Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

An Exploration Of The Relationship Between Aphasia Therapy, Depression And Quality Of Life In Post-Stroke Patients After Rehabilitation At 12 And 26 Weeks After Stroke: A Verse Sub-Study, Alia Rashid Khan

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Background: Depression is a common consequence of stroke, and people with aphasia (PWA) post-stroke have a higher risk of developing depression compared to stroke survivors without aphasia. However, current stroke interventions featuring aphasia therapy tend to neglect the effect of the treatment on mood. There is also a lack of evidence on the impact of stroke education and counselling on PWA in early stroke recovery. Additionally, the research on post-stroke depression often excludes or insufficiently describes PWA in study populations. The influence of direct aphasia therapy on depression in PWA is undetermined. This sub-study investigated: i) the effect of …

Factors Associated With Anxiety, Depression, Burnout, And Ptsd In Australian Paramedics, Timothy Rankin

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Background

Paramedics are at higher risk of anxiety, depression, burnout, and PTSD compared to the general population. Factors that have been associated with mental disorders include occupational stress, fatigue, sleep quality, chronic pain, physical activity, perceived social support, and overall quality of life. To date only a few of these factors have been investigated simultaneously in Australian paramedics.

Aim

This study aimed to investigate occupational stress, fatigue, sleep quality, chronic pain, physical activity, perceived social support, and overall quality of life, and their associations with anxiety, depression, burnout and PTSD in Australian paramedics.

Methods

Sixty-three paramedics, working for ambulance services …

Breathing New Life: Investigating Ways To Improve The Mental Health Of People Living With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease In Western Australia, Tina Phan

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Anxiety and depression are common comorbidities in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), contributing to greater morbidity and mortality in an already vulnerable population. Despite the prevalence, few recommendations exist in global management guidelines for the detection and treatment of these comorbidities, reflecting the limited literature available on effective strategies for dealing with mental health issues in COPD populations. There is promising evidence that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) improves mental health outcomes in people with COPD. However, investigational studies have commonly reported participants’ lack of transport, lack of time and illness as barriers to recruitment and successful completion. This …

Factors Influencing Resilience Among Haematological Cancer Survivors, Katherine S. Gallager

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Haematological cancers in bone marrow (leukaemia) and the immune system (lymphomas or myeloma) represent the sixth most common adult tumour group in Australia. These cancers often develop without warning and require intensive treatment regimes that last on average eight months, but may continue for a lifetime depending on the diagnosis. Encouragingly, advancing cancer treatments, a key accomplishment of cancer research over the past 40 years, have resulted in a growing community of cancer survivors. Approximately two in three adults diagnosed with haematological cancer (HC) can now expect to survive more than five years. However, they must attempt to navigate the …

The Distinct Contributions Of Affective Distress And Personality To Memory Complaints Made In Older Adulthood, Matthew Robert Merema

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Whilst a substantial amount of research has investigated the role of affective distress and features of personality in memory complaints made by older adults, little effort has been directed towards understanding their distinct contributions to complaints. Given considerable overlap between affective distress and features of personality, such evidence is necessary to inform theoretical frameworks pertaining to memory complaints and clarify results from other empirical studies examining these concepts. Consequently, the current study examined symptoms of depression and anxiety as predictors of memory complaints within the context of features of personality and other relevant contextual variables (i.e., age, gender, education, premorbid …

Examining The Appeal And Ascribed Meanings Of Complementary And Alternative Medicine (Cam) Use By Males: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Kathryn V. Hogan

Theses : Honours

Men are commonly and consistently underrepresented in global depression rates, however figure predominantly in rates for substance abuse and suicide. It has been suggested that men’s under-utilisation of mental health services accounts for the discrepancy between the genders and that hegemonic masculine stereotypes have created a barrier for males in seeking help for mood disorders. The use of Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM) has been expanding globally, with research showing in some instances of self-diagnosed depression and anxiety, CAM is being utilised more often than mainstream health care services. The present study explored the personal meanings of males who currently …

Auditory Hallucinations And The Presence Of Depression In Chronic Schizophrenia, Julie Proctor

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This exploratory study examined the predictive relationship among the dimensions of auditory hallucinations and the presence of depression in chronic schizophrenia. Forty seven out-patients from the Inner City Community Mental Health Service participated, all of whom had a diagnosis of chronic schizophrenia and reported experiencing auditory hallucinations. The measures included the Calgary Rating Scale fur Schizophrenia, the Auditory Hallucinations Rating Scale, the Beliefs About Voices Questionnaire and three questions relating to insight into auditory hallucinations from the Schedule for the Assessment of Insight-Expanded Edition. Consistent with other reports, the present study found a prevalence of depressive symptoms in over 40% …

General Practitioners And Depression In Older Adult Males : Ageism, Physical Problems And Treatment, Gary M. Duggan

Theses : Honours

Depression in older adults can have fatal consequences if undetected and not treated. Comparisons of studies are difficult because of the lack of methodical consistency. The literature is reviewed with regard to the definition, prevalence, consequences, recognition, treatment and prognosis of depression in relation to general practitioners (GPs) and with particularly regard to elderly males. The research indicates poor recognition and treatment of depression in older adults, despite the research indicating that older adults have a similar prognosis as younger adults, when the depression is treated. Factors influencing the detection of depression are included.