Abstract
Background: The World Health Organization advocates for the involvement of non-dental workers in integrating oral health (OH) into primary care. However, numerous challenges exist in this area. Artificial Intelligence (AI) could facilitate their involvement in oral care and improve OH outcomes. Although studies of AI use by non-dental workers exist, the literature remains fragmented and unsynthesised. This review examines the use and effectiveness of AI strategies to support non-dental workers in integrating OH into primary care.

Methods: This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and utilised Whittemore and Knafl’s (2005) integrative review framework (Prospero number: CRD42024593238). We searched for studies in six databases. This review included studies published in English from 2015 to 2024, which highlighted AI strategies used by non-dental workers and the effectiveness of AI use. A data extraction form was developed to extract information from the included articles. A thematic analysis approach was applied to report findings.

Results: This review included seven papers with quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, and quasi-experimental designs. Various non-dental workers (e.g., frontline healthcare workers, clinic managers, caregivers, registered nurses, general practitioners, and allied health staff) used preventive, triage, and oral treatment-focused AI applications in integrated OH spaces, providing prompt, low-cost digital OH, education, screening and referral services. These AI applications effectively optimized knowledge/awareness practice, early detection, disease prevention, oral care, etc. AI-powered applications addressed OH disparities among diverse populations and improved OH equity.

Conclusions: Our review suggests that AI can increase non-dental workers’ capacity and facilitate their involvement in oral care in non-dental settings. This indicates that AI holds significant promise in integrating OH into primary care. However, such integration necessitates adequate training for non-dental workers. More research is warranted on the role of AI in optimising oral care by non-dental workers in primary care settings.

Health misinformation continues to be a significant global challenge, undermining effective public health responses, especially during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Misleading health claims circulated via social media, messaging apps, and informal networks have fueled vaccine hesitancy, delayed treatment-seeking, and eroded trust in health institutions. Addressing this infodemic requires a proactive, multi-level communication strategy rooted in public health practice.

This abstract presents a review of evidence-based interventions to counter misinformation, with a focus on community engagement and inclusive messaging. Three core strategies are explored: (1) enhancing digital health literacy across population groups, (2) fostering partnerships between public health authorities, educators, and media platforms, and (3) delivering timely, culturally relevant messages through trusted messengers and local networks.

Insights are drawn from lived experience in multilingual COVID-19 awareness campaigns in India, including community radio, regional newspaper publications, and televised health talks. These efforts highlight the need for simplified, accurate, and locally contextualised health information to effectively counter digital misinformation.

To safeguard health equity in a digitally divided world, public health communication must evolve beyond reactive messaging. Building resilient information ecosystems, training health professionals in strategic communication, and collaborating with tech platforms to detect and respond to false narratives are essential. This presentation calls for embedding communication competency into public health workforce development and integrating community-centred communication into future preparedness planning.

References:
Chou, W. Y. S., Gaysynsky, A., & Vanderpool, R. C. (2021). The COVID-19 infodemic: Applying the health belief model to identify predictors of digital health information seeking. Health Education & Behavior, 48(1), 25–34. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198120980674
Loomba, S., de Figueiredo, A., Piatek, S. J., de Graaf, K., & Larson, H. J. (2021). Measuring the impact of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation on vaccination intent in the UK and USA. Nature Human Behaviour, 5(3), 337–348. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-021-01056-1
World Health Organization. (2020). Managing the COVID-19 infodemic. https://www.who.int/news/item/23-09-2020-managing-the-covid-19-infodemic

Introduction/Background

Local Public Health Units (LPHUs) were established across Victoria in 2020 to manage COVID-19 cases and outbreaks. By 2022-2023, 83 notifiable conditions were integrated into LPHUs for local management. As part of this rapid expansion, LPHUs faced ongoing training needs, particularly in verbal communication skills for case interviewing and prioritization of critical information.

Method

A pilot training program was developed to upskill 30 LPHU staff in case interviewing, focusing on Measles and sexual health. The training leveraged MS Teams and the artificial intelligence platform ChatGPT. ChatGPT generated case study scenarios and supporting materials such as a terminology glossary. The training session, hosted via MS Teams, included three parts: an introduction to the disease and interview techniques, a recorded interview example, and a role-playing exercise in breakout rooms. Participants practiced using a script developed by ChatGPT, with a focus on verbal communication. The session concluded with feedback, strategy sharing, and peer-based learning.

Results/Evaluation

Immediate feedback indicated that the online format was well-received, providing a safe and authentic space for practice-based learning. Many participants noted the applicability of the skills learned across various disease scenarios. Follow-up surveys conducted three months later revealed that attendees felt confident in applying the skills learned and did not require additional training. The virtual training environment was considered authentic, with one participant remarking that it provided context and explained the language used in interviews.

Discussion

Interviewing skills are vital across many professional roles, and the use of AI in training can enhance efficiency and expand access to content. Virtual platforms like MS Teams can simulate authentic environments, allowing remote team members to participate without the need for travel, saving time and resources. This pilot demonstrates the potential for technology to provide scalable, effective training solutions in public health contexts.

Introduction: The World Health Organization identified social isolation and loneliness (SIL) among older adults as growing health, social, and economic concerns. Physical inactivity compounds these risks, with both contributing to cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, cognitive decline, and mental health issues (WHO, 2021). The Health Promotion Service in South Western Sydney Local Health District and Collective Leisure co-led a collaborative initiative to address SIL and physical inactivity amongst older adults in Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia.
Methods: The Liverpool Seniors Wellbeing and Social Group adopted the '5 Ways to Wellbeing Framework', delivering integrated physical and recreational activities designed in consultation with local seniors aged 65yrs and over. The program ran three times/week for six months, including structured physical activities, recreation, health information and social connection opportunities. Initial evaluation (2023) used pre- and post-program surveys with 46 participants. The current study extends this evaluation through to July 2025, using a mixed-methods approach to examine long-term outcomes for both continuing participants and new cohorts, focusing specifically on physical activity engagement and social isolation measures. In addition to pre- and post-program surveys, focus groups will be conducted to understand program successes from participants' perspectives and assess feasibility for long term sustainability.

Results Initial evaluation demonstrated statistically significant improvements in social connectedness (p=0.01), engagement in new activities (p=0.02), and physical activity uptake (p=0.02). The initial program achieved 1,222 unique visits, exceeding key performance indicators. Long-term follow-up data through 2025 will assess the impact on physical activity levels, analyse attendance patterns to determine program impact, and examine maintenance of social connections among both continuing and new participants.
Conclusion A collaborative, community-designed approach effectively addresses both social isolation and physical inactivity in older adults. Long-term evaluation will provide evidence of the sustainability and extended impact of this collaborative model for healthy ageing and community connection.

Background: Falls in older adults cost our health systems over $2.8 billion each year and can have devastating personal consequences, with 400 older Australians hospitalised after a fall each day and 6000 dying from a fall each year. Yet Australia has no national policy or co-ordination of fall prevention initiatives.

Aims: To work collaboratively for greater awareness and action on falls in older Australians among the community, health professionals and policy makers.

Methods: Over the past three years we have brought together researchers, clinicians and consumers to co-ordinate efforts. The work has been led by the NHMRC-funded Centre for Research Excellence in the Prevention of Falls Injuries and the Australia and New Zealand Fall Prevention Society with support from multiple organisations.

Results: So far we have created evidence reports, infographics and videos[1], gained media attention with an estimated reach of over 1 million people, supported the NSW Clinical Excellence Commission to launch a White Paper, worked with the Australian Commission for Safety and Quality in Health Care on new Australian Guidelines for Falls Prevention to be launched in 2025, hosted a roundtable attended by representatives from 38 different organisations (including the ANZ Society for Geriatric Medicine) [2], and are making plans for an alliance to formalise these relationships and create a central resource hub.

Conclusions: We have a long way to go but have collectively learnt a great deal about systems thinking, health policy, collaboration, consumer engagement, media engagement, building on relationships and communication of evidence.

Authors: Ana Varua, Emily Spencer, Eric Lee, Alison Guo, Juan Dueñas and Scott Walsberger.

Background
The Australian Government funded ‘Own It’ cervical screening campaign is being delivered in partnership with ACON, the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), the Australian Multicultural Health Collaborative (AMHC), and the Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer (ACPCC). The primary campaign objective is to increase awareness of the self-collection option. This campaign was designed with diversity, equity, and inclusion embedded at every stage.

Methods
Priority target audiences were identified based on barriers to screening and lower screening participation. Perspectives of these priority audiences informed the entirety of the process. Multiple creative agencies including specialist multicultural and First Nations agencies advised on the creative development of the campaign. When refining the creative, special care was given to ensuring each audience was represented in focus testing. In-language, First Nations and LGBTQ+ groups were prioritised.

During production, authentic storytelling was central. ACON worked with community talent from diverse backgrounds, who shaped the campaign’s narrative. The production team mirrored the diversity of the onscreen talent, bolstered by the presence of specialist in-language production support.

The campaign will run from mid-September 2024 through mid-September 2025. A mid-campaign survey was completed in early 2025.

Results
The mid-campaign survey found 27% of the primary audience is aware of the campaign, more than double the 12% among non-primary audiences. Campaign recognisers are significantly more likely to be aware of self-collection and to intend to take it up. Importantly, in-person and online feedback has highlighted the positive impact of showcasing diversity, with priority audiences noting the personal significance of seeing themselves represented.

‘Own It’ demonstrates the benefits of equity-first campaigns. By placing the voices of priority populations at the centre, we offer a blueprint for campaigns that move the dial on public health equity.

Hearing loss is a common condition that affects individuals globally, yet cultural perceptions and societal stigma often shape how individuals seek care and engage with treatment. In many communities, hearing loss is associated with ageing, disability, or social isolation, influencing whether individuals pursue treatment. In some cultures, hearing loss may be seen as a weakness or sign of dependency, creating barriers to the adoption of hearing aids and other assistive devices. Conversely, other cultural contexts may regard hearing loss as a natural part of ageing, leading to delayed diagnosis and minimal intervention. These cultural attitudes significantly affect the timely access to care, with stigma being a central factor in how individuals engage with hearing health services.

Policy plays a crucial role in addressing these cultural beliefs and improving access to care. By incorporating cultural competence into public health frameworks, policies can help bridge the gap between cultural perceptions and the need for effective hearing loss interventions. This requires a nuanced understanding of how societal norms influence attitudes towards hearing health and how healthcare systems can better support diverse populations.

This presentation takes a cross-disciplinary approach, drawing on insights from sociology, anthropology, and public health, to explore the intersection of cultural perceptions, health beliefs, and hearing loss. Sociology offers insights into how societal values shape the experiences of individuals with hearing loss, while anthropology provides context on how different cultures perceive disability. Public health frameworks highlight the need for policies that address these cultural factors to ensure equitable access to hearing care.

By prioritising cultural competence in healthcare, this research advocates for policy interventions that reduce stigma and improve access to support services, including hearing aids. Such interventions are critical in ensuring that individuals, regardless of cultural background, receive the care they need to manage hearing loss and lead fulfilling lives.

The mental health and psychosocial needs of adolescent Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are seriously underserved. There are few services and resources for them, and this population is hard to reach with conventional mental health and psychosocial support activities. Adolescent Rohingya refugees have very limited opportunities to express themselves and to engage in the community. This affects their mental health and psychosocial wellbeing negatively. This field report argues that the use of sports and physical activity could be a valuable means to provide psychosocial support to adolescent Rohingya refugees. A small number of research efforts and project evaluations have begun to help us understand the link between participation in sport and physical activity and mental health and psychosocial wellbeing. The data of this study were collected through focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The findings
suggest that sports and physical activity may play a significant role in the psychosocial development and in strengthening positive social communication among adolescents. However, the development of sport activities in a humanitarian setting such as the Rohingya crisis is not easy. This field report explores challenges related to gender, local cultural context and community structure. Finally, some factors are discussed on how to design psychosocial programmes that include sport and physical activity and how to promote this with several stakeholders.

Background
Medically tailored meals (MTM) programs involve the delivery of pre-prepared meals designed by health professionals and nutritionists to improve patients' health outcomes. Initial evidence is promising for improving diabetes and food security, but key questions around implementation remain¹. We aim to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a community-based pilot MTM intervention for adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and food insecurity (FI) living in Melbourne and identify enablers and barriers to implementation.

Methods
The pilot program, co-led by The George Institute for Global Health (TGI) and FareShare, the meal provider, has two sequential parts. An implementation framework was first developed for the intervention using a multistakeholder, participatory co-design approach. Part 2 is a clinical pilot feasibility study (n=40) to test and evaluate the co-designed 12-week MTM intervention comprising 10 meals and 10 snacks home-delivered weekly. Ready meals will be prepared by FareShare chefs using donated and purchased ingredients and produce grown in their kitchen gardens, in line with evidence-based nutritional recommendations for T2D, and designed with TGI dietitians. Primary outcomes relate to feasibility and changes in diet quality.

Results
Co-design of the implementation framework was completed in January 2025. Key considerations were used to refine the intervention design, such as including a FI screener for use by referral site dietitians and exploring a community health pathway for a MTM self-collection model post-pilot to address continued accessibility. The pilot program commenced in May 2025, and data analysis will be completed by June 2026.

Conclusion
This study will generate essential data on the acceptability of and enablers and barriers to implementing a community-led MTM intervention. The findings will inform the design of a larger clinical trial and the future scalability of MTM programs in Australia to improve access and health outcomes for people with T2D and FI.

References
¹Mozaffarian, D., et al., "Food Is Medicine" Strategies for Nutrition Security and Cardiometabolic Health Equity: JACC State-of-the-Art Review. J Am Coll Cardiol, 2024. 83(8): p. 843-864. 10.1016/j.jacc.2023.12.023

Background: High rates of newborn and infant deaths remain a major global public health concern, yet many of these deaths are preventable through interventions such as breastfeeding and vaccination. However, these preventive practices, including immediate and exclusive breastfeeding, essential newborn care, and immunisation, remain low in many low and middle-income countries, including Ethiopia. Thus, this study aimed to determine the effect of maternal pregnancy intention on preventive newborn and infant healthcare in Ethiopia.
Methods: The analysis used data from the Performance Monitoring for Action Ethiopia longitudinal survey. This nationally representative survey was conducted from 2019 to 2021. The study assessed the impact of maternal pregnancy intention on the newborn and infant continuum of care using propensity score methods. Essential care practices were analysed as outcomes, with pregnancy intention as the exposure. Logistic regression with inverse probability of treatment weights estimated odds ratios (95% CI), adjusting for covariates was used.
Results: Women with intended pregnancies had 28% higher odds of early initiation of breastfeeding (AOR=1.28, 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.59) and 34% higher odds of exclusive breastfeeding from birth to six months of age (AOR=1.34, 95% CI: 1.08 to 1.66) compared to women with unintended pregnancies. Similarly, the odds of full infant immunisation were 39% higher among women with intended pregnancies than those with unintended pregnancies (AOR=1.39, 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.87). However, there was no statistically significant difference in the odds of essential newborn care practices between women with intended and unintended pregnancies (AOR=0.83, 95% CI: 0.53 to 1.31).
Conclusions: Pregnancy intention significantly impacts preventive newborn and infant healthcare practices across the continuum of care. Therefore, prioritising interventions for preventing unintended pregnancies, such as strengthening the availability and accessibility of family planning, early identification of women with unintended pregnancies, and ensuring they receive appropriate healthcare services, is essential.

Healthy Cities Australia is a not-for-profit health promotion organisation that has been active in the Illawarra Shoalhaven since 1987. In 2024 we developed a partnership with Asthma Australia to fund the Breathe Better Illawarra asthma prevention initiative. This year, we developed and began rolling out a series of community-based asthma education workshops to try to address stubborn rates of preventable hospitalisation among children with asthma. Our evaluation results suggest that the workshops have been successful in improving participants knowledge about asthma and their self-management skills. The success of the workshops depends on the collaborative approach Healthy Cities has taken to the Breathe Better Illawarra, in particular our close relationship with the Local Health District. Our reach into the community through our after-school programs for primary school age children helped us to identify children with asthma whose families may be looking for additional support for their asthma. Consultation with participants has confirmed the findings of our needs assessment for the program that the caregivers of children who are diagnosed with asthma in primary care are often missing out on the detailed education they need to self-manage the condition at home and prevent dangerous flare ups. Listening to the experiences of families dealing with asthma confirmed findings from the literature that contradictory advice received from healthcare practitioners contributes to poor medication adherence and ultimately to increased rates of ED presentation and hospitalisation. Breathe Better Illawarra is attempting to create space for self-management education outside of the time-strapped clinical encounter as one approach to addressing this. This presentation will present the evaluation results from the first two workshops held in 2025.

Background: Loneliness and social isolation are critical public health issues with well-documented effects on health and wellbeing. Scant research has examined the independent influence of multiple community-level determinants based on longitudinal design. Furthermore, whether their effects are comparable between younger and older adults is unknown. This longitudinal study addresses these significant knowledge gaps by comprehensively examining the influence of multiple community-level determinants on loneliness and social isolation and uniquely comparing these effects across younger (18-30 years) and older (60+ years) adults.
Methods: We analysed longitudinal data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey from four waves (2006/07, 2010/11, 2014/15, 2018/19), to investigate associations between nine community and neighbourhood-level variables and whether people were experiencing loneliness and/or social isolation. We employed lagged mixed-effects Poisson regression models to calculate risk ratios adjusted for individual and interpersonal-level factors.
Results: Low community engagement emerged as the strongest risk factor for loneliness and social isolation in both younger (Loneliness, RR=1.34; Social isolation, RR=1.58) and older populations (Loneliness, RR=1.35; Social isolation, RR=2.02). Low neighbourhood social cohesion significantly increased loneliness and social isolation in older adults (Loneliness, RR=1.15; Social isolation, RR=1.36) and social isolation in younger adults (RR=1.54). We observed distinct age-specific effects, with cultural practices, altruism, and perceived neighbourhood safety having differential impacts across age groups.
Conclusions: Our findings highlight the critical need for community-level interventions to address loneliness and social isolation, suggesting that focusing solely on individual-related factors is insufficient. Tailoring public health strategies to enhance community dynamics may be essential in reducing loneliness and social isolation among vulnerable populations, particularly in areas with low social cohesion and community engagement.

Abstract
Background: Adolescence represents a critical period for physical growth and the formation of long-term health. Adequate nutrition in this age group is critical to support growth and well-being. Yet, adolescents usually have poor dietary behaviours such as excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and processed snacks, along with inadequate intake of fruits, vegetables, requiring appropriate intervention. Peer-led approaches are particularly suitable during this stage, as they leverage adolescents’ responsiveness to peer influence and support autonomy, while also being cost-effective.
Objective: To identify and synthesise peer-led, school-based interventions implemented in Australia that aimed to improve adolescent dietary behaviours.
Methods: A scoping review was conducted following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Eligible studies were those: targeted adolescents aged 10–19 years, were delivered in Australian school settings, included a peer-led component, and aimed to improve dietary behaviours. Peer-reviewed and grey literature were sourced from MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, ERIC, and institutional repositories. Data were extracted on intervention design, peer models, dietary focus, and reported outcomes.
Results: Five interventions met inclusion criteria, including curriculum-integrated peer education (e.g., SALSA), student-led campaigns (e.g., switchURsip), and ambassador programs. All were conducted since 2000. Targeted behaviours included fruit and vegetable intake, sugary drink reduction, meal regularity, and nutrition label literacy. Most interventions had small but positive short-term improvements, including increased fruit and vegetable intake, reduced sugary drink consumption, improved portion control, and greater awareness of healthy eating habits.
Conclusion: Peer-led interventions delivered in school settings represent a promising, developmentally appropriate, and scalable approach to improving adolescent dietary behaviours in Australia. However, further investment is needed in interventions that use controlled study designs with long-term follow-up and incorporate culturally relevant content for Indigenous and linguistically diverse communities.
Keywords: adolescents, peer-led interventions, school-based programs, dietary behaviour, nutrition education, food literacy, Australia, scoping review