Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Paramed Home: A Protocol For A Randomised Controlled Trial Of Paramedic Assessment And Referral To Access Medical Care At Home, Glenn Arendts, Moira Sim, Steven Johnston, Richard Brightwell

Research outputs 2011

Background: In Australia approximately 25% of Emergency Department (ED) attendances are via ambulance. ED overcrowding in Australia, as in many countries, is common. Measures to reduce overcrowding include the provision of enhanced timely primary care in the community for appropriate low risk injury and illness. Therefore paramedic assessment and referral to a community home hospital service, in preference to transfer to ED, may confer clinical and cost benefit.

Methods/Design: A randomised controlled trial. Consenting adult patients that call an ambulance and are assessed by paramedics as having an eligible low risk problem will be randomised to referral to …

Violence Towards Remote Area Nurses: A Delphi Study To Develop A Risk Management Approach, Kylie M. Mccullough

Theses : Honours

Incidents of occupational violence against nurses are unacceptably high. Remote Area
Nurses in Australia frequently encounter violence in the work place and have limited
resources to deal with the problem. Adopting a risk management approach, and
utilising the Delphi method, a panel of expert Remote Area Nurses (n=10) from
geographically diverse communities, identified and prioritised hazards that increase the
risk of violence and made suggestions for controlling those hazards.
Priority hazards included; building maintenance and design, attending call-outs away
from the clinic, staff inexperience and lack of knowledge about the community, as well
as intoxicated clients, communication difficulties and a …

Thermoregulatory And Exercise Performance : Responses To Cooling With Ice Slurry Ingestion, Rodney Siegel

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The rise in body core, skin and muscle temperatures associated with exercise
in hot environments (~30°C and above) is known to impair performance over a
variety of exercise modes and durations. Precooling has become a popular strategy to
combat this impairment, as evidence has shown it to be an effective method for
lowering pre-exercise core temperature, increasing heat storage capacity and
improving exercise performance in the heat. To date, the majority of precooling
manoeuvres are achieved via external means, such as cold water immersion and the
application of cooling garments; methods which have been criticised for their lack of
practicality …

Muscle Atrophy Induced By Sod1(G93a) Expression Does Not Involve The Activation Of Caspase In The Absence Of Denervation, Gabriella Dobrowolny, Michela Aucello, Antonio Musarò

Research outputs 2011

Background: The most remarkable feature of skeletal muscle is the capacity to adapt its morphological, biochemical and molecular properties in response to several factors. Nonetheless, under pathological conditions, skeletal muscle loses its adaptability, leading to atrophy or wasting. Several signals might function as physiopathological triggers of muscle atrophy. However, the specific mechanisms underlying the atrophic phenotype under different pathological conditions remain to be fully elucidated. In this paper, we address the involvement of caspases in the induction of muscle atrophy in experimental models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) expressing the mutant SOD1^G93A transgene either locally or ubiquitously.

Results:We …

Exercise As Medicine For Cancer, Robert Newton, Daniel Galvao, Prue Cormie, Michael Baker, Carolyn Mcintyre

ECU Research Week

No abstract provided.

Long-Term Training Adaptations In Elite Male Volleyball Players, Jeremy Sheppard, Robert Newton

Research outputs 2011

Abstract: Sheppard, JM, and Newton, RU. Long-term training adaptations in elite male volleyball players. J Strength Cond Res 26(8): 2180–2184, 2012—Several investigations have demonstrated differences in anthropometry, jump performance, and strength variables between developmental and elite-level volleyball players. However, within the elite level of play, the magnitude of change that can occur with training is unclear. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the anthropometric, vertical jump, and strength quality changes over 2 years in a group of national team volleyball players. Fourteen national team volleyball players (age, 23.0 ± 4.1 years; height, 1.98 ± 0.07 m; weight, 91.7 …

National Safe Schools Framework: Policy And Practice To Reduce Bullying In Australian Schools, Donna Cross, Melanie Epstein, Lydia Hearn, Phillip Slee, Therese Shaw, Helen Monks

Research outputs 2011

In 2003 Australia was one of the first countries to develop an integrated national policy, called the National Safe Schools Framework (NSSF), for the prevention and management of violence, bullying, and other aggressive behaviors. The effectiveness of this framework has not yet been formally evaluated. Cross-sectional data collected in 2007 from 7,418 students aged 9 to 14 years old and 453 teachers from 106 representative Australian schools were analyzed to determine teachers’ perceptions about the extent of implementation of the NSSF, teachers’ capacity to address student bullying, and students’ reports of bullying in their school, 4 years following the framework’s …

Socioeconomic, Demographic And Legal Influences On Consanguinity And Kinship In Northern Coastal Sweden 1780-1899, I Egerbladh, Alan H. Bittles

Research outputs 2011

Most studies on consanguinity have been conducted on contemporary populations and have focused on the prevalence and types of preferred intra-familial marriage. With its comprehensive birth, marriage and deaths records dating back to the late 17th century, and the legal bar on first cousin marriage removed in the mid-19th century, Sweden offers unique opportunities to examine the factors that determine by whom, where and why consanguineous marriages were contracted. The present study covers the period 1780-1899 and presents a detailed portrait of cousin and sibling exchange marriages in the Skellefteå region of northern coastal Sweden. The combined prevalence of first, …

Evaluation Of A Resistance Training Program For Adults With Or At Risk Of Developing Diabetes: An Effectiveness Study In A Community Setting, Karl Minges, Glen Cormick, Edna Unglik, David Dunstan

Research outputs 2011

Background: To examine the effects of a community-based resistance training program (Lift for Life (R)) on waist circumference and functional measures in adults with or at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Methods: Lift for Life is a research-to-practice initiative designed to disseminate an evidence-based resistance training program for adults with or at risk of developing type 2 diabetes to existing health and fitness facilities in the Australian community. A retrospective assessment was undertaken on 86 participants who had accessed the program within 4 active providers in Melbourne, Australia. The primary goal of this longitudinal study was to assess the …

The Effectiveness Of Back Belts In Reducing The Incidence, Duration And Cost Of Low Back Pain Claims Associated With Manual Handling Injury In A Retail Hardware Chain, Nick Merdith, Jacques Oosthuizen, Milos Nedved

Research outputs 2011

The objective of this intervention study was to examine the effect of the mandatory introduction of back belts on the incidence, days lost and cost of occupational low back injuries resulting from manual handling in a retail hardware chain in Western Australia. The pre-intervention period extended for 21 months and included 2,265,933 work hours or 647 full-time equivalent positions, while the intervention period was 32 months for 4,411,352 hours worked or 827 full-time equivalent positions. Workers’ compensation claims for all occupational injuries occurring during the study period were analysed. During the intervention period there was a 14% reduction in the …

Attitudes And Behaviour Predict Women's Intention To Drink Alcohol During Pregnancy: The Challenge For Health Professionals, Elizabeth Peadon, Janet Payne, Nadine R. Henley, Heather D'Antoine, Anne Bartu, Colleen O'Leary, Carol Bower, Elizabeth Elliott

Research outputs 2011

Background: To explore women’s alcohol consumption in pregnancy, and potential predictors of alcohol consumption in pregnancy including: demographic characteristics; and women’s knowledge and attitudes regarding alcohol consumption in pregnancy and its effects on the fetus. Methods: We conducted a national cross-sectional survey via computer assisted telephone interview of 1103 Australian women aged 18 to 45 years. Participants were randomly selected from the Electronic White Pages. Pregnant women were not eligible to participate. Quotas were set for age groups and a minimum of 100 participants per state to ensure a national sample reflecting the population. The questionnaire was based on a …

Relationships Between Triathlon Performance And Pacing Strategy During The Run In An International Competition, Yann Le Meur, Tierry Bernard, Sylvain Dorel, Chris Abbiss, Gerard Honnorat, Jeanick Brisswalter, Christophe Hausswirth

Research outputs 2011

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to examine relationships between athlete's pacing strategies and running performance during an international triathlon competition. METHODS: Running split times for each of the 107 finishers of the 2009 European Triathlon Championships (42 females and 65 males) were determined with the use of a digital synchronized video analysis system. Five cameras were placed at various positions of the running circuit (4 laps of 2.42 km). Running speed and an index of running speed variability (IRSVrace) were subsequently calculated over each section or running split. RESULTS: Mean running speed over the first 1272 m …

Influence Of Environmental Temperature On 40 Km Cycling Time-Trial Performance, Jeremiah J. Peiffer, Chris R. Abbiss

Research outputs 2011

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of environmental temperature on variability in power output, self-selected pacing strategies, and performance during a prolonged cycling time trial. Nine trained male cyclists randomly completed four 40 km cycling time trials in an environmental chamber at 17°C, 22°C, 27°C, and 32°C (40% RH). During the time trials, heart rate, core body temperature, and power output were recorded. The variability in power output was assessed with the use of exposure variation analysis. Mean 40 km power output was significantly lower during 32°C (309 ± 35 W) compared with 17°C (329 ± …

Review Of Indigenous Offender Health [Journal Article], Jocelyn Grace, Ineke Krom, Caitlin Maling, Tony Butler, Richard Midford

Research outputs 2011

This review provides an overview of health issues facing the Indigenous offender population, including some of the social and historical factors relevant to Indigenous health and incarceration. In doing so, it is important to first understand how Indigenous people conceptualise health. Health as it is understood in western society is a fairly discrete category, which differs from the traditional Indigenous perspective of health as holistic [1]. This is made explicit in the 1989 National Aboriginal health strategy that states 'health to Aboriginal peoples is a matter of determining all aspects of their life, including control over their physical environment, of …

Rethinking Social Support In Women's Midlife Years: Women's Experiences Of Social Support In Online Environments, Julie Dare, Lelia Green

Research outputs 2011

The midlife years (45–55) often coincide with fundamental changes in women’s lives, as women experience transitions such as menopause, changes to family structure due to departure of children or divorce, and parents’ ageing and death. These circumstances tend to increase women’s reliance upon their social support networks. Evidence suggests that social support is critical in helping women manage transitions during the midlife period and develop a sense of self-efficacy; this article highlights that this support is being increasingly exchanged through mediated communication channels. The article presents a comparative investigation of mediated communication channels, primarily email and online chat, through which …

Transitions In Midlife Women's Lives: Contemporary Experiences, Julie Dare

Research outputs 2011

In this article I report on a research project conducted in Perth, Western Australia, which investigated how contemporary women experience physiological and psychosocial midlife transitions. Qualitative in-depth interviews explored the challenges confronting women during this period. In doing so, continuities and divergences that exist between existing literature on midlife transitions and women's own perspectives are highlighted. Based on key findings, I suggest that while most women manage the “classic” transitions of menopause and the “empty nest” relatively well, the impact of divorce and the aging and death of parents present more serious long-term challenges to women.

Challenges In Implementing Wellness Approaches In Childhood Disability Services: Views From The Field, Lauren Breen, Helen Wildy, Sherry Saggers

Research outputs 2011

3.a5i4us76a0bX5i l0(i0otyn,l iDnev) elopment and Education Despite increasing demand for wellness approaches from disability advocates and consumer groups, they are not implemented routinely in childhood disability services. Interviews were conducted with 23 allied health therapists and managers working within four Australian childhood disability services. They described attempts to embed wellness approaches into their policies and practices. The participants were challenged by professional and pragmatic issues arising from moving towards wellness approaches. The professional challenges concerned changing professional identity and working collaboratively with therapists from different disciplines. In addition, they were challenged by pragmatic issues of balancing quality of care with …

A Practical Approach To Assess Depression Risk And To Guide Risk Reduction Strategies In Later Life, Osvaldo Almeida, Helman Alfonso, Jane Pirkis, Ngaire Kerse, Moira Sim, Leon Flicker, John Snowdon, Brian Draper, Gerard Byrne, Robert Goldney, Nicola Lautenschlager, Nigel Stocks, Marcia Scazufca, Martijn Huisman, Ricardo Araya, Jon Pfaff

Research outputs 2011

Background: Many factors have been associated with the onset and maintenance of depressive symptoms in later life, although this knowledge is yet to be translated into significant health gains for the population. This study gathered information about common modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for depression with the aim of developing a practical probabilistic model of depression that can be used to guide risk reduction strategies. Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken of 20,677 community-dwelling Australians aged 60 years or over in contact with their general practitioner during the preceding 12 months. Prevalent depression (minor or major) according to the Patient …

Construction Induction Training: How Effective For The Housing And Civil Construction Industries In Wa?, Susanne Bahn, Llandis Barratt-Pugh

Research outputs 2011

Introducing practices to reduce the number of work-related injuries in the construction industry is a continual challenge, specifically in WA where the industry is adapting to the additional pressures of a second development boom this century. In 2006, Worksafe WA responded by introducing mandatory certification in safety awareness training for all employees, before they could begin work on a construction site. This paper reviews the impact of this training on the housing and civil sectors of the industry. It presents both the perceptions of the stakeholders from their survey responses and from the analyses the lost time injury/disease statistics. These …

Researchers' Experience With Project Management In Health And Medical Research: Results From A Post-Project Review, Janet M. Payne, Kathryn E. France, Nadine Henley, Heather A. D'Antoine, Anne E. Bartu, Elizabeth J. Elliott, Carol Bower

Research outputs 2011

Project management is widely used to deliver projects on time, within budget and of defined quality. However, there is little published information describing its use in managing health and medical research projects. We used project management in the Alcohol and Pregnancy Project (2006-2008) and in this paper report researchers' opinions on project management and whether it made a difference to the project. A national interdisciplinary group of 20 researchers, one of whom was the project manager, formed the Steering Committee for the project. We used project management to ensure project outputs and outcomes were achieved and all aspects of the …

Living With Prostate Cancer: Randomised Controlled Trial Of A Multimodal Supportive Care Intervention For Men With Prostate Cancer, Suzanne Chambers, Robert Newton, Afaf Girgis, Lisa Nielsen, Stephen Lepore, Cathrine Mihalopoulos, Robert Gardiner, Daniel A. Galvao, Stefano Occhipinti

Research outputs 2011

Prostate cancer is the most common male cancer in developed countries and diagnosis and treatment carries with it substantial morbidity and related unmet supportive care needs. These difficulties may be amplified by physical inactivity and obesity. We propose to apply a multimodal intervention approach that targets both unmet supportive care needs and physical activity. A two arm randomised controlled trial will compare usual care to a multimodal supportive care intervention "Living with Prostate Cancer" that will combine self-management with tele-based group peer support. A series of previously validated and reliable self-report measures will be administered to men at four time …

End-Of-Life Decision-Making In Critical Care: Minimising The Suffering, Deborah Sundin

ECU Research Week

No abstract provided.

Introducing Mandatory Training Systems? Investigating The Introduction Of Compulsory Pre-Site Construction Training, Sue Bahn, Llandis Barratt-Pugh

ECU Research Week

No abstract provided.

Correlating The Developmental Test Of Visual Perception -2 (Dtvp And The Test Of Visual Perceptual Skills - Revised (Tvps-R) As Assesssment Tools For Learners With Learning Difficulties, Janet Richmond, K Holland

Research outputs 2011

Learners are often referred to occupational therapists to assess their visual perceptual functioning. It is, therefore, imperative that the occupational therapists use the best assessment tools to obtain accurate and reliable results that lead to effective intervention which will be noticeable in the classroom functioning of these learners. A study was therefore conducted which correlated the results of the Developmental Test of Visual Perception (second edition) (DTVP-2) and the Test of Visual Perceptual Skills Revised (TVPS-R) in a cohort of 173 learners from Grade 1 to Grade 4 (children aged 6 years to 11 years). The learners attend a remedial …

Psychological And Social Consequences Among Mothers Suffering From Perinatal Loss: Perspective From A Low Income Country, Kaniz Gausia, Allisyn C. Moran, Mohammed Ali, David Ryder, Colleen Fisher, Marge Koblinsky

Research outputs 2011

Background: In developed countries, perinatal death is known to cause major emotional and social effects on mothers. However, little is known about these effects in low income countries which bear the brunt of perinatal mortality burden. This paper reports the impact of perinatal death on psychological status and social consequences among mothers in a rural area of Bangladesh.

Methods: A total of 476 women including 122 women with perinatal deaths were assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS-B) at 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum, and followed up for negative social consequences at 6 months postpartum. Trained female interviewers …

Assessing The Influence Of Consanguinity On Congenital Heart Disease, Alan H. Bittles

Research outputs 2011

Numerous articles have been published linking consanguineous marriage to an elevated prevalence of congenital heart disease, with ventricular septal defects and atrial septal defects the most commonly cited disorders. While initially persuasive, on closer examination many of these studies have fundamental shortcomings in their design and in the recruitment of study subjects and controls. Improved matching of cases and controls, to include recognition of the long-established community boundaries within which most marriages are contracted, and the assessment of consanguinity within specific levels and types of marital union would improve and help to focus the study outcomes. At the same time, …

Circadian Rhythms In Exercise Performance: Implications For Hormonal And Muscular Adaptation, Weipeng Teo, Michael Newton, Michael Mcguigan

Research outputs 2011

Almost all physiological and biochemical processes within the human body follow a circadian rhythm (CR). In humans, the suprachiasmatic nucleus regulates sleep-wake cycle and other daily biorhythms in line with solar time. Due to such daily physiological fluctuations, several investigations on neuromuscular performance have reported a distinct CR during exercise. Generally, peak performances have been found to occur in the early evening, at approximately the peak of core body temperature. The increase in core body temperature has been found to increase energy metabolism, improve muscle compliance and facilitate actin-myosin crossbridging. In addition, steroidal hormones such as testosterone (T) and cortisol …

Association Of Plasma Aß Peptides With Blood Pressure In The Elderly, Jean-Charles Lambert, Jean Dallongeville, Kathryn Ellis, Susanna Schraen-Maschke, James Lui, Simon Laws, Julie Dumont, Florence Richard, Dominique Cottel, Claudine Berr, David Ames, Colin Masters, Christopher Rowe, Cassandra Szoeke, Christophe Tzourio, Jean-Francois Dartigues, Luc Buee, Ralph Martins, Philippe Amouyel

Research outputs 2011

Background Aß peptides are often considered as catabolic by-products of the amyloid ß protein precursor (APP), with unknown physiological functions. However, several biological properties have been tentatively attributed to these peptides, including a role in vasomotion. We assess whether plasma Aß peptide levels might be associated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure values (SBP and DBP, respectively). Methodology/Principal Findings Plasma Aß1-40 and Aß1-42 levels were measured using an xMAP-based assay in 1,972 individuals (none of whom were taking antihypertensive drugs) from 3 independent studies: the French population-based 3C and MONA-LISA (Lille) studies (n = 627 and n = 769, respectively) …

Individuals With Chronic Low Back Pain Have Greater Difficulty In Engaging In Positive Lifestyle Behaviours Than Those Without Back Pain: An Assessment Of Health Literacy, Andrew Briggs, Joanne Jordan, Peter O'Sullivan, Rachelle Buchbinder, Angus Burnett, Richard Osborne, Leon Straker

Research outputs 2011

Background: Despite the large volume of research dedicated to understanding chronic low back pain (CLBP), patient outcomes remain modest while healthcare costs continue to rise, creating a major public health burden. Health literacy - the ability to seek, understand and utilise health information - has been identified as an important factor in the course of other chronic conditions and may be important in the aetiology of CLBP. Many of the currently available health literacy measurement tools are limited since they measure narrow aspects of health literacy. The Health Literacy Measurement Scale (HeLMS) was developed recently to measure broader elements of …

A Randomized Controlled Trial Of Whole Body Vibration Exposure On Markers Of Bone Turn-Over In Postmenopausal Women, Sarah Turner, Margaret Torode, Mike Climstein, Geraldine Naughton, David Greene, Michael Baker, Maria Fiatarone Singh

Research outputs 2011

Purpose. To examine the effects of two doses of low-frequency (12 Hz), low-magnitude (0.3 g), whole body vibration on markers of bone formation and resorption in postmenopausal women. Methods. Women were recruited and randomized into a sham vibration control group, one time per week vibration group (1×/week), or three times per week vibration group (3×/week). Vibration exposure consisted of 20 minutes of intermittent vibration for the 1×/week and 3×/week groups, and sham vibration (<0.1 g) for the control group for eight weeks. Double-blinded primary outcome measures were urine markers of bone resorption: N-telopeptide X normalised to creatinine (NTx/Cr) and bone formation: bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Results. Forty-six women (59.8 ± 6.2 years, median 7.3 years since menopause) were enrolled. NTx/Cr was significantly reduced (34.6%) in the 3×/wk vibration group but not in the 1×/wk vibration group compared with sham control (P<.01) group. No effect of time or group allocation was observed on the bone formation marker ALP (P=.27). Conclusion. We have shown for the first time that low-frequency, low-magnitude vibration 3×/week for eight weeks in postmenopausal women results in a significant reduction in NTx/Cr, a marker of bone resorption, when compared with sham vibration exposure.