Digital Commons Network^™

Sertraline To Reduce Recidivism In Impulsive Violent Offenders (Reinvest): A Randomised Double Blind Clinical Trial, Tony Butler, Emaediong I. Akpanekpo, Lee Knight, Kristy Robledo, David Greenberg, Andrew Ellis, Stephen Allnutt, Kay Wilhelm, Alison Jones, Rodney Scott, Bianca Ton, Luke Grant, Philip Mitchell, Ross Tynan, Jocelyn Jones, Dominic Villa, Duncan Chappell, Carolynn Dixon, Alison Churchill, Val Gebski, Tony Keech, Peter W. Schofield

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Biological studies suggest serotonin modulation via selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) might reduce impulsive violence, however, robust evidence in offender populations is limited. We aimed to determine whether sertraline reduces violent reoffending compared with placebo in highly impulsive men with recurrent violent offending.

Methods: We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised clinical trial in community settings in New South Wales, Australia. Eligible participants were men aged 18 years or older with ≥2 prior violent convictions and a Barratt Impulsiveness Scale score ≥70. Following a 4-week single-blind active run-in phase with sertraline, participants were randomly assigned (1:1, minimization stratified by key …

The Effects Of Acute And Chronic Exercise On Lipocalin-2 In Middle-Aged And Older Adults: A Randomized Control Trial, Carlie Bauer, Marc Sim, Cassandra Smith, Rhiannon Healy, Andrew Garnham, Navabeh Zare-Kookandeh, Elizabeth Byrnes, Mary N. Woessner, Joshua R. Lewis, Itamar Levinger

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective Chronically elevated circulating lipocalin-2 (LCN2) levels are implicated in poor energy regulation, increased cardio-metabolic disease risk, and poor physical function. Exercise is known to improve these factors, but whether LCN2 is modifiable by exercise is not clear. We examined the effect of acute and chronic exercise on LCN2 levels and whether this relates to glucose regulation, body composition, and physical function. Design and methods Thirty-three middle-aged and older adults (45–84 years, median body mass index 26.21 kg/m²) completed an acute high-intensity interval exercise session (HIIE). Participants were randomized to 4 weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or …

As Effective As You Perceive It: The Relationship Between Chatgpt’S Perceived Effectiveness And Mental Health Stigma, Scott N. Hannah, Deirdre Drake, Christopher D. Huntley, Joanne M. Dickson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Individuals are increasingly using artificial intelligence chatbots, such as ChatGPT, to seek conversational support for their personal mental health difficulties. Heightened concerns about mental health stigma may make anonymous, on-demand chatbot interactions more appealing for some than traditional face-to-face support. This study examined if using ChatGPT-4 for personal mental health difficulties is associated with two distinct forms of stigma, anticipated stigma and self-stigma. Our main aim was to investigate if the perceived effectiveness of ChatGPT use for mental health issues mediates the relationship between ChatGPT usage and anticipated stigma and self-stigma. The sample comprised 73 participants, mostly undergraduate psychology students. …

Perfectionism And Compulsive Exercise: A Systematic Review And Preliminary Meta-Analysis, Elizabeth Bills, Shannon R. Muir, Rose Stackpole, Sarah J. Egan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: There is a consistent link between perfectionism and compulsive exercise, and both are implicated in the maintenance of eating disorders, however no meta-analysis to date has quantified this relationship. We hypothesised that there would be significant, small-moderate pooled correlations between perfectionism dimensions and compulsive exercise. Methods: Published, peer-reviewed articles with standardised measures of perfectionism and the Compulsive Exercise Test were included. There were 7 studies included (N = 3117 participants, M age = 21.78 years, 49% female). Results: Total perfectionism (r = 0.37), perfectionistic strivings (r = 0.33), and perfectionistic concerns (r = 0.32) had significant pooled positive associations …

Cognitive Testing Of Candidate Items In A Wellbeing Measure Developed For Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Alana Gall, Gail Garvey, Kate Anderson, Abbey Diaz, Kirsten Howard

Journal of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

Purpose Health and wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is poorly understood, due to commonly used measures of quality of life and wellbeing not aligning with their collectivist worldviews. The need to develop a wellbeing measure, grounded in the aspects of life that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people identify themselves as important, was therefore a priority. The current study aimed to cognitively assess the face and content validity of a new wellbeing measure under development for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults. Methods We employed a qualitative cross-sectional cohort design. Forty-nine unique draft wellbeing statements underwent cognitive …

Towards A Holistic Model: Transition Pedagogy In High School Enabling Programs. A Practice Report, Johanna Elizabeth Nieuwoudt, Angela Jones

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The release of the Australian Universities Accord Final Report in 2024 and call for contextually relevant pathways to higher education continues the widening participation agenda that was introduced more than 50 years ago in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Enabling education continues to contribute to targets with the evolution of high school enabling programs. It is imperative, as the Accord suggests, that these programs support successful transition. Such programs thus require a pedagogical model for transition. This practice report adds to emerging research on high school enabling programs by exploring how an enabling transition pedagogy (ETP), an adaptation …

The Role Of Educators In Cultivating Self-Efficacy Among School-Leaver Enabling Students: Perspectives And Practices, Ana Larsen, Trixie James, Amy Robinson, Angela Jones, Matilda Coleman, George Lambrinidis, Rachel Daniel

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In Australia, government-funded Enabling programs provide equitable pathways to higher education for students from diverse backgrounds, including increasing numbers of recent school-leavers. This collaborative autoethnographic study explores six Enabling educators’ lived experiences across five universities to understand how they perceive and cultivate self-efficacy among school-leaver students. Thematic analysis revealed three overarching areas: educators’ perceptions of students’ readiness for higher education, strategies used to develop self-efficacy, and barriers that constrain this work. Findings highlight the complexity of fostering self-efficacy in younger cohorts, who often display both overconfidence and low academic self-belief. Educators identified the importance of pedagogies of care, growth mindset, …

Exploring The Acceptability Of The Kimberley Mum’S Mood Scale For Perinatal Mental Health Screening In Gove District Hospital, North-East Arnhem Land, Tom P. Atkinson, Erica P. Spry, David Atkinson, Julia V. Marley, Emma Carlin

Journal of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

Objective: Across Australia perinatal mental health challenges disproportionately impact Aboriginal women. Identifying Aboriginal women at risk of adverse mental health outcomes in the perinatal period is an important step in supporting their overall health and wellness. Current screening tools have significant limitations when used with Aboriginal women.

The Kimberley Mums Mood Scale (KMMS) is a culturally secure approach to screening for perinatal mental health disorders in Aboriginal women. It has been validated in the Kimberley region of Western Australia and may be able to improve mental health screening in other regions. In this study the KMMS was trialled at a …

Bridging Traditions: A Mixed Methods Systematic Review Of Yoga For Trauma Recovery In Indigenous People, Andreia Schineanu, Fredrik Velander, Julaine Allan

Journal of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

Objective: The aim of this mixed methods systematic review was to explore if Yoga can alleviate mental health issues for Indigenous people, and how participants experience the effects.

Methods: Peer-reviewed primary research published in English retrieved from 2002 to March 2024 was identified using the databases Medline, Scopus, Informit, ProQuest and PsycINFO. Qualitative, quantitative and mixed method studies with Indigenous populations, where the primary intervention was Yoga or mindfulness programs with significant yoga components that reported on mental health outcomes were included.

Results: Only 5 studies met the inclusion criteria. The studies demonstrated significant improvements in mental health outcomes, including …

Fear Avoidance After Concussion Tool (Fact): Patient-Reported Outcome Measure Development And Content Validation, Liam J. Sherwood, Gill Cowen, Mandy Vidovich, Jeanette Hasleby, Jon Patricios, Myles C. Murphy

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective No valid patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) exist to evaluate fear avoidance behaviour following concussion. This study developed a new PROM to evaluate fear avoidance behaviour following concussion and assessed the PROM content validity. Design PROM development was performed using a qualitative study, and content validation was performed using a mixed-methods approach. Methods The development phase consisted of compiling potentially relevant items (eg, questions) from other PROMs proposed to measure fear avoidance before proceeding to a series of one-on-one semistructured interviews with patient and professional participants. The content validity (relevance, comprehensibility and comprehensiveness) of the PROM was first assessed by …

Critical Young Consumers: What Types Of Porn Do Teens Watch, And Why?, Giselle Woodley, Marc Zen, Harrison W. See, Lelia Green

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Pornography use by teens is of growing concern to parents and communities. There is, however, often little differentiation made between the types of contents being consumed or exploration of the types of pornography teens are watching and why. This paper interrogates data collected from 49 qualitative interviews, including 19 follow-up interviews and 4× focus groups with teens. This paper explores teens’ perspectives on the types of pornography accessed by themselves and their peers, and popular categories of pornography more widely. Teens appear to view various types and genres of pornography, as do adults. Some teens prefer ‘ethical’ sources of porn, …

Educate, Elevate, Empower: Shaping Future-Ready Teachers For Superdiverse Classrooms, Abdelhamid Helmy Safa

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper critically examines the transformative potential of integrating Community Engagement (CE) and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP) within Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programs globally. It highlights the significance of community-based learning and the Funds of Knowledge (FoK) framework in preparing educators to address the complexities of superdiverse classrooms. Through a systematic review, the study identifies effective practices and systemic barriers in ITE, advocating for a paradigm shift that aligns teacher preparation with the cultural realities of students. The proposed model synthesizes CRP, CE, and FoK to cultivate critical consciousness and adaptive expertise, essential for fostering inclusive learning environments. By providing …

Pro- And Anti-Climate Activism: The Ideological Correlates Of Intentions To Engage In Collective Action For - And Against - Environmental Protections, Samantha K. Stanley, Danny Osborne, Zoe Leviston, Iain Walker

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Although the correlates of climate activism are well-known, few studies examine why some protest against protecting the environment. We address this oversight by conducting a national survey that investigated the ideological correlates of intentions to engage in pro- and anti-climate activism. We divided participants into two groups based on whether they were in support of (n = 4530) or against (n = 714) Australia acting to reduce its contribution to climate change. These groups then completed pro- and anti-climate activism intention scales, respectively. We disentangled facets of ideological attitudes to examine the extent that social dominance orientation and the dimensions …

Assessing Health Behaviors As Predictors Of Psychological Resilience And Bmi In A National And Small Military College Sample, Kylie Blodgett, Rachele Pojednic

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Highlights: What are the main findings? First-year students at a military college engage in more vigorous physical activity and strength training compared to a representative national sample. In the national sample, higher levels of physical activity, strength training, and better sleep are associated with greater psychological resilience and healthier BMI values and these associations were not observed in the military college students. What are the implication of the main findings? Promoting physical activity and adequate sleep may enhance resilience and support healthy body weight in civilian college populations. Military training may overshadow the influence of individual health behaviors on resilience …

Catching On: Work Stress, Employee Wellbeing, And The Moderating Role Of Team-Level Emotional Contagion, Aglae Hernandez Grande, Ben Farr-Wharton, Fleur Sharafizad, Simon Darcy, Mihajla Gavin

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Work stress and employee wellbeing have gained heightened attention since the COVID-19 pandemic. Until now, organizations have primarily sought to conceptualize these variables as an individual-level phenomenon; thereby neglecting the potential influence of social dynamics within the workplace. Drawing on conservation of resources and emotional contagion theories, this study examines the extent to which team-level emotional contagion moderates the impact of stress on wellbeing, factoring in multilevel effects. Data from 237 professional services employees nested within 41 teams was analyzed. The results show support for emotional contagion as a team-level moderator between individual-level work stress and employee wellbeing. The role …

Harnessing Lived Experience To Promote Accessible Employment Journeys, Emma Lovegrove, Denise Bertilone, Justin Brown, Elle Beaumont-Bilsby

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper describes an Inclusive Employability initiative at Edith Cowan University (ECU) developed in 2024. The paper foregrounds the observations and reflections of Inclusive Employability Officers as they designed, developed and implemented the initiatives within the context of an Australian University. Over the past two decades Australian Universities have encouraged wider participation in higher education, though the resulting social mobility and economic benefit of higher education has not been evenly distributed, especially amongst cohorts with different socio-economic backgrounds and access requirements. The goal of the Inclusive Employability initiative was, and is, to support students from different equity cohorts, including people …

Research Chatgpt Mental Health Stigma, Scott Hannah, Deirdre Drake, Chris Huntley, Joanne M. Dickson

Research Datasets

Individuals are increasingly using the artificial intelligence chatbots, such as ChatGPT, to seek conversational support for their personal mental health difficulties. Heightened concerns about mental health stigma may make anonymous, on-demand chatbot interactions more appealing for some than traditional face-toface support. This study examined if using ChatGPT for personal mental health difficulties is associated with two distinct forms of stigma, anticipated stigma and self-stigma. Our main aim investigated if the perceived effectiveness of ChatGPT use for mental health issues mediates the relationship between ChatGPT usage and anticipated stigma and self-stigma. Participants (n = 73) completed online self-report measures assessing ChatGPT …

I’M Here Whether I Like It Or Not: A Focused Ethnographic Description Of Transition Into Residential Aged Care, Stacey Scott, Annette Raynor, Julie Dare, Jennifer Grieve, Leesa Costello

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Transition into residential aged care (RAC) is a challenging process, often characterised by vulnerability, fear, and isolation. This study aimed to provide a contextualised description of transition within a care-facility in Australia to deepen our understanding of this major life event. A focused ethnography was conducted, which included formal interviews with residents during their first 6 months of living in RAC. The findings provide an account of the participants’ views on acceptance, highlight the challenges of loss, and showcase the coping practices new residents used. This paper provides a type of report card for the sector, which reveals that there …

A Five-Country Comparison Of Midwifery Students' Confidence In Facilitating Normal Labor And Birth, Juliet Wood, Jalana Lazar, Barbara Baranowska, Clare Davison, Debora Dole, Cindy L. Farley, Jane Fry, Maria Healy, Felicity Agwu Kalu, Urszula Tataj-Puzyna, Emma Ritchie, Maria Wegrzynowska

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Midwifery students need confidence in recognizing and supporting normal birth, the backbone of the midwifery professional role. Developing this confidence in the face of decreasing rates of physiological birth worldwide is a critical challenge. Midwife researchers from Australia, England, Northern Ireland, Poland, and the USA investigated midwifery student confidence for supporting normal birth and explored enhancing and detracting factors. Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was undertaken with 570 midwifery students at 8 academic midwifery programs across 5 countries The Student Confidence for Supporting Normal Birth Questionnaire with free text and Likert-type questions on a 1 (least influential) to 4 …

Woman-Centred Ethical Grid For Midwifery Education: A Content Analysis, Kate Buchanan, Darcie Bygraves, Emma Ritchie, Krystyl Toneycliffe, Sara Bayes, David Seedhouse

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Midwives across the world are required to practice in accordance with an internationally agreed set of ethical principles. Midwifery education for many students includes ethics theory content, but this does not necessarily provide them with the skills toward ethical competence in practice. Aim: To understand students' perception of ethical issues and to use these findings as foundational information with which to create an ethical deliberation tool for practice. Methods: Qualitative Content Analysis was used for this study. Purposive sampling provided twenty-one ethics-focused reflective assignments from one Western Australian university. Ethical considerations: Institutional review board approval was obtained. Findings: Three …

Healing Right Way: A Stepped Wedge Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial Aiming To Enhance Quality Of Life For Aboriginal Australian Survivors Of Stroke And Traumatic Brain Injury, Elizabeth Armstrong, Tapan Rai, Judith M. Katzenellenbogen, Sandra J. Thompson, Meaghan Mcallister, Natalie Ciccone, Deborah Hersh, Leon Flicker, Dominique A. Cadilhac, Erin Godecke, Graeme J. Hankey, Neil Drew, Colleen Hayward, Deborah Woods, Mel Robinson, Ivan Lin, Sanita Kratina, Jane White, Juli Coffin

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: To determine the effect of cultural security training (CST) for health professionals and access to an Aboriginal Brain Injury Coordinator (ABIC) for Aboriginal Australians with stroke or traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design: A stepped wedge cluster randomised controlled trial; the intervention package consisted of CST for hospital professionals and 6-month access to ABICs providing education, support, liaison and advocacy; the commencement order of the intervention phase was randomised. Setting: Four urban and four rural hospitals in Western Australia, 2018–2022. Participants: Aboriginal adults ≥ 18 years hospitalised with stroke or TBI. Main Outcome Measures: Primary outcome was quality of life …

The Consequences Of Habitual Rumination, Expressive Suppression, And Perceived Stress On Mental And Physical Health Among Older Adults, Eyal Gringart, Rodrigo Becerra, Andrea Smith

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background/Objectives: The current study aimed to investigate whether habitual rumination, suppression, and perceived stress predict poor mental and physical health as well as well-being in a group of older adults (aged 50 to 80 years) from a non-clinical community sample. Methods: The current study comprised a cross-sectional survey design with online self-report measures. It was predicted that higher levels of rumination, suppression, and perceived stress would predict lower levels of general health as well as well-being, and heightened levels of depression and anxiety. Results: Findings from the study indicated that both rumination and perceived stress significantly predicted heightened anxiety, heightened …

Biomass Materials And Their Application In 4d Printing, Zhongda Yang, Jian Li, Yanling Guo, Yangwei Wang, Wen Zhao, Wei Zhao, Yanju Liu, Laichang Zhang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Four-dimensional (4D) printing technology is a revolutionary development that produces structures that can adapt in response to external stimuli. However, the responsiveness and printability of smart materials with shape memory properties, which are necessary for 4D printing, remain limited. Biomass materials derived from nature have offered an effective solution due to their various excellent and unique properties. Biomass materials have been abundant in resources and low in carbon content, contributing to the then-current global green energy-saving goals, including carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. This review focused on different sources of biomass materials used in 4D printing, including plant-based, animal-based, and …

Childhood Loneliness And Cognitive Decline And Dementia Risk In Middle-Aged And Older Adults, Jinqi Wang, Danyang Jiao, Xiaoyu Zhao, Yixing Tian, Haibin Li, Xia Li, Chen Sheng, Lixin Tao, Hui Chen, Zhiyuan Wu, Xiuhua Guo

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Importance: Adult loneliness has been linked to cognitive decline and dementia risk, but the long-term implications of childhood loneliness remain underexplored. Objectives: To investigate whether childhood loneliness is associated with cognitive decline and dementia risk and whether adult loneliness mediates or modifies these associations. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, a nationally representative cohort study conducted between June 1, 2011, and December 31, 2018, with a maximum follow-up of 7 years. Data analyses were performed from October 1, 2024, to January 15, 2025. Exposure: Childhood loneliness was defined as …

Shaping Youth Ministry: Exploring Influences On Youth Pastors’ Approaches To Programme Design, Timothy A. Mullen, Trudi Cooper

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The literature on youth ministry practices is mostly anecdotal, and empirical research into the practices, goals, and meanings of youth ministry to youth pastors is rare, especially in Australia. In this study, 20 youth pastors in Perth, Western Australia, were interviewed about their goals, priorities, practices, training, and what influenced them. This study forms part of a larger doctoral research project. The interview data were analysed utilising a phenomenological approach, drawing upon Goffman’s framing analysis to examine the link between ‘meaning making’ and explicit and tacit motivations for youth ministry practice. The research found that youth pastors were most often …

A Large-Scale Multi-Centre Study Characterising Atrophy Heterogeneity In Alzheimer's Disease, Vikram Venkatraghavan, Damiano Archetti, Pierrick Bourgeat, Chenyang Jiang, Mara Ten Kate, Anna C. Van Loenhoud, Rik Ossenkoppele, Charlotte E. Teunissen, Elsmarieke Van De Giessen, Yolande A.L. Pijnenburg, Giovanni B. Frisoni, Béla Weiss, Zoltán Vidnyánszky, Tibor Auer, Stanley Durrleman, Alberto Redolfi, Simon M. Laws, Paul Maruff, Neil P. Oxtoby, Andre Altmann, Daniel C. Alexander, Wiesje M. Van Der Flier, Frederik Barkhof, Betty M. Tijms

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Previous studies identified atrophy-based Alzheimer's disease(AD) subtypes linked to distinct clinical symptoms, but their consistency across subtyping approaches remains unclear. This large-scale study evaluates subtype concordance using two data-driven approaches. In this work, we analyzed data from n=10,011 patients across 10 AD cohorts spanning Europe, the US, and Australia, extracting regional volumes using Freesurfer. To characterize atrophy heterogeneity in the AD continuum, we developed a two-step approach, Snowphlake (Staging NeurOdegeneration With PHenotype informed progression timeLine of biomarKErs), to identify subtypes and atrophy-event sequences within each subtype. Results were compared with SuStaIn (Subtype and Stage Inference), which jointly estimates subtypes and …

Comparison Of Decision-Making Skill In 360° Video To The Field Setting In Highly Skilled Rugby Union Players, Hannah J. Vawser, Khaya Morris-Binelli, Benjamin Piggott, Sean Müller, Paola Chivers, Evan Dekker

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Little evidence exists of whether decision-making in immersive 360° video is representative of the field setting in sport. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether decision-making performance of a representative exemplar competition specific skill was similar between 360° video and a field task. Fifteen players from skilled junior rugby union pathways and professional rugby union teams in Australia were recruited to complete a 360° video decision-making choice response task involving four attackers and three defenders. Their decision-making was previously assessed in a similar field decision-making task that was representative of rugby game play. Decision-making was scored according to …

Moderate Coffee And Tea Consumption Is Associated With Slower Cognitive Decline, Stephanie R. Rainey-Smith, Kelsey R. Sewell, Belinda M. Brown, Hamid R. Sohrabi, Ralph N. Martins, Samantha L. Gardener

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Globally, coffee and tea are consumed extensively, potentially providing neuroprotection through anti-inflammatory and antioxidative stress effects. Objective: This study aimed to investigate associations between coffee and tea intake and cognitive function. Methods: In a longitudinal prospective cohort study, dementia-free (n = 8715; age range 60.0–85.2 years) older adults from the UK Biobank self-reported coffee and tea intake over the previous year; ‘never’, ‘moderate’ (1–3 cups/day), or ‘high’ (≥4 cups/day). Participants completed cognitive assessments at ≥2 timepoints (mean of 9.11 years). Results: Those ‘never’ consuming coffee and ‘moderate’ coffee consumers (β = 0.06, p = 0.005; β = 0.07, p <  0.001, respectively), as well as ‘moderate’ tea consumers and ‘high’ tea consumers (β = 0.06, p = 0.009; β = 0.06, p = 0.003, respectively) had slower fluid intelligence decline. Additionally, those ‘never’ consuming coffee and ‘moderate’ coffee consumers had a slower increase in pairs matching errors (β = −0.05, p = 0.022; β = 0.05, p = 0.013) compared to ‘high’ consumers. Conclusions: ‘Moderate’ coffee, and ‘moderate’ and ‘high’ tea intake may be a protective factor against cognitive decline. Randomized controlled trials are required to establish causal relationships leading to evidence-based recommendations regarding benefits of coffee and tea intake.

Integrative Supportive Care Trial To Enhance Physical Activity In Malignant Pleural Effusion—Protocol For The Isc-Team/Ample-5 Randomised Controlled Trial, Bianca M. Iacopetta, Chloe Charlesworth, Emily Jeffery, Lauren J. Breen, Ai Ling Tan, Joanne Mcveigh, Kevin Murray, Rob U. Newton, Y. C. Gary Lee, Carolyn J. Peddle-Mcintyre

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) heralds advanced cancer with poor patient outcomes. High symptom burden of weight loss, fatigue, breathlessness, distress, and anxiety leaves many patients unable to participate in desired activities of daily life and is associated with poor outcomes. Freedom from symptoms and maintaining daily activities are the key wishes of patients and carers. For the best outcome, accessible services aimed at prevention and management of malnutrition, care of psychological well-being, and support for increasing physical activity are required. Methods: The Integrative Supportive Care Trial to Enhance physical Activity in Malignant pleural effusion (ISC-TEAM) study is a two-armed, …

Restricted Social Engagement Is Associated With Depressive Symptoms In Older Chinese Adults: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study, Zheng Guo, Yulu Zheng, Yahong Zhu, Huacheng Wang, Jian Geng, Hengrui Liu, Piyong Ma, Lois Balmer, Xingang Li

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background and Aims: Social isolation has been linked to depressive symptoms in older adults. Previous studies have shown that greater engagement in social activities is associated with better mental health. However, it remains unclear whether restricted social engagement is related to poorer mental health outcomes. This study examined the association between reduced social activities/networking and the presence of depressive symptoms among community-dwelling older Chinese adults. Methods: During the COVID-19 pandemic, people chose to minimize going out to reduce the risk of infection, creating a natural setting that mimicked a passive intervention of restricted social engagement for community-based individuals. Data were …