Voluntary disclosure of forward-looking earnings forecasts in Australia

This study examines the voluntary disclosure of future earnings information in annual reports for Australian listed companies. We find that most Australian companies in our sample do not provide quantitative earnings, forecasts in their annual reports, although more than half of the sample do disclose forward-looking information relating to earnings, without specifically disclosing point estimates for the future. These companies mostly supply qualitative information with a positive bias, while the remainder of the sample discloses no forward-looking information relating to earnings. Our findings also suggest that larger companies with less volatile earnings tend to provide more future earnings information than smaller companies with relatively volatile earnings.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research and the conduct of longitudinal studies: issues for debate

The National Health and Medical Research Council, Research Agenda Working Group (RAWG), and the literature on Indigenous health have identified the need to fill gaps in descriptive data on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and noted both the lack of research with urban populations and the need for longitudinal studies. This paper presents some of the broad ethical and methodological challenges associated with longitudinal research in Indigenous health and focuses particularly on national studies and studies in urban areas. Our goal is to advance debate in the public health arena about the application of ethical guidelines and the conduct of longitudinal studies in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. We encourage others to offer their experiences in this field.

Quality of Life and Colorectal Cancer: a Review

Objectives: To describe what is known of quality of life for colorectal cancer patients, to review what has been done in the Australian setting and to identify emerging directions for future research to address current gaps in knowledge. Method: A literature search (using Medline, PsychInfo, CINAHL and Sociological Abstracts) was conducted and 41 articles identified for review. Results: Three key areas relating to quality of life in colorectal cancer patients emerged from the literature review: the definition and measurement of quality of life; predictors of quality of life; and the relationship of quality of life to survival. Results of existing studies are inconsistent in relation to quality of life over time and its relationship to survival. Small sample sizes and methodological limitations make interpretation difficult. Conclusions: There is a need for large-scale, longitudinal, population-based studies describing the quality of life experienced by colorectal cancer patients and its determinants. Measurement and simultaneous adjustment for potential confounding factors would productively advance knowledge in this area, as would an analysis of the economic cost of morbidity to the community and an assessment of the cost effectiveness of proposed interventions. Implications: As the Australian population ages, the prevalence of colorectal cancer within the community will increase. This burden of disease presents as a priority area for public health research. An improved understanding of quality of life and its predictors will inform the development and design of supportive interventions for those affected by the disease.

Epizootic activity of Murray Valley encephalitis and Kunjin viruses in an aboriginal community in the Southeast Kimberley region of Western Australia: Results of mosquito fauna and virus isolation studies

We undertook annual surveys of flavivirus virus activity in the community of Billiluna of Western Australia in the southeast Kimberley region between 1989 and 2001. Culex annulirostris was the dominant mosquito species, particularly in years of above average rains and flooding. Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE) virus was isolated in 8 of the 13 years of the study from seven mosquito species, but more than 90% of the isolates were from Cx. annulirostris. The results suggest that MVE virus is epizootic in the region, with activity only apparent in years with average or above average rainfall and increased numbers of Cx. annulirostris. High levels of MVE virus activity and associated human cases were detected only once (in 1993) during the survey period. Activity of MVE virus could only be partially correlated with wet season rainfall and flooding, suggesting that a number of other factors must also be considered to accurately predict MVE virus activity at such communities.

Effect of functional gain on satisfaction with medical rehabilitation after stroke

Objective: To examine the association between gain in motor and cognitive functional status with patient satisfaction 3-6 mo after rehabilitation discharge. Design: Patient satisfaction and changes in functional status were examined in 18,375 patients with stroke who received inpatient medical rehabilitation. Information was obtained from 144 hospitals and rehabilitation facilities contributing records to the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation and the National Follow-up Services. Results: Data analysis revealed significant (P < 0.05) differences in satisfaction responses based on whether information was collected from patient self-report or from a family member proxy, and the two subsets were analyzed separately. Logistic regression revealed the following significant predictors of satisfaction for data collected from stroke patients: cognitive and motor gain, rehospitalization, who the patient was living with at follow-up, age, and follow-up therapy. In the patient-reported data subset, compared with patients who showed improved cognitive or motor functional status, those with no change, respectively, had a 31% and 33% reduced risk of dissatisfaction. In addition, rehospitalized patients had a higher risk of dissatisfaction. For the proxy reported data subset, significant influences on satisfaction were health maintenance, rehospitalization, stroke type, ethnicity, cognitive FIM(TM) gain, length of stay, and follow-up therapy. Conclusions: Ratings of satisfaction with rehabilitation services were affected by change in functional status and whether the information was collected from patient rating or proxy response.

Assessing forest fire as a potential PCDD/F source in Queensland, Australia

Forest fires are suggested as a potential and significant source of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), even though no studies to date provide sufficient evidence to confirm forest fires as a source of PCDD/Fs. Recent investigations in Gueensland, Australia have identified a widespread contamination of PCDDs (in particular OND) in soils and sediments in the coastal region from an unknown source of PCDD/Fs. Queensland is predominately rural; it has few known anthropogenic sources of PCDD/Fs, whereas forest fires are a frequent occurrence. This study was conducted to assess forest fires as a potential source of the unknown PCDD/F contamination in Queensland. A combustion experiment was designed to assess the overall mass of PCDD/Fs before and after a simulated forest fire. The results from this study did not identify an increase in Sigma-PCDD/Fs or OCDD after the combustion process. However, specific non-2,3,7,8 substituted lower chlorinated PCDD/Fs were elevated after the combustion process, suggesting formation from a precursor. The results from this study indicate that forest fires are unlikely to be the source of the unknown PCDD contamination in Gueensland, rather they are a key mechanism for the redistribution of PCDD/Fs from existing sources and precursors.

Reliability of moderate-intensity and vigorous physical activity stage of change measures for young adults

Background. The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability of stage of change (SOC) measures for moderate-intensity and vigorous physical activity in two separate samples of young adults. Staging measures have focused on vigorous exercise, but current public health guidelines emphasize moderate-intensity activity. Method. For college students in the USA (n = 105) and in Australia (n = 123), SOC was assessed separately on two occasions for moderate-intensity activity and for vigorous activity. Test-retest repeatability was determined, using Cohen's kappa coefficient. Results. In both samples, the reliability scores for the moderate-intensity physical activity staging measure were lower than the scores for the vigorous exercise staging measure. Weighted kappa values for the moderate-intensity staging measure were in the fair to good range for both studies (0.50 and 0.45); for the vigorous staging measure kappa values were excellent and fair to good (0.76 and 0.72). Conclusions. There is a need to standardize and improve methods for staging moderate-intensity activity, given that such measures are used in public health interventions targeting HEPA (health-enhancing physical activity). (C) 2003 American Health Foundation and Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.