The Medical journal of Australia
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To investigate the adequacy of vitamin D status in a South Australian Aboriginal population, and to examine the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) levels and biochemical variables of calcium and bone mineral homeostasis, as well as other factors which may influence vitamin D synthesis, storage and metabolism. ⋯ Vitamin D insufficiency is highly prevalent in this population of adult Aboriginal Australians, with low mean values found in all seasons other than summer.
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The issue of whether medical practitioners should perform "ritual nicks" as a method of meeting demand for female genital mutilation (FGM) has recently been debated in the United States and Australia. Due to increasing numbers of people arriving and settling in Australia from African nations in which FGM is customary, demand for FGM in Australia is present and may be increasing. Australian law clearly prohibits performance of any type of FGM. ⋯ For legal, medical and social reasons, the RANZCOG policy is sound, and medical practitioners should not administer FGM in any form. Development of an evidence base regarding incidence of and attitudes towards FGM, and the need for post-FGM treatment, would help inform sound policy and practical responses. Strategies adopted in African nations to abolish FGM may assist in refining educational and supportive efforts.
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To report the rate of thrombolysis for treating acute stroke in South Australia from October 2007 to September 2009. We hypothesised that the rate of thrombolytic therapy would be related to distance from an acute stroke unit. ⋯ Rates of symptomatic haemorrhage after thrombolysis were similar to those in voluntary registries. A large proportion of South Australians are currently missing out on acute stroke therapy as a result of poor access to acute stroke units in both urban and rural settings. It is estimated that fewer than 2% of ischaemic stroke patients are administered thrombolysis in SA.
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To evaluate trends in the incidence and serotype profile of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in Australian children under 2 years of age after the introduction of the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (7vPCV). ⋯ The overall incidence of IPD decreased from 2002 to 2007, primarily driven by a reduction in IPD caused by 7vPCV serotypes. However, this was partially offset by a significant increase in the incidence of IPD caused by non-7vPCV serotypes, particularly 19A, in non-Indigenous children.