Public Health Commons^™

Approaches To Clinical Guideline Development In Healthcare: A Scoping Review And Document Analysis, Annemarie De Leo, Dianne Bloxsome, Sara Bayes

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Over the past decade, an industry has emerged around Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) development in healthcare, which has increased pressure on guideline-producing organisations to develop CPGs at an accelerated rate. These are intended to improve the quality of care provided to patients while containing healthcare costs and reducing variability in clinical practice. However, this has inadvertently led to discrepancies in CPG recommendations between health organisations, also challenging healthcare providers who rely on these for decision-making and to inform clinical care. From a global perspective, although some countries have initiated national protocols regarding developing, appraising and implementing high-quality CPGs, there …

Adherence To A Mediterranean Diet For 6 Months Improves The Dietary Inflammatory Index In A Western Population: Results From The Medley Study, Jessie S. Clark, Kathryn A. Dyer, Courtney R. Davis, Nitin Shivappa, James R. Hébert, Richard Woodman, Jonathan M. Hodgson, Karen J. Murphy

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Increasing evidence supports that a higher dietary inflammatory index (DII®) score is associated with inflammation and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, events, and mortality. This randomized trial sought to determine if a change to a Mediterranean diet resulted in a reduction in the DII score, and then it evaluated the relationship between the DII and cardiometabolic outcomes following the administration of a traditional Mediterranean diet in older Australian adults. A total of 152 Australian adults (mean age 71 ± 5 years) was randomly allocated either a MedDiet (n = 80) or to continue their habitual diet (HabDiet) (n = 72) for …

Higher Dietary Vitamin K Intake Is Associated With Better Physical Function And Lower Long-Term Injurious Falls Risk In Community-Dwelling Older Women, Marc Sim, C. Smith, Nicky P. Bondonno, Simone Radavelli-Bagatini, Lauren C. Blekkenhorst, Jack Dalla Via, R. Mccormick, K. Zhu, Jonathan M. Hodgson, R. L. Prince, Joshua R. Lewis

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: In recent years, a potential beneficial role of Vitamin K in neuromuscular function has been recognised. However, the optimal dietary intake of Vitamin K to support muscle function in the context of falls prevention remains unknown. Objective: To examine the relationship of dietary Vitamin K1 and K2 with muscle function and long-term injurious fall-related hospitalisations in older women. Design: Cohort study. Participants: 1347 community-dwelling older Australian women ≥ 70 years. Measurements: A new Australian Vitamin K nutrient database, supplemented with published data, was used to calculate Vitamin K1 and K2 intake from a validated food frequency questionnaire at baseline …

Ifi27 Transcription Is An Early Predictor For Covid-19 Outcomes, A Multi-Cohort Observational Study, Maryam Shojaei, Amir Shamshirian, James Monkman, Laura Grice, Minh Tran, Chin Wee Tan, Siok Min Teo, Gustavo Rodrigues Rossi, Timothy R. Mcculloch, Marek Nalos, Maedeh Raei, Alireza Razavi, Roya Ghasemian, Mobina Gheibi, Fatemeh Roozbeh, Peter D. Sly, Kirsten M. Spann, Keng Yih Chew, Yanshan Zhu, Yao Xia, Timothy J. Wells, Alexandra Cristina Senegaglia, Carmen Lúcia Kuniyoshi, Claudio Luciano Franck, Anna Flavia Ribeiro Dos Santos, Lucia De Noronha, Sepideh Motamen, Reza Valadan, Omolbanin Amjadi, Rajan Gogna, Esha Madan, Reza Alizadeh-Navaei, Liliana Lamperti, Felipe Zuñiga, Estefania Nova-Lamperti, Gonzalo Labarca, Ben Knippenberg, Velma Herwanto, Ya Wang, Amy Phu, Tracy Chew, Timothy Kwan, Karan Kim, Sally Teoh, Tiana M. Pelaia, Win Sen Kuan, Yvette Jee, Jon Iredell, Ken O’Byrne, John F. Fraser, Melissa J. Davis, Gabrielle T. Belz, Majid E. Warkiani, Carlos Salomon Gallo, Fernando Souza-Fonseca-Guimaraes, Quan Nguyen, Anthony Mclean, Arutha Kulasinghe, Kirsty R. Short, Benjamin Tang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose:

Robust biomarkers that predict disease outcomes amongst COVID-19 patients are necessary for both patient triage and resource prioritisation. Numerous candidate biomarkers have been proposed for COVID-19. However, at present, there is no consensus on the best diagnostic approach to predict outcomes in infected patients. Moreover, it is not clear whether such tools would apply to other potentially pandemic pathogens and therefore of use as stockpile for future pandemic preparedness.

Methods:

We conducted a multi-cohort observational study to investigate the biology and the prognostic role of interferon alpha-inducible protein 27 (IFI27) in COVID-19 patients.

Results:

We show that IFI27 is …

Relationship Between Dietary Intake And Erythrocyte Pufa In Adolescents From A Western Australian Cohort, Fuzhen Wan, Feng Pan, Trevor A. Mori, Therese A. O’Sullivan, Lawrence J. Beilin, Wendy H. Oddy

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background:

Population-based studies show that the intake of omega-3 (n-3) and omega-6 (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are associated with a range of health conditions. Therefore, the reliability of food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) as rapid and easily accessible screening tools for PUFA intake deserve investigation.

Objective:

We aimed to assess the relationship between erythrocyte fatty acids and fatty acid intake collected using the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) food frequency questionnaire in an adolescent cohort.

Design:

A cross-sectional study using data from 1155 young adolescents participating in the 14-year follow-up of the Raine Study. Bland–Altman plots were used …

A Novel Skin Cancer Prevention Strategy: Preservice Teachers' Perceptions Of A Sun Safety Intervention And Experiences In Schools, Joseph J. Scott, Robyn S. Johnston, Jill Darby, Sally Blane, Mark Strickland, Bronwen M. Mcnoe

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Issue addressed:

Teachers play a vital role in developing children's sun protection routines however upskilling preservice teachers (PSTs) while at university has not yet been trialled as a targeted skin cancer prevention strategy. Hence, this study investigated PSTs perceptions and experiences of sun safety following a brief pilot intervention and placement in primary schools in Western Australia.

Methods:

This study used a triangulation mixed methods design. Participants (n = 161) completed a post intervention survey which was analysed quantitatively. A random sub-sample was invited to participate in focus groups (three groups, n = 21) and one-on-one interviews (n = 4). …

The Prevalence Of Adverse Reactions Among Individuals With Three-Dose Covid-19 Vaccination, Yuying Wang, Yujie Zhang, Meng Zhang, Xiaoyu Zhang, Haibin Li, Youxin Wang, Wei Wang, Jianguang Ji, Lijuan Wu, Deqiang Zheng

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Considering the adverse reactions to vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), some people, particularly the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions, are hesitant to be vaccinated. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of adverse reactions and provide direct evidence of vaccine safety, mainly for the elderly and people with underlying medical conditions, to receive COVID-19 vaccination. Methods: From 1st March to 30th April 2022, we conducted an online survey of people who had completed three doses of COVID-19 vaccination by convenience sampling. Adverse reaction rates and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. In addition, conditional logistic regression was …

Novel Insights Into Potential Cannabis-Related Cancerogenesis From Recent Key Whole Epigenome Screen Of Cannabis Dependence And Withdrawal: Epidemiological Commentary And Explication Of Schrott Et Al., Albert Stuart Reece, Gary Kenneth Hulse

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Whilst the cannabis-cancer link has been traditionally described as controversial recent whole nation and whole continent studies have demonstrated that well documented laboratory-based multimodal cannabinoid genotoxicity is indeed reflected in numerous cancer types in larger epidemiological series. A recent longitudinal human sperm epigenome-wide DNA methylation screen in both cannabis dependence and cannabis withdrawal has revealed remarkable insights into the manner in which widespread perturbations of DNA methylation may lead to cancerogenic changes in both the exposed and subsequent generations as a result of both cannabis exposure and withdrawal. These results therefore powerfully strengthen and further robustify the causal nature of …

Covid-19 Lessons To Protect Populations Against Future Pandemics By Implementing Pppm Principles In Healthcare, Cuihong Tian, Lois Balmer, Xuerui Tan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has continued for more than 3 years, placing a huge burden on society worldwide. Although the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an end to COVID-19 as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), it is still considered a global threat. Previously, there has been a long debate as to whether the COVID-19 emergency will eventually end or transform into a more common infectious disease from a PHEIC, and how should countries respond to similar pandemics in the future more time-efficiently and cost-effectively. We reviewed the past, middle and current situation of COVID-19 …

Rethinking Adolescent School Nutrition Education Through A Food Systems Lens, Margaret Miller, Donna Barwood, Amanda Devine, Julie Boston, Sandra Smith, Martin Masek

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

BACKGROUND: Obesity-driven nutrition education in schools does not appear to result in healthier adolescent food choices. This study explored food systems as an alternative pedagogical approach to engage students in nutrition education. METHODS: After playing a food systems computer game, 250 13- to 16-year-old students in 5 Western Australian secondary schools, participated in group discussions to distinguish learning and interests in food systems. Discussion records were thematically coded using constant comparative analysis. RESULTS: Students reported crop growth, food production and food waste, healthier food choices, and food systems as knowledge outcomes of game play. They requested additional content on food …

Working Together To Increase Australian Children’S Liking Of Vegetables: A Position Statement By The Vegetable Intake Strategic Alliance (Visa), David N. Cox, Karen J. Campbell, Lynne Cobiac, Claire Gardner, Lucinda Hancock, Gilly Hendrie, Amber Kelaart, Michelle Lausen, Astrid Poelman, Ros Sambell, Kim M. Tikellis, Bonnie Wiggins

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Children need to be repeatedly and consistently exposed to a variety of vegetables from an early age to achieve an increase in vegetable intake. A focus on enjoyment and learning to like eating vegetables at an early age is critical to forming favourable lifelong eating habits. Coordinated work is needed to ensure vegetables are available and promoted in a range of settings, using evidence-based initiatives, to create an environment that will support children’s acceptance of vegetables. This will help to facilitate increased intake, and ultimately realise the associated health benefits. The challenges and evidence base for a new approach are …

Relieving The Gambling Itch Through Alcohol Consumption: The Impact Of Covid-19 Restrictions On Australian Casino Patrons, Tenghao Zhang, Pi-Shen Seet, Janice Redmond, Jalleh Sharafizad

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper extends our understanding of how casino patrons are affected by COVID-19 restrictions and how they cope by substituting gambling with alcohol consumption. We conducted two studies using a nationwide survey sample collected in Australia during the pandemic lockdown. Study 1 compares the casino patrons with two reference groups (other gambling patrons and non-gambling individuals) and investigates the lockdown restrictions on respondents’ relational strength, and their potential impact on mental health and future prospects. Study 2 applies the stress-response dampening model (SRD) and tests how respondents used alcohol consumption to cope with the lack of access to casinos during …

Spore-Forming Clostridium (Clostridioides) Difficile In Wastewater Treatment Plants In Western Australia, Jessica M. Chisholm, Papanin Putsathit, Thomas V. Riley, Su-Chen Lim

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

There is growing evidence that shows Clostridium (Clostridioides) difficile is a pathogen of One Health importance with a complex dissemination pathway involving animals, humans, and the environment. Thus, environmental discharge and agricultural recycling of human and animal waste have been suspected as factors behind the dissemination of Clostridium difficile in the community. Here, the presence of C. difficile in 12 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Western Australia was investigated. Overall, C. difficile was found in 90.5 % (114/126) of raw sewage influent, 48.1 % (50/104) of treated effluent, 40 % (2/5) of reclaimed irrigation water, 100 % (38/38) of untreated …

Genomic Epidemiology And Transmission Dynamics Of Recurrent Clostridioides Difficile Infection In Western Australia, Daniel R. Knight, Korakrit Imwattana, Deirdre A. Collins, Su-Chen Lim, Stacey Hong, Papanin Putsathit, Thomas V. Riley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Recurrent cases of Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI) remain one of the most common and serious challenges faced in the management of CDI. The accurate distinction between a relapse (caused by infection with the same strain) and reinfection (caused by a new strain) has implications for infection control and prevention, and patient therapy. Here, we used whole-genome sequencing to investigate the epidemiology of 94 C. difficile isolates from 38 patients with rCDI in Western Australia. The C. difficile strain population comprised 13 sequence types (STs) led by ST2 (PCR ribotype (RT) 014, 36.2 %), ST8 (RT002, 19.1 %) and ST34 (RT056, …

Preference For Male Risk Takers Varies With Relationship Context And Health Status But Not Covid Risk, Cyril C. Grueter, Hannah Goodman, Nicolas Fay, Bradley Walker, David Coall

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Risk taking is more commonly shown by males than females and has a signalling function, serving to advertise one’s intrinsic quality to prospective mates. Previous research has established that male risk takers are judged as more attractive for short-term flings than long-term relationships, but the environmental and socioeconomic context surrounding female preferences for male risk takers has been overlooked. Using a survey instrument, we examined female preferences for male risk takers across 1304 females from 47 countries. We found preferences for physical risk takers to be more pronounced in females with a bisexual orientation and females who scored high on …

The Effect Of Regular Consumption Of Reformulated Breads On Glycemic Control: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Clinical Trials, Alena M. Schadow, Ingrid Revheim, Ulrike Spielau, Jutta Dierkes, Lukas Schwingshackl, Jan Frank, Jonathan M. Hodgson, André Moreira-Rosário, Chris J. Seal, Anette E. Buyken, Hanne Rosendahl-Riise

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Bread is a major source of grain-derived carbohydrates worldwide. High intakes of refined grains, low in dietary fiber and high in glycemic index, are linked with increased risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and other chronic diseases. Hence, improvements in the composition of bread could influence population health. This systematic review evaluated the effect of regular consumption of reformulated breads on glycemic control among healthy adults, adults at cardiometabolic risk or with manifest T2DM. A literature search was performed using MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Eligible studies employed a bread intervention …

‘Male Circumcision’ And ‘Female Genital Mutilation’: Why Parents Choose The Procedures And The Case For Gender Bias In Medical Nomenclature, James L. Nuzzo

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Cutting of boys’ and girls’ genitalia is a debated human rights topic. Here, the first aim was to summarise why parents choose to have these procedures performed on their children. Results from 22 survey studies on ‘male circumcision’ and 27 studies on ‘female genital mutilation’ revealed that non-medical reasons, such as tradition, are prominent in the decisions for both procedures. The second aim was to describe researchers’ use of medical words (i.e. ‘circumcision’) and non-medical words (i.e. ‘cutting’, ‘mutilation’) when referring to these procedures. Relevant phrases were searched in titles and abstracts of articles indexed in PubMed. Total article count …

Maternal Educational Attainment In Pregnancy And Epigenome-Wide Dna Methylation Changes In The Offspring From Birth Until Adolescence, Priyanka Choudhary, Giulietta S. Monasso, Ville Karhunen, Justiina Ronkainen, Giulia Mancano, Caitlin G. Howe, Zhongzheng Niu, Xuehuo Zeng, Weihua Guan, John Dou, Jason I. Feinberg, Charles Mordaunt, Giancarlo Pesce, Nour Baïz, Rossella Alfano, Dries S. Martens, Congrong Wang, Elena Isaevska, Elina Keikkala, Sanna Mustaniemi, Chris H. L. Thio, Eliza Fraszczyk, Elmar W. Tobi, Anne P. Starling, Marta Cosin-Tomas, Jose Urquiza, Stefan Röder, Thanh T. Hoang, Christian Page, Dereje D. Jima, John S. House, Rachel L. Maguire, Raffael Ott, Xenia Pawlow, Lea Sirignano, Lea Zillich, Anni Malmberg, Sebastian Rauschert, Phillip Melton, Tong Gong, Robert Karlsson, Ruby Fore, Wei Perng, Zachary M. Laubach, Darina Czamara, Gemma Sharp, Carrie V. Breton, Enrique Schisterman, Edwina Yeung, Sunni L. Mumford, M. Daniele Fallin, Janine M. Lasalle, Rebecca J. Schmidt, Kelly M. Bakulski, Isabella Annesi-Maesano, Barbara Heude, Tim S. Nawrot, Michelle Plusquin, Akram Ghantous, Zdenko Herceg, Lorenza Nisticò, Marina Vafeiadi, Manolis Kogevinas, Marja Vääräsmäki, Eero Kajantie, Harold Snieder, Eva Corpeleijn, Regine P. M. Steegers-Theunissen, Ivana V. Yang, Dana Dabelea, Serena Fossati, Ana C. Zenclussen, Gunda Herberth, Maria Magnus, Siri E. Håberg, Stephanie J. London, Monica C. Munthe-Kaas, Susan K. Murphy, Cathrine Hoyo, Anette-G Ziegler, Sandra Hummel, Stephanie H. Witt, Fabian Streit, Josef Frank, Katri Räikkönen, Jari Lahti, Rae-Chi Huang, Catarina Almqvist, Marie-France Hivert, Vincent W. V. Jaddoe, Marjo-Riitta Järvelin, Marko Kantomaa, Janine F. Felix, Sylvain Sebert

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Maternal educational attainment (MEA) shapes offspring health through multiple potential pathways. Differential DNA methylation may provide a mechanistic understanding of these long-term associations. We aimed to quantify the associations of MEA with offspring DNA methylation levels at birth, in childhood and in adolescence. Using 37 studies from high-income countries, we performed meta-analysis of epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) to quantify the associations of completed years of MEA at the time of pregnancy with offspring DNA methylation levels at birth (n = 9 881), in childhood (n = 2 017), and adolescence (n = 2 740), adjusting for relevant covariates. MEA was …

Theory-Based Behaviour Change Intervention To Promote Mental Health Help-Seeking Among Older Adults In Australia: Initial Dissemination And Acceptability, Claire Adams, Eyal Gringart, Natalie Strobel

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: Rates of help-seeking for mental health problems among older adults are low and initiatives to increase help-seeking in older populations are limited. To our knowledge, no interventions have aimed to promote help-seeking among older adults by tapping internal motivations to seek help. In this paper, we describe the development of a theory-based intervention designed to promote mental health help-seeking among older adults in Australia, using an internal motivation paradigm. Methods: The intervention was co-designed through a consultative process with nine key stakeholders who represented five main groups: primary health-care providers, mental health professionals, health-care executives, community organisations and consumers. …

The Facilitators And Barriers To Exercise In The Noongar Aboriginal Population In Perth, Australia, Tuguy Esgin, Deborah Hersh, Kevin Rowley, Rona Macniven, Alan Crouch, Mark Halaki, Robert Newton

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Indigenous Standpoint Theory forms the epistemological foundation for this study and methodological choices were made within this theoretical framework to ensure culturally responsive research processes that engaged the Indigenous agenda of self-determination and rights. The objectives of this research were to determine: (i) Indigenous perceptions of the facilitators and barriers to exercise; (ii) The potential feasibility and sustainability of an exercise intervention. In this context, Participatory Action Research methods were used to design the data-gathering instrument for the study—a questionnaire, co-designed with the Noongar Aboriginal community of Perth, Western Australia. This self-administered questionnaire, distributed to participants by email, post and …

Ctla4 Mrna Is Downregulated By Mir-155 In Regulatory T Cells, And Reduced Blood Ctla4 Levels Are Associated With Poor Prognosis In Metastatic Melanoma Patients, Prasanna Kumar Vaddi, Douglas Grant Osborne, Andrew Nicklawsky, Nazanin K. Williams, Dinoop Ravindran Menon, Derek Smith, Jonathan Mayer, Anna Reid, Joanne Domenico, Giang Huong Nguyen, William A. Robinson, Melanie Ziman, Dexiang Gao, Zili Zhai, Mayumi Fujita

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) is an immune checkpoint expressed in regulatory T (Treg) cells and activated T lymphocytes. Despite its potential as a treatment strategy for melanoma, CTLA-4 inhibition has limited efficacy. Using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) melanoma database and another dataset, we found that decreased CTLA4 mRNA was associated with a poorer prognosis in metastatic melanoma. To investigate further, we measured blood CTLA4 mRNA in 273 whole-blood samples from an Australian cohort and found that it was lower in metastatic melanoma than in healthy controls and associated with worse patient survival. We confirmed these findings …

Vitamin D Supplementation And Exercise For Improving Physical Function, Body Composition And Metabolic Health In Overweight Or Obese Older Adults With Vitamin D Deficiency: A Pilot Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial, Jakub Mesinovic, Alexander J. Rodriguez, Mavil May Cervo, Anoohya Gandham, Cecilia L. H. Xu, Costas Glavas, Barbora De Courten, Ayse Zengin, Peter R. Ebeling, David Scott

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose:

Vitamin D supplementation may have non-skeletal health benefits and enhance exercise responsiveness, particularly in those with low vitamin D levels. We determined whether, compared with placebo, vitamin D supplementation taken prior to and during a 12-week exercise program improves physical function, body composition or metabolic health, in overweight and obese older adults with vitamin D deficiency.

Methods:

Fifty overweight or obese older adults (mean ± SD age: 60 ± 6 years; BMI 30.6 ± 5.7 kg/m2) with vitamin D deficiency (25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] < 50 nmol/L) were recruited. Participants were randomly allocated to receive either vitamin D3 (4000 IU/day) or matching placebo for 24 weeks. Between weeks 12 and 24, all participants completed multi-modal exercise three days per week while continuing with vitamin D/placebo. Mean changes in physical function (primary outcome: gait speed), body composition and biochemical parameters at weeks 12 and 24 were compared between groups.

Results:

Vitamin D supplementation, with or without exercise, had no effect on gait speed. From baseline …

Bouncing Back From Covid-19: A Western Australian Community Perspective, Kiira K. Sarasjärvi, Paola Chivers, Ranila Bhoyroo, Jim Codde

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: This study explored the behavioral profiles of residing Western Australians during a COVID-19 lockdown period and transitions in behavior post-lockdown. Methods: A total of 313 participants (76% female, age: M = 50.1, SD = 15.7 years) completed behavioral and mental health questionnaire items ~2 months after a 3-month COVID-19 lockdown in October 2020, using a retrospective recall to assess their experience during the lockdown period. Latent transition analysis (LTA) was used to identify behavioral profiles and transitions. Indicators were identified by assessing during–post-lockdown group differences (Kruskal–Wallis, chi-square tests) and profiles described using qualitative open-ended questions. Results: Significant indicators included …

European Epidemiological Patterns Of Cannabis- And Substance-Related Congenital Neurological Anomalies: Geospatiotemporal And Causal Inferential Study, Albert Stuart Reece, Gary Kenneth Hulse

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Of the many congenital anomalies (CAs) recently linked with community cannabis exposure, arguably the most concerning are neurological CAs (NCAs). We therefore conducted a detailed study of this in fourteen European nations.

Methods. Congenital anomaly data were from Eurocat. Drug exposure data were from European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. Income from World bank.

Results: The Netherlands, Spain, France and Bulgaria reported increasing rates of many NCAs. The NCA rate (NCAR) was: severe microcephaly 2.14 x 1013 higher in nations with increasing daily cannabis use when compared to those without (p = 0.0204, minimum E-value (mEV) = …

Investigating The Perspectives Of Older Adults In Residential Aged Care On Oral Health-Related Quality Of Life, Parisa Malekpour, Amanda Devine, Julie Dare, Leesa Costello

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective

The objective of the study was to explore how older people living in a residential aged care facility perceived that their oral health influenced their food preferences and attitudes towards food, their social interactions and their self-esteem.

Background

Poor oral health can have biological, behavioural and social impacts on quality of life among older adults (aged 65+ years). In terms of biological impacts, oral health impairments may cause older adults to avoid many types of foods. This shift in dietary pattern can lead to malnutrition among older people, undermine general health and negatively impact quality of life (QOL).

Materials …

Mitigating Implicit Bias And Promoting Compassionate Behavior In Public Health/Healthcare Professionals: Implications For Treatment Outcomes, Lon J. Van Winkle, Shane L. Rogers, Marta J. Brooks, Bianca B. Calderon, Nicole Michels

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Partly because it is unconscious, managing implicit bias in public health/healthcare remains intractable. Hence, administrators, practitioners, and their students unknowingly discriminate against others especially including socioeconomically disadvantaged people in the US and elsewhere. . . .

Predicting 1-, 3-, 5-, And 8-Year All-Cause Mortality In A Community-Dwelling Older Adult Cohort: Relevance For Predictive, Preventive, And Personalized Medicine, Yequn Chen, Xiulian Deng, Dong Lin, Peixuan Yang, Shiwan Wu, Xidong Wang, Hui Zhou, Ximin Chen, Xiaochun Wang, Weichai Wu, Kaibing Ke, Wenjia Huang, Xuerui Tan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Population aging is a global public health issue involving increased prevalence of age-related diseases, and concomitant burden on medical resources and the economy. Ninety-two diseases have been identified as age-related, accounting for 51.3% of the global adult disease burden. The economic cost per capita for older people over 60 years is 10 times that of the younger population. From the aspects of predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine (PPPM), developing a risk-prediction model can help identify individuals at high risk for all-cause mortality and provide an opportunity for targeted prevention through personalized intervention at an early stage. However, there is …

A Current Affair: Worker Perceptions Of Noise Exposure And Occupational Hearing Loss In Australian Coal Mines, Adelle Liebenberg, Jacques Oosthuizen, Sue Reed

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: The objective of the online survey was to determine worker attitudes towards, perceptions on hearing loss, and management of workplace noise; and to identify barriers within current strategies that prevent effective management of hearing health in Australian mines. Design: This cross-sectional study utilized a modified survey design, initially designed for use by Safe Work Australia for a broader study published in 2010. Study Sample: The survey questionnaire was made available online to volunteer participants, recruited with the assistance of State and National Health and Safety, and mining organizations. Volunteer participants were required to be proficient in English, be employed …

Development Of A Scoring Tool For Australian Rural Food Retail Environments, Tracy L. Schumacher, Carissa A. Alderton, Leanne J. Brown, Susan Heaney, Laura Alston, Katherine Kent, Stephanie L. Godrich

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Current tools scoring the healthiness of food retail outlets do not reflect outlets found in rural locations. This study aimed to adapt pre-existing Australian scoring tools to represent non-metropolitan areas. Rural nutrition experts were identified, and a modified Delphi technique was used to adapt two pre-existing, food-scoring tools in five iterative stages. Stages included identifying all relevant outlets, providing a description and score for each, ensuring consistency between outlet scores and pre-existing, metro-centric tools, and providing instructions for correct use. Six rural nutrition experts were identified and engaged in the modified Delphi technique. The final tool consisted of 12 categories …

Early Mortality Among Aboriginal And Non-Aboriginal Women Who Had A Preterm Birth In Western Australia: A Population-Based Cohort Study, Helen D. Bailey, Caitlin Gray, Akilew A. Adane, Natalie A. Strobel, Scott W. White, Rhonda Marriott, Gizachew A. Tessema, Carrington C. J. Shepherd, Mary Sharp

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Having a preterm ( < 37 weeks' gestation) birth may increase a woman's risk of early mortality. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereafter Aboriginal) women have higher preterm birth and mortality rates compared with other Australian women. Objectives: We investigated whether a history of having a preterm birth was associated with early mortality in women and whether these associations differed by Aboriginal status. Methods: This retrospective cohort study used population-based perinatal records of women who had a singleton birth between 1980 and 2015 in Western Australia linked to Death Registry data until June 2018. The primary and secondary outcomes were all-cause and cause-specific mortality respectively. After stratification by Aboriginal status, rate differences were calculated, and Cox proportional hazard regression was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for all-cause and cause-specific mortality. Results: There were 20,244 Aboriginal mothers (1349 deaths) and 457,357 non-Aboriginal mothers (7646 deaths) with 8.6 million person-years of follow-up. The all-cause mortality rates for Aboriginal mothers who had preterm births and term births were 529.5 and 344.0 (rate difference 185.5, 95 % CI 135.5, 238.5) per 100,000 person-years respectively. Among non-Aboriginal mothers, the corresponding figures were 125.5 and 88.6 (rate difference 37.0, 95 % CI 29.4, 44.9) per 100,000 person-years. The HR for all-cause mortality for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal mothers associated with preterm birth were 1.48 (95 % CI 1.32, 1.66) and 1.35 (95 % CI 1.26, 1.44), respectively, compared with term birth. Compared with mothers who had term births, mothers of preterm births had higher relative risks of mortality from diabetes, cardiovascular, digestive and external causes. Conclusions: Both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women who had a preterm birth had a moderately increased risk of mortality up to 38 years after the birth, reinforcing the importance of primary prevention and ongoing screening.