Publications
Below is a selection of our publications.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination information must pay attention to health literacy: analysis of readability of official COVID-19 public health information – Olivia Mac et al (Preprint)
This paper analyses the readability of official COVID-19 public health information, specifically comparing vaccination information to physical distancing and mask information. We assessed understandability and instruction clarity (actionability) for standard online content and ‘easy read’ resources. COVID-19 vaccination information performed poorly on all readability metrics [...]
Informing women about overdetection in breast cancer screening: Two-year outcomes from a randomized trial – Jolyn Hersch et al
Supporting well-informed decisions about breast cancer screening requires communicating that inconsequential disease may be detected, leading to overdiagnosis and overtreatment. Having previously shown that telling women about overdetection improved informed choice, we investigated effects on screening knowledge and participation over 2 years.
Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) test information on Australian and New Zealand fertility clinic websites: a content analysis – Tessa Copp et al
The anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) test has been promoted as a way to inform women about their future fertility. However, data consistently show the test is a poor predictor of natural fertility potential for an individual woman. As fertility centre websites are often a primary source [...]
“It’s about our bodies … we have the right to know this stuff”: A qualitative focus group study on Australian women’s perspectives on breast density – Brooke Nickel et al
This study aimed to explore Australian women’s current knowledge, perspectives and attitudes about breast density (BD); and information needs to inform effective evidence-based communication strategies. Fourteen online focus group sessions with a total of 78 women in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia aged 40–74 [...]
Contextualising COVID-19 prevention behaviour over time in Australia: Patterns and long-term predictors from April to July 2020 in an online social media sample – Julie Ayre et al
In Australia in March 2020 a national public health directive required that non-essential workers stay at home, except for essential activities. These restrictions began easing in May 2020 as community transmission slowed. This study investigated changes in COVID prevention behaviours from April-July 2020, and psychosocial [...]
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Patient Decision Aids for Socially Disadvantaged Populations: Update from the International Patient Decision Aid Standards (IDPAS) – Renata Yen et al
The effectiveness of patient decision aids (PtDAs) and other shared decision-making (SDM) interventions for socially disadvantaged populations has not been well studied. This study assesses whether PtDAs and other SDM interventions improve outcomes or decrease health inequalities among socially disadvantaged populations and determine the critical [...]
Patients are a vital voice for the future of telehealth – Jennifer Isautier & Kirsten McCaffery (Commentary)
Worldwide, telehealth was rapidly adopted as a widespread model of healthcare delivery during the early coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic response. Indeed, by April 2020, telehealth services constituted 36% of all healthcare services in Australia. More recently (April 2021), this number has fallen to approximately [...]
Developing performance-based measures of health literacy: A narrative case study and checklist of considerations – Danielle Muscat et al
Research in health literacy is fundamentally impacted by our ability to adequately assess the construct. Although various measures of health literacy have been developed, there are few reflective discussions of the challenges and learnings from the instrument development process. This is somewhat surprising given that [...]
School-based HPV vaccination positively impacts parents’ attitudes toward adolescent vaccination – Cristyn Davies et al
This qualitative study aimed to explore parental attitudes, knowledge and decision-making about HPV vaccination for adolescents in the context of a gender-neutral school-based Australian National Immunisation Program (NIP).
What instructions are available to health researchers for writing lay summaries? A scoping review – Karen Gainey et al (Preprint)
To better understand the characteristics of, and requirements for, lay summaries by reviewing journals, global health organisations, professional medical associations and multi-disciplinary organisations, consumer advocacy groups and funding bodies.