Digital Commons Network^™

Investigating Personality Vulnerability To Suicide Ideation In Community-Residing Older Adults, James Andrew Mcclure

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study assessed associations between suicide ideation and personality characteristics in a sample of community-residing adults 65 years of age and older. Measures of personality, suicide ideation, and depression were administered at two time points 6-12 months apart. Multiple linear regression analyses were employed to investigate cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between personality characteristics and suicide ideation. A total of 106 older adults (mean age=74.2 years, SD=5.8, including 78 women) completed both phases of the study. The majority of participants included in this study were relatively emotionally and psychologically healthy. Within this sample of older adults, more severe suicide ideations was …

Evaluating The Impact Of Two Different Methods Of Diabetes Self-Management Education On Knowledge, Attitude, And Behaviours Of Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Laura B. Briden

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study compared the effectiveness of diabetes self-management education (DSME) methods by examining changes in knowledge, attitude, and behaviour (KAB) after receiving education. Participants from a convenience sample were randomized into two groups, one receiving education through conversation maps and the other through traditional group education. Participants’ knowledge and attitude changes were measured by using a repeated measures pre-test/post-test design and changes in Hb A1c were observed. Focus groups were conducted after education was received to obtain perceptions and self-reported behaviour changes. Significant knowledge and attitude score changes were observed in the conversation map group after education. When comparing the …

Social Marketing And Falls Prevention: Market Segmentation And Product Positioning, Eric C. Stemmler

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The present study sets out to better understand how falls prevention can be marketed and positioned in order to increase participation rates in seniors. Market segmentation was used to create unique marketing mixes for individual groups of seniors. The senior market was segmented into frequent falling males and females, and non-falling males and females. Frequent fallers were defined by having experienced 2 or more falls in the past year, where non-fallers had experienced 1 or less falls. Twelve focus groups were conducted with thirty-five participants (N=35), 65 years or older. Differences were mainly found between number of falls …

Quality Indicators Of Diabetes Care: An Example Of Remote-Area Aboriginal Primary Health Care Over 10 Years, Julia V. Marley, Carmel Nelson, Vicki O'Donnell, David Atkinson

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

To describe service characteristics of Derby Aboriginal Health Service (DAHS) and document diabetes management activities and intermediate clinical outcomes for Aboriginal patients with type 2 diabetes.

Social Support As A Determinant Of Health Related Quality Of Life In Breast Cancer Survivors In California, Faiza Rab

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Objective:

To evaluate the relationship between perceived social support and HRQOL (physical and emotional) in low SES breast cancer survivors.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study design was used to measure perceived social support at 18 months and HRQOL at 3 years after breast cancer diagnosis using MOS SS and MOS SF-36, respectively. Multiple regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationship.

Results:

Menopause at the time of diagnosis, adjunct chemotherapy, adjunct radiation therapy, co-morbidities, treatment side effects and depression were negatively associated with PCS scores (p < 0.01). Treatment side effects, anxiety and depression were negatively associated with MCS scores (p < 0.01).

Conclusions:

Perceived social support was not associated with HRQOL in low SES breast cancer survivors …

Population-Based Placental Weight Ratio Distributions And Determinants Of Placental Weight Ratios, Erin M. Macdonald

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The placental weight ratio (PWR) is a common proxy for the balance between fetal and placental growth, and is defined as the placental weight over the birth weight. The objectives were (1a) to establish PWR distributions by gestational age for the overall population and (1b) for small, average and large for gestational age infants (SGA, AGA, LGA) and (2) to determine what pregnancy related conditions were associated with the PWR. The data were obtained using a hospital based retrospective cohort. Nonparametric quantile regression was used for the first and multinomial logistic regression for the second objective. The results show how …

An Intensive Smoking Intervention For Pregnant Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Women: A Randomised Controlled Trial, Sandra J. Eade, Rob W. Sanson-Fisher, Mark Wenitong, Katie Panaretto, Catherine D'Este, Conor Gilligan, Jessica Stewart

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of an intensive quit-smoking intervention on smoking rates at 36 weeks’ gestation among pregnant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. Design: Randomised controlled trial. Setting and participants: Pregnant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women (n= 263) attending their first antenatal visit at one of three Aboriginal community-controlled health services between June 2005 and December 2009. Intervention: A general practitioner and other health care workers delivered tailored advice and support to quit smoking to women at their first antenatal visit, using evidence-based communication skills and engaging the woman’s partner and other adults in supporting the quit …

The Symptom Of Fatigue In Primary Care: A Comparative Study Of Health Care Utilization Patterns Using Electronic Medical Records, Kathryn A. Nicholson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The experience of fatigue has been a common problem among community populations for decades. The symptom of fatigue is also a frequent health complaint in primary care practices. Fatigue patients have been shown to be significantly high users of health care resources, particularly when compared to non-fatigued patient populations. To date, an understanding of the presence and the impact of the symptom of fatigue within the context of the Canadian health care system has been understudied.

The objective of this research was to determine the number of patients who were suffering from the symptom of fatigue within a primary care …

Being An Austrian Mother With Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Institutional Ethnography About The Social Organization Of Everyday Life, Birgit Prodinger

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This institutional ethnography research explored how women with rheumatoid arthritis, who are mothers, and of employable age, go about their daily lives given their social context. The social context for this research was Austria, which is characterized by social policies based on familialism and an emphasis on employment. This context may open up various resources and possibilities about what women can do and actually do in their daily lives, and thus, directs attention to the situated nature of human occupation.

In institutional ethnography particular attention is given to the social, which suggests that daily life becomes accomplished through coordinated activities …

Association Between The Fast-Food Environment And Obesity In Canada: A Cross-Sectional Analysis, Simon Hollands

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Frequent fast-food consumption is associated with weight gain therefore it is hypothesized that relative availability of fast-food is a risk factor for obesity. This thesis examined the association between the neighbourhood-level density of fast-food outlets and adult body mass index (BMI) in Canada. Population-based data on BMI and socio-economic variables from the 2008 Canadian Community Health Survey [CCHS] and selected neighbourhood-level socio-economic data from 2006 Canadian Census were merged with a commercial database containing geographic locations of all restaurants in Canada. The association between BMI and fast-food density (per 10,000 people in CCHS respondent’s FSA) was analyzed using ordinary least …

The First Year Counts: Cancer Survival Among Indigenous And Non-Indigenous Queenslanders, 1997–2006, Susanna M. Cramb, Gall Garvey, Patricia C. Valery, John D. Williamson, Peter D. Baade

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

Objective: To examine the differential in cancer survival between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Queensland in relation to time after diagnosis, remoteness and area-socioeconomic disadvantage.

Design, setting and participants: Descriptive study of population-based data on all 150 059 Queensland residents of known Indigenous status aged 15 years and over who were diagnosed with a primary invasive cancer during 1997–2006.

Main outcome measures: Hazard ratios for the categories of area- socioeconomic disadvantage, remoteness and Indigenous status, as well as conditional 5-year survival estimates.

Results: Five-year survival was lower for Indigenous people diagnosed with cancer (50.3%; 95% CI, 47.8%–52.8%) compared with non-Indigenous …

A Bibliometric Analysis Of Research On Indigenous Health In Australia, 1972-2008, Gemma E. Derrick, Andrew Hayen, Simon Chapman, Abby S. Haynes, Berenika M. Webster, Ian Anderson

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

Objective: To determine the growth patterns and citation volume of research publications referring to Indigenous health in Australia from 1972 to 2008 compared to seven selected health fields. Methods: Web of Science was used to identify all publications (n=820) referring to the health of Indigenous Australians authored by Australian researchers, 1972 to 2008. Citations for each publication were also captured. Growth was compared with selected health fields as well as with overall Australian research publications. Results: Research publications referring to Indigenous health, while remaining relatively small in number, grew at an average annual rate of 14.1%, compared with 8.2% across …

Growing Up Our Way : The First Year Of Life In Remote Aboriginal Australia, Sue Kruske, Suzanne Belton, Molly Wardaguga, Conceptual Narjic

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

In this study, we attempted to explore the experiences and beliefs of Aboriginal families as they cared for their children in the first year of life. We collected family stories concerning child rearing, development, behavior, health, and wellbeing between each infant’s birth and first birthday. We found significant differences in parenting behaviors and childrearing practices between Aboriginal groups and mainstream Australians. Aboriginal parents perceived their children to be autonomous individuals with responsibilities toward a large family group. The children were active agents in determining their own needs, highly prized, and included in all aspects of community life. Concurrent with poverty, …

‘It Had To Be My Choice’ Indigenous Smoking Cessation And Negotiations Of Risk, Resistance And Resilience, Chelsea Bond, Mark Brough, Geoffrey Spurling, Noel Hayman

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

While Australia is considered a world leader in tobacco control, smoking rates within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population have not declined at the same rate. This failure highlights an obvious shortcoming of mainstream anti- smoking efforts to effectively understand and engage with the socio-cultural context of Indigenous smoking and smoking cessation experiences. The purpose of this article is to explore the narrative accounts of 20 Indigenous ex-smokers within an urban community and determine the motivators and enablers for successful smoking cessation. Our findings indicated that health risk narratives and the associated social stigma produced through anti-smoking campaigns formed …

Social And Emotional Outcomes Of Australian Children From Indigenous And Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds, Naomi Priest, Jennifer Baxter, Linda Hayes

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

Objectives: 1) profile the living environments and 2) examine the social and emotional outcomes of Australian children from Indigenous and cultural and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds at school entry. Method: Secondary analysis of cross- sectional data collected in Wave 1 of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (n=4,735). Child mental-health outcomes were measured using parent report of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Results: Significant differences in family and neighbourhood characteristics, including parental income, maternal education, maternal parenting quality and neighbourhood safety, were found in children of Indigenous and CALD backgrounds compared to the reference group of Australian-born, English-speaking children. …

Socioeconomic Disparities In Physical Health Among Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Children In Western Australia, Carrington C.J. Sheperd, Jianghong Li, Stephen R. Zubrick

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

Objective. Few empirical studies have specifically examined the relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and health in Indigenous populations of Australia. We sought to provide insights into the nature of this relationship by examining socio-economic disparities in physical health outcomes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Western Australia.

Design. We used a diverse set of health and SES indicators from a representative survey conducted in 2000􏰣2002 on the health and development of 5289 Indigenous children aged 0􏰣17 years in Western Australia. Analysis was conducted using multivariate logistic regression within a multilevel framework. Results. After controlling for age and sex, …

Access To General Practitioner Services Amongst Underserved Australians: A Microsimulation Study, Deborah J. Schofield, Rupendra N. Shrestha, Emily J. Callander

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

Background: One group often identified as having low socioeconomic status, those living in remote or rural areas, are often recognised as bearing an unequal burden of illness in society. This paper aims to examine equity of utilisation of general practitioner services in Australia.

Methods: Using the 2005 National Health Survey undertaken by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, a microsimulation model was developed to determine the distribution of GP services that would occur if all Australians had equal utilisation of health services relative to need.

Results: It was estimated that those who are unemployed would experience a 19% increase in GP …

Do Indigenous Australians Age Prematurely? The Implications Of Life Expectancy And Health Conditions Of Older Indigenous People For Health And Aged Care Policy, Philippa R. Cotter, John R. Condon, Tony Barnes, Ian P.S. Anderson, Leonard R. Smith, Teresa Cunningham

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

Objective. To assess whether Indigenous Australians age prematurely compared with other Australians, as implied by Australian Government aged care policy, which uses age 50 years and over for population-based planning for Indigenous people compared with 70 years for non-indigenous people.

Methods. Cross-sectional analysis of aged care assessment, hospital and health survey data comparing Indigenous and non-indigenous age-specific prevalence of health conditions. Analysis of life tables for Indigenous and non-indigenous populations comparing life expectancy at different ages.

Results. At age 63 for women and age 65 for men, Indigenous people had the same life expectancy as non-indigenous people at age 70. …

Healthy Lifestyle Programs For Physical Activity And Nutrition, N.A.

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

No abstract provided.

Using First Nations Children's Perceptions Of Food And Activity To Inform An Obesity Prevention Strategy, Ashlee-Ann E. Pigford, Noreen D. Willows, Nicholas L. Holt, Amanda S. Newton, Geoff D.C. Ball

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

No abstract provided.

Enacting Accountability: Networked Governance, Canadian Ngos And The Fctc, Raphael Lencucha, Anita Kothari, Ronald Labonte

Anita Kothari

Accountability is a pressing challenge within the present system of international lawmaking. Scholars continue to examine the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to encourage the accountability of governments during this process. The negotiation of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) provides an important context to examine accountability as it is and was inherently influenced by corporate interests and government economics, and involved extensive NGO participation. We conducted in depth interviews and document analysis to examine the role of Canadian NGO representatives in the negotiation of the FCTC. We highlight two sets of findings about Canadian …

Partnerships In Public Health: Lessons From Knowledge Translation And Program Planning, Shannon Sibbald, Anita Kothari, Debbie Rudman, Maureen Dobbins, Michael Rouse, Nancy Edwards, Dana Gore

Anita Kothari

The purpose of this study was to better understand how partnerships are initiated, maintained, and sustained in public health practice. A qualitative design was employed to conduct individual interviews and focus groups. The participants included practitioners from 6 purposively selected public health units in the Canadian province of Ontario that developed partnerships in program planning. It was found that partnerships play an essential role in program planning but that minimal information is available regarding the partnership process. Most partnerships are formed on an ad hoc basis, with little formalization. Public health professionals rely on their experiential knowledge when seeking out …