Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Losing Hope: Mental Health And Religious Service Non-Attendance In Australia, Edward Kyle Waters, Helena Mary Millard, Zelda Doyle

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Religious beliefs and practices are related to mental health. Many individuals report a religious affiliation, but do not have specific religious beliefs or practices such as attending religious services. These non-attendees are often assumed to resemble the non-religious, but are poorly studied. This study explored the demographic characteristics and mental health outcomes associated with being a non-attendee using data from a nationally representative Australian sample. Non-attendees were more likely to be non-Christian than attendees at religious services. They had worse mental health than both non-religious individuals and attendees, especially compared to the non-religious. Whether non-attendance is a result of or …

Breast And Prostate Cancer Survivor Responses To Group Exercise And Supportive Group Psychotherapy, Eric Martin, Caroline Bulsara, Claudio Battaglini, Beth Hands, Fiona L. Naumann

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

This study qualitatively examined an 8 week group exercise and counseling intervention for breast and prostate cancer survivors. Groups exercised 3 days per week, 50 minutes per session, performing moderate intensity aerobic and resistance training. Groups also underwent 90 minute supportive group psychotherapy sessions once per week. Survivors discussed their experiences in focus groups post intervention. Transcripts were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Survivors described how exercise facilitated counseling by creating mutual aid and trust, and counseling helped participants with self-identity, sexuality, and returning to normalcy. When possible, counselors and fitness professionals should create partnerships to optimally support cancer survivors.

Inter-Rater Reliability And Validity Of The Australian Football League's Kicking And Handball Tests, Ashley Cripps, Luke S. Hopper, Christopher Joyce

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Talent identification tests used at the Australian Football League’s National Draft Combine assess the capacities of athletes to compete at a professional level. Tests created for the National Draft Combine are also commonly used for talent identification and athlete development in development pathways. The skills tests created by the Australian Football League required players to either handball (striking the ball with the hand) or kick to a series of 6 randomly generated targets. Assessors subjectively rate each skill execution giving a 0-5 score for each disposal. This study aimed to investigate the inter-rater reliability and validity of the skills tests …

Assessment Of Fundamental Movement Skills In Australian Children: The Validation Of A Fundamental Motor Skills Quotient (Fmsq), Beth Hands, Fleur Mcintyre

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Objectives: The development of proficient fundamental movement skills (FMS) in children is important for physical, cognitive and social development, and to establish a foundation for an active lifestyle. Many teachers, coaches and physical activity program deliverers use real time observation of individual skill performances during physical activities to assess proficiency in young children. However, a valid method to quantify these observations to provide an overall motor competence is not available.

Design: A small pilot validation study using the Bland Altman method to compare scores on the McCarron Assessment of Neuromuscular Development (MAND) and a Fundamental Movement Skill Quotient (FMSQ) (M …

The Impact Of Maternal Gestational Stress On Motor Development In Late Childhood And Adolescence: A Longitudinal Study, Tegan Grace, Max Bulsara, Monique Robinson, Beth Hands

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

The number and timing of stressors experienced during pregnancy were investigated using longitudinal data from the Western Australian Pregnancy (Raine) Study cohort (N = 2,900). Motor development data were collected at 10 (n = 1,622), 14 (n = 1,584), and 17 (n = 1,222) years using the McCarron Assessment of Neuromuscular Development. Linear mixed models were used to examine the effect of stress on motor development, accounting for repeated measures. Number of stressful events and mean Neuromuscular Development Index were negatively related (β = −1.197, p = .001). Stressful events experienced in late pregnancy were negatively related with offspring motor …

Pathway Efficiency And Relative Age In The Australian Football League Talent Pathway, Ashley Cripps, Luke S. Hopper, Christopher Joyce, James Veale

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Sporting bodies invest substantial resources into the identification and development of talented junior athletes. However, low retention of junior athletes into senior competition has been reported. One mechanism affecting retention may be selections biased by relative age. This study examined the pathway involvement and birth distribution of athletes (n=2519) selected into the Australian Football League Talent Pathway, over six seasons. Only half of athletes selected into professional teams had any involvement in the talent pathway. Birth distributions at every pathway stage were biased towards relatively older athletes, with relatively older athletes more likely to be de-selected as the pathway progressed. …

What Are Talent Scouts Actually Identifying? Investigating The Physical And Technical Skill Match Activity Profiles Of Drafted And Non-Drafted U18 Australian Footballers, Carl T. Woods, Christopher Joyce, Sam Robertson

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Objective: To compare the physical and technical skill match activity profiles of drafted and non-drafted under 18 (U18) Australian football (AF) players.

Design: Cross-sectional observational.

Methods: In-game physical and skill variables were assessed for U18 AF players participating within the 2013 and 2014 National U18 AFL Championships. Players originated from one State Academy (n = 55). Ten games were analysed; resulting in 183 observations. Players were sub-divided into two groups; drafted / non-drafted. Microtechnology and a commercial statistical provider allowed the quantification of total distance (m), relative distance (m.min-1), high speed running distance (> 15km.hr-1), high speed running expressed as …

Does Motor Competence Affect Self-Perceptions Differently For Adolescent Males And Females?, Elizabeth Rose, Dawne Larkin, Helen Parker, Beth Hands

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Little is understood about the impact of level of motor competence on self-perceptions in adolescence, in particular how this may differentially affect girls and boys. A sample of 1,568 14-year-old participants (766 girls and 802 boys) were grouped into four motor competence levels (very low to high) based on the McCarron Assessment of Neuromuscular Development (MAND). Self-perceptions were assessed using the Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents. Boys had higher self-perceptions of global self-worth, athletic competence, and physical appearance, whereas girls had higher scores for close friendships and behavioral conduct. Main effects in the predicted direction were found for motor competence for …

Gender And Motor Competence Affects Perceived Likelihood And Importance Of Physical Activity Outcomes Among 14 Year Olds, Beth Hands, Helen Parker, Elizabeth Rose, Dawn Larkin

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Little is understood about the impact of level of motor competence on self-perceptions in adolescence, in particular how this may differentially affect girls and boys. A sample of 1,568 14-year-old participants (766 girls and 802 boys) were grouped into four motor competence levels (very low to high) based on the McCarron Assessment of Neuromuscular Development (MAND). Self-perceptions were assessed using the Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents. Boys had higher self-perceptions of global self-worth, athletic competence, and physical appearance, whereas girls had higher scores for close friendships and behavioral conduct. Main effects in the predicted direction were found for motor competence for …

Empowerment Of Young People Who Have A Parent Living With Dementia: A Social Model Perspective, Karen Hutchinson, Chris Roberts, Michele Daly, Caroline Bulsara, Susan Kurrle

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Objectives: Socially constructed disablement has marginalised young people in families where a parent has younger onset dementia (YOD). This has contributed to inadequate societal support for their complex situation. Impacts on such young people include significant involvement with mental health services for themselves. In this paper we explored the young people’s lived experiences in these families and the influencing factors to enable these young people to be included and supported within their community.

Methods: In this qualitative research study the social model of disability was used as the theoretical framework in conducting a thematic analysis of interviews with 12 participants. …

"We Are All One Together": Peer Educators' Views About Falls Prevention Education For Community-Dwelling Older Adults - A Qualitative Study, Linda Khong, Fiona Farringdon, Keith D. Hill, Anne-Marie Hill

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Falls are common in older people. Despite strong evidence for effective falls prevention strategies, there appears to be limited translation of these strategies from research to clinical practice. Use of peers in delivering falls prevention education messages has been proposed to improve uptake of falls prevention strategies and facilitate translation to practice. Volunteer peer educators often deliver educational presentations on falls prevention to community-dwelling older adults. However, research evaluating the effectiveness of peer-led education approaches in falls prevention has been limited and no known study has evaluated such a program from the perspective of peer educators involved in delivering …

Dosimetry, Clinical Factors And Medication Intake Influencing Urinary Symptoms After Prostate Radiotherapy: An Analysis Of Data From The Radar Prostate Radiotherapy Trial, Noorazrul Yahya, Martin A. Ebert, Max Bulsara, Annette Haworth, Angel Kennedy, David J. Joseph, Jim W. Denham

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Purpose/Objective: To identify dosimetry, clinical factors and medication intake impacting urinary symptoms after prostate radiotherapy.

Material and Methods: Data describing clinical factors and bladder dosimetry (reduced with principal component (PC) analysis) for 754 patients treated with external beam radiotherapy accrued by TROG 03.04 RADAR prostate radiotherapy trial were available for analysis. Urinary symptoms (frequency, incontinence, dysuria and haematuria) were prospectively assessed using LENT-SOMA to a median of 72 months. The endpoints assessed were prevalence (grade≥1) at the end of radiotherapy (representing acute symptoms), at 18-, 36- and 54-month follow-ups (representing late symptoms) and peak late incidence including only grade≥2. Impact …

The Role Of The Nef Protein In Mhc-I Downregulation And Viral Immune Evasion By Hiv-1, Hannah Elliott, Gerard F. Hoyne

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

The Nef protein is a major determinant of pathogenicity caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and is encoded by the nef gene within the genomes of primate lentiviruses HIV-1, HIV-2 and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). The HIV Nef protein subverts the intracellular membrane traffic to mediate endocytosis of a number of cell surface receptors to accelerate their degradation. In this review we will examine how the multifunctional Nef can mediate down regulation of the Major histocompatibility Complex (MHC) I complex proteins from the surface of infected cells as a means of immune evasion by HIV. By selectively downregulating MHC-I …

Relationship Between Physical Capacity And Match Performance In Semiprofessional Australian Rules Football, Ben G. Piggott, Michael R. Mcguigan, Michael J. Newton

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

This study investigated the relationship between physical performance and match performance in Australian Rules Football (ARF). Thirty-six semiprofessional ARF players participated in this study. Physical capacity was measured using a 3-km time trial. Match performance was measured throughout the 2013 season through 2 methods: direct game involvements (DGIs) per minute and a recording of coaches' vote after the game. The main finding of the study was that 3-km time trial performance was a significant predictor of DGI per minute (p ≤ 0.05). In addition, the number of senior games played was also significant in predicting DGI per minute (p ≤ …

The Role Of Alternative Splicing In The Control Of Immune Homeostasis And Cellular Differentiation, Mehmet Yabas, Hannah Elliott, Gerard F. Hoyne

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Alternative splicing of pre-mRNA helps to enhance the genetic diversity within mammalian cells by increasing the number of protein isoforms that can be generated from one gene product. This provides a great deal of flexibility to the host cell to alter protein function, but when dysregulation in splicing occurs this can have important impact on health and disease. Alternative splicing is widely used in the mammalian immune system to control the development and function of antigen specific lymphocytes. In this review we will examine the splicing of pre-mRNAs yielding key proteins in the immune system that regulate apoptosis, lymphocyte differentiation, …