Introduction: Adolescents are considered the healthiest population of all age groups, yet they are vulnerable to illnesses and deaths from preventable causes. We aimed to systematically investigate the burden of morbidity, mortality, and risk factors for mortality among adolescents and young adults (10-24 years) in Australia compared to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.

Methods: We retrieved the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 data for Australia and 37 OECD countries between 2000-2021. Country and age-specific estimates with 95% uncertainty intervals were obtained from the GBD Compare and Results Tool for all-cause mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). The top 15 level-three risk factors for death were investigated, with rates reported per 100,000 population. Causes of death by age-groups, sex, and year for other diseases were measured using the Cause of Death Ensemble model (CODEm).

Results: Between 2000 and 2021, mortality rates in adolescents and young adults decreased in Australia and across OECD regions, with substantial reductions (47.1 in 2000 vs. 27.9 in 2021) in Australia. DALYs decreased slightly (11,850.2 in 2000 vs. 10,363.9 in 2021), ranking Australia eighth among OECD countries in 2021. Young adults (20-24 years) had higher mortality and DALYs than other age groups. In 2021, males in Australia and OECD countries had higher mortality rates, while Australian females had more DALYs than males. Alcohol and drug use were the leading risk factors for death.

Conclusion: Adolescent and young adult mortality in Australia has declined more than the OECD average, with minimal reduction in disease burden. Disparities in mortality rates and morbidity burden continue to grow across countries, age groups, and genders due to the limited focus on males and young adults. Therefore, this study calls for comprehensive health strategies that address these disparities to reduce the disease burden in young people, specifically among males.

* GAT and ZSL are joint last authors

People living outside of metropolitan areas have lower five-year survival rates for all cancers combined. The Find Cancer Early public health education campaign aims to improve cancer symptom awareness and motivate help-seeking behaviours to reduce this disparity. This presentation explores the beliefs of regional Western Australians around cancer and early detection, which may influence uptake of these behaviours.
An online cross-sectional evaluation survey of 1248 regional Western Australians aged ≥ 40 years was conducted. Survey items measured agreement with positive, negative and misheld beliefs around cancer and early detection. Logistic regression assessed differences in outcomes by demographic characteristics and cancer history.
Agreement with positive beliefs, including ‘going to the doctor as quickly as possible after noticing a symptom of cancer could increase the chances of surviving’ (94.1%), was high. Yet 45.1% believed ‘most cancer treatment is worse than the cancer itself’; higher in women (OR=2.32, p=0.000), and those aged 50-64 yrs (OR=1.54, p=0.044) and living in Kimberley/Pilbara (OR=1.98, p=0.037), and lower in those with highest education (OR=0.48, p=0.001) and a personal history of cancer (OR=0.68; p=0.041). Common misheld beliefs included ‘symptoms that might be cancer often go away’ (25.6%), and ‘if I participate in screening tests, I don’t need to do anything else to detect cancer' (18.3%). The latter was higher in those living in Kimberley/Pilbara (OR=2.99, p=0.005), and lower in those with highest education (OR=0.48, p=0.010) and a personal history of cancer (OR=0.55, p=0.017).
Most regional adults hold positive beliefs around the benefits of early cancer detection. However, negative and misheld beliefs are present and most evident in those with lower education, living in Kimberley/Pilbara and with no personal history of cancer. Findings will help inform new Find Cancer Early campaign messaging and audience targeting to dispel negative and misheld beliefs which detract from taking action on cancer symptoms.

The evidence linking environmental exposures to cancer risk presents a complex and rapidly evolving challenge for public health policy. Some risks are well-established, yet evidence for many emerging environmental contaminants and their potential association with cancer remains conflicting or insufficient. With government inquiries, regulatory changes, and growing public concern about environmental health risks, it is crucial we understand the available evidence to establish informed policy positions.

Utilising expert consultation to frame the issue and to establish the scope of our evidence review., we conducted systematic literature searches to determine the available evidence, refining our search strategy and inclusion criteria using an iterative process. The evidence review was complimented by an extensive landscape analysis to understand existing regulations and policy levers which may influence policy decisions.

We have recently developed policy positions related to environmental exposures like per- and poly fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and glyphosate. For many contaminants, we found that regulatory decisions should be based on established principles of environmental health protection, including persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity, rather than waiting for definitive cancer evidence. We recommend enhanced environmental health surveillance systems, including longitudinal exposure studies and biomonitoring in existing large cohort studies. Environmental contaminants should be addressed through comprehensive regulatory frameworks spanning environmental protection, exposure prevention, and health outcome monitoring.

This presentation will discuss key learnings associated with developing policy priorities for environmental cancer prevention. Developing evidence-based policies in rapidly evolving scientific landscapes requires agility and vigilance, especially considering the potential impacts on community health and concerns. In such highly technical fields, we must leverage relationships with trusted experts to guide judgement and tailor effective public messaging. We will maintain ongoing surveillance of emerging environmental health evidence, and are committed to serving as a sensible, trusted and evidence-based voice as the science and regulatory context continue to evolve.

Background
The exponential growth of internet use has transformed how people access health information, leaving behind digital footprints (DF) that could offer valuable, untapped insights into public concerns, behaviours, and knowledge gaps. These DFs can be harnessed to improve public health communication and policymaking. Using COVID-19 vaccine mandates in Australia as case study, this study examined how DFs can support time-bound responsive health policies.
Methods
Google trends data for 2020-2022 was analysed to evaluate shifts in online search behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a demographically diverse sample in Queensland. Thematic analysis was used to synthesise public preferences and motivations, challenges when navigating online health content, and potential use in public health decisions.
Results
Keyword search trends highlight both the potential and the complexity of leveraging infodemiological data for policy guidance. Ten participants who were interviewed perceived a mix of both credible and misleading sources in their online searches related to the COVID-19 vaccine, raising concerns about trust, misinformation, and the influence of search engine optimisation (SEO). A recurring theme was the importance of aligning online content with trusted sources. One participant noted, ‘Not everything you see online is going to be correct... you kind of have to take it with a grain of salt, unless it is by someone who is credited,’ highlighting the need for credibility scaling in digital health information. While participants supported the integration of Google trends data into public health decision-making, caution was urged against over-reliance on DFs without context-sensitive validation.
Conclusions
This study provides community perspectives on the use of digital analytics and SEO in public health, offering policy-relevant viewpoints for consideration when issuing mandates. Integrating online search data with traditional surveillance systems could optimise the co-designing of health campaigns that align with public behaviour and literacy needs.

Trust is fundamental to relationships between individuals, healthcare professionals, and the broader health system. However, people from traditionally undersupported groups—including cis-women, non-cisgender individuals, those with non-heterosexual orientations, people with disabilities, and ethnic minorities—often face experiences that undermine it. This study evaluated these experiences through an online polling conducted in 2022, 2023 and 2024, which gathered data from over 35,000 respondents across 10 countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom and United States.

We investigated whether undersupported groups are disproportionately impacted by trust loss in healthcare, how their characteristics contribute, the reasons behind it, and the impact on healthcare behavior and outcomes. Using logistic regression for ordinal and binary data, we quantified the occurrence and impact of trust-damaging experience in each under-supported group and simulated the effects of intersectionality.

Our analyses revealed that over half of individuals lost trust in their healthcare providers (52%), and in the healthcare system (60%) due to negative experiences. Concerning healthcare providers, undesrsupported groups – especially non-cisgender individuals (OR:2.29, CI:2.01-2.61) and those with physical (OR:1.91, CI:1.8-2.03) and mental disabilities (OR:1.75, CI:1.59-1.92) were disproportionately affected. Intersectionality increased the rate of trust loss to over 80% in some cases. Discrimination was highest among ethnic minorities, non-cisgender, and non-heterosexual individuals (up to 21%), while insufficient emotional support was reported mostly from people with disabilities, non-heterosexuals, and cisgender women (up to 45%). Simulations showed that intersectionality may increase discrimination rates up to 25% and insufficient emotional care rates up to 57%. Trust loss negatively impacted healthcare behavior and outcomes in 20% of respondents.

These findings can help shaping targeted interventions to rebuild trust in healthcare systems among undersupported groups. By addressing the specific challenges faced by these populations, healthcare providers can foster a more inclusive and supportive environment, ultimately improving health outcomes and equity.

Abstract
Background
Neonatal mortality (NM) remains a persistent global public health challenge, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of its associated risk factors to guide effective interventions. Despite multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses varying in quality, scope and conclusions, an umbrella review synthesising this evidence was lacking.
Methods: We conducted an umbrella review using six major databases, including Embase, Medline, Global Health, CINAHL, Web of Science and Scopus, along with systematic review repositories and grey literature sources. Eligible studies were English-language systematic reviews and meta-analyses, published between 1990 and Dec 19, 2024, reporting effect estimates for associations between risk factors and all-cause NM, based on at least two primary studies. Quality of reviews was assessed using AMSTAR-2. Evidence on risk factors was summarised and graded. The review protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023455542).
Results: Of 9,212 retrieved records, 62 systematic reviews and meta-analyses were included, five of which were systematic reviews without meta-analyses. We identified 52 unique risk factors across 71 outcome–exposure associations. Probable evidence indicated an increased risk of NM associated with maternal age ≥35 years, low occupational status, arsenic exposure, prenatal opioid exposure, maternal overweight and obesity, maternal death, severe maternal morbidity, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, haemorrhagic disorders, anaemia in pregnancy, asthma, preterm birth, and delayed initiation of breastfeeding (≥24 hours). Probable evidence also supported the protective effects of antenatal care uptake, and health facility delivery. Evidence for most other factors was graded as limited-suggestive or limited and non-conclusive.
Conclusion: This review identifies probable evidence for several modifiable maternal and perinatal risk factors associated with NM, emphasising the critical need to improve access to high-quality antenatal, delivery and neonatal care, prevent preterm birth, promote timely initiation of breastfeeding, and address other identified risk factors. However, further high-quality research is required to strengthen the evidence base on risk factors for NM.
Keywords: Antenatal care; Health facility delivery; Neonatal mortality; Risk factors; Preterm birth; Umbrella review.

Action is needed to advance young people’s health. Youth health, including mental health, sexual health, digital environments and health literacy all need increased focus. The World Health Organization (WHO, 2023) reports that injuries, interpersonal violence, self-harm and maternal conditions are the leading causes of death among youth.

Despite the need to advocate for improved equitable access to healthcare, including integrated care to reduce inequality, only eight Public Health Associations (PHAs) out of 130 globally and one Regional PHA have policies that relate to women, children and youth. There is a need to progress policy and advocacy for young people's health.

Methods
As part of my role as co-chair of the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) Women Children and Youth Working Group, I attended the 2025 World Health Organisation Executive Board and World Health Assembly. The WFPHA is a non-state actor in an official relationship with the WHO, which provides an opportunity for organisational representatives to attend and make a statement at WHO meetings.

Results
Via collaboration with the WFPHA, other international networks, and the WFPHA Women Children and Youth Working Group, a statement for the World Health Assembly was drafted to promote action for young people’s health and wellbeing.

Accelerating progress for young people’s health includes:
1. the implementation of WHO guides to strengthen health systems and monitor progress;
2. equitable access to free comprehensive health services designed with young people; and
3. regulation to protect young people from the harmful effects of commercial goods and services.

Lessons
Young people's right to health needs to be prioritised to accelerate efforts towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Governments are responsible for ensuring young people’s rights, wellbeing, and safety, including by adequately supporting families and communities in responding to the impacts associated with social determinants of health throughout the lifespan.