Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Nursing Practicum Equity For A Changing Nurse Student Demographic: A Qualitative Study, Lesley Andrew, Julie Dare, Ken Robinson, Leesa Costello

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: The nursing practicum (clinical practice) is an essential but often highly stressful aspect of the nursing degree. A review of the published literature reveals a strong focus on the stressors that originate within the practicum environment, rather than the student’s life outside the university and practice setting. This article reports on an Australian study, completed before the COVID-19 pandemic, of the university experiences of undergraduate women nurse students with family responsibilities. The findings reveal the importance of factors outside the university on the women students’ practicum experience and their ability to engage and achieve. Methods: The study was qualitative, …

How Did Covid-19 Pandemic Impact Safety Performance On A Construction Project? A Case Study Comparing Pre And Post Covid-19 Influence On Safety At An Australian Construction Site, Roberta Selleck, Marcus Cattani, Maureen Hassall

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

COVID-19 had a significant impact on construction projects due to labor shortages and COVID-19 restrictions, yet little is known about the impact it had on construction safety. To address this gap, an Australian construction project was selected to study the impact of COVID-19 on safety performance, safety climate and safety leadership. The study collected data from safety climate surveys, leading and lagging safety indicators and used linear regression to compare safety performance pre and post the onset of COVID-19. Our results showed after the onset of COVID-19 there was a significant reduction (Pr > F at 0.05 %) in incident rate, …

Re-Imaging The Future In Urban Studies And Built Environment Discourse: A Neurourbanism Perspective, Emeka Ndaguba, Jua Cilliers, Sijekula Mbanga, Kerry Brown, Sumita Ghosh

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Neurological constructs are being applied in various fields; within urban studies and built environments, neurourbanism stands out. To understand this concept, this study seeks to conduct a scientometric analysis of the concept of neurourbanism. To do so, we gauged the intellectual structure and clarified the influencers and emerging themes while seeking to identify essential gaps in neurourbanism research in urban studies and the built environment. Data were sorted from Dimensions Artificial Intelligence platform because of its reliability in providing the needed dataset accurately, and the Citespace software was used to analyze the data. Our results suggest plurality in explaining the …

Genetic Liability Between Covid-19 And Heart Failure: Evidence From A Bidirectional Mendelian Randomization Study, Huachen Wang, Zheng Guo, Yulu Zheng, Bing Chen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Previous studies have observed inconsistent associations between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and heart failure (HF), but these studies were prone to bias based on reverse causality and residual confounding factors. We aimed to investigate genetic liability between COVID-19 and heart failure using a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study. Methods: The causal relationship between COVID-19 (including COVID-19, hospitalized COVID-19 compared with the general population, and severe COVID-19) and HF are determined by using a bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis. We drew on summary statistics from the largest HF genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis on individuals of European ancestry, which included 47,309 HF …

Western Australian Adolescent Emotional Wellbeing During The Covid-19 Pandemic In 2020, H. M. Thomas, K. C. Runions, L. Lester, K. Lombardi, M. Epstein, J. Mandzufas, T. Barrow, S. Ang, A. Leahy, M. Mullane, A. Whelan, J. Coffin, F. Mitrou, S. R. Zubrick, A. C. Bowen, P. W. Gething, D. Cross

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background:

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been vast and are not limited to physical health. Many adolescents have experienced disruptions to daily life, including changes in their school routine and family’s financial or emotional security, potentially impacting their emotional wellbeing. In low COVID-19 prevalence settings, the impact of isolation has been mitigated for most young people through continued face-to-face schooling, yet there may still be significant impacts on their wellbeing that could be attributed to the pandemic.

Methods:

We report on data from 32,849 surveys from Year 7–12 students in 40 schools over two 2020 survey cycles (June/July: …

Medicines And Vaccines Supply Chains Challenges In Nigeria: A Scoping Review, Victory O. Olutuase, Chinwe J. Iwu-Jaja, Cynthia P. Akuoko, Emmanuel O. Adewuyi, Vishnu Khanal

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background:

Medicines and vaccines supply chains represent critical systems for realising one of the major targets of the United Nations’ third Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)- access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable essential medicines and vaccines, for all. However, evidence suggests the system is confronted with several challenges in many low-medium income countries, including Nigeria. This scoping review aims to summarize the available evidence on the challenges of medicines and vaccines supply chain system in Nigeria.

Results:

We searched relevant databases including Scopus and Web of Science for studies published between January 2005 and August 2020 on the challenges associated …

Older Adults Access To Mental Health And Social Care Services During Covid-19 Restrictions In Western Australia, Claire Adams, Eyal Gringart, Daniel Mcaullay, Moira Sim, Brigitta Scarfe, Amy Budrikis, Natalie Strobel

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: This study aimed to understand the impact of COVID-19 on access to mental health and social services among older adults in Western Australia. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 194 adults aged ≥ 70 years or ≥ 60 years with chronic conditions. A questionnaire co-developed by a consumer reference group was used to collect data on social networks and service access. Frequency analyses were used to assess quantitative data. Qualitative data were assessed using thematic analyses. Results: 62.7 % of participants reported being not at all/slightly affected by COVID-19; 40.7 % reported having three/four people to chat with. …

Characterization And Determinant Factors Of Critical Illness And In-Hospital Mortality Of Covid-19 Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Of 1,792 Patients In Kenya, Isinta M. Elijah, Endawoke Amsalu, Xuening Jian, Mingyang Cao, Eric K. Mibei, Danvas O. Kerosi, Francis G. Mwatsahu, Wei Wang, Faith Onyangore, Youxin Wang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Limited data is available on the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), critical illness rate, and in-hospital mortality in the African setting. This study investigates determinants of critical illness and in-hospital mortality among COVID-19 patients in Kenya. We conducted a retrospective cohort study at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) in Kenya. Multivariate logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard regression were employed to determine predictor factors for intensive care unit (ICU) admission and in-hospital mortality, respectively. In addition, the Kaplan-Meier model was used to compare the survival times using log-rank tests. As a result, 346 (19.3 %) COVID-19 patients were admitted to ICU, and …

Proposing An Avenue For Suboptimal Health Research Through The Lens Of Tourism, Zheng Guo, Jun Wen, Danni Zheng, Zheng Yulu, Haifeng Hou, Wei Wang, Suboptimal Health Study Consortium (Shsc)

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The COVID-19 outbreak has posed tremendous threats to both global health and individuals’ psychological and physiological well-being. Scholars across the social and medical sciences are calling for multidisciplinary research regarding how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected global health [1]. As daily stressors continue to accumulate, the number of people reporting health complaints that cannot be detected by laboratory measures is on the rise [2,3]. These conditions can be complex and challenging to define but are generally deemed as “suboptimal health” [4]. Suboptimal health status (SHS) refers to a reversible state between health and illness [2]. It is characterized by health …

Early Th2 Inflammation In The Upper Respiratory Mucosa As A Predictor Of Severe Covid-19 And Modulation By Early Treatment With Inhaled Corticosteroids: A Mechanistic Analysis, Jonathan R. Baker, Mahdi Mahdi, Dan V. Nicolau, Sanjay Ramakrishnan, Peter J. Barnes, Jodie L. Simpson, Steven P. Cass, Richard E. K. Russell, Louise E. Donnelly, Mona Bafadhel

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Community-based clinical trials of the inhaled corticosteroid budesonide in early COVID-19 have shown improved patient outcomes. We aimed to understand the inflammatory mechanism of budesonide in the treatment of early COVID-19. Methods: The STOIC trial was a randomised, open label, parallel group, phase 2 clinical intervention trial where patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive usual care (as needed antipyretics were only available treatment) or inhaled budesonide at a dose of 800 μg twice a day plus usual care. For this experimental analysis, we investigated the nasal mucosal inflammatory response in patients recruited to the STOIC trial and in …

Immune Response To Sars-Cov-2 Variants: A Focus On Severity, Susceptibility, And Preexisting Immunity, Eman Alefishat, Herbert F. Jelinek, Mira Mousa, Guan K. Tay, Habiba S. Alsafar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The heterogeneous phenotypes among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has drawn worldwide attention, especially those with severe symptoms without comorbid conditions. Immune responses to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative virus of COVID-19, occur mainly by the innate immune response via the interferon (IFN)-mediated pathways, and the adaptive immunity via the T lymphocyte and the antibody mediated pathways. The ability of the original Wuhan SARS-CoV-2 strain, and possibly more so with new emerging variants, to antagonize IFN-mediated antiviral responses can be behind the higher early viral load, higher transmissibility, and milder symptoms compared to SARS-CoV and are …

Acceptability Of Op/Na Swabbing For Sars-Cov-2: A Prospective Observational Cohort Surveillance Study In Western Australian Schools, Hannah M. Thomas, Marianne J. Mullane, Sherlynn Ang, Tina Barrow, Adele Leahy, Alexandra Whelan, Karen Lombardi, Matthew Cooper, Paul G. Stevenson, Leanne Lester, Andrea Padley, Lynn Sprigg, David Speers, Adam J. Merritt, Juli Coffin, Donna Cross, Peter Gething, Asha C. Bowen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objectives: When the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, Governments responded with lockdown and isolation measures to combat viral spread, including the closure of many schools. More than a year later, widespread screening for SARS-CoV-2 is critical to allow schools and other institutions to remain open. Here, we describe the acceptability of a minimally invasive COVID-19 screening protocol trialled by the Western Australian Government to mitigate the risks of and boost public confidence in schools remaining open. To minimise discomfort, and optimise recruitment and tolerability in unaccompanied children, a combined throat and nasal (OP/Na) swab was chosen over the nasopharyngeal swab commonly …

Vulnerable, Recalcitrant And Resilient: A Foucauldian Discourse Analysis Of Risk And Older People Within The Context Of Covid-19 News Media, Marjorie Skoss, Rachel Batten, Patricia Cain, Mandy Stanley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Risk is an innate and integral part of everyday life and is present in simple, everyday occupations and complex actions. Age-related stereotypes can mean older people have little opportunity to engage in activities that present some degree of risk. The present study explores the discourse around risk and older people in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated news media as a reflection of the dominant public discourse around older people's behaviour to identify how risk is represented in relation to occupational engagement. Texts relating to older people and COVID-19 were sourced from the West Australian newspaper for a …

Covid-19 Restrictions And Psychological Well-Being Of Fathers With Infants Admitted To Nicu—An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study, Esther Abena Adama, Flora Koliouli, Livio Provenzi, Nancy Feeley, Edwin Van Teijlingen, Jillian Ireland, Frances Thomson-Salo, Minesh Khashu, Finesse Group

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aim

To describe the impact of the COVID-19 restrictions on the caregiving activities and psychological well-being of fathers with infants admitted to neonatal units.

Methods

Cross-sectional study using adapted COPE-IS and COPE-IU tools. Participants' recruitment occurred online via social media and parents' associations. Online survey in English, French and Italian were distributed and promoted via websites and social media platforms of parent's associations. The study was undertaken across 12 countries in Asia, Australia, Africa and Europe.

Results

A total of 108 fathers of NICU infants completed the survey. COVID-19 related restrictions were categorised into 3 types: no restrictions, partial and …

Environmental Health Responses To Covid 19 In Western Australia: Lessons For The Future, Jacques Oosthuizen, Melissa Stoneham, Toni Hannelly, Edmore Masaka, Giverny Dodds, Victor Andrich

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The COVID-19 pandemic tested the health system of Western Australia (WA) and the relatively new overarching legislative framework that guided the state-wide public health response to the pandemic. This study aimed to evaluate the experiences and roles of environmental health officers (EHOs) in WA during the management of COVID-19 and to identify any policy changes that are needed to facilitate the rapid deployment of EHOs during a future public health crisis. An online survey with 78 respondents was administered and analysis was both qualitative and quantitative. It was found that participants believed there was inadequate resourcing, workforce shortages, increased workloads, …

Impact Of Covid-19 Lockdown On Physical Activity Behaviours Of Older Adults Who Participated In A Community-Based Exercise Program Prior To The Lockdown, Kaoru Nosaka, Caitlin Fox-Harding, Kazunori Nosaka

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study investigated the impact of the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown on community-dwelling older adults attending a community-based exercise program to seek strategies to keep them active during self-isolated situations. A two-phase mixed methods approach included a survey followed by in-person focus groups. Forty-eight participants, with 32 starting a community-based exercise program before the lockdown and 16 joining the program after the lockdown, completed a questionnaire survey about physical activities before and during the lockdown. This was followed by three focus groups (26 participants in total) to identify factors influencing physical activity behaviours found in the survey. The survey found that …