinal association between pet ownership and children's social-emotional development. Two time-points of data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children were analyzed for children at ages 5 (n = 4242) and 7 (n = 4431) years. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) measured children's social-emotional development. Pet ownership status and type (dog, cat, other) as well as sociodemographic and other potential confounders were collected. Longitudinal panel regression models were used. Overall, 27% of children had abnormal scores on 1 or more SDQ scales. By age 7, 75% of children had pets with ownership highest in single-child households. Owning any type of pet was associated with decreased odds of abnormal scores for emotional symptoms (OR, 0.81 95% CI, 0.67-0.99), peer problems (OR, 0.71 95% CI, 0.60-0.84), and prosocial behavior (OR, 0.70 95% CI, 0.38-0.70), compared with non-pet owners. Dog ownership was associated with decreased odds of abnormal scores on any of the SDQ scales (OR, 0.81 95% CI, 0.71-0.93). For children without any siblings, only the prosocial behavior scale was significantly associated with pet ownership (OR, 0.21 95% CI, 0.07-0.66). In longitudinal models, cat-only and dog-only groups were associated with fewer emotional symptoms and peer problems compared with non-pet owners. Early school age is an important period for family pet acquisition. Pets may protect children from developing social-emotional problems and should be taken into account when assessing child development and school readiness. Children without siblings may benefit most in terms of their prosocial behavior.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 25-02-2014
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 15-02-2018
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 02-07-2012
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 02-07-2014
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-2014
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 20-10-2011
DOI: 10.1017/S0033291711002182
Abstract: We examined the relationship between the onset and pattern of childhood mental health disorders and subsequent current smoking status at age 17 years. Data were from a prospective cohort study of 2868 births of which 1064 supplied information about their current smoking at 17 years of age. The association between the onset and pattern of clinically significant mental health disorders in the child and subsequent smoking at age 17 years was estimated via multivariable logistic regression. Relative to 17 year olds who never had an externalizing disorder, 17-year-olds who had an externalizing disorder at age 5, 8 or 14 years were, respectively, 2.0 times [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.24–3.25], 1.9 (95% CI 1.00–3.65) or 3.9 times (95% CI 1.73–8.72) more likely to be a current smoker. Children with an ongoing pattern of externalizing disorder were 3.0 times (95% CI 1.89–4.84) more likely to be smokers at the age of 17 years and those whose mothers reported daily consumption of 6–10 cigarettes at 18 weeks' gestation were 2.5 times (OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.26–4.83) more likely to report smoking at 17 years of age. Associations with early anxiety and depression in the child were not found. Current smoking in 17-year-olds may be underpinned by early emergent, and then, ongoing, externalizing disorder that commenced as young as age 5 years as well as exposure to early prenatal maternal smoking. The associations documented in adults and adolescents that link tobacco smoking and mental health are likely to be in play at these early points in development.
No related organisations have been discovered for Francis Mitrou.
Start Date: 2021
End Date: 12-2027
Amount: $32,137,008.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2020
End Date: 2026
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 12-2020
End Date: 12-2025
Amount: $1,357,136.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded Activity