Implementing new forms of collaboration and participation in primary health care: leveraging past learnings to inform future initiatives.

Introduction Within primary health care policy, there is an increasing focus on enhancing involvement with secondary health care, social care services and communities. Yet, translating these expectations into tangible changes frequently encounters significant obstacles. As part of an investigation into the progress made in achieving primary health care reform in Aotearoa New Zealand, realist research was undertaken with those charged with responsibility for national and local policies. The specific analysis in this paper probes primary health care leaders' assessments of progress towards more collaboration with other health and non-health agencies, and communities. Aim This study aimed to investigate how ideas for more integration and joinedup care have found their way into the practice of primary health care in Aotearoa New Zealand. Methods Applying a realist logic of inquiry, data from semi-structured interviews with primary health care leaders were analysed to identify key contextual characteristics and mechanisms. Explanations were developed of what influenced leaders to invest energy in joined-up and integrated care activities. Results Our findings highlight three explanatory mechanisms and their associated contexts: a willingness to share power, build trusting relationships and manage task complexity. These underpin leaders' accounts of the success (or otherwise) of collaborative arrangements. Discussion Such insights have import in the context of the current health reforms for stakeholders charged with developing local approaches to the planning and delivery of health services.

Cohort profile: Nga Kawekawe o Mate Korona | Impacts of COVID-19 in Aotearoa - a prospective, national cohort study of people with COVID-19 in New Zealand.

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant health, social and economic impacts around the world. We established a national, population-based longitudinal cohort to investigate the immediate and longer-term physical, psychological and economic impacts of COVID-19 on affected people in Aotearoa New Zealand (Aotearoa), with the resulting evidence to assist in designing appropriate health and well-being services for people with COVID-19. PARTICIPANTS: All people residing in Aotearoa aged 16 years or over, who had a confirmed or probable diagnosis of COVID-19 prior to December 2021, were invited to participate. Those living in dementia units were excluded. Participation involved taking part in one or more of four online surveys and/or in-depth interviews. The first wave of data collection took place from February to June 2022. FINDINGS TO DATE: By 30 November 2021, of 8735 people in Aotearoa aged 16+ who had COVID-19, 8712 were eligible for the study and 8012 had valid addresses so were able to be contacted to take part. A total of 990 people, including 161 Tangata Whenua (Maori, Indigenous peoples of Aotearoa) completed one or more surveys; in addition, 62 took part in in-depth interviews. Two hundred and seventeen people (20%) reported symptoms consistent with long COVID. Key areas of adverse impacts were experiences of stigma, mental distress, poor experiences of health services and barriers to healthcare, each being significantly more pronounced among disabled people and/or those with long COVID. FUTURE PLANS: Further data collection is planned to follow-up cohort participants. This cohort will be supplemented by the inclusion of a cohort of people with long COVID following Omicron infection. Future follow-ups will assess longitudinal changes to health and well-being impacts, including mental health, social, workplace/education and economic impacts of COVID-19.

Is conscientious beachcombing the key to 'unlock' marine plastic pollution trends through citizen science? A case study from Cockburn Sound, Western Australia.

Despite the global implementation of plastic waste reduction policies and bans on single use plastics (SuPs), their effectiveness for protecting marine ecosystems remains unclear. Frequent monitoring could confirm policy effectiveness, but this is difficult due to resourcing and logistic constraints. This study tested a 'beach litter' beachcombing citizen science approach that could overcome some constraints. Between November 2018 and January 2021, 168 beach visits led to the collection of 12,659 pieces of litter from a beach in Western Australia. Litter was predominantly plastic (87%) and mostly associated with fishing/boating (34%). Significant reductions in six types of litter, including fishing/boating items, balloons, and straws were detected and four coincided with local government waste mitigation measures. We show potential to harness conscientious beachcombers as citizen scientists to help evaluate plastic policy impact. Furthermore, we propose how to harness this effort and increase spatial and temporal coverage of marine plastic pollution monitoring.

Designing multidisciplinary longitudinal studies of human development: analyzing past research to inform methodology.

This review identifies key issues associated with the design of future longitudinal studies of human development. Sixteen international studies were compared for initial response and retention rate, sample size, type of data collected, and sampling frames. The studies had little information about the influences of fathers, extended family members, childcare, and educational institutions; the effects of peers; children's use of time; the needs of disabled children; urban versus rural environments; or the influence of genetic factors. A contemporary longitudinal study should include measures of physical and mental health, cognitive capacity, educational attainment, social adjustment, conduct and behavior, resiliency, and risk-taking behaviors. It needs to address genetic and intergenerational factors, cultural identity, and the influences of neighborhood, community, and wider social and political environments and to encompass outcomes at all life stages to systematically determine the role each factor plays in individuals' lives, including interactions within and across variables.

Warm and homely or cold and beautiful? Sex differences in trading off traits in mate selection.

Prior research and theory suggest that people use three main sets of criteria in mate selection: warmth/trustworthiness, attractiveness/vitality, and status/resources. In two studies, men and women made mating choices between pairs of hypothetical potential partners and were forced to make trade-offs among these three criteria (e.g., warm and homely vs. cold and attractive). As predicted, women (relative to men) placed greater importance on warmth/trustworthiness and status/resources in a potential mate but less importance on attractiveness/vitality. In addition, as expected (a) ratings of ideal standards partly mediated the link between sex and mate choices, (b) ideal standards declined in importance from long-term to short-term relationships, with the exception of attractiveness/vitality, and unexpectedly, (c) sex differences were higher for long-term (compared to short-term) mate choice. Explanations and implications are discussed.