Avondale Research
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The role of social responsibility in shaping quality assurance practices in accounting education
(Elsevier, 2025-07) Sithole, Seedwell T.M.; Ashraf, Syed Fahad; Wilmshurst, Trevor David; Horner, Claire
Social and ethical dimensions of business practices are under heightened scrutiny in today's world and have raised increasing interest and demands for action by accounting professionals in providing relevant information to stakeholders. This increased concern has implications for Accounting Education and content within curricula. This study investigates the influence of social responsibility on the quality assurance practices within accounting education at Australian business schools through the lens of Legitimacy Theory. It reports on a questionnaire of 132 academic staff and interviews with 16 academic staff from AACSB accredited and non-accredited accounting schools. The qualitative data were analysed through a three-stage process involving data reduction, display, and interpretation, where key themes and codes emerged inductively from interview transcripts. Quantitative data were analysed using independent t-tests and descriptive statistics to compare groups, with results summarised in tables to identify relationships. The findings reveal that social responsibility is a significant driver in the development and implementation of quality assurance frameworks. These frameworks not only enhance educational outcomes but also align with broader societal expectations and ethical standards, contributing to the legitimacy of educational institutions. Implications for educators highlight the need for a holistic quality assurance approach that integrates social responsibility to maintain legitimacy.4
New Ways of Measuring Energy Poverty: Moving Beyond Temperature Sensor Data to Assess and Measure Cold Housing
(Elsevier, 2025-03-01) Barlow, Cynthia Faye; Daniel, Lyrian; Baker, Emma
Many people live in cold homes that are hazardous to health. In the absence of high-quality observed data, researchers have measured cold housing and assessed its prevalence using secondary proxy indicators. Proxy measures previously used in literature include self-assessed warmth of the home, perceived energy affordability, financial inability to heat the home in winter, and local climate zone. Using matched in-home temperature sensor data from 502 Australian homes, we assess the validity of these proxy measures by estimating the degree of association with measured indoor temperature. We also examine twelve correlated socio-demographic characteristics to explore promising alternative proxy measures.
Self-assessed perception of home warmth was shown to be the best existing proxy indicator of cold indoor air temperature (OR 2.5, CI 1.4 to 4.3), with climate zone (OR 2.4, CI 1.6 to 3.8) also shown to be a strong measure. Perceived energy affordability (OR 1.1, CI 0.7 to 1.9) and financial inability to adequately heat the home (OR 1.0, CI 0.6 to 1.6), were shown to be unsuitable proxy measures. Of the correlated socio-demographic characteristics, heating appliance type (electric heater OR 3.0, CI 1.4 to 6.2), household structure (living alone OR 2.5 CI 1.2 to 5.5), built date (built <1990 OR 2.11, CI 1.38 to 3.23) and flooring type (timber floor OR 1.99, CI 1.23 to 3.22) were strong indicators of cold indoor temperatures, and would make sound proxy measures. Our assessment of the reliability of existing and potential proxy measures of cold home temperature suggests a need to carefully select proxies, based on their known or established validity.
Sustainability and Novel Technologies to Improve Environmental Cleaning in Healthcare - Implications and Considerations
(Elsevier, 2025-02-01) Jain, S; Dempsey, K; Clezy, K; Mitchell, B. G.; Kiernan, Martin A.
Along with emerging technologies electrolysed water (EW) systems have been proposed for cleaning and/or disinfection in clinical areas. There is evidence for the use of EW in food-handling and the dairy industry however there is lack of evidence for EW as an effective cleaning and disinfecting agent in a clinical setting. Existing publications mostly are either laboratory based or from non-clinical settings. This is in direct contrast to other approaches used in healthcare cleaning. The aim of this paper is to provide infection prevention and control professionals with a risk assessment checklist using an evaluation of electrolysed water as an example of the analysis and consideration required prior to the introduction of any new technology and, in particular, the inclusion of sustainability.
Determining Timeframes to Death for Imminently Dying Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study
(BioMed Central, 2025-01-13) O'Connor, Tricia; Liu, Wai-Man; Samara, Juliane; Lewis, Joanne; Strickland, Karen; Paterson, Catherine
Background
Clinicians are frequently asked ‘how long’ questions at end-of-life by patients and those important to them, yet predicting timeframes to death remains uncertain, even in the last weeks and days of life. Patients and families wish to know so they can ask questions, plan, make decisions, have time to visit and say their goodbyes, and have holistic care needs met. Consequently, this necessitates a more accurate assessment of empirical data to better inform prognostication and reduce uncertainty around time until death. The aims of this study were to determine the timeframes for palliative care patients (a) between becoming comatose and death, and (b) between being totally dependent and bedfast, and then comatose, or death, using Australia-modified Karnofsky Performance Status (AKPS) scores. The secondary aim was to determine if covariates predicted timeframes.
Method
This is a large retrospective cohort study of 2,438 patients, 18 years and over, cared for as hospice inpatients or by community palliative care services, died between January 2017 and December 2021, and who collectively had 49,842 AKPS data points. An Interval-Censored Cox Proportional Hazards regression model was used.
Results
Over 53% (n = 1,306) were comatose (AKPS 10) for longer than one day before death (mean = 2 days, median = 1, SD = 2.0). On average, patients were found to be totally dependent and bedfast (AKPS 20) for 24 days, before progressing to being comatose. A difference in life expectancy was observed at AKPS 20 among people with cancer (mean = 14.4, median = 2, SD = 38.8) and those who did not have cancer (mean = 53.3, median = 5, SD = 157.1).
Conclusion
Results provide clinicians with validated data to guide communication when answering ‘how long’ questions at end-of-life. Knowledge of projected time to death can prompt timely conversations while the patient can understand and engage in meaningful conversations. The importance of considering covariates such as location and diagnosis in determining timeframes has been highlighted. Shared decision-making and essential person-centered end-of-life care can be planned.
Infection Prevention and Control Professionals: Stress, Resilience and Personality Traits and Views about their Workforce and Profession
(Elsevier, 2025) Mitchell, Brett; Russo, Philip
Background
The COVID-19 pandemic placed considerable strain on the infection control professional workforce, who were at the forefront of pandemic response in their organisations and beyond. In order to support infection control professionals and inform future initiatives, it is important to further understand the infection control workforce. The objective of this study was to determine stress and resilience levels, personality traits and workforce intentions of infection control professionals in Australia and New Zealand.
Methods
We undertook an anonymous, cross-sectional online survey of infection control professionals in Australia and New Zealand. Validated tools, the brief resilience tool, workforce stressor tool and the Big Five personality test, were used to evaluate levels of stress, resilience and personality traits.
Results
Three hundred and fifty-six infection control professionals started the survey, with representation from all Australian jurisdictions and New Zealand. The mean stress score was 4.28 (SD 3.39) and 3.34 (SD 0.65) for resilience. Younger participants and those with less experience in infection control had higher levels of stress and lower levels of resilience. Individual personality traits vary by age, level of education and credentialing status. Approximately one-fifth of participants indicated that they planned to leave the IC workforce in the next three years.
Conclusions
Our study was the largest published study involving infection control professionals in Australia and New Zealand. Findings highlight the need for mentoring, peer support and wellbeing initiatives to support the profession. Understanding personality traits may also be beneficial for further enhancing communication and interpersonal relationships.