"Our common humanity matters a hell of a lot more, than our interesting differences"

Bill Clinton

The 2014 International AIDS Conference hosted in Melbourne is the largest medical conference ever to be held in Australia; a testament to the country's reputation as a leader in HIV/AIDS research.  One question being raised at the conference is "Where should the world focus its attention in the AIDS response?" Michel Sidibe (UNAIDS Executive Director).  In a recent Gap report UNAIDS highlighted the importance of location and population. The report shows that 15 countries account for more than 75% of the 2.1 million new HIV infections that occurred in 2013. The countries-Brazil, Cameroon, China, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Russian Federation, South Africa, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, United States of America, Zambia and Zimbabwe - can all make a positive impact by scaling up HIV services where they are most needed to reduce new HIV infections.

In 2012 there were 35.3 million people living with HIV; since the start of the epidemic 75 million have become infected with HIV. By contrast in Australia - 1,136 HIV and 115 AIDS were diagnosed. Australian data indicates that fewer than 60% of people living with HIV have travelled the pathway from infection to diagnosis, to treatment through to viral suppression.
Sources: Australia HIV/AIDS statistics & 2013 Global Fact sheet

Authors sought to understand patient perceptions of the emergency department / urgent care HIV diagnosis experience as well as factors that may promote or discourage linkage to HIV care. Key diagnosis experience themes included physical discomfort and limited functionality, presence of comorbid diagnoses, a wide spectrum of HIV risk perception, and feelings of isolation and anxiety. Whilst a small sample (n=24) this research provides some insight into the components of the ED diagnosis experience that impact subsequent engagement in care.
Source:PLoS ONE 2013: 8(8): e74199

Further reading:

HIV-1 autologous antibody neutralization associates with mother to child transmission.
Source:PLoS ONE 2013: 8(7): e69274

Remembering Joep Lange - pioneer in HIV/AIDS research and advocate for global treatment.
Source: BMJ 2014: 349 g4827

NICE safe staffing guideline identifies organizational and managerial factors that are required to support safe staffing for nursing and makes recommendations for monitoring and taking action if there are not enough nursing staff available to meet needs of patients on the ward.
Source: NICE safe staffing guideline (SG1) July 2014

"The role of medical practitioners in the coming decades will need to include assisting communities to adapt to changing climatic conditions, managing climate sensitive illnesses, and contributing to mitigation efforts to prevent climate change. Climate change and health should be built into the curricula of Australian medical schools spanning public health, clinical medicine, preventive health and global health" - Professor G Blashki et al.
Source: Australian Family Physician 2009: 38(9) 726-9.

Further reading:

Climate change and Australia's healthcare system - risks, research and responses.

Understanding the extent to which health is likely to be affected by climate change will enable policy makers and practitioners to prepare for changing demands on the health care system. This will require prioritisation of key research questions and building research capacity in the field.
Source: Australian Health Review 2010: 34(4) 441-4.

Preparing health services for climate change in Australia

In this article, Prof Grant Blashki et al aim to focus on the "responses of the Australian health system to health risks from climate change, and in particular how best to prepare health services for predicted health risks from heat waves, bushfires, infectious diseases, diminished air quality, and the mental health impacts of climate change."
Source: Asia Pac J Public Health 2011: 23(2 Suppl); 133S-43
Library can obtain this article on request.

Abstract submission for Research Week closes on July 31st.

Don't know where to start? Need to organise your references?
The library can provide you with expert assistance to search databases or learn how to use EndNote for managing your references. Contact us

Best practices in midwifery : using the evidence to implement change / [edited by] Barbara A. Anderson, Susan E. Stone. Springer, 2013.

Birth & sex : the power and the passion / Sheila Kitzinger. Pinter & Martin, 2012.

Clinical problems in oncology : a practical guide to management / edited by Sing Yu Moorcraft, Daniel L.Y. Lee, David Cunningham.

New books on display can be reserved by contacting the library.

Note:  the links below provide access to the tables of contents, not necessarily the full text.  Full text may be retrieved from the A-Z Journal list (outside of Austin Health you will need your Library barcode no. and PIN)

Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica.  Vol. 93, no. 7, 2014

American heart journal. Vol. 168, no. 1, July 2014

American journal of infection control. Vol. 42, no. 7, July 2014

American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine.  Vol. 189, no. 12, 15 June 2014

Australian family physician.  Vol. 43, no. 7, July 2014

BMJ.  Vol. 349, no. 7965, 5 July 2014

Breast.  Vol. 23, no. 3, June 2014

Disease-a-month.  Vol. 60, no. 7, July 2014 (Clinical pearls)

European journal of radiology.  Vol. 83, no. 8, August 2014

Internal medicine journal.  Vol. 44, no. 6, June 2014

International urogynecology journal.  Vol. 25, no. 7, July 2014

Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology.  Vol. 34, no. 5, July 2014

Journal of pediatrics.  Vol. 165, no. 1, July 2014

Journal of sexual medicine.  Vol. 11, no. 1, January 2014; Vol. 11, no. 2, February 2014; Vol. 11, no. 3, March 2014

Lancet.  Vol. 384, no. 9938, 12 July 2014

Lancet oncology.  Vol. 15, no. 8, July 2014

Nature.  Vol. 511, no. 7508, 10 July 2014

Nursing times.  Vol. 110, no. 27, 2 July 2014; Vol. 110, no. 28, 9 July 2014

Physical therapy.  Vol. 94, no. 7, July 2014

PM&R.  Vol. 6, no. 5, May 2014

Sexual medicine reviews.  Vol. 2, no. 1, 2014