Robert J Donovan
Biographic Data
| ID | 248148 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Robert J Donovan |
| GIVEN NAMES | Robert J |
| FAMILY NAME | Donovan |
| SIGNATURE | DONOVAN R J |
| AFFILIATIONS | Curtin University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-0692-885X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 43 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 268 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 43 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1956 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 6 |
The Babatana Rainforest in Solomon Islands: A Practice-Based Field Trip for Unlearning the World
This paper explores practice-based learning pedagogies to support unlearning amongst Australian-based students. Drawing on reflective practices from students as part of a field trip to the Babatana Rainforest Conservation Project in Solomon Islands – an Indigenous-led conservation and carbon offset project – our paper reveals the myriad of ways fieldwork experiences disrupted students’ prior knowledge, including in ways that supported them to unl…
Twenty-One Reasons for Implementing the Act-Belong-Commit—‘ABCs of Mental Health’ Campaign
While there has been increased attention worldwide on mental health promotion over the past two decades, what is lacking in many countries around the globe is practical knowledge of what constitutes a population-wide mental health promotion campaign, and how such a campaign can be implemented. This paper provides such knowledge based on the development, implementation and evaluation of the Act-Belong-Commit campaign, the world's first comprehensi…
Impact on staff of the Mentally Healthy Schools Framework
Purpose The Mentally Healthy Schools Framework (MHSF), based on the population-wide Act-Belong-Commit mental health promotion campaign, is a whole-school approach primarily targeting student mental health, but it is also intended for staff. This paper presents the results of an impact survey on staff after the implementation of the Framework in a number of schools in Western Australia. Design/methodology/approach A baseline questionnaire was comp…
Guidance for Research on Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Participation Among Older People: Lessons From a Mixed Methods Study
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 part…
Act-Belong-Commit Indicators Promote Mental Health and Wellbeing among Irish Older Adults
Objective Act-Belong-Commit is the world's first population-wide, community-based mental health promotion campaign. We assessed the associations between baseline indicators of Act-Belong-Commit behavioral domains and wellbeing at 2-year follow-up in a population-based sample of Irish older adults. MethodsData from 2 waves of the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing were analyzed. The sample consisted of 6098 adults. Outcomes were quality of life (Q…
The people make it fun, the activities we do just make sure we turn up on time.” Factors influencing older adults’ participation in community-based group programmes in Perth, Western Australia
Rapid ageing in western societies is placing increasing strain on health and social care services. In response, governments and health agencies have sought to promote healthy ageing through a range of interventions, many of which aim to enhance social engagement and participation among older people. Such interventions are based on evidence that being socially engaged through participation in various activities leads to better physical, mental and…
The Move study: A study protocol for a randomised controlled trial assessing interventions to maximise attendance at physical activity facilities
Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12615000012572 (registered 9 January 2015)
Predictors of positive outcomes of a school food provision policy in Australia
This study identified predictors of parents' and school principals' perceptions of the impact of a Western Australian school food policy. An initial qualitative phase involving focus groups with parents and interviews with school principals, teachers, canteen managers and Parents & Citizens Committee members provided general feedback on the policy and identified various factors that appeared to be related to its successful implementation. In the …
Messages that increase women’s intentions to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy: Results from quantitative testing of advertising concepts
This study provides important insights into the components that enhance the persuasiveness and effectiveness of messages aimed at preventing prenatal alcohol exposure. The recommended concept has good potential for use in a future campaign aimed at promoting women's intentions to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy
Unity of effort requires unity of object: Why industry should not be involved in formulating public health policy
This paper provides a framework for examining the general issue of public health authorities' collaboration with industry. The framework distinguishes between industry involvement in the development of public health policy and the implementation of policy-driven interventions. A distinction is also made between industries marketing products conducive to good health versus products that impact negatively on public health (e.g. alcohol and energy-d…
Parent's responses to nutrient claims and sports celebrity endorsements on energy-dense and nutrient-poor foods: An experimental study
Objective To assess parents’ responses to common, potentially misleading strategies for marketing energy-dense and nutrient-poor (EDNP) child-oriented foods. Design Between-subjects online experiment to test whether nutrient claims and sports celebrity endorsements on the front of packs of EDNP products lead parents to prefer and rate these foods more favourably. Setting Australia. Subjects A total of 1551 parents of children aged 5–12 years, who…
Children's understanding of the selling versus persuasive intent of junk food advertising: Implications for regulation
Do motor vehicle advertisements that promote vehicle performance attributes also promote undesirable driving behaviour
In response to concerns that motor vehicle advertising may have a negative influence on audiences' driving attitudes, many countries have adopted Codes of Ethics with respect to motor vehicle advertising. Most Codes restrict explicit depictions relating to power, speed and acceleration but do not necessarily identify when advertisements implicitly communicate these and other undesired messages about unsafe driving behaviours. We selected three mo…
Mature adults' attitudes to mental health service utilisation
This qualitative study examined mature adults' attitudes to mental health services, in order to improve service utilisation among members of this group. Twenty individual and 12 focus group interviews were conducted with 111 West Australians aged ≥40 years living in urban and regional areas. The findings indicate that mature individuals may be receptive to information that assists them in differentiating the symptoms of ageing and mental illness …
Holyoake's Drumbeat Program: Music as a Tool for Social Learning and Improved Educational Outcomes
This article discusses the development, implementation and impact of a social development program developed by the Holyoake Institute in Western Australia for use in schools. The program DRUMBEAT uses hand drumming to engage young people in social learning that assists them in integrating more fully into mainstream school and community life. DRUMBEAT was developed in response to a range of issues that disadvantaged Indigenous youth experienced wi…
Using pedometers to increase physical activity in overweight and obese women: A pilot study
ACTRN12609000176268
Ethical issues in pro‐social advertising: The Australian 2006 White Ribbon Day campaign
The Australian White Ribbon Day 2006 campaign was severely criticized by mental health professionals and those working in the family and domestic violence sector because of depictions of suicide and self‐harm in the television advertisement and accompanying promotional materials. The White Ribbon Day (WRD) National Leadership Group (NLG) rejected all requests by concerned groups to not use these campaign materials. They and their apologists claim…
Tackle the Problem When It Gets Here: Pandemic Preparedness Among Small and Medium Businesses
Globally, governments and health authorities are preparing for pandemic influenza and producing resources to promote preparedness planning; however, there is little information available to inform the design of strategies to promote preparedness. Three focus groups were conducted to identify and to describe beliefs and perceptions about pandemic influenza and response planning among small and medium business owners and managers. Most participants…
Influenza pandemic preparedness: Motivation for protection among small and medium businesses in Australia
Our findings suggest that small and medium businesses in Australia are not currently well prepared for pandemic influenza. We found that beliefs about the risk, severity, and the ability to respond effectively to the threat of pandemic influenza are important predictors of preparedness. Campaigns targeting small and medium businesses should emphasise the severity of the consequences to their businesses if a pandemic were to occur, and, at the sam…
Impact of smoking images in magazines on the smoking attitudes and intentions of youth: An experimental investigation: Table 1
Incidental positive smoking imagery in magazines can generate the same sorts of consumer effects attributed to advertising in general, including tobacco advertising. Sex specific results of our study may be explained by the choice of smoking images used
Increasing walking
Environmental and Lifestyle Factors Associated with Overweight and Obesity in Perth, Australia
PURPOSE: To examine associations between environmental and lifestyle factors and overweight or obesity. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey and an environmental scan of recreational facilities. SETTING: Metropolitan Perth, Western Australia. SUBJECTS: Healthy sedentary workers and homemakers aged 18 to 59 years (n = 1803) living in areas within the top and bottom quintiles of social disadvantage. MEASURES: Four lifestyle factors, one social environm…
Continuous tracking of the Australian National Tobacco Campaign: Advertising effects on recall, recognition, cognitions, and behaviour
Advertisements with clear figure ground executional formats and those illustrating health effects of smoking have high memorability. Future campaigns that are continuously tracked are recommended to systematically vary media weight, flighting schedules, and advertisement type, so as to maximise information about these variables and their interactions
Death Anxiety and Threat Appeals: Toward a Practical Application in the Context of Health Promotion
Health promoters frequently use death threat appeals (e.g., “Quit smoking or you'll die”) to persuade people to adopt healthy behaviors. The practical application of this study was to determine whether any interaction exists between levels of death anxiety and the relative persuasiveness of death vs. non-death threat appeals. The possibility that people with high death anxiety would respond more to death threat appeals than to non-death threat ap…
Relative Influences of Individual, Social Environmental, and Physical Environmental Correlates of Walking
Objectives. This study sought to examine individual, social environmental, and physical environmental correlates of walking. Methods. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among healthy workers and homemakers residing in metropolitan Perth, Western Australia. Results. Most respondents walked for transport or recreation, but only 17.2% did a sufficient amount of walking to accrue health benefits. After adjustment, the relative influences of indiv…
The relative influence of individual, social and physical environment determinants of physical activity
Relative Influences of Individual, Social Environmental, and Physical Environmental Correlates of Walking
Objectives. This study sought to examine individual, social environmental, and physical environmental correlates of walking. Methods. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among healthy workers and homemakers residing in metropolitan Perth, Western Australia. Results. Most respondents walked for transport or recreation, but only 17.2% did a sufficient amount of walking to accrue health benefits. After adjustment, the relative influences of indiv…
Using Paid Advertising to Modify Racial Stereotype Beliefs
This is a pilot study to determine the feasibility of using mass media to modify beliefs underlying discrimination against Aborigines in a small country town in Australia. A mass media campaign was developed utilizing primarily paid advertising. The 2-week campaign centered around the concept of an Aboriginal employment week, ostensibly designed to encourage Aborigines to seek employment and, at the same time, to encourage the community in genera…
Children's understanding of the selling versus persuasive intent of junk food advertising: Implications for regulation
Self‐regulation of alcohol advertising: Is it working for Australia
Objective: Restrictions on alcohol advertising have increasingly become an issue for debate around the world. Some countries rely on governmental regulation, whereas others, including Australia, utilise a system of industry self‐regulation. This study calls into question the effectiveness of the alcohol beverage industry's self‐regulation of advertising in Australia. Method: Between May 1998 and April 1999, 11 alcohol advertising complaints (rela…
The people make it fun, the activities we do just make sure we turn up on time.” Factors influencing older adults’ participation in community-based group programmes in Perth, Western Australia
Rapid ageing in western societies is placing increasing strain on health and social care services. In response, governments and health agencies have sought to promote healthy ageing through a range of interventions, many of which aim to enhance social engagement and participation among older people. Such interventions are based on evidence that being socially engaged through participation in various activities leads to better physical, mental and…
Preventive Care in the Context of Men's Health
This study assessed the effectiveness of a health intervention, in diabetes education and risk assessment, to motivate men to take positive action, within the framework of the Health Belief Model. The worksite-based intervention targeted 525 men aged between 40 and 65 years from 27 organizations in the south-west of Western Australia in 1999/2000. Men identified as high risk were referred to their general practitioner. The adopted strategy had a …
Tumultuous Years: The Presidency of Harry S. Truman, 1949-1953
Journal Article Tumultuous Years: The Presidency of Harry S. Truman, 1949–1953. By Robert J. Donovan. (New York: Norton, 1982. 444 pp. Maps, illustrations, notes, bibliographical note, and index. $19.95.) Get access Alonzo L. Hamby Alonzo L. Hamby Ohio University Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Journal of American History, Volume 70, Issue 2, September 1983, Pages 466–467, https://doi.org/10.2307/1900296 P…
Conflict and Crisis: The Presidency of Harry S. Truman, 1945-1948
Journal Article Conflict and Crisis: The Presidency of Harry S Truman, 1945–1948. By Robert J. Donovan. (New York: Norton, 1977. xvii + 473 pp. Illustrations, references, bibliographical note, and index. $12.95.) Get access Athan Theoharis Athan Theoharis Marquette University Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Journal of American History, Volume 65, Issue 3, December 1978, Pages 828–829, https://doi.org/10.23…
Holyoake's Drumbeat Program: Music as a Tool for Social Learning and Improved Educational Outcomes
This article discusses the development, implementation and impact of a social development program developed by the Holyoake Institute in Western Australia for use in schools. The program DRUMBEAT uses hand drumming to engage young people in social learning that assists them in integrating more fully into mainstream school and community life. DRUMBEAT was developed in response to a range of issues that disadvantaged Indigenous youth experienced wi…
Guidance for Research on Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Participation Among Older People: Lessons From a Mixed Methods Study
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 part…
Unity of effort requires unity of object: Why industry should not be involved in formulating public health policy
This paper provides a framework for examining the general issue of public health authorities' collaboration with industry. The framework distinguishes between industry involvement in the development of public health policy and the implementation of policy-driven interventions. A distinction is also made between industries marketing products conducive to good health versus products that impact negatively on public health (e.g. alcohol and energy-d…
Do motor vehicle advertisements that promote vehicle performance attributes also promote undesirable driving behaviour
In response to concerns that motor vehicle advertising may have a negative influence on audiences' driving attitudes, many countries have adopted Codes of Ethics with respect to motor vehicle advertising. Most Codes restrict explicit depictions relating to power, speed and acceleration but do not necessarily identify when advertisements implicitly communicate these and other undesired messages about unsafe driving behaviours. We selected three mo…
Mature adults' attitudes to mental health service utilisation
This qualitative study examined mature adults' attitudes to mental health services, in order to improve service utilisation among members of this group. Twenty individual and 12 focus group interviews were conducted with 111 West Australians aged ≥40 years living in urban and regional areas. The findings indicate that mature individuals may be receptive to information that assists them in differentiating the symptoms of ageing and mental illness …
Studies of the Chief Executive
Conflict and Crisis: The presidency of Harry S. Truman, 1945-1948
Conflict and Crisis: The Presidency of Harry S. Truman, 1945-1948
Conflict and Crisis: The Presidency of Harry S. Truman, 1945-1948
Journal Article Conflict and Crisis: The Presidency of Harry S Truman, 1945–1948. By Robert J. Donovan. (New York: Norton, 1977. xvii + 473 pp. Illustrations, references, bibliographical note, and index. $12.95.) Get access Athan Theoharis Athan Theoharis Marquette University Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Journal of American History, Volume 65, Issue 3, December 1978, Pages 828–829, https://doi.org/10.23…
Tumultous Years: The Presidency of Harry S. Truman, 1949-53
Tumultuous Years: The Presidency of Harry S. Truman, 1949-1953
Tumultuous Years: The Presidency of Harry S. Truman, 1949-1953
Journal Article Tumultuous Years: The Presidency of Harry S. Truman, 1949–1953. By Robert J. Donovan. (New York: Norton, 1982. 444 pp. Maps, illustrations, notes, bibliographical note, and index. $19.95.) Get access Alonzo L. Hamby Alonzo L. Hamby Ohio University Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Journal of American History, Volume 70, Issue 2, September 1983, Pages 466–467, https://doi.org/10.2307/1900296 P…
Nemesis: Truman and Johnson in the Coils of War in Asia
A ‘component circuit approach‘ to needs assessment and strategy selection in health promotion
An approach to formative research in health promotion is described whereby significant ‘components’ in the field are identified and involved as part of a circuit, to test and generate ideas. The underlying model is similar to corporate planning procedures whereby relevant ‘stakeholders’ are identified, and their need and interactions taken into account in generating the organization strategic plans for achieving its corporate goals. The process i…
Evaluating projects funded by the Western Australian Health Promotion Foundation: A systematic approach
The paper describes the design of a systematic approach to evaluate projects funded by the Western Australian Health Promotion Foundation (Healthway). Healthway is financed by a specific tax on tobacco and uses this income to fund research, community interventions and promotion of health messages via sports, arts and racing sponsorship. Given the trend towards establishing such foundations and the use of specific tobacco taxes to fund health prom…
Electronic Democracy: The Public as Media Market
Future generations of media historians may come to know 1955 to 1985 as the era of the mass audience. The sheer size of television audiences since the mid1950s has fostered a shared national history in the form of riveting video images-Joseph Welch standing up to Joseph McCarthy, firehoses in Birmingham, the Kennedy funeral, Communists in the American embassy in Saigon, the first moonwalk, mobs in Teheran-not to mention Lucy, Johnny, and Cosby. I…
Unsilent Revolution: Television News and American Public Life, 1948-1991
Twelve Episodes: 1. Police dogs, firehoses, and television cameras: shockwaves from the South 2. Exit Joe McCarthy 3. Television news and the ups and downs of Richard Nixon: the 1960 election 4. Television's march on Cape Canaveral 5. Television's supreme hour: the Kennedy funeral 6. In the eye of the storm: television news and the urban riots 7. Vietnam, 1965-1967 8. Vietnam, 1968-1975 9. Nixon's presidency: a difficult time for television news …
Using Paid Advertising to Modify Racial Stereotype Beliefs
This is a pilot study to determine the feasibility of using mass media to modify beliefs underlying discrimination against Aborigines in a small country town in Australia. A mass media campaign was developed utilizing primarily paid advertising. The 2-week campaign centered around the concept of an Aboriginal employment week, ostensibly designed to encourage Aborigines to seek employment and, at the same time, to encourage the community in genera…
Using sponsorship to create healthy environments for sport, racing and arts venues in Western Australia
The development of healthy public policy and the creation of environments that support health are two of the Ottawa Charter's goals for health promotion action. The Western Australian Health Promotion Foundation (referred to as ‘Healthway’) is an independent statutory body funded by a levy raised on the wholesale sales of tobacco products. Healthway's legislative charter defines a number of objectives for the Foundation. These include: funding ac…
Evaluating projects funded by the Western Australian Health Promotion Foundation: First results
The paper describes output measures of performance of the Western Australian Health Promotion Foundation (Healthway), using a system known as graduated project evaluation (GPE). Results are reported at the basic and process levels of evaluation on 588 health and sponsorship projects, and at the impact level based on surveys of 5710 spectators and participants at 53 sport, arts and racing events sponsored by Healthway funds. At the basic and proce…
Self‐regulation of alcohol advertising: Is it working for Australia
Objective: Restrictions on alcohol advertising have increasingly become an issue for debate around the world. Some countries rely on governmental regulation, whereas others, including Australia, utilise a system of industry self‐regulation. This study calls into question the effectiveness of the alcohol beverage industry's self‐regulation of advertising in Australia. Method: Between May 1998 and April 1999, 11 alcohol advertising complaints (rela…
Preventive Care in the Context of Men's Health
This study assessed the effectiveness of a health intervention, in diabetes education and risk assessment, to motivate men to take positive action, within the framework of the Health Belief Model. The worksite-based intervention targeted 525 men aged between 40 and 65 years from 27 organizations in the south-west of Western Australia in 1999/2000. Men identified as high risk were referred to their general practitioner. The adopted strategy had a …
The relative influence of individual, social and physical environment determinants of physical activity
Environmental and Lifestyle Factors Associated with Overweight and Obesity in Perth, Australia
PURPOSE: To examine associations between environmental and lifestyle factors and overweight or obesity. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey and an environmental scan of recreational facilities. SETTING: Metropolitan Perth, Western Australia. SUBJECTS: Healthy sedentary workers and homemakers aged 18 to 59 years (n = 1803) living in areas within the top and bottom quintiles of social disadvantage. MEASURES: Four lifestyle factors, one social environm…
Continuous tracking of the Australian National Tobacco Campaign: Advertising effects on recall, recognition, cognitions, and behaviour
Advertisements with clear figure ground executional formats and those illustrating health effects of smoking have high memorability. Future campaigns that are continuously tracked are recommended to systematically vary media weight, flighting schedules, and advertisement type, so as to maximise information about these variables and their interactions
Death Anxiety and Threat Appeals: Toward a Practical Application in the Context of Health Promotion
Health promoters frequently use death threat appeals (e.g., “Quit smoking or you'll die”) to persuade people to adopt healthy behaviors. The practical application of this study was to determine whether any interaction exists between levels of death anxiety and the relative persuasiveness of death vs. non-death threat appeals. The possibility that people with high death anxiety would respond more to death threat appeals than to non-death threat ap…
Relative Influences of Individual, Social Environmental, and Physical Environmental Correlates of Walking
Objectives. This study sought to examine individual, social environmental, and physical environmental correlates of walking. Methods. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among healthy workers and homemakers residing in metropolitan Perth, Western Australia. Results. Most respondents walked for transport or recreation, but only 17.2% did a sufficient amount of walking to accrue health benefits. After adjustment, the relative influences of indiv…
Increasing walking
Influenza pandemic preparedness: Motivation for protection among small and medium businesses in Australia
Our findings suggest that small and medium businesses in Australia are not currently well prepared for pandemic influenza. We found that beliefs about the risk, severity, and the ability to respond effectively to the threat of pandemic influenza are important predictors of preparedness. Campaigns targeting small and medium businesses should emphasise the severity of the consequences to their businesses if a pandemic were to occur, and, at the sam…
Impact of smoking images in magazines on the smoking attitudes and intentions of youth: An experimental investigation: Table 1
Incidental positive smoking imagery in magazines can generate the same sorts of consumer effects attributed to advertising in general, including tobacco advertising. Sex specific results of our study may be explained by the choice of smoking images used
Medicine (28 works) · Political science (25 works) · Psychology (25 works) · Business (17 works) · Public health (15 works) · Sociology (13 works) · Environmental health (12 works) · Law (11 works) · Nursing (11 works) · Law (10 works)