Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Which Stressors Are Associated With Which Forms Of Depression In A Homogenous Sample? An Analysis Of The Effects Of Lifestyle Changes And Demands On Five Subtypes Of Depression, Vicki Bitsika, Christopher Sharpley

Vicki Bitsika

Background: Although depression is often considered as a single or unitary construct, evidence indicates the existence of several major subtypes of depression, some of which have distinct neurobiological bases and treatment options. Objective: To explore the incidence of five subtypes of depression, and to identify which lifestyle changes and stressor demands are associated with each of five established subtypes of depression, within a homogenous non-clinical sample. Method: 398 Australian university students completed the Effects of University Study on Lifestyle Questionnaire to identify their major stressors, plus the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale to measure their symptomatology. Regression analysis was used to …

Fibre: Male Participants Not Getting Enough, Rebecca Thorne, Jane O'Shea, Qingsheng Zhang, Linda Tapsell, Marijka Batterham, Karen Charlton

Qingsheng Zhang

A regular intake of dietary fibre has been associated with a number of health benefits. Consuming a high fibre diet may significantly lower the risk of developing heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes and obesity (Anderson et al, 2009). Foods high in fibre such as fruit, vegetables, legumes and wholegrains are regularly included in diets targeting weight loss as they are low in fat, sugar and salt and contain a number of vitamins and minerals. Participants in trials using healthy background diets may increase their fibre intake in addition to the study variables. The aim of this study was to report …

Start Date May Predict Attrition 6 Months Into A 12mth Dietary Intervention Weight Loss Trial, Jane O'Shea, Linda Tapsell, Marijka Batterham, Karen Charlton, Yasmine Probst, Rebecca Thorne, Qingsheng Zhang, Holley Jones

Qingsheng Zhang

Participant recruitment is a difficult and time consuming aspect of clinical trials, often resulting in delays and budget overruns. Having reached recruitment targets the next challenge is participant retention. Some weight-loss studies have attrition rates around 60% which may introduce bias in the results. It may be possible to reduce attrition rates if known predictors can be found but to date few studies produced consistent results. The aim of this exploratory study was to determine whether start date could be a predictor of attrition for participants involved in the SMART weight loss clinical trial (ACTRN12608000425392). Recruitment for the trial occurred …

Pork, Beef And Chicken Have Similar Effects On Acute Satiety And Hormonal Markers Of Appetite, Karen Charlton, Linda Tapsell, Marijka Batterham, Rebecca Thorne, Jane O'Shea, Qingsheng Zhang, Eleanor Beck

Qingsheng Zhang

The effects of three different meat-containing breakfast meals (pork, beef or chicken) on acute satiety and appetite regulatory hormones were compared using a within-subjects study design. Thirty fasting non-smoking pre-menopausal women attended a research centre on three test days to consume, a meat-containing meal matched in energy (kJ) and protein content, palatability, and appearance. No difference was found between meat groups for either energy intake or macronutrient profile of food consume data subsequent ad libitum buffet lunch, or over the rest of the day. Visual Analogue Scale(VAS) ratings for hunger and satiety over an 180min period did not differ between …

Cholesterol-Lowering Effects Of B-Glucan Containing Breakfast Cereals And Snack Bars, Karen Charlton, Linda Tapsell, Marijka Batterham, Jane O'Shea, Rebecca Thorne, Qingsheng Zhang, Eleanor Beck

Qingsheng Zhang

No abstract provided.

Ray Chin's Labyrinth Making Workshop July 13, 2013, Donna Zucker

Donna M. Zucker

July 13 Ray Chin joined the Labyrinth Connection of Western Massachusetts to conduct a day long workshop on Labyrinth making. Our day concluded with the production of a new labyrinth and a special blessing by Ray utilizing a Kyudo demonstration.

Intersectoral And Interagency Partnerships To Investigate Youth Help-Seeking And The Reponses Of At-Risk Young Men To Intervention Services, Coralie Wilson, Frank Deane, Joseph Ciarrochi

Coralie J Wilson

No abstract provided.

Engaging Young People In Mental Health Services: Overcoming Barriers To Appropriate Help-Seeking., Coralie Wilson, Frank Deane

Coralie J Wilson

No abstract provided.

Online Advertising: Examining The Content And Messages Within Websites Targeted At Children, Lisa Kervin, Sandra Jones, Jessica Mantei

Jessica Mantei

It is recognised that from a young age children spend considerable portions of their leisure time on the Internet. In Australia a number of child-targeted magazines have associated websites, which have high and ever-increasing readership. We do not yet know the impact of this medium upon children. Overt advertising is evident on webpages, but so too are hidden advertisements in the written text, images and games. This material usually does not comply with existing broadcasting codes of practice for mainstream advertising. This article examines the instances of overt and covert advertisements for food within three websites monitored over a 12-month …

Dietary Methodology In Clinical Trials: Changing Dietary Fat Profiles, Linda Tapsell, Jane O'Shea, Marijka Batterham, Karen Charlton

Karen E. Charlton

No abstract provided.

Fibre: Male Participants Not Getting Enough, Rebecca Thorne, Jane O'Shea, Qingsheng Zhang, Linda Tapsell, Marijka Batterham, Karen Charlton

Karen E. Charlton

A regular intake of dietary fibre has been associated with a number of health benefits. Consuming a high fibre diet may significantly lower the risk of developing heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes and obesity (Anderson et al, 2009). Foods high in fibre such as fruit, vegetables, legumes and wholegrains are regularly included in diets targeting weight loss as they are low in fat, sugar and salt and contain a number of vitamins and minerals. Participants in trials using healthy background diets may increase their fibre intake in addition to the study variables. The aim of this study was to report …

Urinary Sodium Excretion, Dietary Sources Of Sodium Intake And Knowledge And Practices Around Salt Use In A Group Of Healthy Australian Women, Karen Charlton, Heather Yeatman, Fiona Houweling, Sophie Guenon

Karen E. Charlton

Objective: Strategies that aim to facilitate reduction of the salt content of foods in Australia are hampered by sparse and outdated data on habitual salt intakes. This study assessed habitual sodium intake through urinary excretion analyses, and identified food sources of dietary sodium, as well as knowledge and practices related to salt use in healthy women. Methods: Cross-sectional, convenient sample of 76 women aged 20 to 55 years, Wollongong, NSW. Data included a 24 hour urine sample, three-day food diary and a self-administered questionnaire. Results: Mean Na excretion equated to a NaCl (salt) intake of 6.41 (SD=2.61) g/day; 43% had …

Start Date May Predict Attrition 6 Months Into A 12mth Dietary Intervention Weight Loss Trial, Jane O'Shea, Linda Tapsell, Marijka Batterham, Karen Charlton, Yasmine Probst, Rebecca Thorne, Qingsheng Zhang, Holley Jones

Karen E. Charlton

Participant recruitment is a difficult and time consuming aspect of clinical trials, often resulting in delays and budget overruns. Having reached recruitment targets the next challenge is participant retention. Some weight-loss studies have attrition rates around 60% which may introduce bias in the results. It may be possible to reduce attrition rates if known predictors can be found but to date few studies produced consistent results. The aim of this exploratory study was to determine whether start date could be a predictor of attrition for participants involved in the SMART weight loss clinical trial (ACTRN12608000425392). Recruitment for the trial occurred …

Associations Between Baseline Erythrocyte N-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids And Weight Indices In Volunteers For A Weight Loss Dietary Intervention, Linda Tapsell, J O'Shea, M Batterham, K Charlton, E Warensjo, R Thorne, K Zhang

Karen E. Charlton

No abstract provided.

Blood Pressure Is Associated With Markers Of Endogenous Fat Metabolism, K Charlton, E Warensjo, Linda Tapsell, M Batterham, J O'Shea

Karen E. Charlton

No abstract provided.

Pork, Beef And Chicken Have Similar Effects On Acute Satiety And Hormonal Markers Of Appetite, Karen Charlton, Linda Tapsell, Marijka Batterham, Rebecca Thorne, Jane O'Shea, Qingsheng Zhang, Eleanor Beck

Karen E. Charlton

The effects of three different meat-containing breakfast meals (pork, beef or chicken) on acute satiety and appetite regulatory hormones were compared using a within-subjects study design. Thirty fasting non-smoking pre-menopausal women attended a research centre on three test days to consume, a meat-containing meal matched in energy (kJ) and protein content, palatability, and appearance. No difference was found between meat groups for either energy intake or macronutrient profile of food consume data subsequent ad libitum buffet lunch, or over the rest of the day. Visual Analogue Scale(VAS) ratings for hunger and satiety over an 180min period did not differ between …

Food And Nutrition Knowledge During Pregnancy - Absence And Opportunity, Heather Yeatman, Dolly Bondarianzadeh, Karen Charlton, Deanne Condon-Paoloni, Luke Gemming, Danka Sinikovic, Barbara Meyer

Karen E. Charlton

No abstract provided.

Reporting Of Patient Consent In Healthcare Cluster Randomised Trials Is Associated With The Type Of Study Interventions And Publication Characteristics, Andrew Mcrae, Monica Taljaard, Charles Weijer, Carol Bennett, Zoe Skea, Robert Boruch, Jamie Brehaut, Martin Eccles, Jeremy Grimshaw, Allan Donner

Charles Weijer

Objective Cluster randomised trial (CRT) investigators face challenges in seeking informed consent from individual patients (cluster members). This study examined associations between reporting of patient consent in healthcare CRTs and characteristics of these trials.

Study design Consent practices and study characteristics were abstracted from a random sample of 160 CRTs performed in primary or hospital care settings that were published from 2000 to 2008. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine associations between reporting of patient consent and methodological characteristics, as well as publication features such as date and journal of publication.

Results 82 (53.8%) of 160 studies reported obtaining …

Human Whole-Body Reaching In Normal Gravity And Microgravity Reveals A Strong Temporal Coordination Between Postural And Focal Task Components, Jerome Patron, Paul Stapley, Thierry Pozzo

Dr Paul J Stapley

Previous experiments by our group in normal gravity (1 G) have revealed spatial relationships between postural and focal components of whole-body reaching and pointing movements. We suggested that these relationships could be explained partly through the use of gravity to displace the CoM and attain the object or target position. In this study we compared human whole-body reaching in 1 G and microgravity (0 G) in order to more fully investigate how gravity contributes to strategies adopted for task execution and to determine possible invariant temporal relationships between multiple segments. Whole-body reaching movements made from the standing position in two …

Neck Muscle Fatigue And Postural Control In Patients With Whiplash Injury, Paul Stapley, Maria Beretta, Elena Toffola, Marco Schieppati

Dr Paul J Stapley

Objectives: To examine if patients with whiplash injury show identifiable increases in neck muscle fatigability and associated increase in postural body sway after contractions of dorsal neck muscles, and if physiotherapy treatment reduces these effects. Methods: Sway was measured during stance in 13 patients before and after 5 min of isometric dorsal neck muscle contractions and after recovery, pre- and post-physiotherapy, using a force platform. Amplitude and median frequency of neck muscle EMG were calculated during the contracting period. After each stance trial, patients gave a subjective score of sway. Results: Pre-treatment, seven patients showed EMG signs of fatigue (increases …

External Validity: We Need To Do More, Russell Glasgow, Lawrence Green, Lisa Klesges, David Abrams, Edwin Fisher, Michael Goldstein, Laura Hayman, Judith Ockene, C. Orleans

Laura L. Hayman

The article discusses the implications of two health research trends for improving the design, review and reporting of research and evaluation studies in the U.S. The first trend is the gap between research findings and application in practice. The other trend is the increased emphasis on the methodological quality of health research reports.

Researchers’ Perceptions Of Ethical Challenges In Cluster Randomized Trials: A Qualitative Analysis, Andrew Mcrae, Carol Bennett, Judith Belle Brown, Charles Weijer, Robert Boruch, Jamie Brehaut, Shazia Chaudhry, Allan Donner, Martin Eccles, Jeremy Grimshaw, Merrick Zwarenstein, Monica Taljaard

Charles Weijer

Background

Cluster randomized trials (CRTs) pose ethical challenges for investigators and ethics committees. This study describes the views and experiences of CRT researchers with respect to: (1) ethical challenges in CRTs; (2) the ethics review process for CRTs; and (3) the need for comprehensive ethics guidelines for CRTs.

Methods

Descriptive qualitative analysis of interviews conducted with a purposive sample of 20 experienced CRT researchers.

Results

Informants expressed concern over the potential for bias that may result from requirements to obtain informed consent from research participants in CRTs. Informants suggested that the need for informed consent ought to be related to …

The Experience And Impact Of Motivational Interviewing-Via-Coaching Tools On National Smokers’ Telephone Hotline Employees, Don Morrow, Tara Mantler, Irwin Jennifer

Donald Morrow

This study‘s purpose was to assess the experience and impact of Motivational Interviewing-via-Co-Active Life Coaching training on smoking hotline employees‘ perceived competency to facilitate callers‘ behaviour changes. In-depth interviews and a Perceived Competency Scale (PCS) were utilized. Themes discussed at baseline included clients barriers and desired changes to practice. Post-training participants described their skill development and feeling re-energized. Three-months post-training, increases in competency and a desire for more training were highlighted. Trends in the PCS were consistent with qualitative findings of increased competency. Implementation constraints were also described. The training had a positive impact on participants‘ perceived competencies to facilitate …

The Change Program: Methodology For Comparing Interactive Co-Active Coaching With A Prescriptive Lifestyle Treatment For Obesity, Don Morrow, Erin Pearson, Jennifer Irwin

Donald Morrow

Studies incorporating Motivational Interviewing via Co-Active life coaching (MI-via-CALC) have elicited positive results among obese adults; however there is a paucity of comprehensive MI-via-CALC-obesity research that includes sufficient statistical power and a validated comparison group. The purpose of this study was to compare two telephone-based interventions for obesity. University students were randomized to either a 12-week: (a) personalized MI-via-CALC program whereby a coach worked with participants to achieve goals; or (b) prescriptive education-based lifestyle treatment following the LEARN Program. This paper contains a detailed methodological account of the study with a view to informing the development of prospective coaching-based programs.