Understanding neck collar preferences and user experiences in motor neuron disease: A survey-based study.

BACKGROUND: Motor Neurone Disease (MND), is a debilitating neurodegenerative condition, which significantly impacts the quality of life of those affected. Neck weakness is one challenge faced by those living with MND and as such may require a neck collar to assist. However, the user experience and requirements related to these neck collars have not been comprehensively explored. Understanding these priorities is crucial for enhancing the well-being of MND patients. OBJECTIVE: To understand the priorities of people living with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) including user experience, requirements and the importance of neck collars used to aid neck weakness. METHODS: An online survey was used to investigate the perspectives and experiences of off the shelf neck collars used by people living with MND. The MND Association was selected as a strategic partner by their affiliations and access to large data base of MND patients. RESULTS: Survey highlighted a disparity between the actual duration MND patients wear their current neck collars and their desired duration, emphasising the need to integrate collars into daily activities. Key areas for improvement with existing neck collars centred on comfort and reduced restriction, with respondents expressing a preference for collars that offer support without impeding movement. Additionally, addressing pressure on the anterior neck region during collar use emerged as a critical requirement. CONCLUSION: Current collars do not cause any clinical complications; however, they do fall short of meeting the expected needs of people living with MND, including discomfort, restricted movement, and pressure to the anterior region of the neck. This study highlights need to improve current collar designs to provide better quality of life for MND patients.

Approaches to learning mathematics: preliminary evidence of a concise, valid, and reliable instrument.

We assess students' approaches to learning mathematics not only to predict students' learning outcomes but also for its crucial utilities in the teaching and learning process. These utilities range from evaluating effective instructional interventions, determining students with learning difficulties, and comparing teaching and learning experience in higher education. However, measures of the constructs have raised validity concerns among researchers. A root cause of these validity concerns is traceable to the failure of these measures to account for the content-specificity of approaches to learning. Building on a previously developed general measure of the constructs, I designed this study to bridge this gap by developing and validating approaches to learning mathematics questionnaire (ALMQ). 352 first-year engineering students who gave voluntary consent participated in the study. The students were mainly males with ages ranging from 15 years to 29 years. The average age was 20.67 years, and its standard deviation was 2.164. I analysed the generated data using confirmatory factor analysis and judged the consistency of hypothesised models with the generated data using a combination of criteria. The findings revealed a two-factor ALMQ with seven items which demonstrated an excellent global and local fit of the generated data. The standardised factor loadings for all the items were above 0.68 with an average of 0.73 showing the high strengths of the items in measuring their respective constructs. I also found a reliability coefficient of 0.81 for deep approaches, 0.77 for surface approaches, and 0.72 for the two-factor ALMQ. These findings suggest preliminary evidence of the validity and reliability of ALMQ. I discussed the practical implications of the findings for educators, policymakers, and researchers interested in improving the mathematics learning experience.

Neck Collar Assessment for People Living With Motor Neuron Disease: Are Current Outcome Measures Suitable?

A majority of people living with motor neuron disease (MND) experience weakness of the neck and as a result, experience head drop. This exacerbates problems with everyday activities (eating, talking, breathing, etc). Neck collars are often used to support head drop; however, these are typically designed for prehospitalization settings to manage and brace the cervical region of the spine. As a result, it has been recorded that people living with MND often reject these collars for a variety of reasons but most notably because they are too restricting. The current standardized outcome measures (most notably restricting cervical range of motion) used for neck collars are summarized herein along with whether they are suitable for a bespoke neck collar specifically designed for people living with MND.

Improving students' mathematics self-efficacy: A systematic review of intervention studies.

Self-efficacy is an integral part of personal factors that contributes substantially to students' success in mathematics. This review draws on previous intervention studies to identify, describe, and expose underlying mechanisms of interventions that foster mathematics self-efficacy. The findings show that effective mathematics self-efficacy interventions can be categorized into three categories using their underlying mechanisms: those that directly manipulate sources of self-efficacy to foster the construct, and those that either embed self-efficacy features in teaching methods or in learning strategies. Specific examples of interventions that fall in each of these three categories are described including their features and the underlying mechanisms that improve students' mathematics self-efficacy. I argue for the two "most effective" interventions that foster mathematics self-efficacy and their relevance to either pre-university or university students with implications for teaching and learning of mathematics.

Cronbach's alpha in mathematics education research: Its appropriateness, overuse, and alternatives in estimating scale reliability.

Critiques of coefficient alpha as an estimate of scale reliability are widespread in the literature. However, the continuous overuse of this statistic in mathematics education research suggests a disconnection between theory and practice. As such, this article argues, in a non-technical way, for the limited usefulness of coefficient alpha, its overuse, and its alternatives in estimating scale reliability. Coefficient alpha gives information only about the degree of the interrelatedness of a set of items that measures a construct. Contrary to the widely circulated misconceptions in mathematics education research, a high coefficient alpha value does not mean the instrument is reliable, and it does not imply the instrument measures a single construct. Coefficient alpha can only be dependable as an estimate of reliability under verifiable and restrictive conditions. I expose these conditions and present steps for their verification in empirical studies. I discuss some alternatives to coefficient alpha with references to non-technical articles where worked examples and programming codes are available. I hope this exposition will influence the practices of mathematics education researchers regarding estimation of scale reliability.

Application of an innovative alignment optimisation method to a cross-cultural mean comparison of teacher self-efficacy: A cross-country study.

Teacher self-efficacy is a crucial personal characteristic that is important not only for teachers' well-being but also for the overall teaching and learning. However, the difficulty to ascertain scalar invariance in the measurement of the construct has beset previous attempts of cross-cultural comparisons. This study implements an alignment optimisation method to compare and rank mean teacher self-efficacy of over 150,000 teachers across 48 countries and economies that participated in the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) that was conducted 2018. The findings show that Columbia, Portugal, United Arab Emirates, Hungary, and South Africa have teachers with the highest mean self-efficacy. On the flip side, Czech Republic, Estonia, Chinese Taipei, Norway, and Japan have teachers with the least mean self-efficacy. Additionally, the findings provide a framework for direct comparisons between countries based on the mean teacher self-efficacy. The researcher believes that policymakers, research and development centres, and other education stakeholders will take a cue from the findings of the present study to identify and investigate countries with high self-efficacy teachers for improved teacher self-efficacy in own country.

Exposing Empirical Links between COVID-19 Situation Report and Available Data: The Case of Nigeria.

Ever since the index case of COVID-19 was announced in Nigeria, the number of confirmed cases has gradually increased to 46,140 (about 4.5% of total confirmed cases in Africa) as the time of writing this article. This seemingly low number of confirmed cases has provoked heated debates among researchers. This cross-sectional study explores the Nigerian COVID-19 report to expose some links between the number of confirmed cases, testing, and some environmental conditions. The findings reveal that there is no state in Nigeria which has up to 12 confirmed cases per 10,000 population. That means, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases is less than 0.15% of the population of people across each state in Nigeria. On the flip side, it was revealed that the proportion of samples tested for COVID-19 is low compared to the population. The percentages ranging from less than 0.1% to a maximum of 0.7% of each state population in which 23 states out of the 37 states are within the less than 0.1% range. Furthermore, there is a substantial correlation (ρ (37)=0.903, p< 0.001) between the confirmed cases and testing. In contrast, no substantial correlation was found between the former with either average temperature or rainfall.

Self-Efficacy Between Previous and Current Mathematics Performance of Undergraduate Students: An Instrumental Variable Approach to Exposing a Causal Relationship.

PURPOSE: Self-efficacy has been argued theoretically and shown empirically to be an essential construct for students' improved learning outcomes. However, there is a dearth of studies on its causal effects on performance in mathematics among university students. Meanwhile, it will be erroneous to assume that results from other fields of studies generalize to mathematics learning due to the task-specificity of the construct. As such, attempts are made in the present study to provide evidence for a causal relationship between self-efficacy and performance with a focus on engineering students following a mathematics course at a Norwegian university. METHOD: The adopted research design in the present study is a survey type in which collected data from first-year university students are analyzed using structural equation modeling with weighted least square mean and variance adjusted (WLSMV) estimator. Data were generated using mainly questionnaires, a test of prior mathematics knowledge, and the students' final examination scores in the course. The causal effect of self-efficacy was discerned from disturbance effects on performance by using an innovative instrumental variable approach to structural equation modeling. RESULTS: The findings confirmed a significant direct effect of the prior mathematics knowledge test (ß = 0.52, SE = 0.01, p < 0.001) on self-efficacy, a significant direct effect (ß = 0.43, SE = 0.19, p = 0.02) of self-efficacy on performance, and a substantial mediating effect (ß = 0.22, SE = 0.10, p = 0.03) of self-efficacy between a prior mathematics knowledge test and performance. Prior mathematics knowledge and self-efficacy explained 30% variance of the performance. These findings are interpreted to be substantial evidence for the causal effect of self-efficacy on students' performance in an introductory mathematics course. CONCLUSION: The findings of the present study provide empirically supports for designing self-efficacy interventions as proxies to improve students' performance in university mathematics. Further, the findings of the present study confirm some postulates of Bandura's agentic social cognitive theory.

Five traditional Nigerian Polyherbal remedies protect against high fructose fed, Streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetes in male Wistar rats.

BACKGROUND: This present study sought to assess the modulatory effects of five Nigerian traditional polyherbal in high fructose-fed, streptozotocin-induced (HF-STZ) Type 2 diabetes (T2D) in rats. T2D was achieved via fructose feeding (20%W/V) ad libitum for 2 weeks and streptozotocin (STZ, 40 mg/kg) (15th Day) intraperitoneally. METHODS: Seventy-two hours after STZ injection, fourty-eight diabetic rats were divided into eight of 6 rats/group: Diabetic normal untreated, glibenclamide (GBLI, 0.07 mL/kg) or yoyo (YB, 0.43), ruzu (RB, 0.08), fajik (FJB, 0.20), oroki (OB, 0.16), and fidson (FB, 0.43)/ mL/kg bitters respectively. Controls normal and diabetic untreated groups received intragastric carboxylmethylcellulose (CMC, 1 mL/kg) for eleven days. RESULTS: T2D was characterized in rats by an increased (p < 0.001-0.05) blood glucose levels (BGL), total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein and alanine aminotransferase compared with control CMC group. Similarly, hepatic and pancreatic malondialdehyde (MDA) were increased by 180 and 97% respectively. Polyherbal treatments demonstrated efficacies on BGL as follow: YB (55.6%, 160.7 mg/dL); RB (59.7%, 145.2 mg/dL); FJB (59.8%, 243.4 mg/dL); OB (60.8%, 194.5 mg/dL) and FB (61.3%, 203.3 mg/dL) respectively by day 11 (versus GBLI, 65.1%) compared with control untreated diabetic rats. Also, elevated TC, LDL cholesterol, ALT were lowered (p < 0.05) by YB, FJB, and FB respectively in rats. YB, FJB, and OB lowered MDA levels in treated rats. Further, YB, RB, FJB and FB restored changes in liver, and pancreas histopathology. Predominant non-polar bioactive include oleic, hexadecanoic, octadecanoic among others following gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry analyses. CONCLUSION: Overall, these present results demonstrate anti-hyperglycemic potentials, although with cautions, of some polyherbal in T2D rats, which may, in part, be antioxidants mediated.

Analysis using life tables of the major causes of death and the differences between country of birth groups in New South Wales, Australia.

OBJECTIVES: This study used life table methods to evaluate the potential effects of reduction in major disease mortality on life expectancy in New South Wales (NSW), and the differences in cause-specific mortality between country of birth groups. The total and partial elimination of major causes of death were examined to identify the high-risk groups for community-level health planning. STUDY DESIGN: Life tables were used to combine the mortality rates of the NSW population at different ages into a single statistical model. METHODS: Using abridged, multiple decrement and cause-elimination life tables with the mortality data for NSW in 2000-2002, broader disease groups were examined. Multiple decrement tables were generated by country of birth. The effect of the partial elimination of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) was also studied. RESULTS: This study found that Pacific-born men and women who reach their 30th birthday and eventually die from IHD are expected to live, on average, 10.8 and 5.8 years less, respectively, than average men and women in NSW. If IHD is eliminated as a cause of death, 7.5 years for males and 6.7 years for females would be added to life expectancy at birth. CONCLUSIONS: Life expectancy at birth is likely to be further increased by reducing deaths caused by diseases of the cardiovascular system, particularly among people aged over 65 years, by reducing malignant neoplasm deaths among those aged below 65 years, and by reducing deaths due to accidents, injury and poisoning, mainly among men aged 15-29 years. Further gains in life expectancy could be achieved with community-level educational programmes on lifestyle management and disease prevention.

Coronary artery bypass graft surgery trends in New South Wales, Australia.

OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to assess the trends in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rates in New South Wales (NSW), Australia over a 12-year period beginning in mid-1990. These rates were examined in relation to the patients' age, gender, complications and length of stay in the hospital. METHODS: Data pertaining to the CABG surgeries performed among 72668 patients were extracted from the hospital inpatient statistics of the NSW Department of Health. The study covered all public and private hospitals in NSW. The indirect standardization technique and logistic regression modelling were used to analyse the data. RESULTS: CABG rates increased with age, peaked in the age range 65-79 years and then declined with age. The median age of the patients showed an increasing trend. While women were less likely to have a CABG, they were substantially older than men at the time of surgery. The predictors of extended post-surgery length of stay were age, insulin-dependent diabetes, acute and chronic renal failure, congestive heart failure, pulmonary disease and having more than three vein grafts. CONCLUSION: An increasing trend in older patients indicates the improvements in skills of cardiothoracic surgeons and the advancement in technology, which have enabled the doctors to treat those patients who were unable to have the surgery previously.

The value of testicular biopsy in male infertility : experience with 63 Nigerians

Objectives: The subject of male infertility is large and complex. While testicular biopsy has been condemned in the diagnosis of patients with testicular tumors; it has a well established place in the investigation of the sub-fertile male. This study was conducted to examine the role of testicular biopsy in patients with male infertility seen at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital; Ilorin; Nigeria. Patients and Methods: A retrospective histopathological study of slides and request forms of 63 cases of testicular biopsies of patients with male infertility seen over a fourteen year period (1990-2003) was carried out. They were evaluated based on age; type of infertility and histopathological diagnosis. Result: Thirty-one (49.2) patients suffered from primary infertility and 14 (22.2) of secondary infertility; 18 (28.6) were not specified. Testicular atrophy (55.6) was the commonest histopathological diagnosis with the age range of 25 - 34 years as its peak age of occurrence. Normal testicular histology was found in 14.3of cases; maturation arrest in 25.4and hypospermatogenesis in 4.8of cases. Conclusion: The greatest value of testicular biopsy and its clinical correlation lies in its ability to differentiate curable from irremediable cases so that appropriate action can be taken. It should never be undertaken as an isolated investigation but as part of a planned study of sub-fertile male patients

2-Methoxymethylestradiol: a new 2-methoxy estrogen analog that exhibits antiproliferative activity and alters tubulin dynamics.

An estradiol metabolite, 2-methoxyestradiol (2-MeOE(2)), has shown antiproliferative effects in both hormone-dependent and hormone-independent breast cancer cells. Previously, a series of 2-hydroxyalkyl estradiol analogs had been synthesized in our laboratories as potential probes for comparison of estrogen receptor (ER)-mediated versus non-ER-mediated effects in breast cancer cells. A methoxy derivative of 2-hydroxymethyl estradiol was prepared for biological evaluation and comparison with 2-MeOE(2). Estrogenic activity of the synthetic analogs was evaluated in two ways, one by examining affinity of the analogs for the estrogen receptor in MCF-7 cells and the other by examining the ability of the analogs to induce estrogen-responsive gene expression. The analog, 2-methoxymethyl estradiol (2-MeOMeE(2)), demonstrated weak affinity for the estrogen receptor (0.9% of estradiol) and weak ability to stimulate estrogen-induced expression of the pS2 gene (0.02% of estradiol). Antitumor activity was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. The steroidal nucleus seems to be an attractive target for developing novel tubulin polymerization inhibitors. Additionally, such steroidal compounds may have low toxicity compared to the natural products known to interact with tubulin. Interestingly, 2-MeOMeE(2) inhibited tubulin polymerization in vitro at concentrations of 1 and 3 microM and was more effective than 2-MeOE(2). In cells, 2-MeOMeE(2) was effective in suppressing growth and inducing cytotoxicity in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. The cytotoxic effects of 2-MeOMeE(2) are associated with alterations in tubulin dynamics, with the frequent appearance of misaligned chromosomes, a significant mitotic delay, and the formation of multinucleated cells. In comparison, 2-MeOE(2) was more effective than 2-MeOMeE(2) in producing cytotoxicity and altering tubulin dynamics in intact cells. Assessment of in vivo antitumor activity was performed in athymic mice containing human breast tumor xenografts. Nude mice bearing MDA-MB-435 tumor xenografts were treated i.p. with 50 mg/kg per day of 2-MeOMeE(2) or vehicle control for 45 days. Treatment with 2-MeOMeE(2) resulted in an approximate 50% reduction in mean tumor volume at treatment day 45 when compared to control animals and had no effect on animal weight. Thus, 2-MeOMeE(2) is an estrogen analog with minimal estrogenic properties that demonstrates antiproliferative effects both in vitro and in the human xenograft animal model of human breast cancer.

Contraceptive use in Australia: evidence from the 1995 National Health Survey.

This paper analyses the patterns of contraceptive use among Australian women, using data from the 1995 National Health Survey. More than 44% of all women aged 18-49 years reported using a method of contraception. Among users, the 2 most commonly reported methods were the pill (60%) and condom (27%); IUD and natural methods accounted for less than 5% each. Sterilizing operations of the women/partner were the most frequently reported reasons for nonuse of contraception in women aged over 35 years, while among the younger women the most reported reasons were pregnancy or trying to get pregnant and not being sexually active. Among pill-users about a quarter were smokers, 20% overweight and 13% reported heart or circulatory disease. These figures were generally lower than in the general population but indicate a need for regular monitoring. The survey demonstrates the continuing evolution in the use of contraception among Australian women.

PIP: This paper presents an analysis of the patterns of contraceptive use among Australian women using the 1995 National Health Survey data. Among the 4.1 million women aged 18-49, 44% were reported to be contraceptive users. The two most commonly used contraceptive methods were pills and condoms, which were used by 60% and 27% of the respondents, respectively. This was followed by the use of IUDs and other methods, which accounted for less than 5% of the subjects. An increasing rate of sterilizations was noted among women aged 45-49, which was nearly twice the rate of vasectomy among their partners. On the other hand, reasons for not obtaining a sterilization among younger subjects included a desire for pregnancy and not being sexually active. Among the women who used oral contraceptives, 25% were smokers, 20% were overweight, and 13% reported heart and circulatory diseases. In a comparison of the 1983 and 1995 health surveys, an increase in oral contraceptive use from 23.2% to 26.7% was noted among women aged 18-49 years. The survey demonstrated the continuing evolution of contraceptive use among Australian women.

Inhibition of the oxidative and nonoxidative pentose phosphate pathways by somatostatin: a possible mechanism of antitumor action.

Long-acting somatostatin analogs have recently become supplemental drugs in the treatment of neurofibroma because of their marked tumor growth inhibitory effect. Somatostatin is currently under extended evaluation in other cancers as a possible supplemental drug to the treatment protocols in use. The mode of action is not known. Somatostatin has been shown to cause glucose intolerance by inhibiting glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) in fish liver. Recent data generated in our laboratory indicate that it is this pathway and the transketolase reactions of the pentose cycle (PC) which are directly involved in the ribose synthesis process of pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells. In cell culture, somatostatin alone inhibited glucose carbon recycling through the PC by 5.7%, which was increased to 19.8% in combination with oxythiamine, a competitive inhibitor of transketolase. Oxythiamine produced strong apoptosis in in-vitro hosted tumor cells. We hypothesize that somatostatin- and oxythiamine-induced antiproliferative action is mediated by the inhibition of G6PD, transketolase, or both.

Oxythiamine and dehydroepiandrosterone inhibit the nonoxidative synthesis of ribose and tumor cell proliferation.

This study investigates the significance of the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) catalyzed oxidative and the transketolase (TK) catalyzed nonoxidative pentose cycle (PC) reactions in the tumor proliferation process by characterizing tumor growth patterns and synthesis of the RNA ribose moiety in the presence of respective inhibitors of G6PD and TK. Mass spectra analysis of 13C-labeled carbons revealed that these PC reactions contribute to over 85% of de novo ribose synthesis in RNA from [1,2-(13)C]glucose in cultured Mia pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells, with the fraction synthesized through the TK pathway predominating (85%). Five days of treatment with the TK inhibitor oxythiamine (OT) and the G6PD inhibitor dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (0.5 microM each) exerted a 39 and a 23% maximum inhibitory effect on cell proliferation in culture, which was increased to 60% when the two drugs were administered in combination. In vivo testing of 400 mg/kg OT or dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate in C57BL/6 mice hosting Ehrlich's ascitic tumor cells revealed a 90.4 and a 46% decrease in the final tumor mass after 3 days of treatment. RNA ribose fractional synthesis through the TK reaction using metabolites directly from glycolysis declined by 9.1 and 23.9% after OT or the combined treatment, respectively. Nonoxidative PC reactions play a central regulating role in the carbon-recruiting process toward de novo nucleic acid ribose synthesis and cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, enzymes or substrates regulating the nonoxidative synthesis of ribose could also be the sites to preferentially target tumor cell proliferation by new anticancer drugs.

Hysterectomy and endometrial ablation in New South Wales, 1981 to 1994-1995.

This study analyses the New South Wales hospital data on hysterectomies from 1981 to 1994-1995, and on endometrial ablations since 1991. The hysterectomy rate declined by about 16% during 1981-1991 and has risen since; the endometrial ablation rate has increased by 28% between 1991 and 1994-1995. Other findings indicate a trend towards older mean age at operation, a swing to vaginal hysterectomy with or without laparoscopy, a shift to private hospitals, and a dramatic decline in length of hospital stay. The majority of endometrial ablations were performed on a day-only basis. Immigrant and Aboriginal women experienced lower hysterectomy rates. Endometrial ablation techniques introduced in the late 1980s, as an alternative to hysterectomy for dysfunctional uterine bleeding, have had a major impact on hysterectomy rates; without these techniques the rates would be much higher.

Female sterilization in New South Wales, 1981 to 1994-1995.

This paper investigates and confirms the dramatic decline in female sterilization in New South Wales over the past decade, a period when male sterilization has remained fairly constant. The most significant decline occurred among women under 30 years of age, which resulted in a rise in the mean age at sterilization. In 1994-1995, 70% of sterilization operations were performed for contraceptive management only, 11% were concurrent with Caesarean section, and 9% with abortion. Incidental findings were an increase in Caesarean section and the proportion of women having concurrent sterilization, and a large decline in intrauterine device removals, more than half of which were accompanied with sterilization in 1994-1995. Currently-married women accounted for 80% of sterilization cases. Immigrant women generally had lower incidence of sterilization compared to the Australian-born.

Family formation patterns among migrant women in Sydney.

A demographic survey among a probability sample of 980 married migrant women was carried out in Sydney in 1988. The sample included 507 Lebanese, 250 Turkish and 223 Vietnamese women. The study revealed differences in family formation patterns within and between the three groups and between them and the general population. Family size had declined among all three groups compared with their family of origin, and it was clear that the younger women would not achieve the same family sizes as the older women. Migrant women tended to marry earlier than the general population and to start their families earlier. While they showed a strong preference for their children to marry within their own ethnic and religious group, nearly one-third said it was up to the choice of the individual. Overall, the future family size of younger migrant women is expected to converge towards the Australian norm. Migrant families are in a state of transition between two cultures which needs to be recognised by health and family planning service providers.

PIP: Data were obtained from a 1988 Demographic Survey among a two-stage probability sample of 980 married migrant women living in Sydney, Australia. Migrants included 507 Lebanese women, 250 Turkish women, and 223 Vietnamese women. Age groups varied among the ethnic groups. All of the Vietnamese migrants arrived after 1975, while 51% of the Lebanese and 55% of the Turkish women arrived before 1975. By 1991-92, the Vietnamese were the third largest group of new migrants, following after the UK and Hong Kong. Educational levels and labor force participation were lower among the Lebanese. Vietnamese women had the highest educational levels, but the lowest levels of skills in English. Only 4% of Vietnamese spoke English compared with 25% of Lebanese and 21% of Turkish women. Vietnamese were primarily Buddhists, while Lebanese were Catholics and Muslims. All Turkish women were Muslim. Over 90% in each ethnic group were married. Separation and divorce was at a low level (under 5%), but higher among the Vietnamese and Turkish women. Most were married only once. The common age at first marriage was 17-19 years among Lebanese and Turkish women and 20-23 years among Vietnamese women. All migrant women married at younger ages than Australian women. All migrant women reported a desire for their sons and daughters to marry later. 97% of Lebanese, 99% of Turkish, and 80% of Vietnamese married men from the same religious group, and 93%, 94%, and 92%, respectively, married men from their own country of birth. Lebanese women had consistently higher fertility at all ages. The average number of live births was 2.61 for the Vietnamese, 2.05 for the Turkish, and 3.83 for the Lebanese. A mother's fertility was not related to a daughter's fertility. Compared with families of origin, family sizes and desires were declining. It is expected that younger migrant women will have a family size that converges with the Australian norm.