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Intervention Among Suicidal Men: Future Directions For Telephone Crisis Support Research, Tara Hunt, Coralie J. Wilson, Alan Woodward, Peter Caputi, Ian G. Wilson

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Telephone crisis support is a confidential, accessible, and immediate service that is uniquely set up to reduce male suicide deaths through crisis intervention. However, research focusing on telephone crisis support with suicidal men is currently limited. To highlight the need to address service delivery for men experiencing suicidal crisis, this perspective article identifies key challenges facing current telephone crisis support research and proposes that understanding of the role of telephone crisis helplines in supporting suicidal men may be strengthened by careful examination of the context of telephone crisis support, together with the impact this has on help-provision for male suicidal …

Prevalence And Correlates Of Psychological Distress Among Diabetes Mellitus Adults In The Jilin Province In China: A Cross-Sectional Study, Shuang Qiu, Xuan Hong Sun, Wen Ya Liu, Joseph Sam Kanu, Ri Li, Qin Ya Yu, Xu-Feng Huang, Bo Li, Yang Xiang Zhang

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Background: Psychological disorders are common in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients, and the aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of psychological distress and to determine the influence factors associated with psychological distress among DM patients in the Jilin province of China.

Methods and Materials: Multistage, stratified cluster sampling was used in this cross-sectional study. The 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) was used to assess psychological status with the total score of ≥4 as the threshold for psychological distress.

Results: A total of 1,956 subjects with DM were included in the study. Out of this total diabetic …

Seasonal Stress Physiology And Body Condition Differ Among Co-Occurring Tropical Finch Species, Kimberly L. Maute, Kristine French, Sarah Legge, Lee Astheimer

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Seasonal changes in avian hormonal stress responses and condition are well known for common species found at temperate and arctic latitudes, but declining and tropical species are poorly studied. This study compares stress and condition measures of co-occurring declining and non-declining tropical grass finch species in Australia. We monitored declining Gouldian finches (Erythrura gouldiae) and non-declining long-tailed and masked finches (Poepila acuticauda and P. personata) during two seasons that are potentially stressful: peak breeding (early dry season when food is plentiful) and moult (late dry to early wet season when food may be scarce). We measured body condition (muscle and …

A Study Of Psychiatric And Physical Morbidity Among Residents Of Old Age Home, Vaishali Hedge, Srinivas Kosgi, Satheesh Rao, Nagesh Pai, Shankarappa Mudgal

Graduate School of Medicine - Papers (Archive)

Aims/objectives: To determine the frequency of psychiatric and physical morbidity and also to look into the association between psycho- social factors, morbidity and disability among residents of old age home. Materials and Methods: Study was conducted at an old age home where two hundred and forty five residents were screened using short psychiatric evaluation schedule (SPES).Hundred and ten residents scoring ≥ 4 on SPES suggestive of psychopathology were further evaluated. Information regarding socio-demography, past & present medical and psychiatric illness history was collected. Each individual’s detailed physical examination findings were recorded and Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), social support scale, disability …

A Hangover And A One-Night Stand: Alcohol And Risky Sexual Behaviour Among Female Students At An Australian University, Heidi Gilchrist, Kylie Smith, Christopher A. Magee, Sandra Jones

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

There is a growing body of research in Australia exploring the alcohol consumption behaviours of young people and the attendant health and social risks associated with excessive use of alcohol (Chikritzhs et al. 2003; Mancina-Pena & Tyson 2007). A number of studies from countries such as the United States and New Zealand indicate that university students tend to drink at riskier levels than the broader population (see for example Wechsler et al. 1994; Kypri, Stephenson & Langley 2005; Wechsler & Nelson 2008). Data from Australia are limited, although the few studies that have been conducted suggest that Australian university students …

Poor Food And Nutrient Intake Among Indigenous And Non-Indigenous Rural Australian Children, Josephine D. Gwynn, Victoria M. Flood, Catherine A. D'Este, John R. Attia, Nicole Turner, Janine Cochrane, Jimmy Chun Yu Louie, John H. Wiggers

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to describe the food and nutrient intake of a population of rural Australian children particularly Indigenous children. Participants were aged 10 to 12 years, and living in areas of relative socio-economic disadvantage on the north coast of New South Wales. METHODS: In this descriptive cross-sectional study 215 children with a mean age of 11.30 (SD 0.04) years (including 82 Indigenous children and 93 boys) completed three 24-hour food recalls (including 1 weekend day), over an average of two weeks in the Australian summer of late 2005. RESULTS: A high proportion of children consumed …

Recent Peritonitis Associates With Mortality Among Patients Treated With Peritoneal Dialysis, Neil Boudville, Anna Kemp, Philip Clayton, Wai Lim, Sunil V. Badve, Carmel M. Hawley, Stephen P. Mcdonald, Kathryn J. Wiggins, Kym M. Bannister, Fiona G. Brown, David W. Johnson

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Peritonitis is a major complication of peritoneal dialysis, but the relationship between peritonitis and mortality among these patients is not well understood. In this case-crossover study, we included the 1316 patients who received peritoneal dialysis in Australia and New Zealand from May 2004 through December 2009 and either died on peritoneal dialysis or within 30 days of transfer to hemodialysis. Each patient served as his or her own control. The mean age was 70 years, and the mean time receiving peritoneal dialysis was 3 years. In total, there were 1446 reported episodes of peritonitis with 27% of patients having ≥2 …

Relationship Between Plantar Pressures, Physical Activity And Sedentariness Among Preschool Children, Karen J. Mickle, Dylan P. Cliff, Bridget J. Munro, Anthony D. Okely, Julie R. Steele

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

It has been speculated that high plantar pressures might cause foot pain and discomfort which, in turn, may discourage children from being physically active and result in them spending more time in sedentary activities. The purpose of this study was to determine whether plantar pressure distributions generated by preschool children were correlated with objectively measured time spent in physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Dynamic plantar pressures were measured for 33 preschool children (age = 4.3±0.6 years; height = 1.06±0.1 m; mass = 18.4±2.9 kg; 17 boys) as they walked across an emed AT-4 pressure platform. Physical activity was objectively assessed …

Exposure To Alcohol Advertising And Alcohol Consumption Among Australian Adolescents, Sandra C. Jones, Christopher A. Magee

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Aims: Underage drinking is a major problem in Australia and may be influenced by exposure to alcohol advertising. The objective of the present study was to collect data on 12 17 year old Australian adolescents' exposure to different types of alcohol advertising and examine the association between exposure to advertising and alcohol consumption. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 1113 adolescents aged 12 17 years recruited with a variety of methods to gain a cross-section of participants across metropolitan, regional and rural New South Wales (including independent schools, mall intercepts and online). Participants answered a series of questions assessing adolescents' exposure …

Quality Of Life Among People With Schizophrenia In Saudi Arabia, Amira Ali Alshowkan, Janette Curtis, Yvonne White

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Research aims: To provide a profile of the quality of life of people with schizophrenia in Saudi Arabia. To investigate the relationships between Socio-demographic characteristics and their quality of life.

Sun Protecting And Sun Exposing Behaviors: Testing Their Relationship Simultaneously With Indicators Of Ultraviolet Exposure Among Adolescents, Melinda Williams, Peter Caputi, Sandra C. Jones, Don Iverson

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The aim of this study was to build on existing understanding of adolescent sun-related behavior by combining sun protecting and sun exposing behaviors and testing their relationship simultaneously with indicators of ultraviolet (UV) exposure. Data were collected for 692 adolescents aged between 12 and 18 years. General linear modeling was undertaken to test the relationship of sun-related behaviors with indicators of UV exposure. Overall, the combined sun protection and sun exposing behaviors accounted for 13.8% of the variance in the number of sunburns, 28.1% of the variance in current tan and 57.5% of the variance in desired tan, respectively. Results …

Prescription Medication Hoarding, Borrowing And Sharing Among Elderly Illawarra Residents, Judy Mullan, J Ellis, A Worsley, W Yeo

Graduate School of Medicine - Papers (Archive)

Objective: To examine prescription medication hoarding and borrowing or sharing (PMHBS) behaviours in aged people, particularly which medications are subject to these behaviours and the circumstances that enable these behaviours. Method: A mixed methods triangulation design, using consecutive qualitative (focus groups) and quantitative (survey) methodologies in a convenience sample of people aged over 65, living independently in the Illawarra region (NSW). Results: Focus group participants (n=28) acknowledged PMHBS behaviours were widespread; however, very few survey respondents (n=226) admitted to engaging in these behaviours. Main findings in the study were enablers for these behaviours: the prescription medication is considered the same …

Personality And Religious Values Among Adolescents: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Analysis., Patrick C. Heaven, Joseph V. Ciarrochi

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Using three waves of data, we assessed the relationships between endorsement of religious values, some of the major personality dimensions, and social and emotional well-being amongst teenagers. Participants were 784 high school students at Time 1 (382 manles and 394 females; 8 did not indicate their gender) and 563 provided data at each of Time 1, Time 2 and Time 3.