Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Nurse Staffing, Patient Falls And Medication Errors In Western Australian Hospitals: Is There A Relationship?, Ahmad Mousa

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Background: According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2013) falls and medication errors in hospitals are among the first twenty leading causes of death. Research on the relationship between nurse staffing, patient falls, and medication errors are limited. Even scarcer are studies that examine this relationship on a nursing shift by shift and ward by ward basis, and no research exists on shift overlap periods and adverse patient outcomes.

Objective: This study examined whether there was a relationship between hospital inpatient falls and medication errors and nurse staffing on a shift by shift and ward by ward basis, including an …

An Assessment Of Nurses’ Experiences Of Work Related Stress Through Self-Reporting And Hair Cortisol Analysis, In A Metropolitan Hospital In Western Australia, Kim Oliver

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The aim of this study was to assess how years of experience and practice area influence work related stress amongst 1,200 nurses employed in a metropolitan hospital environment in Western Australia. A combination of self-administered questionnaires and hair cortisol, an objective stress biomarker, was utilised to measure stress levels and to relate these to practice area, age and experience. Questionnaire results indicated that there was a higher level of perceived stress for 40% of this cohort of nurses; the study methodology was able to unearth noteworthy factors within a local WA nursing population that impacted on their perceived stress. These …

Evaluation Of Acceptance And Efficiency Of Exercise For Indigenous Australians To Benefit Physiological, Anthropometric And Metabolic Syndrome Outcomes, Tuguy Esgin

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The proposed study will provide an increased understanding in a much-understudied area of how the Australian Indigenous community perceives physical activity and the beneficial effects for improving health outcomes.

The PhD will be made up of three studies:

1) To design an exercise prescription that is culturally appropriate and specifically addresses the major Indigenous health issues around metabolic syndrome.

The first will be a cross sectional study that surveys the motivators and barriers to physical activity within the Perth Noongar community. The results of this study will be used to enhance the intervention section of the PhD. It will provide …

The Effects Of Augmented Feedback On Pacing And Performance Of Elite Combat Athletes, Israel Halperin

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Augmented feedback has been shown to improve performance and influence pacing in various physical activities. However, few studies have investigated its effects on performance and pacing in striking combat sports. Additionally, despite the plethora of studies examining the influence of feedback in untrained individuals, there is a lack of research examining the effects of such feedback in trained participants. Considering the important role of feedback in training and competition, the purpose of this thesis is to examine the effects of three different but inter-dependent methods of augmented feedback on performance of combat, and resistance trained athletes.

Study 1 examined the …

Dry Land Strength And Power Training To Enhance Swimming In-Water Turn Performance, Julian Jones

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Undertaking dry-land strength and power training to increase leg extensor power output is believed to increase a swimmer’s ability to start and turn during a swim race. Swimmers generally undertake dry-land strength and power training as part of their overall training regime to increase lower body force output and impulse, in order to improve both swim start and turning performance. Elite swimmers demonstrate faster swimming turn times that are potentially a result of having better strength-power characteristics than sub-elite swimmers. The aim of this research was to quantify differences in dry-land and swimming turn leg extensor force-time characteristics between elite …

The Relationship Between Physical Exercise And Cognition In Children With Typical Development And Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Beron Wei Zhong Tan

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This research project sought to investigate the relationship between physical exercise and cognition in children with and without a neurodevelopmental condition. To achieve this aim, three approaches were undertaken to explore the exercise and cognition relationship. The first approach sought to understand the efficacy of exercise interventions on cognition in individuals with a neurodevelopmental disorder. The second approach was to understand the effectiveness of an exercise activity when compared to a cognitively-engaging tablet game activity on measures of implicit learning and attention in children with and without a neurodevelopmental condition. The third approach was to investigate if psychophysiological measures could …

Activity Behavior And Physiological Profile Of Advanced-Stage Ovarian Cancer Survivors, Christelle Schofield

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Background: Advanced-stage ovarian cancer survivors (OCS) often experience a multitude of disease symptoms and treatment-related side-effects. Additionally, most OCS are older, have comorbidities, are overweight or obese, and report being insufficiently physically active. Ovarian cancer survivors may benefit from exercise oncology interventions to reduce symptom-burden, manage comorbidities, minimize functional decline and maximize health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, current knowledge gaps regarding the physiological characteristics of OCS throughout the entire survivorship spectrum challenge the development of tailored exercise interventions.

Purpose: The overall purpose of this thesis was to provide a more comprehensive physiological and activity behavior profile of post-treatment advanced-stage …

The Human Factors Associated With Responding To Emergency Vehicles, Pauline Grant

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Emergency vehicles undertake emergency driving, using lights and sirens, to move rapidly through traffic in response to situations where life and property are at risk. For the emergency driving to be effective, other motorists need to drive in a manner that facilitates their passage. Despite laws to support this, problematic encounters can result in emergency vehicles being unable to get through. The current research expanded on earlier exploratory research into motorists’ encounters with emergency vehicles (Grant, 2010) to examine psychological factors involved with motorists’ responses to emergency vehicles. A construct validity approach was used to develop a scale …

Men’S Help-Seeking In The First Year After Diagnosis Of Localised Prostate Cancer, M. K. Hyde, Robert Newton, Daniel A. Galvao, Robert Gardiner, S. Occhipinti, A. Lowe, G. A. Wittert, Suzanne K. Chambers

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This study describes sources of support utilised by men with localised prostate cancer in the first year after diagnosis and examines characteristics associated with help-seeking for men with unmet needs. A cross-sectional survey of 331 patients from a population-based sample who were in the first year after diagnosis (M = 9.6, SD = 1.9) was conducted to assess sources of support, unmet supportive care needs, domain-specific quality of life and psychological distress. Overall, 82% of men reported unmet supportive care needs. The top five needs were sexuality (58%); prostate cancer-specific (57%); psychological (47%); physical and daily living (41%); and health …

Are Rolling Averages A Good Way To Assess Training Load For Injury Prevention?, Paolo Mensaspa

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

I read the letter ‘Time to bin the term ‘overuse’ injury: is ‘training load error’ a more accurate term?’ with great interest.1 I agree with the authors that changes in training load (TL) could increase injury risk and I share their concern relating to periods of low/no loads. However, the terminology suggested by Drew and Purdam ‘errors in training load prescription’ may not be ideal. In fact, despite the potentially flawless TL prescription, some spikes in load may be due to variables that are out of control, such as variability in the demands of competitions,2 and cannot be avoided. Moreover, …

An Investigation Of Service Providers' Understanding, Perspectives And Implementations Of The Transdisciplinary Model In Early Intervention Settings For Children With Disabilities, Eimear Fitzmaurice,, Janet E. Richmond, Matthew Wittorf

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose

The transdisciplinary practice model is currently being promoted as best practice in early intervention therapy for children with disabilities. However, supporting literature is limited. Thus, the question is asked, “What are service providers' understanding and perception of the transdisciplinary model in early intervention settings for children with disabilities?”

Method

A systematic review was carried out using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews. An electronic search was conducted via six databases. Eight articles were selected

Results

Four studies predominantly focused on service providers’ perspectives of the model using semi-structured interviews or surveys. Many studies were of adequate to low …

Changes In The Relative Balance Of Approach And Avoidance Inclinations To Use Alcohol Following Cue Exposure Vary In Low And High Risk Drinkers, Ross Hollett, Werner G.K. Stritzke, Phoebe Edgeworth, Michael Weinborn

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

According to the ambivalence model of craving, alcohol craving involves the dynamic interplay of separate approach and avoidance inclinations. Cue-elicited increases in approach inclinations are posited to be more likely to result in alcohol consumption and risky drinking behaviors only if unimpeded by restraint inclinations. Current study aims were (1) to test if changes in the net balance between approach and avoidance inclinations following alcohol cue exposure differentiate between low and high risk drinkers, and (2) if this balance is associated with alcohol consumption on a subsequent taste test. In two experiments (N = 60; N = 79), low …

Development Of The Aboriginal Communication Assessment After Brain Injury (Acaabi): A Screening Tool For Identifying Acquired Communication Disorders In Aboriginal Australians, Elizabeth Armstrong, Natalie Ciccone, Deborah J. Hersh, Judith Katzenellebogen, Juli Coffin, Sandra Thompson, Leon Flicker, Colleen Hayward, Deborah Woods, Meaghan Mcallister

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose:

Acquired communication disorders (ACD), following stroke and traumatic brain injury, may not be correctly identified in Aboriginal Australians due to a lack of linguistically and culturally appropriate assessment tools. Within this paper we explore key issues that were considered in the development of the Aboriginal Communication Assessment After Brain Injury (ACAABI) – a screening tool designed to assess the presence of ACD in Aboriginal populations.

Method:

A literature review and consultation with key stakeholders were undertaken to explore directions needed to develop a new tool, based on existing tools and recommendations for future developments.

Result:

The literature searches revealed …

Older Australians Can Achieve High Adherence To The Mediterranean Diet During A 6 Month Randomised Intervention; Results From The Medley Study, Courtney Davis, Jonathan M. Hodgson, Janet Bryan, Manohar Garg, Richard Woodman, Karen Murphy

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) is thought to be achievable in non-Mediterranean regions, but this has yet to be investigated. We aimed to determine if an older Australian population could adhere to a MedDiet for six months. We conducted a randomised, parallel dietary intervention trial with two dietary arms: the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) group and the habitual diet (HabDiet) control group. A 15-point Mediterranean diet adherence score and food and nutrient intakes were estimated from three-day weighed food records collected at baseline, two and four months. Erythrocyte fatty acids, serum carotenoids and urinary metabolites were assessed at baseline, three …

Prevalence And Molecular Epidemiology Of Clostridium Difficile Infection In Indonesia, Deirdre Collins, M. H. Gasem, T. H. Habibie, I. G. Arinton, P. Hendriyanto, A. P. Hartana, T. V. Riley

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Clostridium difficile has not been studied in detail in Asia, particularly Southeast Asia. We thus performed a prevalence study across four hospitals in Central Java province, Indonesia. Stool samples were collected from patients with diarrhoea and tested by enzyme immunoassay for glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and toxin A/B (C DIFF QUIK CHEK COMPLETE, TechLab). Specimens were cultured and molecular typing was performed. In total, 340 samples were tested, of which 70 (20.6%) were GDH positive, with toxin detected in 19 (5.6%). Toxigenic C. difficile was isolated from 37 specimens (10.9%), while a further 36 (10.6%) nontoxigenic isolates were identified. The most …

Effects Of Cluster Sets And Rest-Redistribution On Mechanical Responses To Back Squats In Trained Men, James J. Tufano, Jenny A. Colon, Sophia Nimphius, Lee E. Brown, Alex Petkovic, Justin Frick, Greg Haff

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Eight resistance-trained men completed three protocols separated by 48-96 hours. Each protocol included 36 repetitions with the same rest duration, but the frequency and length of rest periods differed. The cluster sets of four (CS4) protocol included 30 s of rest after the 4th, 8th, 16th, 20th, 28th, and 32nd repetition in addition to 120 s of rest after the 12th and 24th repetition. For the other two protocols, the total 420 s rest time of CS4 was redistributed to include nine sets of four repetitions (RR4) with 52.5 s of rest after every four repetitions, or 36 sets of …

Sirt1 Activation Mediates Heat-Induced Survival Of Uvb Damaged Keratinocytes, Leslie Calapre, Elin S. Gray, Sandrine Kurdykowski, Anthony David, Pascal Descargues, Mel R. Ziman Dr

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background

Exposure to heat stress after UVB irradiation induces a reduction of apoptosis, resulting in survival of DNA damaged human keratinocytes. This heat-mediated evasion of apoptosis appears to be mediated by activation of SIRT1 and inactivation of p53 signalling. In this study, we assessed the role of SIRT1 in the inactivation of p53 signalling and impairment of DNA damage response in UVB plus heat exposed keratinocytes.

Results

Activation of SIRT1 after multiple UVB plus heat exposures resulted in increased p53 deacetylation at K382, which is known to affect its binding to specific target genes. Accordingly, we noted decreased apoptosis and …

Reducing Barriers To Consulting A General Practitioner In Patients At Increased Risk Of Lung Cancer: A Qualitative Evaluation Of The Chest Australia Intervention, Sonya Murray, Yvonne Kutzer, Emily Habgood, Peter Murchie, Fiona Walter, Danielle Mazza, Shaouli Shahid, Jon D. Emery

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background

Lung cancer has one of the lowest survival outcomes of any cancer because over two-thirds of patients are diagnosed when curative treatment is no longer possible, partly due to later presentation with symptoms to a healthcare provider.

Objective

To explore the theoretical underpinning of the Scottish CHEST intervention in participants randomized to the intervention group within the CHEST Australia trial.

Methods

A purposive maximum variation sample of participants who received the intervention in the CHEST trial in Perth, Western Australia (N = 13) and Melbourne, Victoria, (N = 7) were interviewed. Patients were asked about their experience …

New Graduate Registered Nurses’ Knowledge Of Patient Safety And Practice: A Literature Review, Melanie Murray, Deborah Sundin, Vicki Cope

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Aims and objectives

To critically appraise available literature and summarise evidence pertaining to the patient safety knowledge and practices of new graduate registered nurses.

Background

Responsibility for patient safety should not be limited to the practice of the bedside nurses, rather the responsibility of all in the healthcare system. Previous research identified lapses in safety across the health care, more specifically with new practitioners. Understanding these gaps and what may be employed to counteract them is vital to ensuring patient safety.

Design

A focused review of research literature.

Methods

The review used key terms and Boolean operators across a 5-year …

A Multinational Study Distinguishing Alzheimer's And Healthy Patients Using Cerebrospinal Fluid Tau/Aβ42 Cutoff With Concordance To Amyloid Positron Emission Tomography Imaging, Yi Mo, Julie Stromswold, Kimberley Wilson, Daniel Holder, Cyrille Sur, Omar Laterza, Mary J. Savage, Arie Struyk, Phillip Scheltens, Charlotte E. Teunissen, James Burke, S. Lance Macaulay, Geir Brathen, Sigrid Botne Sando, Linda R. White, Christy Weiss, Arturo Cowes, Michele M. Bush, Ganga Desilva, David G. Darby, Stephanie Rainey-Smith, Jackie Surls, Eileen Sagini, Michael Tanen, Amy Altman, Johan Luthman, Michael F. Egan

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Introduction

Changes in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tau and amyloid β (Aβ)42 accompany development of Alzheimer's brain pathology. Robust tau and Aβ42 immunoassays were developed to establish a tau/Aβ42 cutoff distinguishing mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) subjects from healthy elderly control (HC) subjects.

Methods

A CSF tau/Aβ42 cutoff criteria was chosen, which distinguished the groups and maximized concordance with amyloid PET. Performance was assessed using an independent validation cohort.

Results

A tau/Aβ42 = 0.215 cutoff provided 94.8% sensitivity and 77.7% specificity. Concordance with PET visual reads was estimated at 86.9% in a ∼50% PET positive population. In the validation cohort, the cutoff …

Longitudinal Changes In Thyroid Hormones During Conception Cycles And Early Pregnancy, Kristina Hamilton, Narelle Hadlow, Peter Roberts, Patricia Sykes, Allison Mcclements, Jacqui Coombes, Phillip L. Matson

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objective:

The aim of this study was to characterize changes in free triiodothyronine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) during the follicular and luteal phase and during subsequent early pregnancy in individual women.

Method:

TPOAb negative women with a viable pregnancy (n = 49) had fT3, fT4 and TSH measured longitudinally in serum samples at baseline/non-pregnant (gestation week 0), ovulation (gestation week 2), mid-luteal phase (gestation week 3) and twice weekly from gestation weeks 4 to 6.5. Patient groups received in their conception cycle either no medication (n = 13), low ovarian stimulation, (n = 17) or controlled …

Ethnographic Insights Into Safety Communication For Frontline Workers, Kelly Jaunzems, Lelia Green, David Leith, Christine Teague

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Recent calls for organisation studies to embrace ‘the practice turn’ (Whittington, 2011) have expanded into an understanding of the potential for ethnographic research in occupational health and safety (OHS) research (Pink et al., 2016). The ethnographic project described here, with fieldwork conducted between 2008 and 2010, is one element of this growing appreciation of the potential for qualitative research in industrial settings. Ethnographies have not often been used in OHS settings, and ‘much practicebased knowledge remains undocumented, informal, unspoken and thus unaccounted for’ (Pink et al., 2016, p. 27). This study was motivated by an aim to make explicit the …

Regulation Of Core Body Temperature And The Immune System Determines Species Longevity, Ian J. Martins

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The anti-aging gene Sirtuin 1 has now major relevance to genetics and the fields of pharmacology, toxicology, neuroscience, immunology, biochemistry and cell/molecular biology. Advances in anti-aging therapy are now essential to prevent mitochondrial apoptosis to promote longevity with the prevention of accelerated ageing. Calorie restriction that maintains the anti-aging gens changes the core body temperature and promotes species longevity. Stress and calorie consumption are sensitive to Sirt 1 function with relevance heat shock protein 70 metabolism and mitochondrial biogenesis. Sirt 1 regulation of the circadian rhythm mediates melatonin effects on core body temperature regulation and immune responses. Diet and fat …

Job Club: A Program To Assist Occupational Therapy Students' Transition To Practice, Katrina Liddiard, Rachel Batten, Yuluan Wang, Karen Long, Amy Wallis, Cary A. Brown

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Transition to practice can be identified as the change from the role of student to the role of practitioner. This period of transition is a time of intense professional and personal development. Typically, it can take anywhere between six months to two years before an entry-level therapist feels competent in the workplace. A number of factors affect the transition process, including role uncertainty, inadequate supervision, and an overall lack of confidence in clinical skills. This paper discusses a case example of a Job Club, provided by a Western Australian Occupational Therapy university program. The concept was initially set up to …

The Physical Health Dilemmas Facing Custodial Grandparent Caregivers: Policy Considerations, Myra F. Taylor, Ruth Marquis, David A. Coall, Rachel Batten, Jenni Werner

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objective:

This study sought to determine what impact the task of raising grandchildren is having on custodial grandparents’ physical health.

Design and Methods:

Thematic analysis was conducted on interview data collected from 49 custodial grandparents.

Results:

The task of raising grandchildren on a fixed-income is difficult for grandparents with limited respite-care options. Hence, they periodically face the dilemma of deciding whether to defer or not defer their own health needs so they can continue to care for their grandchildren. Grandparents are also wary of asking for health-related respite-care assistance: (i) in case their asking is perceived as an admission they …

Improving Case Ascertainment Of Congenital Anomalies: Findings From A Prospective Birth Cohort With Detailed Primary Care Record Linkage, Chrissy Bishop, Neil Small, Dan Mason, Peter Corry, Roger C. Parslow, Alan H. Bittles, Eamonn Sheridan

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background

Congenital anomalies (CAs) are a common cause of infant death and disability. We linked children from a large birth cohort to a routine primary care database to detect CA diagnoses from birth to age 5 years. There could be evidence of underreporting by CA registries as they estimate that only 2% of CA registrations occur after age 1 year.

Methods

CA cases were identified by linking children from a prospective birth cohort to primary care records. CAs were classified according to the European Surveillance of CA guidelines. We calculated rates of CAs by using a bodily system group for …

Insulin Resistance Is Associated With Reductions In Specific Cognitive Domains And Increases In Csf Tau In Cognitively Normal Adults, Simon M. Laws, Scott Gaskin, Amy Woodfield, Velandai K. Srikanth, David G. Bruce, Paul E. Fraser, Tenielle Porter, Philip N. Newsholme, Nadeeja Wijesekara, Samantha C. Burnham, Vincent Doré, Qiaoxin Li, Paul T. Maruff, Colin L. Masters, Stephanie R. Rainey-Smith, Christopher C. Rowe, Olivier Salvado, Victor L. Villemagne, Ralph N. Martins, Giuseppe Verdile

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Growing evidence supports the hypothesis that type 2 diabetes (T2D) increases the risk of developing dementia. Experimental evidence from mouse models demonstrates that the induction of T2D/insulin resistance (IR) can promote the accumulation of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathological features. However, the association of T2D with pathological and clinical phenotypes in humans is unclear. Here we investigate the relationship of indices of IR (HOMA-IR) and pancreatic β-cell function (HOMA-B) with cognitive performance across several domains (Verbal/Visual Episodic Memory, Executive Function, Language and a measure of Global cognition) and AD biomarkers (CSF Aβ42, T-tau/P-tau, hippocampal volume and neocortical Aβ-amyloid burden). We reveal …

Amyloid Β–Associated Cognitive Decline In The Absence Of Clinical Disease Progression And Systemic Illness, Karra Harrington, Yen Lim, David Ames, Jason Hassenstab, Simon Laws, Ralph Martins, Stephanie Rainey-Smith, Joanne Robertson, Christopher Rowe, Olivier Salvado, Vincent Dore, Victor Villemagne, Peter Snyder, Colin Masters, Paul Maruff, Aibl Research Group

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Introduction

High levels of amyloid β (Aβ) are associated with cognitive decline in cognitively normal (CN) older adults. This study investigated the nature of cognitive decline in healthy individuals who did not progress to mild cognitive impairment or dementia.

Method

Cognition was measured over 72 months and compared between low (Aβ−) and high (Aβ+) CN older adults (n = 335) who did not progress to mild cognitive impairment or dementia and who remained free of severe or uncontrolled systemic illness.

Results

Compared to the Aβ− group, the Aβ+ group showed no cognitive impairment at baseline but showed substantial decline …

Barriers To Lung Cancer Care: Health Professionals’ Perspectives, J. Dunn, G. Garvey, P. C. Valery, D. Ball, K. M. Fong, S. Vinod, D. L. O'Connell, Suzanne K. Chambers

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose

Globally, lung cancer is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer death. Problematically, there is a wide variation in the management and survival for people with lung cancer and there is limited understanding of the reasons for these variations. To date, the views of health professionals across relevant disciplines who deliver such care are largely absent. The present study describes Australian health professionals’ views about barriers to lung cancer care to help build a research and action agenda for improving lung cancer outcomes.

Methods

Qualitative semi-structured interviews were undertaken with a multidisciplinary group of 31 Australian …

Casual For A Cause: Exploring The Employment Status Of Nursing In Australia And China, Carol Wang, Sadie Geraghty

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This paper outlines obligatory nursing education and the registration process required to become a nurse in Australia, including nurses' workload, career structure and pay. It also provides an overview of the nursing workforce in Australia, with particular reference to casual employment, and its implications. The aim of this paper is to outline the development strategies that may assist with China's increasing need for nursing education, and how changes to healthcare policy and management are required to increase the recruitment and retention of nurses in hospitals worldwide.