Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Medicine and Health Sciences Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 28 of 28

Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

An Exploration Of Interventions For Healing Intergeneration Trauma To Develop Successful Healing Programs For Aboriginal Australians: A Literature Review, Alison J. Simpson, William Abur, James A. Charles Dec 2020

An Exploration Of Interventions For Healing Intergeneration Trauma To Develop Successful Healing Programs For Aboriginal Australians: A Literature Review, Alison J. Simpson, William Abur, James A. Charles

Australian Indigenous HealthBulletin

Introduction

Health outcomes and life expectancy of Indigenous people throughout the world are far poorer than non-Indigenous populations. Emerging evidence from research shows that many social issues which impact on Indigenous peoples globally is linked to trauma over generations. This review explores literature about Indigenous people from around the world to seek interventions which have been successful in healing intergenerational trauma.

Method

To identify interventions that have been successful in healing intergenerational trauma amongst Indigenous populations globally, a systematic search strategy was conducted using keywords and synonyms related to the topic. Peer reviewed academic literature was sourced from four …


Mentalisation Amongst Maternal And Child Health Nurses Using The Newborn Behavioural Observations With Infant-Mother Dyads: A Qualitative Study, Kim Simkin-Tran, Bronwyn Harman, Susan Nicolson Aug 2020

Mentalisation Amongst Maternal And Child Health Nurses Using The Newborn Behavioural Observations With Infant-Mother Dyads: A Qualitative Study, Kim Simkin-Tran, Bronwyn Harman, Susan Nicolson

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 Elsevier Inc. Purpose: This study explored Maternal and Child Health Nurses' (MCHN) mentalisation processes towards infant-mother dyads when using the Newborn Behavioural Observations (NBO) system in practice. Design and methods: Ten Australian MCHNs (female; aged 31–66 years), who had used the NBO clinically within the last 12 months, were recruited from a database of NBO-trained practitioners. Interpretative phenomenological analysis of one-on-one semi-structured interviews explored MCHNs experiential meaning-making. Results: Analysis of the data produced four main themes: reflections regarding the dyad, personal reflections, reflection into action, and professional identity and future practice. MCHNs reported that the NBO's focus on …


Factors Affecting Hepatitis C Treatment Intentions Among Aboriginal People In Western Australia: A Mixed-Methods Study, Amineh Rashidi, Peter Higgs, Susan Carruthers Aug 2020

Factors Affecting Hepatitis C Treatment Intentions Among Aboriginal People In Western Australia: A Mixed-Methods Study, Amineh Rashidi, Peter Higgs, Susan Carruthers

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the hepatitis C treatment intentions of Aboriginal people living with hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Western Australia. Methods: This study used a mixed-methods design. In the cross-sectional survey, 123 Aboriginal people who inject drugs and self-report as living with hepatitis C completed a purpose-designed questionnaire. In the qualitative phase, 10 participants were interviewed about the factors influencing their future intentions to undertake hepatitis C treatment. Results: Analysis of the survey data revealed significant associations between an intention to undertake hepatitis C treatment and support, community attachment, stable housing and stigma. In …


Tripping Over The Other: Could Psychedelics Increase Empathy?, Emily Blatchford, Stephen Bright, Liam Engel Jan 2020

Tripping Over The Other: Could Psychedelics Increase Empathy?, Emily Blatchford, Stephen Bright, Liam Engel

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

There is increasing evidence that psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is effective for a range of psy-chological conditions. There are likely numerous mechanisms of action that contribute to these clinicaleffects. One such mechanism of action might involve psychedelics increasing levels of empathicfunctioning. This paper synthesises research concerning the relationship between psychedelics andempathy, emphasising neuroscientific and clinical contexts. We conclude that neuropsychological andclinical evidence imply psychedelics could lead to increased empathic functioning. The effects of psy-chedelics on the 5-HT system, default mode network, neural connectivity and ego dissolution areimplicated in these changes. Changes in empathic functioning also likely relate to increases in thepersonality trait …


Perceived Influence Of Value Systems On The Uptake Of Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision Among Men In Kweneng East, Botswana, Thandisizwe R. Mavundla, Fungai Mbengo, Khanyenda Bruce Ngomi Jan 2020

Perceived Influence Of Value Systems On The Uptake Of Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision Among Men In Kweneng East, Botswana, Thandisizwe R. Mavundla, Fungai Mbengo, Khanyenda Bruce Ngomi

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Botswana is one of the countries in Eastern and Southern Africa significantly impacted by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). To control the spread of HIV, the government in 2009 rolled out the voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) programme as an additional HIV prevention strategy with the goal of circumcising 80% of HIV negative men by 2016. However, the country failed to achieve this goal as less than 30% of the targeted men were circumcised by 2016. A study was therefore conducted to explore and describe …


An Intervention With Dance And Yoga For Girls With Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders (Just In Time): Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial, Anna Philipson, Stefan Särnblad, Lars Ekstav, Mats Eriksson, Ulrika L. Fagerberg, Margareta Möller, Evalotte Mörelius, Anna Duberg Jan 2020

An Intervention With Dance And Yoga For Girls With Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders (Just In Time): Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial, Anna Philipson, Stefan Särnblad, Lars Ekstav, Mats Eriksson, Ulrika L. Fagerberg, Margareta Möller, Evalotte Mörelius, Anna Duberg

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

©Anna Philipson, Stefan Särnblad, Lars Ekstav, Mats Eriksson, Ulrika L Fagerberg, Margareta Möller, Evalotte Mörelius, Anna Duberg. Background: Functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) affect many children worldwide, predominantly girls, and cause considerable long-term negative consequences for individuals and society. Evidence-based and cost-effective treatments are therefore strongly needed. Physical activity has shown promising effects in the practical management of FAPDs. Dance and yoga are both popular activities that have been shown to provide significant psychological and pain-related benefits with minimal risk. The activities complement each other, in that dance involves dynamic, rhythmic physical activity, while yoga enhances relaxation and focus. Objective: …


Correlations Between Covid-19 Case Growth And Mental Health-Related Internet Search: An Unexpected Finding, Tenghao (Nick) Zhang Jan 2020

Correlations Between Covid-19 Case Growth And Mental Health-Related Internet Search: An Unexpected Finding, Tenghao (Nick) Zhang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

At the time of writing, the number of global con-firmed COVID-19 cases has topped 18.8 million with over 707,000 deaths (1). The Internet plays a pivotal role during this unprecedented pandemic (2,3) in the way that people predominantly use the Internet to contact each other and acquire information due to sweeping stay-at-home orders and strict lockdown restrictions imposed by au-thorities around the world. Health-related mental health issues could lead to spikes in online infor-mation search (4, 5). Therefore, this letter aims to investigate whether the rise of regional COVID cases is correlated with the increase in residents’ online searches of …


Psychological Symptoms In Chinese Nurses May Be Associated With Predisposition To Chronic Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study Of Suboptimal Health Status, Jinxiu Zhu, Wenjuan Ying, Li Zhang, Gangyi Peng, Weiju Chen, Enoch Odame Anto, Xueqing Wang, Nan Lu, Shanshan Gao, Guihai Wu, Jingyi Yan, Jianfeng Ye, Shenglin Wu, Chengzhi Yu, Minghui Yue, Xiru Huang, Nuo Xu, Pengxiang Ying, Yanhong Chen, Xuerui Tan, Wei Wang Jan 2020

Psychological Symptoms In Chinese Nurses May Be Associated With Predisposition To Chronic Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study Of Suboptimal Health Status, Jinxiu Zhu, Wenjuan Ying, Li Zhang, Gangyi Peng, Weiju Chen, Enoch Odame Anto, Xueqing Wang, Nan Lu, Shanshan Gao, Guihai Wu, Jingyi Yan, Jianfeng Ye, Shenglin Wu, Chengzhi Yu, Minghui Yue, Xiru Huang, Nuo Xu, Pengxiang Ying, Yanhong Chen, Xuerui Tan, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020, The Author(s). Background: Suboptimal health status (SHS) is a reversible state between ideal health and illness and it can be effectively reversed by risk prediction, disease prevention, and personalized medicine under the global background of predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine (PPPM) concepts. More and more Chinese nurses have been troubled by psychological symptoms (PS). The correlation between PS and SHS is unclear in nurses. The purpose of current study is to investigate the prevalence of SHS and PS in Chinese nurses and the relationship between SHS and PS along with predisposing factors as well as to discuss the …


Australian Consumers Are Willing To Pay For The Health Star Rating Front-Of-Pack Nutrition Label, Sheri L. Cooper, Lucy M. Butcher, Simone D. Scagnelli, Johnny Lo, Maria M. Ryan, Amanda Devine, Therese A. O’Sullivan Jan 2020

Australian Consumers Are Willing To Pay For The Health Star Rating Front-Of-Pack Nutrition Label, Sheri L. Cooper, Lucy M. Butcher, Simone D. Scagnelli, Johnny Lo, Maria M. Ryan, Amanda Devine, Therese A. O’Sullivan

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. The Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation has supported the recommendations set out in the 2019 Health Star Rating System Five Year Review Report. Specifically, the forum supported, in principle, Recommendation 9, to mandate the Health Star Rating if clear uptake targets were not achieved while the system is voluntary. Given that mandatory labelling is being considered, it is important to investigate how much consumers value the Health Star Rating in order to understand potential consumer uptake and inform industry. The aim of this study was to assess …


Does Providing Pill Testing At Festivals Increase Intention To Use Ecstasy?, Sherri Lee Murphy Jan 2020

Does Providing Pill Testing At Festivals Increase Intention To Use Ecstasy?, Sherri Lee Murphy

Theses : Honours

Calls to provide sanctioned pill testing (drug checking) at music festivals has met with resistance from most Australian governments due to a concern that such services would increase use of ecstasy and other drugs. To address an important gap in current knowledge, I investigated how a pill testing service might influence intention to use ecstasy. I also drew from the Theory of Planned Behaviour to examine what determinants of behaviour predict intention to use a pill testing service. Music festival attendees (N = 247) were presented with three hypothetical pill testing scenarios: The current legal circumstance where consumers only …


Preparing Student Paramedics For The Mental Health Challenges Of The Profession By Using The Wisdom Of The Experienced, Lisa Holmes, Natalie Ciccone, Lynne Cohen, Richard Brightwell Jan 2020

Preparing Student Paramedics For The Mental Health Challenges Of The Profession By Using The Wisdom Of The Experienced, Lisa Holmes, Natalie Ciccone, Lynne Cohen, Richard Brightwell

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Given the significant mental health issues affecting our paramedics, there exists an urgent need to promote positive mental health and well-being among future cohorts of student paramedics. This study investigated the preparedness of student paramedics for the mental health challenges of the profession and explored the coping strategies used by experienced paramedics. The study was conducted in two parts. Part A comprised of two surveys which were developed and administered to 16 course coordinators and 302 students of the 16 accredited undergraduate paramedicine courses across Australia and New Zealand. The survey aimed to identify the perceived need for preparation within …


Can Instagram Be Used To Deliver An Evidence-Based Exercise Program For Young Women A Process Evaluation, Rachel G. Curtis, Jillian C. Ryan, Sarah M. Edney, Carol A. Maher Jan 2020

Can Instagram Be Used To Deliver An Evidence-Based Exercise Program For Young Women A Process Evaluation, Rachel G. Curtis, Jillian C. Ryan, Sarah M. Edney, Carol A. Maher

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background Instagram provides an opportunity to deliver low cost, accessible and appealing physical activity content. This study evaluated the feasibility of delivering an exercise program for young women using Instagram. Methods A single-group pre- and post-intervention trial examined the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a 12-week Instagram-delivered program with young inactive women (n = 16; M = 23 years), which prescribed running and body weight exercises to complete three times per week. Daily Instagram posts delivered the exercises, video demonstrations and motivational content. Feasibility was evaluated by examining exposure (Instagram posts viewed per week), engagement (likes, comments and tags on …


Our Covid-19 Artwork: Children From Around The World Share Their Experiences, Bernie Carter, Mandie Foster, Therese O'Sullivan, Angela A. Quaye, The International Network For Child And Family Centered Care Jan 2020

Our Covid-19 Artwork: Children From Around The World Share Their Experiences, Bernie Carter, Mandie Foster, Therese O'Sullivan, Angela A. Quaye, The International Network For Child And Family Centered Care

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

We gave children the opportunity to share a piece of artwork that
reflected something about their experience of life during COVID-19
restrictions (March-May 2020). The descriptions, stories and poems
presented in this e-book have been transferred verbatim from the
original submissions.

For each submission, we asked about the level of COVID-19
restrictions experienced by the child at the time of their entry. These
levels consisted of:

* None (no change to normal living routine)
* Minimal (e.g. still attending school, but not allowed to play with
friends after school)
* Some (e.g. still attending school, but not allowed to play …


Impact Of Commuting Mode On Obesity Among A Working Population In Beijing, China: Adjusting For Air Pollution, Yue Liu, Lixin Tao, Jie Zhang, Jia Liu, Haibin Li, Xiangtong Liu, Yanxia Luo, Jingbo Zhang, Wei Wang, Xiuhua Guo Jan 2020

Impact Of Commuting Mode On Obesity Among A Working Population In Beijing, China: Adjusting For Air Pollution, Yue Liu, Lixin Tao, Jie Zhang, Jia Liu, Haibin Li, Xiangtong Liu, Yanxia Luo, Jingbo Zhang, Wei Wang, Xiuhua Guo

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 Liu et al. Background: Few studies have considered the interplay between commuting mode and air pollution on obesity. The aim of this study was to examine whether workplace air pollutants exposure modifying the associations between different commuting mode and obesity. Methods: A cross-sectional study of workers in Beijing was conducted in 2016. The study sample comprised 10,524 participants aged 18 to 65 years old. Outcomes were defined as overall obesity (BMI ≥ 28 kg/m2) and abdominal obesity (WC ≥ 85 cm in men and WC ≥ 80 cm in women). Commuting modes were divided into walking, cycling, bus, …


Deciding To Enrol In A Cancer Trial: A Systematic Review Of Qualitative Studies, Bianca Viljoen, Suzanne K. Chambers, Jeff Dunn, Nicholas Ralph, Sonja March Jan 2020

Deciding To Enrol In A Cancer Trial: A Systematic Review Of Qualitative Studies, Bianca Viljoen, Suzanne K. Chambers, Jeff Dunn, Nicholas Ralph, Sonja March

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 Viljoen et al. Background: Clinical trials are essential for the advancement of cancer treatments; how-ever, participation by patients is suboptimal. Currently, there is a lack of synthesized qualitative review evidence on the patient experience of trial entry from which to further develop decision support. The aim of this review is to synthesise literature reporting experiences of participants when deciding to enrol in a cancer clinical trial in order to inform practice. Methods: A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies were conducted to describe the experiences of adult cancer patients who decided to enrol in a clinical trial …


Experiences Of Parents Who Give Pharmacological Treatment To Children With Functional Constipation At Home, Gunilla Flankegård, Evalotte Mörelius, Karel Duchen, Patrik Rytterström Jan 2020

Experiences Of Parents Who Give Pharmacological Treatment To Children With Functional Constipation At Home, Gunilla Flankegård, Evalotte Mörelius, Karel Duchen, Patrik Rytterström

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd Aim: The aim was to explore the lived experiences of parents who give oral and rectal pharmacological treatment to their children with functional constipation at home. Design: A phenomenological design with a reflective lifeworld research approach that describes phenomena as they are experienced by individuals. Methods: From January–May 2019, 15 interviews were conducted with parents of children with functional constipation with home-based oral and rectal treatment. Parents were recruited from three different healthcare levels. Open-ended questions were used starting from the description of a normal …


Comparing Web-Based Mindfulness With Loving-Kindness And Compassion Training For Promoting Well-Being In Pregnancy: Protocol For A Three-Arm Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial, Amy Louise Finlay-Jones, Jacqueline Ann Davis, Amanda O'Donovan, Keerthi Kottampally, Rebecca Anne Ashley, Desiree Silva, Jeneva Lee Ohan, Susan L. Prescott, Jenny Downs Jan 2020

Comparing Web-Based Mindfulness With Loving-Kindness And Compassion Training For Promoting Well-Being In Pregnancy: Protocol For A Three-Arm Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial, Amy Louise Finlay-Jones, Jacqueline Ann Davis, Amanda O'Donovan, Keerthi Kottampally, Rebecca Anne Ashley, Desiree Silva, Jeneva Lee Ohan, Susan L. Prescott, Jenny Downs

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© Amy Louise Finlay-Jones, Jacqueline Ann Davis, Amanda O'Donovan, Keerthi Kottampally, Rebecca Anne Ashley, Desiree Silva, Jeneva Lee Ohan, Susan L Prescott, Jenny Downs. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 14.10.2020. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in JMIR Research Protocols, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on http://www.researchprotocols.org, as well as this copyright and license information must be included. Background: Promoting psychological well-being and preventing …


“Cultural Security Is An On-Going Journey … ” Exploring Views From Staff Members On The Quality And Cultural Security Of Services For Aboriginal Families In Western Australia, Lina Gubhaju, Robyn Williams, Jocelyn Jones, David Hamer, Carrington Shepherd, Dan Mcaullay, Sandra J. Eades, Bridgette Mcnamara Jan 2020

“Cultural Security Is An On-Going Journey … ” Exploring Views From Staff Members On The Quality And Cultural Security Of Services For Aboriginal Families In Western Australia, Lina Gubhaju, Robyn Williams, Jocelyn Jones, David Hamer, Carrington Shepherd, Dan Mcaullay, Sandra J. Eades, Bridgette Mcnamara

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Cultural security is a key element of accessible services for Indigenous peoples globally, although few studies have examined this empirically. We explored the scope, reach, quality, and cultural security of health and social services available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander families in Western Australia (WA), from the point of view of staff from the services. We recruited staff from health and social services for Aboriginal people in the Perth, Kalgoorlie, Great Southern, and South West regions of WA between December 2015 and September 2017 to complete online surveys. We examined …


Interpreting Health Events In Big Data Using Qualitative Traditions, Roschelle L. Fritz, Gordana Dermody Jan 2020

Interpreting Health Events In Big Data Using Qualitative Traditions, Roschelle L. Fritz, Gordana Dermody

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© The Author(s) 2020. The training of artificial intelligence requires integrating real-world context and mathematical computations. To achieve efficacious smart health artificial intelligence, contextual clinical knowledge serving as ground truth is required. Qualitative methods are well-suited to lend consistent and valid ground truth. In this methods article, we illustrate the use of qualitative descriptive methods for providing ground truth when training an intelligent agent to detect Restless Leg Syndrome. We show how one interdisciplinary, inter-methodological research team used both sensor-based data and the participant’s description of their experience with an episode of Restless Leg Syndrome for training the intelligent agent. …


An Exploratory Study Of The Relative Effects Of Various Protective Factors On Depressive Symptoms Among Older People, Caitlin Worrall, Michelle I. Jongenelis, Peter M. Mcevoy, Ben Jackson, Robert U. Newton, Simone Pettigrew Jan 2020

An Exploratory Study Of The Relative Effects Of Various Protective Factors On Depressive Symptoms Among Older People, Caitlin Worrall, Michelle I. Jongenelis, Peter M. Mcevoy, Ben Jackson, Robert U. Newton, Simone Pettigrew

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© Copyright © 2020 Worrall, Jongenelis, McEvoy, Jackson, Newton and Pettigrew. Objective: The present study investigated the relative importance of various factors found to be negatively associated with depressive symptoms in older adults and assessed the potential moderating effect of sociodemographic characteristics for each factor. Method: Depressive symptoms were measured with the Center of Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Psychological, social, and physical health measures relating to the following factors were also administered: personal growth, purpose in life, self-esteem, self-efficacy, social support, self-rated health, life satisfaction, and physical activity. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to investigate the most important factors …


Rural Dialysis Nurses’ Experiences With Challenging Patients: A Thematic Qualitative Analysis, Alycia Jacob, Caroline Vafeas, Laurita Stoneman, Elisabeth Jacob Jan 2020

Rural Dialysis Nurses’ Experiences With Challenging Patients: A Thematic Qualitative Analysis, Alycia Jacob, Caroline Vafeas, Laurita Stoneman, Elisabeth Jacob

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: This study explored the experience of nurses encountering challenging patient behaviour while working at a rural hospital-based haemodialysis unit. Methods: Focus groups were conducted with haemodialysis nurses at a rural hospital. Five participants across two focus groups were asked questions regarding their experiences of challenging patients, including impacts that the experiences may have had on their ongoing professional practice. Transcripts of the focus groups were analysed thematically. Findings: Three themes arose from the focus group discussion – experiencing challenging behaviour, long-term relationships with patients, and nursing professionalism. Participants described challenges arising when caring for patients who were aggressive, did …


What Do We Know About The Nexus Between Culture, Age, Gender And Health Literacy? Implications For Improving The Health And Well-Being Of Young Indigenous Males, Anthony Merlino, James A. Smith, Mick Adams, Jason Bonson, Richard Osborne, Barry Judd, Murray Drummond, David Aanundsen, Jesse Fleay, Benjamin Christie Jan 2020

What Do We Know About The Nexus Between Culture, Age, Gender And Health Literacy? Implications For Improving The Health And Well-Being Of Young Indigenous Males, Anthony Merlino, James A. Smith, Mick Adams, Jason Bonson, Richard Osborne, Barry Judd, Murray Drummond, David Aanundsen, Jesse Fleay, Benjamin Christie

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Health literacy, although diversely defined, refers to the abilities, relationships and external environments required for people to successfully promote health. Existing research suggests that health literacy is related to health inequities, including individual and community capacity to navigate health. A diverse range of factors shape health literacy abilities and environments, especially culture, gender and age. However, the nexus between these variables and their cumulative impact on health literacy development remains largely unexplored. Commentary that explores these dynamics among young Indigenous males is particularly scant. In turn, strategies to bridge health equity gaps have been obscured. This article brings together disparate …


Appraisal Of Free Online Symptom Checkers And Applications For Self-Diagnosis And Triage: An Australian Evaluation, Michella Gaye Hill Jan 2020

Appraisal Of Free Online Symptom Checkers And Applications For Self-Diagnosis And Triage: An Australian Evaluation, Michella Gaye Hill

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The internet has impacted society and changed the way companies and individuals operate on a daily basis. Seeking information online via computer or mobile device is common practice. The phrase ‘Google it’ is now part of modern vernacular and is a resource increasingly utilised by young and old alike. Around 80% of Australian’s search health-related information online as it is convenient, cheap, and available 24/7. Symptom checkers are one tool used by consumers to investigate their health issues. Symptom checkers are automated online programs which use computerised algorithms, asking a series of questions to help determine a potential diagnosis and/or …


Improving Sprint Performance In Road Cycling: The Forward Standing Sprint Position, Paul Franciscus Johannes Merkes Jan 2020

Improving Sprint Performance In Road Cycling: The Forward Standing Sprint Position, Paul Franciscus Johannes Merkes

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The majority of road cycling races finish with a sprint and as such sprints are a key determinant of success. Surprisingly, the scientific literature on this specific topic is scarce, with limited to few studies describing the characteristics of road cycling sprinters and the demands of road sprinting. Cyclists’ sprinting velocity, which is mostly influenced by power output and aerodynamic drag (CdA) is critical to performance outcomes. However, to date, there is very limited research specifically examining how to maximise road sprint velocity. Thus, the overall objective of the four studies outlined in this thesis was to manipulate CdA, physiology, …


The Perceived Influence Of Grandparents’ Beliefs And Attitudes On Parents’ Breastfeeding Behaviour And Paediatric Vaccination Decisions, Shantha Premila Karthigesu Jan 2020

The Perceived Influence Of Grandparents’ Beliefs And Attitudes On Parents’ Breastfeeding Behaviour And Paediatric Vaccination Decisions, Shantha Premila Karthigesu

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Human infants are highly dependent on their parents for a prolonged period of time. The resources required to raise a child cannot be provided by biological parents alone and requires the assistance of others, usually relatives. Grandparents among them, have played the most significant role. With increased life expectancy in Western, educated, industrialised, rich and democratic (WEIRD) societies, grandparents have come to the forefront as informal childcare providers. Although the influence of a child’s social environment on health has been well-studied, the influence of grandparents, specifically in regard to breastfeeding remains inconclusive, while grandparental influence on paediatric vaccinations has not …


Development, Assessment And Application Of A Novel Algorithm To Automatically Detect Change Of Direction Movement And Quantify Its Associated Mechanical Load In Elite Australian Football, Aaron Balloch Jan 2020

Development, Assessment And Application Of A Novel Algorithm To Automatically Detect Change Of Direction Movement And Quantify Its Associated Mechanical Load In Elite Australian Football, Aaron Balloch

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The ability to change direction rapidly and efficiently is critical to team-sport performance, including Australian football (AF), where a player’s capacity to rapidly decelerate, move laterally and re-accelerate is critical when evading opponents, tackling, or reacting to the unpredictable bounce of the ball or movement of another player. The biomechanical loading requirements of change of direction (COD) movement are angle and velocity dependant. Cumulative COD movement can impart high levels of neuromuscular and metabolic fatigue which can adversely affect the efficiency of subsequent movement efforts. Despite widespread use of microtechnology devices (the vast majority containing a global navigation satellite system …


Drug Users’ Experiences Of A Residential Rehabilitation Program In Western Australia: A Thematic Analysis Of Drug Users Lived Experiences, Michelle Fullam Jan 2020

Drug Users’ Experiences Of A Residential Rehabilitation Program In Western Australia: A Thematic Analysis Of Drug Users Lived Experiences, Michelle Fullam

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In the last decade, there has been a marked increase in the awareness of drug use and drug-related crime in Australia. As a result, the demand for drug treatment services has increased and 14 recognised government-funded services are now available in Western Australia (WA). The goal of these services is to reduce drug use through full-time intensive programs that are usually residential. This type of drug treatment has been shown to be effective in reducing drug use and promoting pro-social lives post-treatment. However, little is known of the experiences of participants in this type of treatment in WA. As such, …


Injury Surveillance In Community Cricket And The Exploration Of Insurance Claims Systems, Geordie Mcleod Jan 2020

Injury Surveillance In Community Cricket And The Exploration Of Insurance Claims Systems, Geordie Mcleod

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The aims of this industry funded PhD thesis were 1) To understand the injury causes, trends and burden in community cricket and 2) To examine the Cricket Australia National Club Risk Protection Program (NCRPP) insurance scheme for suitability as an injury surveillance tool for community cricket.

This thesis sought to identify and understand the injury profile of community cricketers through existing literature and injury datasets, being, Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit (VISU) hospital data, Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) and NCRPP insurance claims data. This thesis also undertook a novel assessment of data validity and completeness from various sources, against industry standards …