Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Treat The Cause: Evidence-Based Practice, James M. Rippe, Michael Greger, David L. Katz, John H. Kelly, Margaret Moore, Darren Morton

Darren Morton

Darren was invited by the board of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine to represent the Australasian Lifestyle Medicine perspective on the opening panel of the 2014 American College of Lifestyle Medicine conference in San Diego (Nov, 2014). The dialogue, intended for an international audience, was later published as the mentioned journal article.

Physical Activity And Health: “What Is Old Is New Again”, Andrew P. Hills, Steven J. Street, Nuala Byrne

Nuala Byrne

Much recent interest has focused on the relationship between physical activity and health and supported with an abundance of scientific evidence. However, the concept of Exercise is Medicine™copromoted by the American College of Sports Medicine and American Medical Association and similar august bodies worldwide is far from new— the importance of exercise for health has been reported for centuries. Participation in regular physical activity and exercise provides numerous benefits for health with such benefits typically varying according to the volume completed as reflected by intensity, duration, and frequency. Evidence suggests a dose–response relationship such that being active, even to a …

Child Obesity Service Provision: A Cross-Sectional Survey Of Physiotherapy Practice Trends And Professional Needs, Nikki Milne, Nancy Low Choy, Gary Leong, Roger Hughes, Wayne Hing

Dr Nikki Milne

This study explored current physiotherapy practice trends for management of children who are overweight or obese. The professional needs of physiotherapists working with this population were also assessed, including the perceived need for physiotherapy clinical guidelines for prevention and management of children with obesity. A cross-sectional survey design was used, with questionnaires purposefully distributed through 13 key physiotherapy services throughout Australia. Snowball sampling resulted in completed questionnaires from 64 physiotherapists who provided services to children. Half (n = 33, 52%) of respondents provided services specifically to overweight or obese children. Of those providing services, one-quarter had prior training specific to …

Consumers’ Questions About Antipsychotic Medication: Revealing Safety Concerns And The Silent Voices Of Young Men, Rianne Weersink, Katja Taxis, Treasure Mcguire, Miere Van Driel

Treasure McGuire

Purpose: Little is known about consumer information needs regarding antipsychotic medicines. Medicines call centre (MCC)-derived data are underutilised; and could provide insight into issues of importance to consumers. This study aimed to explore consumers’ information needs about antipsychotic medication sought from a national MCC in Australia. Methods: Questions received by the National Prescribing Service Medicines Line relating to antipsychotic medication from September 2002 to June 2010 were examined by antipsychotic subclass and in relation to other medication queries. Results: We identified 6,295 calls related to antipsychotic medication. While female callers predominated, the percentage of males with antipsychotic questions was statistically …

When Simplifying Life Is Not So Bad: The Link Between Rigidity, Stressful Life Events, And Mental Health In An Undergraduate Population, Joseph Ciarrochi, Frank Deane, Terry Said

joseph Ciarrochi

Decades of research have generally shown that being more rigid is associated with poorer mental health. We investigated whether all aspects of what has been termed “rigidity” are harmful. In particular, we hypothesized that the desire for simple structure (DSS) will not be associated with poor mental health, and in some cases might be associated with better mental health. In contrast, the intolerance of uncertainty (IU) was hypothesized to be associated with a wide range of indices of poor mental health. We also hypothesized that people high in IU would be less resilient in the face of stressful life events. …

Cognitive Ability And Health-Related Behaviors During Adolescence: A Prospective Study Across Five Years, Joseph Ciarrochi, Patrick Heaven, Timothy Skinner

joseph Ciarrochi

Longitudinal research on the links between intelligence and health behaviors among adolescents is rare. We report longitudinal data in which we assessed the relationships between intelligence as assessed in Grade 7 and consequential health outcomes in Grade 11. The mean age of respondents (N=420; 188 males, 232 females) was 12.30 years (SD=0.49) in Grade 7and 16.17 years (SD=0.45) in Grade 11. They completed standardized verbal and numerical ability tests and a measure of conscientiousness in Grade 7 and health related questions in Grade 11. Results indicated that higher intelligence was associated with a number of healthy behaviors including delay in …

Disadvantages Of Being An Individualist In An Individualistic Culture: Idiocentrism, Emotional Competence, Stress, And Mental Health, Gregory Scott, Joseph Ciarrochi, Frank Deane

joseph Ciarrochi

Based on past cross-cultural research, it was hypothesised that people who had strong individualistic values and beliefs within an individualistic culture would have smaller social support networks, lower emotional competence, lower intentions to seek help from a variety of sources, and poorer mental health. A total of 276 first-year students attending an Australian university completed an anonymous survey assessing individual differences in individualism (i.e., idiocentrism), social support, emotional competence, hopelessness, depression, and suicide ideation. As expected, idiocentrism was associated with smaller and less satisfying social support networks, less skill in managing both self and others' emotions, lower intentions to seek …

Emotional Intelligence Moderates The Relationship Between Stress And Mental Health, Joseph Ciarrochi, Frank Deane, Stephen Anderson

joseph Ciarrochi

Despite a great deal of popular interest and the development of numerous training programs in emotional intelligence (EI), some researchers have argued that there is little evidence that EI is both useful and different from other, well established constructs. We hypothesized that EI would make a unique contribution to understanding the relationship between stress and three important mental health variables, depression, hopelessness, and suicidal ideation. University students (n=302) participated in a cross-sectional study that involved measuring life stress, objective and self-reported emotional intelligence, and mental health. Regression analyses revealed that stress was associated with: (1) greater reported depression, hopelessness, and …

Relations Between Social And Emotional Competence And Mental Health: A Construct Validation Study, Joseph Ciarrochi, Gregory Scott, Frank Deane, Patrick Heaven

joseph Ciarrochi

Researchers working fairly independently of each other have created numerous measures of social and emotional competence (SEC). These measures tend to correlate (sometimes highly) with each other and with measures of stressful events, suggesting potential redundancy. We evaluated which, if any, SEC variables predicted unique variance in social and mental health after controlling for other SEC variables in the study and the impact of stressful events. Three-hundred and thirty-one university students participated in an anonymous, cross-sectional study. We measured stressful events, and a wide variety of SECs, including: social problem solving skill (effective problem orientation, automatic processing, and problem solving), …

Professionalism Under Fire: Conflict, War And Epidemics, Michelle Mclean, Vikram Jha, John Sandars

Michelle McLean

Today’s medical students (tomorrow’s doctors) will be entering a world of conflict, war and regular outbreaks of infectious diseases. Despite numerous international declarations and treaties protecting human rights, the last few decades has been fraught with reports of ‘‘lapses’’ in medical professionalism involving torture and force-feeding of detainees (e.g. captured during the War on Terror) and health care professionals refusing to treat infected patients (e.g. HIV and Ebola). This paper provides some historical background to the changing status of a physician’s duty to treat and how medical practitioners came to be involved in the inhumane treatment of detainees during the …

Child Obesity Service Provision: A Cross-Sectional Survey Of Physiotherapy Practice Trends And Professional Needs, Nikki Milne, Nancy Low Choy, Gary Leong, Roger Hughes, Wayne Hing

Wayne Hing

This study explored current physiotherapy practice trends for management of children who are overweight or obese. The professional needs of physiotherapists working with this population were also assessed, including the perceived need for physiotherapy clinical guidelines for prevention and management of children with obesity. A cross-sectional survey design was used, with questionnaires purposefully distributed through 13 key physiotherapy services throughout Australia. Snowball sampling resulted in completed questionnaires from 64 physiotherapists who provided services to children. Half (n = 33, 52%) of respondents provided services specifically to overweight or obese children. Of those providing services, one-quarter had prior training specific to …

Identified Health Concerns And Changes In Management Resulting From The Healthy Kids Check In Two Queensland Practices, Rae Thomas, Jenny Doust, Kartik Vasan, Bianca Rajapakse, Leanne Mcgregor, Evan Ackermann, Chris Del Mar

Jenny Doust

Objectives: To determine how many children had health problems identified by the Healthy Kids Check (HKC) and whether this resulted in changes to clinical management. Design, setting and participants: A medical records audit from two Queensland general practices, identifying 557 files of children who undertook an HKC between January 2010 and May 2013. Main outcome measures: Child health problems identified in the medical records before, during and after the HKC. Results: Most children in our sample had no problems detected in their medical record (56%), 21% had problems detected during the HKC assessment, 19% had problems detected before, and 4% …

Identified Health Concerns And Changes In Management Resulting From The Healthy Kids Check In Two Queensland Practices, Rae Thomas, Jenny Doust, Kartik Vasan, Bianca Rajapakse, Leanne Mcgregor, Evan Ackermann, Chris Del Mar

Rae Thomas

Objectives: To determine how many children had health problems identified by the Healthy Kids Check (HKC) and whether this resulted in changes to clinical management. Design, setting and participants: A medical records audit from two Queensland general practices, identifying 557 files of children who undertook an HKC between January 2010 and May 2013. Main outcome measures: Child health problems identified in the medical records before, during and after the HKC. Results: Most children in our sample had no problems detected in their medical record (56%), 21% had problems detected during the HKC assessment, 19% had problems detected before, and 4% …

Shoulder Pain In Primary Care Part 2: Predictors Of Clinical Outcome To 12 Months, Mark Laslett, Michael Steele, Wayne Hing, Peter Mcnair, Angela Cadogan

Wayne Hing

Objective: Identify predictor variables and models for clinical outcomes for primary care shoulder pain patients to 12 months follow-up. Design: A non-randomized audit with measures of pain and disability at 3 weeks, 3, 6 and 12 months. Patients: Of 208 patients, 161 agreed to participate with 96.9, 98.1, 87.0 and 83.9% follow-up at 3 weeks, 3, 6 and 12 months respectively. Treatment consisted of exercise and manual therapy-based physiotherapy and corticosteroid injection under specified selection criteria. Methods: Potentially useful baseline variables were evaluated in univariate logistic regressions with the dependent variables determined by SPADI Questionnaire at 3 weeks, 3, 6 …

Shoulder Pain Patients In Primary Care Part 1: Clinical Outcomes Over 12 Months Following Standardized Diagnostic Workup, Corticosteroid Injections, And Community Based Care, Mark Laslett, Michael Steele, Wayne Hing, Peter Mcnair, Angela Cadogan

Wayne Hing

Objective: Measure changes in pain and disability of primary care shoulder pain patients over a 12-month period. Design: A non-randomized audit with repeated measures of pain and disability at 3 weeks, 3, 6 and 12 months. Patients: Of 208 patients, 161 agreed to participate with 96.9%, 98.1%, 86.3%, 83.9% follow-up at 3 weeks, at 3, 6 & 12 months, respectively. Mean age was 44 years, mean symptom duration 3.6 months. Methods: Patients were treated with protocol driven corticosteroid injection and community based care. Primary outcome measure was the Shoulder Pain and Disability index (SPADI) questionnaire. Based on the SPADI and …

"…Is It Normal To Be This Sore?": Using An Online Forum To Investigate Barriers To Physical Activity., Tammy Toscos, Sunny Consolvo, David Mcdonald

Tammy R Toscos

The importance of regular physical activity to overall health has been well established, yet U.S. adults are leading increasingly sedentary lives. Research suggests that lowering perceived barriers to physical activity is a critical part of interventions that encourage physical activity. In this paper, we describe the top five barriers—two of which have not been reported as principle barriers in the literature—that emerged from our systematic qualitative coding of an online forum used to support a three month healthy lifestyle intervention. Based on our analysis, we identify design considerations for technologies that encourage and support physical activity. Understanding the needs of …

Communicating With Parents And Children About Screening Results, Tammy Hoffmann, Rae Thomas, Chris Del Mar

Rae Thomas

Conducting a screening program is one thing, communicating the results to individuals is another altogether. We believe effective communication to to be the nexus of health decision-making. How you convey screening choices and results to parents, teachers, and children may have both positive and negative consequences to parental and teacher perceptions of the child's behavior, expectations of his/her future development, and the child's view of themselves. In this chapter, we address the challenges and necessity of informed consent, the importance of understanding the implications of false positive and false negative results, and the potential consequences of communcating screening results. We …

'Do More, Smoke Less!' Harm Reduction In Action For Smokers With Mental Health/Substance Use Problems Who Cannot Or Will Not Quit, Amanda Baker, Robin Callister, Peter Kelly, Kypros Kypri

Peter Kelly

Although smoking rates among mental health/substance abusing populations are very high, the focus of treatment and research has tended to be on substances other than tobacco.A range of harm-reduction strategies is needed, including long-term nicotine maintenance, smokeless tobacco and ‘clean’ nicotine products. For those who cannot or will not quit, assistance in reducing smoking should be given. Interventions for smoking among people with mental health/substance use problems may best be delivered by addressing multiple health-risk behaviours, especially physical activity, around the same time. [Baker AL, Callister R, Kelly PJ, Kypri K. ‘Do more, smoke less!’ Harm reduction in action for …

Establishing The Need For Multiple Health Behaviour Change Interventions Within Residential Substance Abuse Services: Results From A Participant Survey, Peter Kelly, A Baker, Frances Kay-Lambkin, Frank Deane, Billie Bonevski

Peter Kelly

No abstract provided.

Situational And Financial Barriers To Prenatal Care In A Sample Of Low-Income, Inner-City Women, P. St Clair, V. Smeriglio, C. Alexander, F. Connell, Jennifer Niebyl

Jennifer R Niebyl

The relationship between the use of prenatal care and factors that may impede access to care was examined in a sample of low-income, inner-city women. Situational and financial barriers to care were not important correlates of utilization. In unadjusted analyses, only insurance status and employment status were associated with utilization. Of the sociodemographic characteristics studied, only parity was strongly associated with the use of prenatal care. When the apparent associations between utilization and insurance status and utilization and employment were analyzed controlling for parity, the estimated strength and statistical significance of these relationships diminished considerably. Multiparous women who were more …

Environmental Issues For The Twenty-First Century And Their Impact On Human Health, Richard B. Philp

Richard B. Philp

This text is available from the author on CD in Word format. It deals with current environmental pollution issues, their effects on human health (e.g. the Gulf oil spill) and offers some remedies.

Bioethics In Canada, Charles Weijer, Anthony Skelton, Samantha Brennan

Samantha Brennan

This comprehensive introduction to bioethical issues emphasizes Canadian policies, issues, and scholars. Using the human lifespan as an organizing narrative, Bioethics in Canada explores ethical theories through a diverse selection of readings discussing traditional and cutting-edge topics in the field.

Readership : Bioethics in Canada is a core text for bioethics courses, generally offered in second- or third-year through philosophy departments at Canadian universities.

http://www.oupcanada.com/catalog/9780195440157.html

Primary Health Care Responses To Onsite Psychologist Support, Helen Winefield, John Marley, John Taplin, Justin Beilby, Deborah Turnbull, Ian Wilson, Brian Williams

Ian G Wilson

With the aim of improving early intervention for mental disorders, the 'Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care' initiative is now providing funding for mental health specialists to work in Divisions of General Practice. A key determinant of how this innovation is received is likely to be the readiness on the part of General Practitioners (GPs) and their patients to accept psychological interventions. This paper reports a baseline study of the attitudes to integrated onsite psychological services, held by GPs, nonmedical staff, and patients at one large suburban family practice. An anonymous brief questionnaire was used to gather both ratings and …

The Context Of Clinical Teaching And Learning In Australia: Towards A Reconstruction Of The Relationship Between Medical Schools And Health Services, Julie Ash, Lucie Walters, David Prideaux, Ian Wilson

Ian G Wilson

• Gaining clinical experience for an extended period of time in teaching hospitals is one of the enduring strengths of medical education. • Teaching hospitals have recently faced significant challenges, with increasing specialisation of services and workload pressures reducing clinical learning opportunities. • New clinical teaching environments have been established in Australia, particularly in rural and regional areas; these are proving to be ideal contexts for student learning. • The new clinical teaching environments have shown the importance of developing symbiotic relationships between universities and health services. Symbiotic clinical learning is built around longitudinal, patientbased learning emphasising priority health concerns. …

Small Group Peer Support For Gps Treating Mental Health Problems., C Howell, Ian Wilson

Ian G Wilson

Peer support groups are a mutual aid system in which the facilitator helps group members to help each other. General practice peer support is seen as the provision of support in small groups by general practitioner colleagues. As part of the Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care Initiative, funding was made available to develop a unique model of peer support for GPs involved in mental health care. It aimed to meet the needs of GPs for support, sharing of knowledge and skills, ongoing education and skills development, while fostering self care. The model involved a GP facilitator training program and …

Long-Term Effects Of Childhood Abuse On The Quality Of Life And Health Of Older People: Results From The Depression And Early Prevention Of Suicide In General Practice Project, Brian Draper, Jon Pfaff, Jane Pirkis, John Snowdon, Nicola Lautenschlager, Ian Wilson, Osvaldo Almeida

Ian G Wilson

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether childhood physical and sexual abuse are associated with poor mental and physical health outcomes in older age. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, postal questionnaire survey. SETTING: Medical clinics of 383 general practitioners (GPs) in Australia. PARTICIPANTS: More than 21,000 older adults (aged >=60) currently under the care of GPs participating in the Depression and Early Prevention of Suicide in General Practice (DEPS-GP) Study. Participants were divided into two groups according to whether they acknowledged experiencing childhood physical or sexual abuse. MEASUREMENTS: Main outcome measures targeted participants’ current physical health (Medical Outcomes Study 12-item Short Form Survey, Version 2 and …

Accessing Asthma Care: A Case Study Of Urban Children, Andrea Wallace

Andrea S. Wallace

The purpose of this exploratory, descriptive study was to identify factors that facilitate or impede the use of health care resources by urban children with asthma. Using an embedded case study design, the study considered the issue of health care access for urban children with asthma by focusing on attributes that impede and facilitate these children's access to health care resources. Interview, demographic, survey, and medical records data were analyzed for 34 parent-child dyads accessing asthma care in one metropolitan health care system. Interview data from 14 health care professionals were also analyzed. These findings were then compared with utilization …

Comprehensive School Health Education Programs, Lloyd Kolbe, Donald Iverson

Don C. Iverson

No abstract provided.

The Clinician’S Health Promotion Handbook, R Fried, Donald Iverson, J Nagel

Don C. Iverson

No abstract provided.

Program Principles Associated With Successful Health Education And Health Promotion Intervention, Donald Iverson, D Vernon

Don C. Iverson

No abstract provided.