Telehealth literature has grown over the years to be a substantial body of work. However, research still highlights problems in extracting value from telehealth activities. In this paper, we analyse the telehealth literature over the period 2000–2015. The methodology focuses on paradoxes or surprises in the findings. We explain the lack of an operating model for telehealth as a debilitating feature of its history. We also note that many of the barriers cited in the literature have not changed over the period. We call for a focused research agenda on telehealth that provides clear evidence for some of the benefits such as cost savings and patient benefits. If telehealth activities are to progress, fundamental issues need to be addressed both in research and practice. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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This is the first article to describe how broadening of the term netnography in qualitative research is leading to misperceptions and missed opportunities. The once accepted need for human presence in netnographic studies is giving way to nonparticipatory (passive) approaches, which claim to be naturalistic and bias-free. While this may be tenable in some environments, it also removes the opportunity for cocreation in online communities and social media spaces. By contrast, participatory (active) netnographers have an opportunity to conduct their research in a way that contributes value and a continuity of narrative to online spaces. This article examines the ways in which netnographies are being used and adapted across a spectrum of online involvement. It explores the ways in which netnographies conform to, or depart from, the unique set of analytic steps intended to provide qualitative rigor. It concludes by advocating for active netnography, one which requires a netnographic "slog" where researchers are prepared for the "blood, sweat, and tears" in order to reap rich benefits.

In Australia and Denmark, women aged 50–70 years are more likely than younger women to consume alcohol at levels that exceed national low risk drinking guidelines. To explore and possibly help explain this sociocultural shift in patterns of alcohol use, this research investigated the social construction of alcohol use amongst 49 women (25 in Northern Denmark, 24 in Western Australia) aged 50–69 years. The women viewed drinking as normal and acceptable. While some women reported reducing their drinking due to health concerns, others neutralised alcohol‐related health risks through compensatory behaviours including exercise. Such constructions arguably serve to sustain at‐risk drinking amongst some women. Our research highlights that interventions to minimise alcohol‐related health risks amongst middle‐aged and young‐old women should acknowledge that women's social construction of their drinking practices may prioritise subjective experiences of “being in control” while drinking, over biomedical understandings of the health impacts of alcohol.

This article provides methodological guidance to researchers wishing to develop collaborative research projects with local governments and other agencies, by describing the process adopted in a mixed methods study conducted in the City of Wanneroo (the City), a local government area in Perth, Western Australia. The study explored factors related to older people’s (60+ years) participation in community-based activities and links between their participation and levels of social isolation, loneliness, and social connectedness. The research incorporated four interrelated stages: (1) an audit of existing programs in the City and program participant characteristics; (2) focus groups with program participants and interviews with nonparticipants; (3) a cross-sectional survey to assess factors associated with participation and links to social isolation, loneliness, and social connectedness; (4) face-to-face interviews with survey respondents screened at risk for loneliness. Methodological recommendations are provided to guide future collaborative research with local authorities, program developers, and administrators, aimed at minimizing social isolation and loneliness among older people. These include the need for clear communication and documentation of mutually agreed research objectives and responsibilities from project initiation to completion, identifying and working with local agencies to maximize recruitment among “hard to reach” groups, understanding the dimensions of loneliness addressed in the selected instrument used to screen for loneliness, and integrating innovative data collection techniques when working with vulnerable groups such as socially isolated older people.

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This paper reports on implementing learning plans at an Australian university and their perceived use in supporting doctoral candidates’ professional and academic development. The implementation of individualised learning plans for doctoral candidates was the outcome of university-wide discussions regarding coursework in the PhD. Based on a review of the literature and evaluative comments from candidates and staff, the need for a learning plan for doctoral candidates was identified. Driven by institute-specific learning outcomes for doctoral candidates, we developed an online learning plan, referred to as MyPLAN. Preliminary findings suggest that areas for consideration when introducing a plan include supervisor and candidate involvement in the development and use of the plans, a user-friendly platform for implementing a learning plan, as well as the coordination of learning opportunities throughout the institution to support the specific aspects of the learning plan