Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

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 …

Development Of A Human Activity Recognition System For Ballet Tasks, Danica Hendry, Kevin Chai, Amity Campbell, Luke Hopper, Peter O'Sullivan, Leon Straker

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background Accurate and detailed measurement of a dancer’s training volume is a key requirement to understanding the relationship between a dancer’s pain and training volume. Currently, no system capable of quantifying a dancer’s training volume, with respect to specific movement activities, exists. The application of machine learning models to wearable sensor data for human activity recognition in sport has previously been applied to cricket, tennis and rugby. Thus, the purpose of this study was to develop a human activity recognition system using wearable sensor data to accurately identify key ballet movements (jumping and lifting the leg). Our primary objective was …

The Effects Of Vitamin K-Rich Green Leafy Vegetables On Bone Metabolism: A 4-Week Randomised Controlled Trial In Middle-Aged And Older Individuals, Marc Sim, Joshua R. Lewis, Richard L. Prince, Itamar Levinger, Tara C. Brennan-Speranza, Claire Palmer, Catherine P. Bondonno, Nicola P. Bondonno, Amanda Devine, Natalie C. Ward, Elizabeth Byrnes, Carl J. Schultz, Richard Woodman, Kevin Croft, Jonathan M. Hodgson, Lauren C. Blekkenhorst

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: High vegetable intake is associated with beneficial effects on bone. However, the mechanisms remain uncertain. Green leafy vegetables are a rich source of vitamin K1, which is known to have large effects on osteoblasts and osteocalcin (OC) metabolism. Objective: To examine the effects of consumption of two to three extra serves of green leafy vegetables daily on bone metabolism. Methods: Thirty individuals (mean age 61.8 ± 9.9 years, 67% male) completed three experimental phases in a randomised controlled crossover design, each lasting four weeks, with a washout period of four weeks between phases (clinical trial registration: ACTRN12615000194561). The three …

Modification Of Diet, Exercise And Lifestyle (Model) Study: A Randomised Controlled Trial Protocol, Simone Radavelli-Bagatini, Catherine P. Bondonno, Marc Sim, Lauren C. Blekkenhorst, Reindolf Anokye, Emma Connolly, Nicola P. Bondonno, John T. Schousboe, Richard J. Woodman, Kun Zhu, Pawel Szulc, Ben Jackson, James Dimmock, Markus P. Schlaich, Kay L. Cox, Douglas P. Kiel, Wai H. Lim, Mandy Stanley, Amanda Devine, Peter L. Thompson, Jenny Gianoudis, Belinda De Ross, Robin M. Daly, Joshua Lewis, Jonathan M. Hodgson

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Introduction Most cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related events could be prevented or substantially delayed with improved diet and lifestyle. Providing information on structural vascular disease may improve CVD risk factor management, but its impact on lifestyle change remains unclear. This study aims to determine whether providing visualisation and pictorial representation of structural vascular disease (abdominal aortic calcification (AAC)) can result in healthful diet and lifestyle change.

Methods and analysis This study, including men and women aged 60–80 years, is a 12-week, two-arm, multisite randomised controlled trial. At baseline, all participants will have AAC assessed from a lateral spine image captured using a …

Lower-Body Power, Linear Speed, And Change-Of-Direction Speed In Division I Collegiate Women's Volleyball Players, Robert G. Lockie, J. Jay Dawes, Samuel J. Callaghan

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 Institute of Sport. All rights reserved. Volleyball players need to sprint and change direction during a match. Lower-body power, often measured by jump tests, could contribute to faster movements. How different jumps relate to linear and change-of-direction (COD) speed has not been analyzed in Division I (DI) collegiate women's volleyball players. Fifteen female volleyball players completed the vertical jump (VJ), two-step approach jump (AppJ), and standing broad jump (SBJ). Peak power and power-to-body mass ratio (P:BM) were derived from VJ and AppJ height; relative SBJ was derived from SBJ distance. Linear speed was measured via a 20-m sprint …

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 …

The Prognostic Impact Of Circulating Tumour Dna In Melanoma Patients Treated With Systemic Therapies—Beyond Braf Mutant Detection, Gabriela Marsavela, Peter A. Johansson, Michelle R. Pereira, Ashleigh C. Mcevoy, Anna L. Reid, Cleo Robinson, Lydia Warburton, Muhammad A. Khattak, Tarek M. Meniawy, Benhur Amanuel, Michael Millward, Nicholas K. Hayward, Melanie R. Ziman, Elin S. Gray, Leslie Calapre

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. In this study, we evaluated the predictive value of circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) to inform therapeutic outcomes in metastatic melanoma patients receiving systemic therapies. We analysed 142 plasma samples from metastatic melanoma patients prior to commencement of systemic therapy: 70 were treated with BRAF/MEK inhibitors and 72 with immunotherapies. Patient-specific droplet digital polymerase chain reaction assays were designed for ctDNA detection. Plasma ctDNA was detected in 56% of patients prior to first-line anti-PD1 and/or anti-CTLA-4 treatment. The detection rate in the immunotherapy cohort was comparably lower than those with BRAF inhibitors …

Keeping Patients With Cancer Exercising In The Age Of Covid-19, Robert U. Newton, Nicolas H. Hart, Tim Clay

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The novel 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is a global public health emergency. To date, physical distancing and good personal hygiene have been the only effective measures to limit spread. The pandemic has altered routine cancer care, including allied health and supportive care interventions. Clinicians must adapt and find ways to continue to deliver optimal patient care at this time. The prescription of exercise to people with cancer has been demonstrated to have meaningful benefits for both physical and mental health and quality of life, and may even enhance survival. Such exercise interventions provide the largest benefit to patients when …

Perceived Barriers To Healthcare Utilization Among Jordanian Families: A Family Centered Approach, Abeer M. Shaheen, Khaldoun M. Hamdan, Maha Alkaid Albqoor, Diana H. Arabiat

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Aim: This study aimed to understand the barriers to health services utilization by Jordanian families. Background: Access to quality healthcare services is a significant issue facing healthcare systems. Healthcare systems must identify and apply measures to overcome barriers that face utilizing health services and thus increase clients' satisfaction. Methods: A cross-sectional qualitative research design was used in this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-five families to elicit the model of health services barriers. Results: The analysis of the family interviews led to four main themes related to health services barriers: service system, structural/physical barriers, equipment and medication, and staff …

Efficacy Of A Weight Loss Program Prior To Robot Assisted Radical Prostatectomy In Overweight And Obese Men With Prostate Cancer, Rebekah Wilson, Tom Shannon, Emily Calton, Daniel A. Galvao, Dennis Taaffe, Nicolas H. Hart, Philippa Lyons-Wall, Robert U. Newton

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background

Obesity in prostate cancer patients is associated with poor prostate-cancer specific outcomes. Exercise and nutrition can reduce fat mass; however, few studies have explored this as a combined pre-surgical intervention in clinical practice.

Purpose

This study examined the efficacy of a weight loss program for altering body composition in prostate cancer patients prior to robot assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP).

Methods

A retrospective analysis of 43 overweight and obese prostate cancer patients, aged 47–80 years, who completed a very low-calorie diet (~3000–4000 kJ) combined with moderate-intensity exercise (90 min/day) prior to RARP. Whole body and regional fat mass (FM) and …

Association Of Suboptimal Health Status With Intestinal Microbiota In Chinese Youths, Qi Sun, Xizhu Xu, Jie Zhang, Ming Sun, Qiuyue Tian, Qihuan Li, Weijie Cao, Xiaoyu Zhang, Hao Wang, Jiaonan Liu, Jinxia Zhang, Xiaoni Meng, Lijuan Wu, Manshu Song, Hongqi Liu, Wei Wang, Youxin Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Suboptimal health status (SHS), a physical state between health and disease, is a subclinical and reversible stage of chronic disease. Previous studies have shown alterations in the intestinal microbiota in patients with some chronic diseases. This study aimed to investigate the association between SHS and intestinal microbiota in a case-control study with 50 SHS individuals and 50 matched healthy controls. Intestinal microbiota was analysed by MiSeq 250PE. Alpha diversity of intestinal microbiota in SHS individuals was higher compared with that of healthy controls (Simpson index, W = 2238, P = .048). Beta diversity was different between SHS and healthy controls …

Effect Of Long-Duration Adventure Races On Cardiac Damage Biomarker Release And Muscular Function In Young Athletes, Anthony Birat, Pierre Bourdier, Alexandre Dodu, Claire Grossoeuvre, Anthony J. Blazevich, Virjile Amiot, Anne-Charlotte Dupont, Stephane Nottin, Sebastien Ratel

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of 1- and 2-day adventure races on cardiac muscle damage and skeletal muscle soreness and function in young athletes. Twelve male trained adolescents (14–15 years) completed both 1-day (48.2 km) and 2-day (66.0 km) races that included trail running, mountain biking, kayaking, and in-line skating separated by 10 weeks. Myocardial damage biomarker concentrations (cTnI and CK-MB), maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) torque, perceived knee extensor (KE) muscle soreness (PMS), and drop and squat jump heights were measured before and after each race. Heart rate was also monitored throughout. Mean …

Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurofilament Light Concentration Predicts Brain Atrophy And Cognition In Alzheimer's Disease, Kunal Dhiman, Veer Bala Gupta, Victor L. Villemagne, Dhamidhu Eratne, Petra L. Graham, Christopher Fowler, Pierrick Bourgeat, Qiao-Xin Li, Steven Collins, Ashley I. Bush, Christopher C. Rowe, Colin L. Masters, David Ames, Eugene Hone, Kaj Blennow, Henrik Zetterberg, Ralph N. Martins

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Introduction
This study assessed the utility of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) neurofilament light (NfL) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnosis, its association with amyloid and tau pathology, as well as its potential to predict brain atrophy, cognition, and amyloid accumulation.
Methods
CSF NfL concentration was measured in 221 participants from the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers & Lifestyle Flagship Study of Ageing (AIBL).
Results
CSF NfL levels as well as NfL/amyloid β (Aβ42) were significantly elevated in AD compared to healthy controls (HC; P < .001), and in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) compared to HC (P = .008 NfL; P< .001 NfL/Aβ42). CSF NfL and NfL/Aβ42 differentiated AD from HC with an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of 0.84 and 0.90, respectively. CSF NfL and NfL/Aβ42 predicted cortical amyloid load, brain atrophy, and cognition.
Discussion
CSF NfL is a biomarker of neurodegeneration, correlating with cognitive impairment and brain neuropathology.

Are Negative Beliefs About Psychosis Associated With Emotional Distress In Adults And Young People With Such Experiences? A Meta-Analysis, Esmira Ropaj, Andrew Jones, Joanne Dickson, Zabina Gill, Peter J. Taylor

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 The Authors. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society Objective: Emotional distress, including depression and anxiety, is commonly reported amongst individuals experiencing psychosis. The beliefs individuals hold about the meaning of their psychosis may explain the distress they experience. The current meta-analysis aimed to review the association between beliefs about psychosis experiences and emotional distress. Method: Three electronic databases (PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and CINAHL) were searched using keywords and controlled vocabulary (e.g., Medical Subject Headings) from date of inception to August 2019. A total of 19 …

Use, Adoption, And Effectiveness Of Tippy-Tap Handwashing Station In Promoting Hand Hygiene Practices In Resource-Limited Settings: A Systematic Review, Balwani C. Mbakaya, Fatch W. Kalembo, Maggie Zgambo

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background:

Tippy-taps are locally made devices for washing hands with running water. They are simple and low-cost, enabling technology that provides adequate water sources, handwashing stations and motivation for people to prioritise handwashing. This systematic review aimed to establish the use, benefits, adoption and effectiveness of enabling technology; tippy-tap handwashing station, in resource-limited settings.

Methods:

We systematically searched for articles in the PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, AMED, CINAHL, DOAJ and Google Scholar databases guided by the acceptable best practice developed by the PROSPERO and COCHRANE for systematic search and selection of articles. Search terms such as tippy-taps, enabling technology, hand-washing station, …

Biopsychosocial Risk Factors And Knowledge Of Cervical Cancer Among Young Women: A Case Study From Kenya To Inform Hpv Prevention In Sub-Saharan Africa, Irene Ngune, Fatch Kalembo, Barbara Loessl, Lucy W. Kivuti-Bitok

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background Cervical cancer is the second most common female reproductive cancer after breast cancer with 84% of the cases in developing countries. A high uptake of human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination and screening, and early diagnosis leads to a reduction of incidence and mortality rates. Yet uptake of screening is low in Sub-Saharan Africa and there is an increasing number of women presenting for treatment with advanced disease. Nine women in their twenties die from cervical cancer in Kenya every day. This paper presents the biopsychosocial risk factors that impact on cervical cancer knowledge among Kenyan women aged 15 to …

Prkag2 Gene Expression Is Elevated And Its Protein Levels Are Associated With Increased Amyloid-Β Accumulation In The Alzheimer’S Disease Brain, Prashant Bharadwaj, Ralph Martins

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Increased amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation associated with abnormal autophagy-lysosomal activity and nutrient kinase dysregulation are common features in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brain. Recent studies have identified PRKAG2 and TIPRL genes that control nutrient kinase regulated autophagy, and here we determined if their expression is altered in postmortem AD brains. Gene and protein expression of TIPRL were unchanged. However, gene expression of PRKAG2 was increased 3-fold and its protein levels positively correlated with Aβ accumulation in the AD brain. In summary, our findings suggest that increased PRKAG2 is an important contributing factor to Aβ accumulation in the AD brain.

Increasing Food Expenditure In Long Daycare By An Extra $0.50 Per Child/Day Would Improve Core Food Group Provision, Ros Sambell, Ruth Wallace, Johnny Lo, Leesa Costello, Amanda Devine

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Early childhood education and care services are a significant feature of Australian family life, where nearly 1.4 million children attended a service in 2019. This paper reports on the cost of food provided to children in long day-care (LDC) services and extrapolates expenditure recommendations to support food provision compliance. A cross-sectional audit of LDC services in metropolitan Perth was conducted to determine food group provision by weighing raw ingredients of meal preparation—morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea (MT, L, AT). Ingredients were costed at 2017 online metropolitan pricing from a large supermarket chain. Across participating services, 2 days of food …

Sex And Apoe Ε4 Genotype Modify The Alzheimer’S Disease Serum Metabolome, Matthias Arnold, Kwangsik Nho, Alexandra Kueider-Paisley, Tyler Massaro, Kevin Huynh, Barbara Brauner, Siamak Mahmoudian Dehkordi, Gregory Louie, M. Arthur Moseley, J. Will Thompson, Lisa St John-Williams, Jessica D. Tenenbaum, Colette Colette, Rui Chang, Roberta D. Brinton, Rebecca Baillie, Xianlin Han, John Q. Trojanowski, Leslie M. Shaw, Ralph Martins, Michael W. Weiner, Eugenia Trushina, Jon B. Toledo, Peter J. Meikle, David A. Bennett, Jan Krumsiek, P. Murali Doraiswamy, Andrew J. Saykin, Rima Kaddurah-Daouk, Gabi Kastenmuller

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD) can, in part, be considered a metabolic disease. Besides age, female sex and APOE ε4 genotype represent strong risk factors for AD that also give rise to large metabolic differences. We systematically investigated group-specific metabolic alterations by conducting stratified association analyses of 139 serum metabolites in 1,517 individuals from the AD Neuroimaging Initiative with AD biomarkers. We observed substantial sex differences in effects of 15 metabolites with partially overlapping differences for APOE ε4 status groups. Several group-specific metabolic alterations were not observed in unstratified analyses using sex and APOE ε4 as covariates. Combined stratification revealed further …

Clarifying Workforce Flexibility From A Division Of Labor Perspective: A Mixed Methods Study Of An Emergency Department Team, Sarah Wise, Christine Duffield, Margaret Fry, Michael Roche

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: The need for greater flexibility is often used to justify reforms that redistribute tasks through the workforce. However, "flexibility" is never defined or empirically examined. This study explores the nature of flexibility in a team of emergency doctors, nurse practitioners (NPs), and registered nurses (RNs), with the aim of clarifying the concept of workforce flexibility. Taking a holistic perspective on the team's division of labor, it measures task distribution to establish the extent of multiskilling and role overlap, and explores the behaviors and organizational conditions that drive flexibly.

Methods: The explanatory sequential mixed methods study was set in the …

Investigation Of The Association Between Dietary Fibre, Protein And Fat With Manganese Content In Food, Madhura Jayasinghe, Binosha Fernando, Subhashinie Senadheera, Pubudu Gunawardene, Somathilaka Ranaweera

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Manganese deficiency may cause severe health disorders and is becoming prevalent in societies that are rapidly urbanising. Determining the Manganese contents and its relationship with the intake of protein, fibre and fats is important; which may allow people to select Manganese rich foods based on their major macronutrients. A cross-sectional study including detailed dietary assessment for two weeks, followed by proximate analysis of regularly consumed diets was conducted using 1200 adults from three different social segments as; lecturers/teachers (400), managerial employees in the private sector (400), and houses wives (400). Each social segment was assumed to elicit different lifestyles and …

Exploring The Association Between Recent Concussion, Subconcussive Impacts And Depressive Symptoms In Male Australian Football Players, Sarah Ann Harris, Paola T. Chivers, Fleur L. Mcintyre, Ben Piggott, Max Bulsara, Fiona H. Farringdon

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objectives: To explore the association between depressive symptoms and recent head-related trauma (diagnosed concussion, subconcussive impacts) in semiprofessional male Australian Football (AF) players.

Methods: Sixty-nine semiprofessional male players from a West Australian Football League (WAFL) club participated in the study (M age =21.81, SD=2.91 years). Depressive symptoms were measured using the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Injuries and potential confounding variables (eg, pre-existing mental health condition; alcohol or drug hangovers; experiencing a stressful event) were self-reported anonymously using the WAFL Injury Report Survey. Both tools were administered every 2-weeks over the first 22-weeks of the WAFL season. Controlling for …

International Olympic Committee Consensus Statement: Methods For Recording And Reporting Of Epidemiological Data On Injury And Illness In Sport 2020 (Including Strobe Extension For Sport Injury And Illness Surveillance (Strobe-Siis)), Roald Bahr, Ben Clarsen, Wayne Derman, Jiri Dvorak, Carolyn Emery, Caroline Finch, Martin Hägglund, Astrid Junge, Simon Kemp, Karim M. Khan, Stephen W. Marshall, Willem Meeuwisse, Margo Mountjoy, John W. Orchard, Babette Pluim, Kenneth L. Quarrie, Bruce Reider, Martin Schwellnus, Torbjorn Soligard, Keith A. Stokes, Taoomas Timpka, Evert Verhagen, Abhinav Bindra, Rcihard Budgett, Lars Engebretsen, Ugur Erdener, Karim Charmari

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Injury and illness surveillance, and epidemiological studies, are fundamental elements of concerted efforts to protect the health of the athlete. To encourage consistency in the definitions and methodology used, and to enable data across studies to be compared, research groups have published 11 sport-specific or setting-specific consensus statements on sports injury (and, eventually, illness) epidemiology to date. Our objective was to further strengthen consistency in data collection, injury definitions and research reporting through an updated set of recommendations for sports injury and illness studies, including a new Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist extension. The IOC …

Ador2a C Allele Carriers Exhibit Ergogenic Responses To Caffeine Supplementation, Jozo Grgic, Craig Pickering, David J. Bishop, Juan Del Coso, Brad Schoenfeld, Grant M. Tinsley, Zeljko Pedisic

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Caffeine’s ergogenic effects on exercise performance are generally explained by its ability to bind to adenosine receptors. ADORA2A is the gene that encodes A2A subtypes of adenosine receptors. It has been suggested that ADORA2A gene polymorphisms may be responsible for the inter-individual variations in the effects of caffeine on exercise performance. In the only study that explored the influence of variation in ADORA2A—in this case, a common polymorphism (rs5751876)—on the ergogenic effects of caffeine on exercise performance, C allele carriers were identified as “non-responders” to caffeine. To explore if C allele carriers are true “non-responders” to the ergogenic effects of …

Tactile Discrimination, Praxis And Cognitive Impulsivity In Adhd Children: A Cross-Sectional Study, Dulce Romero-Ayuso, David Maciver, Janet Richmond, Sara Jorquera-Cabrera, Luis Garra-Palud, Carmen Zabala-Baños, Abel Toledano-González, Jose-Matias Triviño-Juárez

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: The study of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has traditionally focused on deficit of inhibitory control and cognitive impulsivity. However, the pathophysiology of ADHD has also been associated with the somatosensory cortex. The aim of this study was to explore if there were differences in tactile discrimination and praxis between neurotypical and ADHD children and whether these differences could be explained by cognitive impulsivity. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. The sample comprised 74 children aged 7 to 11 years divided in two groups: 43 with neurotypical development, 31 with ADHD. To assess tactile discrimination, the finger localization and …

Predictors Of Ceasing Or Reducing Statin Medication Following A Large Increase In The Consumer Copayment For Medications: A Retrospective Observational Study, Karla Seamon, Frank Sanfilippo, Max Bulsara, Libby Roughead, Anna Kemp-Casey, Caroline Bulsara, Gerald F. Watts, David Preen

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

OBJECTIVES:

Previous Australian research has shown that following the 21% increase in patient copayments for medications on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) in 2005, the use of lipid-lowering therapy declined by 5%. This study aimed to determine the demographic and clinical characteristics of individuals who continued, reduced or ceased their use of statin medication in 2005.

STUDY TYPE:

Retrospective observational study using routinely collected administrative data.

METHOD:

We used pharmaceutical claims, hospital separations and mortality records from 2000 to 2005 for the Western Australian population. The cohort comprised stable users of statin medication in 2004. Based on changes in statin …

Static Stretch And Dynamic Muscle Activity Induce Acute Similar Increase In Corticospinal Excitability, Jules Opplertid, Christos Paizis, Athina Papitsa, Anthony J. Blazevich, Carole Cometti, Nicolas Babault

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Even though the acute effects of pre-exercise static stretching and dynamic muscle activity on muscular and functional performance have been largely investigated, their effects on the corticospinal pathway are still unclear. For that reason, this study examined the acute effects of 5×20 s of static stretching, dynamic muscle activity and a control condition on spinal excitability, corticospinal excitability and plantar flexor neuromuscular properties. Fifteen volunteers were randomly tested on separate days. Transcranial magnetic stimulation was applied to investigate corticospinal excitability by recording the amplitude of the motorevoked potential (MEP) and the duration of the cortical silent period (cSP). Peripheral nerve …

Bilingualism Is Associated With A Delayed Onset Of Dementia But Not With A Lower Risk Of Developing It: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analyses, Stefano Brini, Hamid R. Sohrabi, Jeffrey J. Hebert, Mitchell R.L. Forrest, Matti Laine, Heikki Hämäläinen, Mira Karrasch, Jeremiah Peiffer, Ralph Martins, Timothy J. Fairchild

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Some studies have linked bilingualism with a later onset of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Not all studies have observed such relationships, however. Differences in study outcomes may be due to methodological limitations and the presence of confounding factors within studies such as immigration status and level of education. We conducted the first systematic review with meta-analysis combining cross-sectional studies to explore if bilingualism might delay symptom onset and diagnosis of dementia, AD, and MCI. Primary outcomes included the age of symptom onset, the age at diagnosis of MCI or dementia, and the risk of developing …

Supporting New Graduate Registered Nurse Transition For Safety: A Literature Review Update, Melanie Murray, Deborah Sundin, Vicki Cope

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Reports suggest higher incidence of medical errors occur during times of transition for new practitioners, in part due to general staff disruption in the health services and inexperience of those entering the workplace. NGRNs experience a range of challenges on transition to professional practice and their transition experience will impact their ability to provide high quality patient care.

Aim: The aim of this review was to critically appraise the contemporary literature concerning the transition of new graduate registered nurses (NGRNs) and their patient safety knowledge and practices.

Design: A scoping review of research literature.

Methods: The review used key …

The Influence Of Adaptive Challenge On Engagement Of Multidisciplinary Staff In Standardising Aseptic Technique In An Emergency Department: A Qualitative Study, Amanda Towell-Barnard, Susan Slatyer, Helen Cadwallader, Michelle Harvey, Susan Davis

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Aims and objectives: To explore the challenge of engaging multidisciplinary staff in standardising aseptic technique (AT) in an emergency department (ED) in an Australian tertiary hospital, and to better understand the enablers and barriers to implementing practice change within this setting.

Background: Healthcare‐associated infections are the most common complication for patients in acute care. A clinical practice framework developed in the United Kingdom (UK) standardised AT practice to reduce potential infection risk. One Australian tertiary hospital drew upon this framework to similarly improve clinical practice. It was understood that standardising practice would require some practitioners only to revisit and demonstrate …