Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Ecology Of Emergency Care In Lower-Tier Healthcare Providers In Ghana: An Empirical Data-Driven Bayesian Network Analytical Approach, Ebenezer Afrifa-Yamoah, Victor F. Nunfam, Bernard A. Kwanin, Kwasi Frimpong

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The healthcare landscape in Ghana is primarily composed of lower-tier providers, which serve as the initial point of contact for most medical emergencies. This study aimed to assess the emergency care preparedness and readiness of primary healthcare providers using a robust evaluation approach. A multicentre retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 460 healthcare facilities using the standardised Health Facilities Emergency Preparedness Assessment Tool (HeFEPAT). Data were analysed via Bayesian Belief network. Emergency preparedness was associated with facility location, type, ownership, and in-charge personnel. Over 70% of facilities lacked specialised emergency/critical care personnel. Although 65% of in-charges reported protocol knowledge, only …

Editorial - Emerging Talents In Alloimmunity And Transplantation: 2022, Guido Moll, Wai H. Lim, Olaf Penack

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In modern transplant and biomedicine, a proper understanding of both allo- and auto-immune processes is of key importance to minimize acute and chronic graft failure and consecutive rejection/pathology through both cellular and humoral effector mechanisms . . .

Injury In Starting And Replacement Players From Five Professional Men’S Rugby Unions, Simon P. Roberts, Keith A. Stokes, Sean Williams, Stephen W. West, Simon Kemp, Matt Cross, Isabel S. Moore, Charlotte L. Bitchell, Prabhat Mathema, Ken Quarrie, Warren Mcdonald, Lauren Fortington, Eduardo R. Rubio Del Castillo, Clint Readhead, Nicola Sewry, Éanna Falvey, Ross Tucker

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the incidence, severity, and burden of injury in starting and replacement players from professional men’s teams of five rugby unions. Methods: Match injuries of greater than 24 h time-loss (including data on the severity, match quarter, event, body region) and player minutes of match exposure data were collated for all starting and replacement players in the men’s English Premiership, Welsh Pro14 (both 2016/17–2018/19 seasons), and Australian, New Zealand, and South African Super Rugby (all 2016–2018 seasons) teams. Injury incidences and mean injury burden (incidence × days missed) were calculated, and rate …

Nutrients And Polyphenols-Rich Sorghum Bicolor Genotypes As Complementary Therapy For Alzheimer’S Disease, Rasheed A. Abdulraheem, Ralph N. Martins, Prashant Bharadwaj, Zhaoyu Li, Ranil Coorey, Stuart Johnson, W. M. A. D. Binosha Fernando

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder and most common cause of dementia among older people. The main pathological hallmarks of AD are formation of insoluble amyloid beta senile plaques and paired helical filaments of neurofibrillary tangles. AD features gradual memory decline, mild to severe cognitive impairment, eventually total dependence of patients on caregivers. Currently available drugs have not been able to modify AD pathology. This has drawn increasing attention to plant food materials with high nutritional and bioactive constituents as potential complementary therapy for AD. Sorghum bicolor is a widely available cost-effective source of proteins, fats, crude fibres, …

Point Of View On Outcome Prediction Models In Post-Stroke Motor Recovery, Onno Van Der Groen, Manonita Ghosh, Richard Norman, Amy Kuceyeski, Ceren Tozlu, Teresa J. Kimberley, David J. Lin, Laurel J. Buxbaum, Gert Kwakkel, Steven C. Cramer, Dylan J. Edwards

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Stroke is a leading cause of disability worldwide which can cause significant and persistent upper limb (UL) impairment. It is difficult to predict UL motor recovery after stroke and to forecast the expected outcomes of rehabilitation interventions during the acute and subacute phases when using clinical data alone. Accurate prediction of response to treatment could allow for more timely and targeted interventions, thereby improving recovery, resource allocation, and reducing the economic impact of post-stroke disability. Initial motor impairment is currently the strongest predictor of post-stroke motor recovery. Despite significant progress, current prediction models could be refined with additional predictors, and …

Variations In Strength-Speed-Power Performance Across The Season: Do True Changes Occur In Elite Rugby Players?, Irineu Loturco, Chris Bishop, Santiago Zabaloy, Túlio B. M. A. Moura, Maurício S. Ramos, Lucas A. Pereira, Michael R. Mcguigan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study aimed to determine, through the use of a highly sensitive statistical tool, whether real changes in performance were present; and compare the rates of meaningful variations in strength, speed, and power parameters at different time-points during the competitive season in national team rugby players. Thirty-two players were assessed 5 times across the season using the following tests: squat jump and countermovement jump tests; 30-m sprint velocity; and one-repetition maximum (1RM) in the half-squat and bench-press exercises. A repeated-measures analysis of variance was conducted to test for differences between successive time-points. Individual coefficients of variation values were used to …

Effects Of Aerobic And Resistance Exercise For 9 Months On Serum Free Light Chains In Type 2 Diabetes, Youyoung Kim, John P. Campbell, Neil M. Johannsen, Timothy S. Church, Eunhan Cho, Jennifer Heaney, Guillaume Spielmann

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background and aims: Serum polyclonal free light chains (FLCs) levels are associated with overall survival in the general population, reflecting their utility as a biomarker of underlying immune activation and inflammation. Regular exercise is known to ameliorate low-grade inflammation in chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes; however, the effects of different exercise training modalities on FLCs in adults with type 2 diabetes is unknown. This study investigated the effects of 9-month of aerobic, resistance or combined supervised exercise on serum FLCs in 164 patients with type 2 diabetes (age 58 ± 8 years; 63% female). Methods: 164 participants from …

Enablers And Barriers Of Online Mindfulness-Based Interventions For Informal Carers: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review, Charunya Amilani Kumarihami Rambukwella Abeysinghe Mudiyanselage, Beverley Ewens, Aisling Smyth, Joanne Dickson, Seng Giap Marcus Ang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objectives: Informal carers are an integral part of any health care system. However, provision of informal care is associated with caregiver burden and decreased wellbeing. Mindfulness programs can reduce caregiving burden and improve wellbeing among informal carers, but they face challenges when participating in face-to-face programs. Studies have explored the effects of online delivery of mindfulness programs for informal carers. However, the enablers and barriers for participation are not well understood. This review aimed to synthesise the evidence and provide a comprehensive understanding of the enablers and barriers to participation in online mindfulness programs among this population. Methods: A mixed-methods …

Impact On Help-Seeking Behaviours Of A Campaign Perceived To Decrease Stigma And Increase Openness Around Mental Health, Robert J. Donovan, Catherine F. Drane, Ziggi I. Santini, Geoffrey Jalleh

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Issue Addressed: There is considerable evidence that public stigma around mental illness inhibits help-seeking for mental health problems. Hence there have been many interventions and campaigns designed to reduce stigma around mental illness. However, as far as could be ascertained, none of these stigma reduction interventions has reported any substantial impact of reducing stigma on people's mental health help-seeking behaviours. The aim of this paper is to report on the impact of the Act-Belong-Commit positive mental health promotion Campaign on help-seeking via increasing perceived openness around mental health and reducing perceived stigma around mental illness. Methods: State-wide computer assisted telephone …

It Takes It Out Of The Textbook: Benefits Of And Barriers To Expert By Experience Involvement In Pre-Registration Mental Health Nursing Education, Brenda Happell, Sarah Gordon, John Hurley, Kim Foster, Mike Hazelton, Richard Lakeman, Lorna Moxham, Terri Warner

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

What Is Known on the Subject?: Service user involvement in mental health nursing education is beneficial in terms of attitudinal change to reduce stigma, clinical skill development and enhancing understandings of recovery-oriented practice. Service users as experts by experience have not been embedded within pre-registration nursing programs. Consequently, they remain limited in number, ad hoc and frequently tokenistic. Nurse academics responsible for the design and delivery of pre-registration mental health nursing curricula have a potentially important role in facilitating expert by experience involvement in mental health nursing education. What this Paper Adds to Existing Knowledge: Nurse academics teaching mental health …

Pulmonary Embolism Response Teams. A Description Of The First 36-Month Australian Experience, Bapti Roy, Jin Gun Cho, Luke Baker, Liza Thomas, Jennifer Curnow, John J. Harvey, Paul Geenty, Ashoke Banerjee, Kevin Lai, Mauro Vicaretti, Odette Erksine, Jane Li, Rafid Alasady, Vanessa Wong, Jian E. Tai, Caitlin Thirunavukarasu, Imran Haque, Jimmy Chien

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: High/intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) confers increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. International guidelines recommend the formation of a PE response team (PERT) for PE management because of the complexity of risk stratification and emerging treatment options. However, there are currently no available Australian data regarding outcomes of PE managed through a PERT. Aims: To analyse the clinical and outcome data of patients from an Australian centre with high/intermediate-risk PE requiring PERT-guided management. Methods: We performed a retrospective observational study of 75 consecutive patients with high/intermediate-risk PE who had PERT involvement, between August 2018 and July 2021. We recorded …

Recovery From Sport-Induced Muscle Damage In Relation To Match-Intervals In Major Events, Kazunori Nosaka, Trevor C. Chen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Muscle damage could affect the next match performance in sports when the time to recover from a previous match is shorter. We examined the interval between matches in nine team sports (e.g., soccer, rugby, field hockey, basketball, volleyball, baseball) and two racket sports (badminton, tennis) in World Cups held in 2022-2023, 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and Gland Slam in 2023. We then performed narrative review using three electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar) to get information about muscle damage and recovery in the 11 sports, and discussed whether the intervals in the events would be enough for athletes. We found …

Seven-Day Dietary Nitrate Supplementation Clinically Significantly Improves Basal Macrovascular Function In Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Crossover Clinical Trial, Jocelyn M. Delgado Spicuzza, Jigar Gosalia, Liezhou Zhong, Catherine Bondonno, Kristina S. Petersen, Mary Jane De Souza, Elmira Alipour, Daniel B. Kim-Shapiro, Yasina B. Somani, David N. Proctor

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in women, with increased risk following menopause. Dietary intake of beetroot juice and other plant-based nitrate-rich foods is a promising non-pharmacological strategy for increasing systemic nitric oxide and improving endothelial function in elderly populations. The purpose of this randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover clinical trial was to determine the effects of short-term dietary nitrate (NO3−) supplementation, in the form of beetroot juice, on resting macrovascular endothelial function and endothelial resistance to whole-arm ischemia–reperfusion (IR) injury in postmenopausal women at two distinct stages of menopause. Methods: Early-postmenopausal [1–6 years following their final …

The Impact Of Mandated Use Early Warning System Tools On The Development Of Nurses' Higher-Order Thinking: A Systematic Review, Tracy Flenady, Justine Connor, Amy Louise Byrne, Deb Massey, Marie Danielle Le Lagadec

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aim: Ascertain the impact of mandated use of early warning systems (EWSs) on the development of registered nurses' higher-order thinking. Design: A systematic literature review was conducted, following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and checklist (Page et al., 2021). Data Sources: CINAHL, Medline, Embase, PyscInfo. Review Methods: Eligible articles were quality appraised using the MMAT tool. Data extraction was conducted independently by four reviewers. Three investigators thematically analysed the data. Results: Our review found that EWSs can support or suppress the development of nurses' higher-order thinking. EWS supports the development of higher-order thinking in two …

The Influence Of Culture On The Health Beliefs And Health Behaviours Of Older Vietnam-Born Australians Living With Chronic Disease, Thi Ngoc Minh Nguyen, Rosemary Saunders, Gordana Dermody, Lisa Whitehead

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aim: To explore the health beliefs and health behaviours of older Vietnam-born people living with chronic disease in Western Australia. Design: This study was designed as a focused ethnography guided by the interpretative research paradigm and Leininger's Theory of Culture Care. Methods: Data were collected through participant observation and interviews undertaken at participants' homes in Western Australia over 7 months in 2019. Data were analysed using Wolcott's approach for transferring qualitative data, comprising three phases: description, thematic analysis and interpretation. Results: This study included 12 participants. The health perspectives and practices of older Vietnam-born Australians significantly reflected the traditional Vietnamese …

How 'Strong' Is The British Army?, Peter Ladlow, C. Suffield, J. P. Greeves, Paul Comfort, J. Hughes, R. P. Cassidy, A. N. Bennett, R. J. Coppack

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

One of six research themes outlined in the 2021 Strategic Delivery Plan for UK Defence Medical Services (DMS) Research 2021–2026 is ‘preventing and treating musculoskeletal injury (MSKI)’.1 The research priorities identified include: ‘injury prevention and prehabilitation’, ‘lower-limb injury’, ‘shortened time to return-to-service’ and ‘physical comorbidity’. The strategic development plan also identified a need for research investigating ‘factors affecting deployment suitability and how they can be assessed and mitigated’. . . .

Changes In Sleep Effort Mediate Insomnia Severity In Older Adults Following Online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Yvonne Kutzer, Lisa Whitehead, Eimear Quigley, Mandy Stanley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background

To examine treatment mechanisms of digitally delivered cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), this study assessed the mediating effects of dysfunctional beliefs, hyperarousal, locus of control, self-efficacy, sleep effort, and safety behaviours on self-reported insomnia severity in older adults before and following the completion of a self-guided, online CBT-I program.

Methods

The baseline and follow-up measurements were completed by 62 older adults (55 female, 89%). This was a two-condition within-participant design. Mediation analysis using a parallel mediation model was conducted using the MEMORE macro for repeated measure designs.

Results

Out of all the included mediator variables, only a reduction …

Editorial Welcome, Stacy Smallfield, Nancy Krusen, Nicole Martino

Translational Science in Occupation

No abstract provided.

Translational Science Is Occupation, Stacy Smallfield, Wanda J. Mahoney

Translational Science in Occupation

No abstract provided.

Intersections Of Occupational Therapy And Translational Science, M Nicole Martino

Translational Science in Occupation

No abstract provided.

Knowledge Translation Through A Camera Lens, Nancy E. Krusen

Translational Science in Occupation

The journal Translational Science in Occupation (TSO) embraces art and science through the inclusion of a humanities section within the journal. Health humanities gives insight into the human condition (Health Humanities Consortium, 2021). Health humanities enables us to explore daily life occupation, reveal our similarities and differences, and to translate human experience through a variety of media. The following photographs represent concepts of knowledge translation through my camera lens.

Pilot Study Evaluating A Brief Chronic Pain Education Program In Occupational Therapy Practitioners, Occupational Therapy Students, And Lay People, Rose Mcandrew, Jacob Sturtevant, Vicki K. Kaskutas

Translational Science in Occupation

Background: Chronic pain and resultant disability can persist long after tissue healing. Past research suggests educating individuals about chronic pain is efficacious in changing knowledge, health beliefs, and healthcare utilization. This study piloted an educational intervention to teach participants about the nature of chronic, nociplastic pain.

Design: Pre-post study using three groups: occupational therapy (OT) practitioners, OT students, and lay people.

Methods: Participants rated their agreement with four statements pre-intervention regarding the relationship between chronic pain, tissue damage, and activity performance to ascertain accurate knowledge. Participants were presented with studies comparing acute and chronic pain and acknowledging that some people …

Evaluation Of A Student Experiential Learning Clinic For Hand Therapy Using A Logic Model, Rose Mcandrew, Nathaniel Baniqued, Vicki Kaskutas

Translational Science in Occupation

Student clinics (SC) provide experiential learning opportunities in occupational therapy (OT) education that develop clinical reasoning, while providing much needed rehabilitation to under and un-insured patients in the community. The Student Experiential Learning Clinic for Hand Therapy (SELC-HT) is a SC that used a logic model for planning, implementing, and evaluating the SELC-HT. The purpose of this study is to report on outcome data on students and patients, as outlined in the evaluation phase of the logic model.

The 13 OT master/doctorate students, who delivered care in the SELC-HT, demonstrated growth in self-reported hand therapy knowledge (p=0.002) measured with …

Examining Occupation-Based Outcome Measure Use In A Neurologic Outpatient Occupational Therapy Setting: A Knowledge Translation Initiative, Elizabeth Yost, Suzanne Trojanowski, Taylor Jarnigin, Kevin De Bear, Amy Yorke

Translational Science in Occupation

Abstract

Importance: Occupation-based outcome measures (OBOMs) are an evidence-based recommendation for occupational therapy evaluations. Knowledge translation (KT) is a process used to help integrate evidence into clinical practice. The authors identified a KT opportunity to examine occupational therapy practitioners’ (OTPs) use of outcome measures in an outpatient practice setting and assess a Know-Do Gap as the first step in the Action phase of a KT initiative.

Objective: Describe the frequency and types of outcome measures documented in occupational therapy (OT) evaluations, with a focus on OBOMs.

Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study.

Setting: Three outpatient clinic sites (under one parent company) in …

Mapping Occupational Therapy Interventions In Adult Patients With Post-Covid Diagnosis: A Scoping Review, Jennifer Ng, Hannah Franks, Marissa Halvorson, Sarah Malone, Claudia L. Hilton Phd, Karthik Mani

Translational Science in Occupation

Importance: Post-COVID patients experience difficulties in their everyday lives due to the persistent nature of their symptoms. This scoping review explores the role of occupational therapists in treating post-COVID patients and examines occupational therapy intervention options for this population.

Objective: This scoping review seeks to answer the following questions: What does the literature say about the role of occupational therapy with post-COVID patients? Which rehabilitation interventions are currently being utilized for treatment? How often are occupational therapists involved in the treatment of and research of post-COVID patient care?

Data Sources: Articles were obtained through an exhaustive search in the following …

Computer-Based Simulation In Occupational Therapy Lecture Courses: A Program Evaluation Of Simulation Implementation, Lacy Wright, Lauren Foster, Lisa Mische Lawson

Translational Science in Occupation

The COVID-19 pandemic expedited the use of computer-based simulations in occupational therapy educational programs. Research supports computer-based simulations as an alternative to in-person clinical fieldwork experiences. However, a knowledge gap exists for the instructional design and implementation of computer-based simulations within occupational therapy lecture courses. In this program evaluation, faculty explored and implemented computer-based simulations in pediatric lecture courses, combining simulation best practices and varying instructional designs. Entry-level occupational therapy doctorate students shared their perspectives through a survey design quality improvement study. Student responses were gathered using the Simulation Evaluation Tool-Modified (SET-M) questionnaire and Student Feedback Survey to gather quantitative …

Wheatbelt Food Community: Snapshot Report, Isabelle Chiera, Jess Doe, Amanda Devine, Melissa Stoneham, Stephanie L. Godrich

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Food security refers to the adequate physical, social, and economic access to healthy food at all times. The Wheatbelt Food Community project aimed to identify, map, evaluate and strengthen food security initiatives across the region, to support food security action. This report outlines the findings from the Wheatbelt Food Community project, detailing the different types of food security initiatives operating within the region. It provides a summary of how Wheatbelt initiatives are contributing to food security systems change, and how they are working in partnership to deliver their food security initiatives. Based on these findings, region-based recommendations are provided to …

Parental Assessment Of Postsurgical Pain In Infants At Home Using Artificial Intelligence–Enabled And Observer-Based Tools: Construct Validity And Clinical Utility Evaluation Study, Fatos Sada, Paola Chivers, Sokol Cecelia, Sejdi Statovci, Kujtim Ukperaj, Jeffery Hughes, Kreshnik Hoti

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Pain assessment in the infant population is challenging owing to their inability to verbalize and hence self-report pain. Currently, there is a paucity of data on how parents identify and manage this pain at home using standardized pain assessment tools. Objective: This study aimed to explore parents’ assessment and intervention of pain in their infants at home following same-day surgery, using standardized pain assessment tools. Methods: This prospective study initially recruited 109 infant boys undergoing circumcision (same-day surgery). To assess pain at home over 3 days after surgery, parents using iOS devices were assigned to use the PainChek Infant …

Study Protocol For A Nested Process Evaluation Of A Complex Discharge Planning Intervention (Home Rehab) To Improve Participation After First-Stroke, Sandra Reeder, Mandy Stanley, Laura J. Jolliffe, Natasha A. Lannin

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability, and the transition from hospital to home can be fraught with challenges. The HOME Rehab trial is designed to address if better health outcomes for stroke survivors can be achieved with a contextually relevant and tailored occupational therapy discharge planning and support intervention. Process evaluations inform clinical trial findings and future scale up, as well as how to implement a successful intervention effectively into policy and practice. This paper describes the protocol we are using in the HOME Rehab process evaluation planning and activities.

Methods: Using a theoretically informed approach, mixed …

Neuromuscular Adaptations To Different Set Configurations During A Periodized Power Training Block In Elite Junior Judokas, Dale M. Harris, Dustin J. Oranchuk, Christopher Latella

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Although the impacts of traditional sets (TS) versus cluster (CL) sets resistance training have been broadly explored among recreationally trained populations, no studies have previously compared these set configurations among elite Judokas. Twenty-two elite male and female Judokas (age = 17.5 ± 1.2 years) performed identical periodized 4-week hypertrophy and strength blocks (8 weeks in total). Following this, for the final 4-week power training block, the cohort was separated into either TS (n = 11) or CL (n = 11) set structures. CL were prescribed by including 45-second intra-set rest every two repetitions. One-repetition maximum (1RM) and peak barbell velocities …