This study examined direct and indirect influences of parents and peers on adolescent drinking. One hundred and six adolescents, their parents and a same-sex best friend of the adolescent each completed measures that tapped actual and perceived drinking behaviour, and normative standards for alcohol use. Of methodological interest was that adolescents of both sexes provided accurate reports of their parents' and peer's drinking, as well as drinking norms. Path analyses revealed different effects for male and female adolescents. Strongest predictors of alcohol use for males were their perceptions of their father's and mother's drinking, and their father's actual drinking. Best friend's drinking was positively related to the adolescent males' perceptions of themselves as a drinker. The single predictor of their internalized norms was the perception adolescent males had of their friend's drinking. Significantly, the adolescent male's own norms predicted how much and what they drank. For adolescent females, how much they believed their best friend drank, and their friend's normative standards, were the strongest predictors of alcohol use. Father's drinking also influenced the drinking practices of daughters, but mothers had no impact on their daughters' alcohol use. In contrast to young males, females' personal preferences or liking of alcohol successfully predicted most of their drinking behaviour.

In this study 175 older adolescents (83 males, 92 females) nominated their parents, particularly their mothers, then friends of the same sex, as people most important in their lives. While parents were rated as more important than friends overall, problems were more frequently discussed with close friends. Using a matched sampling design, the adolescents' own mothers, fathers, and a close friend of the same sex also responded to a scale where parents' or friends' opinions might be sought as part of adolescent decision making. As predicted, parents were perceived as most important in certain "future-oriented" areas, whereas for "current" decisions, friends' opinions were more valued. Several areas of possible parent-peer conflict were also identified.

Australia remains a relatively safe destination for international travelers, at least in terms of fatalities, which appear to be declining. Most deaths of overseas tourists in Australia are due to natural causes with cardiovascular disease being the predominant cause of death in this group. Accidents remain the most common preventable cause of death of travelers, with road and water safety being the major issues. It is important that tourism and travel medicine groups continue to advocate for improved health and safety of international travelers visiting Australia.

Objective: This review considers initiatives in various countries to include mandatory first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training in schools, key educational considerations and the supporting empirical evidence, in particular the relevance of first aid and CPR training to broader educational goals of student capability, resilience and self-efficacy. Method: Policy documents and reports from international first aid service providers (e.g. British Red Cross) were identified from websites while a parallel search of key bibliographical databases provided relevant papers on teaching first aid and CPR to school children in a range of countries. Results: Systematic reviews all show evidence to support the provision of first aid and CPR training courses and programmes in schools, with interventions effective in improving first aid knowledge and skills both post-training and in some studies up to 12 months afterwards. Important factors include ensuring the content is relevant and practical for the target group and offering an opportunity for young people to explore and discuss helping behaviour in emergency situations. Conclusion: Age-appropriate first aid and CPR instruction should be integrated into the school curriculum beginning in the primary years and developed/refreshed annually. Topics covered should include calling for help, bleeding, choking, burns, unconsciousness and resuscitation – all within the broader context of being confident and willing to help others. With the right training and support, schoolteachers can effectively deliver first aid instruction to their students. Future research should concentrate on gaps in evidence-based practice, especially measurements to demonstrate the effectiveness of first aid training, in order to advance the case for mandatory first aid education in schools.

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