The success of Australia’s ‘No Jab,No Pay’ policy at a local level; retrospective clinical audit of a single medical practice assessing incidence of catch-up vaccinations

Vaccination is a vital health care initiative to prevent individual and population infection. To increase vaccination rates the federal government implemented the ‘No Jab, No Pay’ policy, where eligibility for several government benefits required children to be fully vaccinated by removing ‘conscientious objections’ and expanding the age range of children whose families receive benefits. This study assesses the impact of this policy at a local area within a single medical practice community in NSW, Australia. A retrospective clinical audit was performed between 2012 and 2017 on a single general practice's vaccination records for children ≤19 years. Catch-up vaccinations were assessed based on age at vaccination. Incidence of catch-up vaccinations was assessed for each of four years before and two years after the implementation of the ‘No Jab, No Pay’ policy in January 2016, along with the age of children and vaccination(s) given. Catch-up vaccinations were assessed temporally either side of implementation of ‘No Jab, No Pay’. Comparing the average annual vaccination catch-up incidence rate of 6.2% pre-implementation (2012–2015), there was an increase to 9.2% in 2016 (p < .001) and 7.8% in 2017 (p = .027). Secondary outcome measurement of catch-up vaccination incidence rates before (2012–2015) and after (2016–2017) ‘No Jab, No Pay’ implementation showed statistically significant increases for children aged 8–11 years (3.2%–5.6%, p = .038), 12–15 years (7.5%–14.7%, p < .001) and 16–19 years (3.3%–10.2%, p < .001) along with a statistically significant reduction in children aged 1–3 years (11.4%–6.2%, p = .015). Also, catch-up rates for DTPa significantly increased after program implementation. This study demonstrates that the Australian federal government vaccination policy ‘No Jab, No Pay’ was coincident with an increase in catch-up vaccinations within a rural NSW community served by one medical practice, especially for older children.     

Neuroticism,Trait Fear of Missing Out,and Phubbing: The Mediating Role of State Fear of Missing Out and Problematic Instagram Use

International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction - One of the relatively new negative consequences of smartphone use is “phubbing” (snubbing someone while an individual checks their...     

Outcomes after neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy for cT2-4N0-1 non–small cell lung cancer: A propensity-matched analysis

Objective

Comparative survival between neoadjuvant chemotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with cT2-4N0-1M0 non–small cell lung cancer has not been extensively studied.

Topical acne treatments in Europe and the issue of antimicrobial resistance

Acne vulgaris (acne) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the sebaceous gland, characterized by follicular hyperkeratinization, excessive colonization by Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) as well as immune reactions and inflammation. Despite an armamentarium of topical treatments available including benzoyl peroxide, retinoids and azelaic acid, topical antibiotics in monotherapies, especially erythromycin and clindamycin, are still used in Europe to treat acne. This intensive use led to antimicrobial‐resistant P. acnes and staphylococci strains becoming one of the main health issues worldwide. This is an update on the current topical acne treatments available in Europe, their mechanism of action, their potential to induce antimicrobial resistance and their clinical efficacy and safety.