Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the leading cause of chronic liver disease in developed countries. Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world and has been shown to be beneficial in limiting progression in chronic liver disease in general. However, research surrounding the impact of coffee consumption on NAFLD progression is limited. This systematic review aimed to investigate the relationship between coffee consumption and the progression of liver disease, specifically for cases of NAFLD. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, and Scopus were searched for published studies that evaluated the effects of coffee consumption on the progression of NAFLD. The results are presented in a narrative synthesis with principal summary measures, including odds ratios, p-values, and differences in mean coffee intake in relation to severity of NAFLD. Five studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. There was no trial evidence among NAFLD patients, rather all studies were of a cross-sectional design. Using the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Quality Criteria Checklist, four studies received a positive rating, with the remaining study receiving a neutral rating. Overall, four out of the five studies reported a statistically significant relationship between coffee consumption and the severity of fibrosis. Methods around capturing and defining coffee consumption were heterogeneous and therefore an effective dose could not be elucidated. Results suggest that higher coffee consumption is inversely associated with the severity of hepatic fibrosis in individuals with NAFLD. However, further research is required to elucidate the optimum quantity and form/preparation of coffee required to exert this hepatoprotective role.

Introduction: Food literacy (FL) is a rapidly emerging area of research that provides a framework to explain the interplay of food-related skills, beliefs, knowledge and practises that contribute to nutritional health and wellbeing. This review is the first to scope the current literature for FL interventions, assess their characteristics against the components provided in the most widely cited definition of FL. and describe their characteristics to identify gaps in the literature. Methods: This review scopes original articles describing FL interventions in the Medline, CINAHL, ProQuest Education, Web of Science and AMED databases up to August 2023. Results: Despite the heterogeneity between all seven included studies, they all demonstrated some improvements in their FL outcome measures alongside dietary intake (DI), with the greatest improvements seen in studies that employed a FL theoretical framework in intervention design. Populations at high risk of food insecurity, such as university students and people living in disadvantaged areas, were the main targets of FL interventions. Conclusion: The minimal inclusion of FL theory amongst interventions led to an overall poor coverage of essential FL components, indicating researchers should aim to design future FL interventions with a FL theoretical framework.

Summary Statement: Emerging literature continues to demonstrate the use of innovative practices such as simulated-based learning experiences to prepare students for professional placements. This scoping review aimed to provide a broad overview of how simulated-based learning experiences have been implemented within or immediately before the professional practice placements of entry-level allied health programs. Four databases (MEDLINE, EMCARE, CINAHL, and Scopus) were searched up to August 2020. Kirkpatrick's evaluation framework was used to categorize outcomes, and the Simulation-Based Research Extension for the CONSORT statement was used to appraise the quality of simulation reporting. The search revealed 6584 unique abstracts with 321 full-text articles reviewed. Forty-eight studies met the inclusion criteria. This review has shown a clear trend toward using simulation within or immediately before the professional practice placements of allied health programs. Using Kirkpatrick's evaluation framework, most studies reported on student reaction (level 1) and learning (level 2) obtained during the simulation experience. There was limited evidence showing how the benefits gained in simulation translated to the clinical environment (level 3) or impacted the organization (level 4). Further research is required to review the optimal proximity of simulation to allied health professional placements and how gains are obtained from simulation transition to the clinical environment. In addition, more consistent reporting of simulation methodologies and evaluation methods are needed to strengthen the evidence base.

Introduction: As the coronavirus pandemic unfolded during 2020, widespread financial uncertainty emerged amongst university students across the globe. What is not yet clear is how Australian health students were financially impacted during the initial stages of the pandemic and whether this influenced their ability to undertake planned rural or remote placements.Objective: To examine (a) financial concern amongst health students during COVID‐19, (b) the financial implications of changes to planned rural or remote placements and (c) the impact of these factors on students' ability to undertake placements during the pandemic.Design: Mixed‐methods design involving an online survey (n = 1210) and semi‐structured interviews (n = 29). Nursing, medical and allied health students with a planned University Department of Rural Health‐facilitated rural or remote placement between February and October 2020 were invited to participate.Findings: 54.6% of surveyed students reported financial concern during COVID‐19. Financial concern correlated with both changes in financial position and employment, with 36.6% of students reporting a reduction in income and 43.1% of students reporting a reduction in, or cessation of regular employment. Placement changes yielded a range of financial implications. Cancelled placements saved some students travel and accommodation costs, but left others out of pocket if these expenses were prepaid. Placements that went ahead often incurred increased accommodation costs due to limited availability. Financial concern and/or financial implications of placement changes ultimately prevented some students from undertaking their rural or remote placement as planned.Discussion: Many nursing, allied health and medical students expressed financial concern during COVID‐19, associated with a loss of regular employment and income. Placement changes also presented unforeseen financial burden for students. These factors ultimately prevented some students from undertaking their planned rural or remote placement.Conclusion: Universities need to consider how best to align financially burdensome placements with the personal circumstances of students during periods of economic uncertainty.

Background: People receiving dialysis treatment are at higher risk of sarcopenia. This review aimed to determine the global prevalence of sarcopenia in people on peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis. We investigated whether the prevalence of sarcopenia differs based on assessment criteria, timing of assessment, and measurement tools used and explored the risk factors for sarcopenia in people on dialysis.Methods: This review followed JBI and PRISMA guidelines and included studies assessing sarcopenia in adults aged 18 and older with chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis. Five databases were searched from inception to November 2022. The JBI SUMARI software was used to perform the meta‐analysis. Publication bias and risk factor analysis were performed using STATA (Version 18).Results: A meta‐analysis of 62 studies (15,382 participants) found the global prevalence of sarcopenia to be 30.1% (95% CI: 25.6%–39.9%) for hemodialysis and 20.5% (95% CI: 15.1%–26.4%) for peritoneal dialysis. Sarcopenia prevalence ranged between 23.1% and 30.3% in HD and between 6.1% and 26.9% in PD, based on the assessment criteria. Post‐dialysis sarcopenia prevalence was higher (33%) than pre‐dialysis (24.2%) in hemodialysis patients. Measuring muscle mass after dialysis using dual‐energy X‐ray assessment yielded a lower prevalence of sarcopenia (22.5%) than bioimpedance analysis or spectroscopy (33%). Risk factors in the HD population included age, sex, diabetes, inflammation markers, nutritional indices, and dialysis vintage, although heterogeneity between studies was high.Conclusion: This study showed a high prevalence of sarcopenia among the dialysis population and identified many risk factors, emphasizing the need for early identification and intervention and standardized assessments.

This paper describes a rural immersive attachment program for allied health students at an Australian University Department of Rural Health and its workforce outcomes. A mixed methods longitudinal cohort study, with data collected via end-of-placement and post-graduation surveys. Over 13 years, 311 allied health ‘year-long’ immersive rural attachments, as well as short-term placements, were supported. Pre- and post-placement rural practice intention ratings were paired (from 572 end of placement surveys) for 553 (96.7%) students. Students from metropolitan (49.4%, n = 273, p < 0.001), and rural origin (50.6%, n = 280, p < 0.001) showed a significant increase in rural practice intention. At 1 year post-graduation, 40.3% (n = 145) of graduates had worked in a rural or remote location in Australia, 39.9% at 3 years (n = 87) and 36.5% (n = 42) at 5 years. Longer-term rural attachments were found to be associated with rural practice location, independent of rural background. Those who had undertaken a longer rural attachment (≥18-weeks) were twice as likely to be working in a rural or remote area than those <18 weeks at 1 year (OR 2.018 95% CI 1.204–3.382) and 2.7 times as likely at 3 years (OR 2.727, 95% CI (1.325–5.614). Supporting students to undertake rural immersive attachments appears to be associated with greater rural practice intention and later rural practice.