Gender-affirming care for young people is often portrayed as a reactive or controversial form of treatment, yet it is, at its core, a preventive health intervention. It prevents the escalation of distress, self-harm, depression and suicidality; reduces the risk of long-term mental ill health; and supports the development of positive health behaviours throughout life.

This concept proposes to frame gender-affirming care within the context of Sustaining Prevention, highlighting its role in protecting and promoting health rather than merely responding to crisis. It will explore how timely access to affirming care - including social support, puberty suppression, and hormone therapy where clinically indicated - functions as primary and secondary prevention. By alleviating gender dysphoria and strengthening wellbeing, such care mitigates risk factors that contribute to poorer health outcomes across multiple domains, including substance use, cardiovascular health, and mental health.
The presentation would draw on Australian and international evidence demonstrating that access to gender-affirming care improves quality of life, reduces depression and suicidality, and enhances engagement with education and social participation. It would also consider the consequences of disrupted or delayed access - illustrating how restriction of care shifts the health system’s response from prevention to crisis management.

Sustaining prevention in this context requires stable policy, adequate clinical guidance, and consistent funding for gender services across jurisdictions. It also relies on workforce capability and public health literacy to ensure that young people, families and professionals understand that gender-affirming care is not an elective or exceptional service, but a routine component of adolescent preventive healthcare.

The concept would conclude that gender-affirming care exemplifies prevention in action - reducing harm, promoting wellbeing, and supporting healthy futures. Sustaining it within Australia’s preventive health system is both a moral responsibility and an evidence-based investment in population health.

Vaccines are one of the most cost-effective forms of preventive health care which lead to reductions in morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases. People with intellectual disability are more vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases, yet they are less likely to be vaccinated. Understanding rates of vaccination and adjustments which lead to successful vaccination is of key importance to improving health outcomes for this population. This study aimed to examine current evidence on vaccination uptake amongst people with intellectual disability and the impact of adjustments and adaptations on immunisation accessibility.

In accordance with PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search was conducted across Pubmed, Cinahl and Web of Science Core Collection to July 2025. Eligible studies were conducted in high-income countries and focused on vaccination uptake, vaccination accessibility and adaptations to the vaccination process for people with intellectual disability. Narrative synthesis was utilised to extract common themes and findings.

Thirty-nine studies were included in the review. Key findings included consistently low rates of uptake amongst people with intellectual disability across numerous vaccinations, particularly HPV and pneumococcal. There was evidence of low vaccination uptake amongst young people and those with milder forms of intellectual disability, impacted by misinformation on vaccination safety and importance. Misconceptions were particularly consequential for HPV vaccination uptake, exacerbated by the exclusion of people with intellectual disability from public vaccination campaigns and resources. Adaptations to vaccination processes included sensory friendly clinics, distraction and desensitisation techniques and adapted communications which produced notable improvements in uptake. Successful strategies were underpinned by shared decision-making between clinicians, people with intellectual disability and their caregivers.

Despite the complex contributors to low immunisation rates amongst people with intellectual disability, this review highlights the potential for interventions to address these barriers. Successful initiatives were all contingent upon shared decision-making between clinicians and patients/caregivers and an individualised approach to vaccination.

Introduction
Health mis- and disinformation have emerged as significant threats to preventative health, undermining trust in institutions, negatively influencing health behaviours and widening inequities. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the spread of false and misleading health information has accelerated; however, the issue extends beyond the pandemic, affecting topics such as vaccination, nutrition, cancer screening, vaping control and emerging public health policy. Social media has been a key driver, and more recently, AI-generated content has amplified the scale and speed at which mis- and disinformation can spread. As the information environment continues to evolve, so too must the public health sector’s strategies to safeguard communities from the harms of mis- and disinformation, and to ensure the sustainability of health promotion initiatives.

Methods
In this presentation we will explore how the sector can understand, anticipate and respond to the challenge of health mis- and disinformation. We will draw on insights from a nation-wide mixed-methods study, involving: (i) two focus groups with n=16 participants, stratified by degree of susceptibility to health mis- and disinformation, and (ii) an online survey of a representative sample of n=1,000 Australian adults.

Results
We will report on the extent of susceptibility to health-related mis- and disinformation, the attitudinal and social factors that determine susceptibility, the information-seeking and processing factors that heighten risk, and the health topics most prone to false information.

Moving from insights to action, we will also propose evidence-informed pathways for effective response. These will include strategies to reduce susceptibility to health mis- and disinformation, and strategies to maximise community trust in official health promotion communications and other public education initiatives.

Conclusion
Ultimately, countering the infodemic is a shared responsibility that will require a multidisciplinary response. This research contributes to this effort by providing insights and tools to aid the response of the public health sector.

In July 2024, Our Watch and Women with Disabilities Victoria launched a suite of practitioner resources as part of the Changing the landscape project. This initiative focuses on preventing violence against women and girls with disabilities by translating the evidence base from the Changing the landscape framework into accessible and engaging formats - including videos, audio stories, and infographic posters.

At the heart of this work is a commitment to centring lived experience, fostering trust, and embedding intersectionality in primary prevention practice. The resources were co-designed with women with disabilities, whose insights shaped both the content and its delivery. By engaging with the gender and disability-inclusive principles promoted by the resources, from design through to dissemination, this project demonstrates the impact of authentically centring lived experience in health promotion for prevention. This approach ensures the resources are not only evidence-informed but also deeply resonant and relevant to the communities they aim to support.

This presentation will explore how creativity, empathy, and collaboration were used to move beyond traditional evidence dissemination. It will highlight how listening deeply to lived experience and valuing diverse perspectives can strengthen prevention messaging, build connection, and support practitioners, disability service professionals, and policymakers to take meaningful action.

By centring people, culture, and connection, the Changing the landscape resources offer a model for inclusive, community-led prevention. They show how prevention efforts can be enriched through co-design and how embedding intersectionality from the outset leads to more effective and sustainable change. We will share key learnings from the project and reflect on the importance of trust, creativity, and lived experience in transforming evidence into action.

Introduction
The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) among children across the globe has increased in parallel with obesity. Inconsistencies in screening practice have led to under-reporting, missed diagnoses and irreversible chronic disease development, highlighting the need for strategies to promote early identification. The aim of this research was to gather perspectives of parents with children living with T2DM, to understand their journey through the health system and ideas to promote supportive care during the diagnostic process.

Methods
This study predominately utilised qualitative research methods, with semi-structured interviews allowing participants to openly share their experience and ideas for supportive care. Quantitative data (participant demographics) was collected via a pre-interview questionnaire. Eligible participants included parents of all cultural backgrounds living in Australia, providing care to at least one child younger than 18 years, diagnosed with T2DM. Participants were recruited via social media and health professional contacts, with interviews conducted via telephone, Microsoft Teams or in-person where possible.

Results
The study aims to collect a total of 15 interviews at the completion of data collection. Giving a voice to the families of children living with T2DM will help to better understand their experience relating to diagnosis, including the factors that impede and promote a supportive environment. Results of interest will include the following proportions: i) parents reporting a positive experience, ii) settings of diagnosis and health professionals involved, iii) parents feeling well supported during their child’s T2DM diagnosis.

Conclusion
Empowering consumers and listening to stories of lived experience helps to understand the diagnostic process, and improve the early identification of T2DM among children living in Australia. Consumer-led suggestions for improvement will contribute to the development of a highly acceptable approach among parents. Ultimately, successful implementation will prevent irreversible disease progression, and halt T2DM prevalence among current and future generations of children.

Introduction
The growing rate of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) among children worldwide places significant health and financial burdens, for individuals and the greater health system. Globally, T2DM screening guidelines have been developed for children, however, details of practice implementation are lacking. Inconsistencies in screening practice has resulted in under-reporting, missed diagnoses and irreversible chronic disease development. The aim of this research was to gather perspectives of parents to understand the acceptability of screening children for T2DM in Australia, with ideas for effective implementation in practice.

Methods
The study utilised a mixed-methods approach, via survey questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Eligible participants included parents living in Australia, providing care for at least one child younger than 18 years. Participants were recruited via social media, health professional contacts and word-of-mouth. Question themes related to i) health system engagement, ii) T2DM perceptions, iii) acceptance of T2DM screening in children and iv) ideas for implementation and raising awareness among parents.

Results
A total of 32 surveys and 4 interviews were completed at the time of submission (early November 2025), with a goal of 100 surveys and 15 interviews at the completion of data collection. Preliminary findings suggest that parents are either very supportive (60%) or supportive (40%) of screening their child/children for T2DM. The most accepted environments were GP clinics (93%) or schools (60%), with health practitioners in a GP clinic (93%) or hospital (53%) or school health nurses (53%), deemed the most suitable individuals.

Conclusion
Empowering parents regarding T2DM screening implementation, informs the development of a screening strategy with high acceptance and sustainability in practice. This will identify children at greatest risk early to promote appropriate prevention and management strategies. Ultimately, the growing burden of disease progression will be halted, avoiding significant health and financial costs for current and future generations of Australians.

Intro
Osteoporosis carries a high economic and social disease burden, with estimated prevalence of 66% in Australians over the age of 50 in 2012 (1). The rate of bone mineral density (BMD) decline accelerates dramatically in perimenopause such that almost half of all women will have osteopaenia or osteoporosis following menopause (2, 3). Osteoporosis prevention involves arresting BMD decline primarily through lifestyle modifications, such as structured exercise programs and optimisation of nutrition and calcium intake. However, osteoporosis incidence in Australian women continues to rise (1). Our research aims to explore perspectives of Australian General Practitioners (GP) of osteoporosis prevention in perimenopausal women and associated barriers to preventative care advice and implementation.

Methods
15 GPs were interviewed on their experience of osteoporosis prevention in perimenopausal women using semi-structured interviews based on the theoretical domains and COM-B frameworks. Interviews were recorded, de-identified and analysed using and inductive and deductive approach utilising NVivo software.

Results
Barriers to implementation of osteoporosis prevention consultations with perimenopausal women include competition from multiple presenting complaints, complexity of guideline recommendations and restrictions on rebates for screening investigations. GPs who prioritised preventative care actively screened for and discussed preventative health activities with women prior to menopause. GPs reported varied comfort with complex guideline recommendations and variable grades of associated evidence.

Conclusion
GP reported barriers to osteoporosis prevention in perimenopausal women provide insight into potential areas to address to optimise clinical practice. Increased health service prioritisation of preventative care and increased access to DEXA scans for at-risk populations warrant future exploration.

Problem:
Midwives are a vital but underutilised component of Australia’s public health workforce. Positioned to build healthy beginnings, midwives uphold this preventative focus as core scope of practice. The biomedical focus of maternity care shapes what pregnant women can expect from midwifery services. As a result, the potential for midwives to promote maternal mental health and wellbeing to optimise outcomes is constrained. Currently maternity systems limit resourcing for midwifery to screen only to detect risk of mental illness. This project aimed to translate midwifery workforce perspectives into system-level change to build healthy beginnings for families.

What We Did:
Phase 1 involved qualitative interviews and a focus group with ten midwives exploring perceptions, enablers and barriers to mental health promotion. Thematic analysis identified insights that directly informed the design and development of a collection of resources. Phase 2 involved pretesting the resources with midwives and mothers to assess acceptability, relevance and perceived impact to elevate the role of midwives in promoting maternal mental health and wellbeing.

Results:
Phase 1 identified five themes – The Well Woman, Impact of Societal Views, Scope of Practice, Continuity of Care and Impact of the Current Maternity System. Midwives described prevention as fundamental to holistic maternity care but is constrained by fragmented medically dominated models, competing demands on clinical time and inconsistent confidence and levels of mental health literacy. These findings informed the resource development that aimed to strengthen role visibility and alignment with clinical environments.
In Phase 2, stakeholders rated the materials highly (80-90/100) and one video depicting midwives’ role and scope of practice resonated most strongly, bridging the gap between professional intent and public understanding.

Lessons:
Partnering with the workforce to inform design and development of innovative practice change has the potential to enhance maternal mental health and strengthen Australia’s public health and wellbeing.

The persistent translation gap between research and practice remains a major barrier in preventive health, highlighting the need for national policies that drive lasting change. The challenge in implementing health and medical research is well known, with a staggering 85% of health research estimated to be wasted. (1) Evidence-based national policies bridge this gap by applying research into coordinated action, however, without clear mechanisms for implementation and evaluation, these too risk futility. The National Preventive Health Strategy exemplifies a policy document with the potential to improve the health of Australians. However, its impact is undermined by limited measurable targets, inadequate implementation resourcing, and no monitoring and evaluation framework.

Cancer Council Australia develops evidence-based cancer control policies which inform advocacy work. A key component of our work involves submissions on national policy, often in collaboration with national committees, experts, and public health organisations. Since 2023, we submitted to consultations on 28 national strategies, frameworks, and roadmaps related to cancer control. We reviewed these submissions to identify common themes and recurring issues to inform ongoing advocacy to strengthen national health policy.

Analysis of these submissions found that half (15) of these called for clearer implementation plans. We noted an absence of clear monitoring and evaluation mechanisms in 88% (22). Of the ten policy documents now published, only two included monitoring frameworks at release, while four referenced future review processes without specific detail.

To ensure research translates into improved health outcomes, national policies must embed implementation resources, clear targets, defined actions, and regular evaluation from their release. In this presentation, we identify key factors that underpin effective national preventive health policy. Through impactful policy documents, we can ensure that evidence is effectively translated into meaningful preventive health outcomes for all Australians.

References: 1. Chalmers I, Glasziou P. Avoidable waste in the production and reporting of research evidence. The Lancet. 2009;374(9683):86–9.