Topics

Infectious diseases

History and humanities

These days of 2020
Have seen ravages aplenty
An “unprecedented” year born in ash and smoke and flame.

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1 Emergency and Trauma Centre, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC
2 Monash University, Melbourne, VIC

Correspondence: ro.mitchell@alfred.org.au

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Christmas competition
Second place

What the forks? A longitudinal quality improvement study tracking cutlery numbers in a public teaching and research hospital staff tearoom

Mark Mattiussi, Amelia Livermore, Annabel Levido, Therese Starr, Melissa Lassig‐Smith, Janine Stuart, Cheryl Fourie and Joel Dulhunty

Med J Aust 2020; 213 (11): . || doi: 10.5694/mja2.50862
Published online: 14 December 2020

ARTICLE
AUTHORS
REFERENCES

Topics

Environment and public health

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the circulation lifespan of forks and teaspoons in an institutional tearoom.

Design: Longitudinal quality improvement study, based on prospective tracking of marked teaspoons and forks.

Setting: Staff tearoom in a public teaching and research hospital, Brisbane.

Participants: Tearoom patrons blinded to the purposes of the study.

Intervention: Stainless steel forks and teaspoons (18 each) were marked with red spots and introduced alongside existing cutlery (81 items) in the tearoom.

Main outcome measures: Twice weekly count of marked forks and teaspoons for seven weeks; baseline and end of study count of all utensils on day 45.

Results: The loss of marked teaspoons (six of 18) was greater than that of forks (one of 18) by the conclusion of the study period (P = 0.038). The overall rate of utensil loss was 2.2 per 100 days for teaspoons and spoons, and –2.2 per 100 days for forks and knives.

Conclusions: Teaspoon disappearance is a more substantial problem than fork migration in a multidisciplinary staff tearoom, and may reflect different kleptomaniacal or individual appropriation tendencies. If giving cutlery this Christmas, give teaspoons, not forks. The symbolism of fork rebirth or resurrection is appropriate for both Christmas and Easter, and forks are also mighty useful implements for eating cake!

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1 Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD
2 The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD
3 Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD

Correspondence: Mark.Mattiussi@health.qld.gov.au

Acknowledgements:

This study was undertaken with in kind support by the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Critical Care and Clinical Support Services Directorate; Cheryl Fourie contributed OPI Got the Blues for Red nail lacquer. We extend special thanks to Gordon McGurk, chair of the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee, whose insightful comments feature in our report.

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

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2. Metro North Hospital and Health Service (Brisbane). Vision and values. Updated July 2018. https://metronorth.health.qld.gov.au/about-us/vision-and-values (viewed July 2020).
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10. Nuño‐Maganda MA, Herrera‐Rivas H, Torres‐Huitzil C, et al. On‐device learning of indoor location for WiFi fingerprint approach. Sensors (Basel) 2018; 18: 2202.
11. Hornyak R, Lewis M, Sankaranarayan B. Radio frequency identification‐enabled capabilities in a healthcare context: an exploratory study. Health Informatics J 2016; 22: 562–578.

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Christmas competition
Winner

Scientists in pyjamas: characterising the working arrangements and productivity of Australian medical researchers during the COVID‐19 pandemic

David G Chapman and Cindy Thamrin

Med J Aust 2020; 213 (11): . || doi: 10.5694/mja2.50860
Published online: 14 December 2020

ARTICLE
AUTHORS
REFERENCES

Topics

Infectious diseases

Environment and public health

Health services administration

Abstract

Objective: To characterise the working arrangements of medical research scientists and support staff in Australia during the COVID‐19 pandemic, and to evaluate factors (in particular: wearing pyjamas) that influence the self‐assessed productivity and mental health of medical institute staff working from home.

Design: Prospective cohort survey study, 30 April – 18 May 2020.

Setting, participants: Staff (scientists and non‐scientists) and students at five medical research institutes in Sydney, New South Wales.

Main outcome measures: Self‐assessed overall and task‐specific productivity, and mental health.

Results: The proportions of non‐scientists and scientists who wore pyjamas during the day were similar (3% v 11%; P = 0.31). Wearing pyjamas was not associated with differences in self‐evaluated productivity, but was significantly associated with more frequent reporting of poorer mental health than non‐pyjama wearers while working from home (59% v 26%; P < 0.001). Having children in the home were significantly associated with changes in productivity. Larger proportions of people with toddlers reported reduced overall productivity (63% v 32%; P = 0.008), and reduced productivity in writing manuscripts (50% v 17%; P = 0.023) and data analysis (63% v 23%; P = 0.002). People with primary school children more frequently reported reduced productivity in writing manuscripts (42% v 16%; P = 0.026) and generating new ideas (43% v 19%; P = 0.030). On a positive note, the presence of children in the home was not associated with changes in mental health during the pandemic. In contrast to established researchers, early career researchers frequently reported reduced productivity while working at home.

Conclusions: Our findings are probably applicable to scientists in other countries. They may help improve work‐from‐home policies by removing the stigma associated with pyjama wearing during work and by providing support for working parents and early career researchers.

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1 Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW
2 University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW
3 The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW

Correspondence: cindy.thamrin@woolcock.org.au

Acknowledgements:

We thank the survey respondents for their participation and time, and for the candid free text responses that provided much amusement to the researchers, no doubt alleviating the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on our own mental health (and hopefully theirs as well). We also thank the many electronic devices and children’s television shows that provided the necessary distraction for our children, allowing this research to be completed.

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

1. National Health and Medical Research Council. COVID‐19: Guidance on clinical trials for institutions, HRECs, researchers and sponsors. Mar 2020. https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/attachments/ctprg-statement-clinical-trials-covid.pdf (viewed Oct 2020).
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14. Adam H, Galinsky AD. Enclothed cognition. J Exp Soc Psychol 2012; 48: 918–925.
15. Moore A. “FIT TO SIT” in the emergency department. Nurs Stand 2017; 32: 22–23.
16. Fernandez C. 14 perfect work‐from-home outfits that feel like pajamas without looking like them. Business Insider Australia [online], 1 Apr 2020. https://www.businessinsider.com.au/work-from-home-loungewear-clothes-to-try-2020-3 (viewed July 2020).
17. Pinho‐Gomes AC, Peters S, Thompson K, et al. Where are the women? Gender inequalities in COVID‐19 research authorship. BMJ Global Health 2020; 5: e002922.
18. Myers KR, Tham WY, Yin Y, et al. Unequal effects of the COVID‐19 pandemic on scientists. Nat Hum Behav 2020; 4: 880–883.
19. Johnston E; Office of the Chief Scientist. The impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on women in the STEM workforce. May 2020. https://www.science.org.au/covid19/women-stem-workforce (viewed Oct 2020).
20. Gewin V. The career cost of COVID‐19 to female researchers, and how science should respond. Nature 2020; 583: 867–869.

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Editorial

Health and medicine in a pandemic year: moving from the “winter of despair” to the “spring of hope”

Nicholas J Talley

Med J Aust 2020; 213 (11): . || doi: 10.5694/mja2.50861
Published online: 14 December 2020

ARTICLE
AUTHORS
REFERENCES

Topics

Infectious diseases

Despite a year of floods, fires and pestilence, we approach 2021 with optimism

It has been a strange and disturbing year. Here in Australia, we would usually now be looking forward to the long summer break, the barbeques and the parties, the leisure time at home. Many would be traveling overseas to visit friends and family. But these have not been normal times.

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Correspondence: ntalley@mja.com.au

Acknowledgements:

I thank the tireless efforts of the Editorial team throughout 2020, without which the quality and timely publication of our Journal in print and online would not be possible: our departing Head of Publishing Content, Lilia Kanna; our former Senior Deputy Medical Editor, Christine Gee; Deputy Medical Editors Francis Geronimo, Robyn Godding, Tania Janusic, Selina Lo, Wendy Morgan, Aajuli Shukla, and Zoë Silverstone; our Scientific and Structural Editors, Paul Foley, Graeme Prince, and Laura Teruel; our Consultant Biostatistician, Elmer Villanueva; our News and Online Editor, Cate Swannell; our Graphic Designer, Leilani Widya; and our Senior Publishing Coordinator, Kerrie Harding.

Competing interests:

A complete list of disclosures is available at https://www.mja.com.au/journal/staff/editor-chief-professor-nick-talley

1. Borchers Arriagada N, Palmer AJ, Bowman DM, et al. Unprecedented smoke‐related health burden associated with the 2019–20 bushfires in eastern Australia. Med J Aust 2020; 213: 282–283. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2020/213/6/unprecedented-smoke-related-health-burden-associated-2019-20-bushfires-eastern
2. Zhang Y, Beggs P, McGushin A, et al. The 2020 special report of the MJA–Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: lessons learnt from Australia’s “Black Summer”. Med J Aust 2020; 213: 490–492.
3. Fisher JR, Duc Tran T, Hammarberg K, et al. Mental health of people in Australia in the first month of COVID‐19 restrictions: a national survey. Med J Aust 2020; 213: 458–464. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2020/213/10/mental-health-people-australia-first-month-covid-19-restrictions-national
4. Bond CJ, Whop LJ, Singh D, Kajlich H. Now we say Black Lives Matter but … the fact of the matter is, we just Black matter to them. Med J Aust 2020; 213: 248–250.e1. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2020/213/6/now-we-say-black-lives-matter-fact-matter-we-just-black-matter-them1
5. Caly L, Druce J, Roberts J, et al. Isolation and rapid sharing of the 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS‐CoV‐2) from the first patient diagnosed with COVID‐19 in Australia. Med J Aust 2020; 212: 459–462. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2020/212/10/isolation-and-rapid-sharing-2019-novel-coronavirus-sars-cov-2-first-patient
6. Williams E, Bond K, Isles N, et al. Pandemic printing: a novel 3D‐printed swab for detecting SARS‐CoV-2. Med J Aust 2020; 213: 276–279. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2020/213/6/pandemic-printing-novel-3d-printed-swab-detecting-sars-cov-2
7. Blakely T, Thompson J, Carvalho N, et al. The probability of the 6‐week lockdown in Victoria (commencing 9 July 2020) achieving elimination of community transmission of SARS‐CoV-2. Med J Aust 2020; 213: 349–351. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2020/213/8/probability-6-week-lockdown-victoria-commencing-9-july-2020-achieving
8. Scott N, Palmer A, Delport D, et al. Modelling the impact of reducing control measures on the COVID‐19 pandemic in a low transmission setting. Med J Aust 2020; https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2020/modelling-impact-reducing-control-measures-covid-19-pandemic-low-transmission-setting [pre‐print, 2 Sept 2020].
9. Saul A, Scott N, Crabb BS, et al. Victoria’s response to a resurgence of COVID‐19 has averted 9 000–37 000 cases in July 2020. Med J Aust 2020; 213: 494–496.
10. MacIntyre CR, Ananda‐Rajah M, Nicholls M, Quigley AL. Current COVID‐19 guidelines for respiratory protection of health care workers are inadequate. Med J Aust 2020; 213: 251–252.e1. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2020/213/6/current-covid-19-guidelines-respiratory-protection-health-care-workers-are
11. Hyde Z. COVID‐19, children, and schools: overlooked and at risk. Med J Aust 2020; 213: 444–446. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2020/213/10/covid-19-children-and-schools-overlooked-and-risk
12. Regli A, von Ungern‐Sternberg BS. Fit testing of N95 or P2 masks to protect health care workers. Med J Aust 2020; 213: 293–295.e1. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2020/213/7/fit-testing-n95-or-p2-masks-protect-health-care-workers
13. Kault D. Superspreaders, asymptomatics and COVID‐19 elimination. Med J Aust 2020; 213: 447–448. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2020/213/10/superspreaders-asymptomatics-and-covid-19-elimination
14. Gilbert GL. COVID‐19 in a Sydney nursing home: a case study and lessons learnt. Med J Aust 2020; 213: 393–396. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2020/213/9/covid-19-sydney-nursing-home-case-study-and-lessons-learnt
15. Meares HD, Jones MP. When a system breaks: queueing theory model of intensive care bed needs during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Med J Aust 2020; 212: 470–471. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2020/212/10/when-system-breaks-queueing-theory-model-intensive-care-bed-needs-during-covid
16. Brewster DJ, Chrimes N, Do TB, et al. Consensus statement: Safe Airway Society principles of airway management and tracheal intubation specific to the COVID‐19 adult patient group. Med J Aust 2020; 212: 472–481 erratum: 213: 312. ; https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2020/212/10/consensus-statement-safe-airway-society-principles-airway-management-and-0; https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2020/213/7/erratum
17. Irons JF, Pavey W, Bennetts JS, et al. COVID‐19 safety: aerosol‐generating procedures and cardiothoracic surgery and anaesthesia — Australian and New Zealand consensus statement. Med J Aust 2020; https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2020/214/1/covid-19-safety-aerosol-generating-procedures-and-cardiothoracic-surgery-and [online ahead of print].
18. Crooks K, Casey D, Ward JS. First Nations peoples leading the way in COVID‐19 pandemic planning, response and management. Med J Aust 2020; 213: 151–152.e1. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2020/213/4/first-nations-peoples-leading-way-covid-19-pandemic-planning-response-and
19. Talley NJ. Rapid publishing in the era of COVID‐19. Med J Aust 2020; 212: 535–536. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2020/212/11/rapid-publishing-era-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-0
20. Kurth T, Piccininni M, Loder EW, Rohmann JL. A parallel pandemic: the crush of covid‐19 publications tests the capacity of scientific publishing. Thebmjopinion [online], 26 May 2020. https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2020/05/26/a-parallel-pandemic-the-crush-of-covid-19-publications-tests-the-capacity-of-scientific-publishing (viewed Oct 2020).
21. Talley NJ. The impact and reach of the MJA in a year of living dangerously. Med J Aust 2020; 213: 70–71. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2020/213/2/impact-and-reach-mja-year-living-dangerously
22. Reade M, Whitmore K, Laupland K, et al. Changes in medical–scientific publication associated with the COVID‐19 pandemic. Med J Aust 2020; 213: 496–500.
23. The Editors of the Lancet group. Learning from a retraction. Lancet 2020; 396: 1056.
24. van Oldenborgh GJ, Krikken F, Lewis S, et al. Attribution of the Australian bushfire risk to anthropogenic climate change. World Weather Attribution [website], 10 Jan 2020. https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/bushfires-in-australia-2019-2020 (viewed Oct 2020).
25. Willis GA, Chappell K, Williams S, et al. Respiratory and atopic conditions in children two to four years after the 2014 Hazelwood coalmine fire. Med J Aust 2020; 213: 269–275. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2020/213/6/respiratory-and-atopic-conditions-children-two-four-years-after-2014-hazelwood
26. Cameron H. Fear. Med J Aust 2020; 213: 525.
27. Mitchell RD. The year of the ’rona: an uncontrolled trial in verse. Med J Aust 2020; 213: 424.
28. Mattiussi M, Livermore A, Levido A, et al. What the forks? A longitudinal quality improvement study tracking cutlery numbers in a public teaching and research hospital staff tearoom. Med J Aust 2020; 213: 521–523.
29. Massie RJH. My love affair with the pleural space. Med J Aust 2020; 213: 526–529.
30. Watson K. For sale: rare piece of polar paradise. Med J Aust 2020; 213: 525–526.
31. Chapman DG, Thamrin C. Scientists in pyjamas: characterising working arrangements and productivity among Australian medical researchers during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Med J Aust 2020; 213: 516–520.
32. Fox JS. A hidden danger of COVID‐19. Med J Aust 2020; 213: 505–506.

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Editorial

Enough seagulls! Rural and remote communities need local researchers living, walking and talking with locals

Ruth Stewart

Med J Aust 2020; 213 (11): . || doi: 10.5694/mja2.50857
Published online: 7 December 2020

ARTICLE
AUTHORS
REFERENCES

Topics

Health services administration

Researchers who live and work in community can respond to local clinical questions and provide feedback to community on their findings

Australians enjoy some of the best health outcomes in the world1 and those benefits are concentrated in our urban centres. Australians who live in rural and remote Australia have poorer health than their urban peers. The more remote your residence, the shorter your life span and the greater the burden of disease carried by your community.2

Australian Government Department of Health, National Rural Health Commissioner, Canberra, ACT

Correspondence: NRHC@health.gov.au

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

1. Schneider EC, Sarnak DO, Squires D, et al. Mirror, mirror 2017: international comparison reflects flaws and opportunities for better US health care. New York: The Commonwealth Fund, 2017. https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2017/jul/mirror-mirror-2017-international-comparison-reflects-flaws-and (viewed Sept 2020)
2. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Rural and remote health [web report]. Canberra: AIHW, 2019. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/rural-remote-australians/rural-remote-health (viewed Sept 2020).
3. Public Health Information Development Unit. Remoteness in Australia: data by remoteness areas. September 2020. http://phidu.torrens.edu.au/current/data/sha-aust/remoteness/phidu_data_remoteness_aust.xls (viewed Sept 2020).
4. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Survey of health care: selected findings for rural and remote Australians [web report]. Canberra: AIHW, 2018. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/rural-remote-australians/survey-health-care-selected-findings-rural-remote (viewed Sept 2020).
5. Edelman A, Grundy J, Moodley N, at al. 2020. Northern Australia health service delivery situational analysis: summary report. Townsville: Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia, 2020. https://crcna.com.au/research/projects/northern-australia-health-service-delivery-situational-analysis (viewed Sept 2020).
6. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2010. Australian health expenditure by remoteness: a comparison of remote, regional and city health expenditure (Health and Welfare Expenditure Series No. 50; Cat. No. HWE 50). Canberra: AIHW, 2011. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/health-welfare-expenditure/australian-health-expenditure-by-remoteness-a-com/contents/table-of-contents (viewed Sept 2020).
7. Osborne SR, Piper D. coordinating editors, on behalf of the Spinifex Network Rapid Review Subcommittee. Beyond the black stump: rapid reviews of a selection of key rural issues. Med J Aust 2020; 213 (11 Suppl): S1–S32.

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Research letter

The short to medium term benefits of the Australian colorectal cancer screening program

Sasha Taylor, Farhad Salimi, Arul Earnest, Alexander G Heriot, John R Zalcberg and Susannah Ahern

Med J Aust 2021; 214 (2): . || doi: 10.5694/mja2.50859
Published online: 7 December 2020

ARTICLE
AUTHORS
REFERENCES

Topics

Environment and public health

Surgical procedures, operative

Neoplasms

Statistics, epidemiology and research design

In Australia, colorectal cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer and one of the most common causes of cancer‐related death.1 Evidence that bowel cancer screening reduces mortality through early detection and treatment2 led to the introduction in 2006 of the Australian National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP), offering faecal occult blood testing. The NBCSP has been progressively rolled out, from covering those aged 55 or 65 years in 2006 to screening every two years for all Australians aged 50–74 years by 2020.3 During 2016–17, 41% of people invited to participate in screening did so.4 A recent review of the NBCSP found that the risk of death from colorectal cancer was lower for invitees, and that those who had cancer were diagnosed at an earlier stage of disease.5

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1 School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC
2 Epworth HealthCare, Melbourne, VIC
3 Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute, Melbourne, VIC
4 University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC

Correspondence: susannah.ahern@monash.edu

Acknowledgements:

The Binational Colorectal Cancer Audit is supported by the Colorectal Surgical Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSSANZ).

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Cancer in Australia 2017 (Cat. no. CAN 100; Cancer series no. 101). Canberra: AIHW, 2017.
2. Hewitson P, Glasziou P, Irwig L, et al. Screening for colorectal cancer using the faecal occult blood test, Hemoccult. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2007; CD001216.
3. Australian Department of Health. National Bowel Cancer Screening Program: policy framework phase four (2015–2020). Nov 2017. http://www.cancerscreening.gov.au/internet/screening/publishing.nsf/Content/CDD8E9C8B95B9C94CA25806A007B6046/$File/Policy%20Framework%2014112017_KB.pdf (viewed Sept 2020).
4. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. National Bowel Cancer Screening Program: monitoring report 2019 (Cat. no. CAN 125; Cancer series no. 125). Canberra: AIHW, 2019.
5. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Analysis of bowel cancer outcomes for the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (Cat. no. CAN 113). Canberra: AIHW, 2018.
6. Dagher H, Ahern S, Salimi F, et al. The 2019 data bi-national colorectal cancer audit report. May 2020. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5dcb9934d3d5c2516c2ff339/t/5ecd9c82fd31365e4f20baec/1590533311233/BCCA+Annual+Report+2020+%5B2019+Data%5D.pdf (viewed Sept 2020).

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Perspectives

The 2020 special report of the MJA–Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: lessons learnt from Australia’s “Black Summer”

Ying Zhang, Paul J Beggs, Alice McGushin, Hilary Bambrick, Stefan Trueck, Ivan C Hanigan, Geoffrey G Morgan, Helen L Berry, Martina K Linnenluecke, Fay H Johnston, Anthony G Capon and Nick Watts

Med J Aust 2020; 213 (11): . || doi: 10.5694/mja2.50869
Published online: 3 December 2020

ARTICLE
AUTHORS
REFERENCES

Topics

Environment and public health

Health services administration

Statistics, epidemiology and research design

Mental disorders

Respiratory tract diseases

Summary

The MJA–Lancet Countdown on health and climate change was established in 2017, and produced its first Australian national assessment in 2018 and its first annual update in 2019. It examines indicators across five broad domains: climate change impacts, exposures and vulnerability; adaptation, planning and resilience for health; mitigation actions and health co‐benefits; economics and finance; and public and political engagement.
In the wake of the unprecedented and catastrophic 2019–20 Australian bushfire season, in this special report we present the 2020 update, with a focus on the relationship between health, climate change and bushfires, highlighting indicators that explore these linkages.
In an environment of continuing increases in summer maximum temperatures and heatwave intensity, substantial increases in both fire risk and population exposure to bushfires are having an impact on Australia’s health and economy. As a result of the “Black Summer” bushfires, the monthly airborne particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in diameter (PM_2.5) concentrations in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory in December 2019 were the highest of any month in any state or territory over the period 2000–2019 at 26.0 μg/m³ and 71.6 μg/m³ respectively, and insured economic losses were $2.2 billion.
We also found growing awareness of and engagement with the links between health and climate change, with a 50% increase in scientific publications and a doubling of newspaper articles on the topic in Australia in 2019 compared with 2018. However, despite clear and present need, Australia still lacks a nationwide adaptation plan for health. As Australia recovers from the compounded effects of the bushfires and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic, the health profession has a pivotal role to play. It is uniquely suited to integrate the response to these short term threats with the longer term public health implications of climate change, and to argue for the economic recovery from COVID‐19 to align with and strengthen Australia’s commitments under the Paris Agreement.

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1 University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW
2 Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW
3 Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
4 Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD
5 University Centre for Rural Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW
6 Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW
7 Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS
8 Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC

Correspondence: ying.zhang@sydney.edu.au

Acknowledgements:

We thank Robert Fawcett, John Nairn, and Elizabeth Ebert (from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology) for indicators 1.1 and 1.2. We thank Yang Liu (Emory University) and Bryan Vu (Emory University) for the Australian data used for indicator 1.3. Finally, we thank Marina Romanello (University College London) and Bradley Graves (Macquarie University) for assistance with visualisation of the indicator 1.3 data.

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

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Perspectives

A guide for medical practitioners transitioning to an encore career or retirement

Chanaka Wijeratne and Joanne Earl

Med J Aust 2021; 214 (1): . || doi: 10.5694/mja2.50870
Published online: 30 November 2020

ARTICLE
AUTHORS
REFERENCES

Topics

Gerontology

General medicine

Controlling the exit from work and accumulating multiple resources early predict adjustment to retirement

The traditional approach to leaving a career in medicine has been informal. The fact that about 10% of medical practitioners in Australia are aged 65 years or over1 — a seemingly natural consequence of increased life expectancy, improved quality of life and fluctuations in financial markets — highlights the need for a more methodical process for leaving medicine.

1 University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney, NSW
2 Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, NSW
3 Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW

Correspondence: Chanaka.Wijeratne@health.nsw.gov.au

Acknowledgements:

We have received funding from the Avant Foundation to develop an online educational program for medical practitioners transitioning to retirement. The funding source has had no role in the planning or writing of this article.

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

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The year of the ‘rona: an uncontrolled trial in verse

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COVID‐19, children and schools: overlooked and at risk

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The year of the ‘rona: an uncontrolled trial in verse

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What the forks? A longitudinal quality improvement study tracking cutlery numbers in a public teaching and research hospital staff tearoom

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Abstract

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Comment

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Scientists in pyjamas: characterising the working arrangements and productivity of Australian medical researchers during the COVID‐19 pandemic

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Abstract

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Comment

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Health and medicine in a pandemic year: moving from the “winter of despair” to the “spring of hope”

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Comment

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Enough seagulls! Rural and remote communities need local researchers living, walking and talking with locals

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The short to medium term benefits of the Australian colorectal cancer screening program

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The 2020 special report of the MJA–Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: lessons learnt from Australia’s “Black Summer”

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Summary

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A guide for medical practitioners transitioning to an encore career or retirement

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Superspreaders, asymptomatics and COVID‐19 elimination

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COVID‐19, children and schools: overlooked and at risk

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Pagination