Experienced teacher educators hunting assumptions to examine their pedagogy : an international collaborative study
- Brandenburg, Robyn, Garbett, Dawn, Ovens, Alan, Thomas, Lynn
- Authors: Brandenburg, Robyn , Garbett, Dawn , Ovens, Alan , Thomas, Lynn
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Frontiers in Education Vol. 7, no. (2023), p.
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- Description: The research presented in this article focuses on an international collaboration conducted by four experienced teacher educators who used assumption identification and examination to advance pedagogical practice. It describes and examines how teacher educators deliberately undertook reflective practices to inform and enhance teaching. Four vignettes are described and analyzed—Practica woes and Modelling practice—and examined using the simple, complicated, and complex teaching framework. The key outcomes include the impact and role of assumption definition, identification, and examination as powerful reflective tools. Researching practice in teacher education is an effective way to advance pedagogical knowledge and practice and a disposition of inquiry is necessary to enhance knowledge at all stages of teacher educator experience. This international collaboration highlights the importance of problematizing teaching, continually inquiring into and interrogating practice and grasping the teachable moments. Copyright © 2023 Brandenburg, Garbett, Ovens and Thomas.
- Authors: Brandenburg, Robyn , Garbett, Dawn , Ovens, Alan , Thomas, Lynn
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Frontiers in Education Vol. 7, no. (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The research presented in this article focuses on an international collaboration conducted by four experienced teacher educators who used assumption identification and examination to advance pedagogical practice. It describes and examines how teacher educators deliberately undertook reflective practices to inform and enhance teaching. Four vignettes are described and analyzed—Practica woes and Modelling practice—and examined using the simple, complicated, and complex teaching framework. The key outcomes include the impact and role of assumption definition, identification, and examination as powerful reflective tools. Researching practice in teacher education is an effective way to advance pedagogical knowledge and practice and a disposition of inquiry is necessary to enhance knowledge at all stages of teacher educator experience. This international collaboration highlights the importance of problematizing teaching, continually inquiring into and interrogating practice and grasping the teachable moments. Copyright © 2023 Brandenburg, Garbett, Ovens and Thomas.
Explainable reinforcement learning for broad-XAI: a conceptual framework and survey
- Dazeley, Richard, Vamplew, Peter, Cruz, Francisco
- Authors: Dazeley, Richard , Vamplew, Peter , Cruz, Francisco
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Neural Computing and Applications Vol. 35, no. 23 (2023), p. 16893-16916
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- Description: Broad-XAI moves away from interpreting individual decisions based on a single datum and aims to provide integrated explanations from multiple machine learning algorithms into a coherent explanation of an agent’s behaviour that is aligned to the communication needs of the explainee. Reinforcement Learning (RL) methods, we propose, provide a potential backbone for the cognitive model required for the development of Broad-XAI. RL represents a suite of approaches that have had increasing success in solving a range of sequential decision-making problems. However, these algorithms operate as black-box problem solvers, where they obfuscate their decision-making policy through a complex array of values and functions. EXplainable RL (XRL) aims to develop techniques to extract concepts from the agent’s: perception of the environment; intrinsic/extrinsic motivations/beliefs; Q-values, goals and objectives. This paper aims to introduce the Causal XRL Framework (CXF), that unifies the current XRL research and uses RL as a backbone to the development of Broad-XAI. CXF is designed to incorporate many standard RL extensions and integrated with external ontologies and communication facilities so that the agent can answer questions that explain outcomes its decisions. This paper aims to: establish XRL as a distinct branch of XAI; introduce a conceptual framework for XRL; review existing approaches explaining agent behaviour; and identify opportunities for future research. Finally, this paper discusses how additional information can be extracted and ultimately integrated into models of communication, facilitating the development of Broad-XAI. © 2023, The Author(s).
- Authors: Dazeley, Richard , Vamplew, Peter , Cruz, Francisco
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Neural Computing and Applications Vol. 35, no. 23 (2023), p. 16893-16916
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- Description: Broad-XAI moves away from interpreting individual decisions based on a single datum and aims to provide integrated explanations from multiple machine learning algorithms into a coherent explanation of an agent’s behaviour that is aligned to the communication needs of the explainee. Reinforcement Learning (RL) methods, we propose, provide a potential backbone for the cognitive model required for the development of Broad-XAI. RL represents a suite of approaches that have had increasing success in solving a range of sequential decision-making problems. However, these algorithms operate as black-box problem solvers, where they obfuscate their decision-making policy through a complex array of values and functions. EXplainable RL (XRL) aims to develop techniques to extract concepts from the agent’s: perception of the environment; intrinsic/extrinsic motivations/beliefs; Q-values, goals and objectives. This paper aims to introduce the Causal XRL Framework (CXF), that unifies the current XRL research and uses RL as a backbone to the development of Broad-XAI. CXF is designed to incorporate many standard RL extensions and integrated with external ontologies and communication facilities so that the agent can answer questions that explain outcomes its decisions. This paper aims to: establish XRL as a distinct branch of XAI; introduce a conceptual framework for XRL; review existing approaches explaining agent behaviour; and identify opportunities for future research. Finally, this paper discusses how additional information can be extracted and ultimately integrated into models of communication, facilitating the development of Broad-XAI. © 2023, The Author(s).
Explainable robotic systems : understanding goal-driven actions in a reinforcement learning scenario
- Cruz, Francisco, Dazeley, Richard, Vamplew, Peter, Moreira, Ithan
- Authors: Cruz, Francisco , Dazeley, Richard , Vamplew, Peter , Moreira, Ithan
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Neural Computing and Applications Vol. 35, no. 25 (2023), p. 18113-18130
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- Description: Robotic systems are more present in our society everyday. In human–robot environments, it is crucial that end-users may correctly understand their robotic team-partners, in order to collaboratively complete a task. To increase action understanding, users demand more explainability about the decisions by the robot in particular situations. Recently, explainable robotic systems have emerged as an alternative focused not only on completing a task satisfactorily, but also on justifying, in a human-like manner, the reasons that lead to making a decision. In reinforcement learning scenarios, a great effort has been focused on providing explanations using data-driven approaches, particularly from the visual input modality in deep learning-based systems. In this work, we focus rather on the decision-making process of reinforcement learning agents performing a task in a robotic scenario. Experimental results are obtained using 3 different set-ups, namely, a deterministic navigation task, a stochastic navigation task, and a continuous visual-based sorting object task. As a way to explain the goal-driven robot’s actions, we use the probability of success computed by three different proposed approaches: memory-based, learning-based, and introspection-based. The difference between these approaches is the amount of memory required to compute or estimate the probability of success as well as the kind of reinforcement learning representation where they could be used. In this regard, we use the memory-based approach as a baseline since it is obtained directly from the agent’s observations. When comparing the learning-based and the introspection-based approaches to this baseline, both are found to be suitable alternatives to compute the probability of success, obtaining high levels of similarity when compared using both the Pearson’s correlation and the mean squared error. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature.
Explainable robotic systems : understanding goal-driven actions in a reinforcement learning scenario
- Authors: Cruz, Francisco , Dazeley, Richard , Vamplew, Peter , Moreira, Ithan
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Neural Computing and Applications Vol. 35, no. 25 (2023), p. 18113-18130
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Robotic systems are more present in our society everyday. In human–robot environments, it is crucial that end-users may correctly understand their robotic team-partners, in order to collaboratively complete a task. To increase action understanding, users demand more explainability about the decisions by the robot in particular situations. Recently, explainable robotic systems have emerged as an alternative focused not only on completing a task satisfactorily, but also on justifying, in a human-like manner, the reasons that lead to making a decision. In reinforcement learning scenarios, a great effort has been focused on providing explanations using data-driven approaches, particularly from the visual input modality in deep learning-based systems. In this work, we focus rather on the decision-making process of reinforcement learning agents performing a task in a robotic scenario. Experimental results are obtained using 3 different set-ups, namely, a deterministic navigation task, a stochastic navigation task, and a continuous visual-based sorting object task. As a way to explain the goal-driven robot’s actions, we use the probability of success computed by three different proposed approaches: memory-based, learning-based, and introspection-based. The difference between these approaches is the amount of memory required to compute or estimate the probability of success as well as the kind of reinforcement learning representation where they could be used. In this regard, we use the memory-based approach as a baseline since it is obtained directly from the agent’s observations. When comparing the learning-based and the introspection-based approaches to this baseline, both are found to be suitable alternatives to compute the probability of success, obtaining high levels of similarity when compared using both the Pearson’s correlation and the mean squared error. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature.
Exploring adaptations to the clinical reasoning cycle for forensic mental health nursing : a qualitative enquiry
- Maguire, Tessa, Garvey, Loretta, Ryan, Jo, Levett-Jones, Tracy, Olasoji, Michael, Willetts, Georgina
- Authors: Maguire, Tessa , Garvey, Loretta , Ryan, Jo , Levett-Jones, Tracy , Olasoji, Michael , Willetts, Georgina
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Mental Health Nursing Vol. 32, no. 2 (2023), p. 544-555
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- Description: Forensic mental health nurses (FMHN) provide care to address the needs of people who have mental illnesses across a range of diverse settings. The Clinical Reasoning Cycle (CRC) has been identified as a potential framework to assist FMHNs; however, adaptations were required to reflect the unique nature of the clinical setting. This study aimed to explore adaptations made to determine suitability prior to implementation in practice. Nominal Group Technique was used to explore suggested adaptations determined from a previous study and reach a consensus on the changes. Fourteen senior nurses from a state-wide Forensic mental Health (FMH) service participated. A consensus was reached for two proposed changes. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Three main themes were interpreted from the data; FMH adaptations are warranted, the focus of the CRC, and who owns the cycle? Nurses in this study considered the need to include offence and risk issues due to the impact these factors have on the therapeutic relationship and cognitive bias; however, they also identified the need to focus on recovery-oriented care while engaging in clinical reasoning. Nurses in this study also expressed some reluctance for nursing to ‘own' the model, due to concern that ownership may cause division among the team or result in inconsistency in care. However, some participant's suggested the CRC with adaptations assisted FMH nurses to articulate their specialist skills and knowledge to others and highlight the nursing contribution to care. Further work is needed to finalize adaptations with a focus on engaging the consumer carer workforce and interdisciplinary team. © 2022 The Authors. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.
- Authors: Maguire, Tessa , Garvey, Loretta , Ryan, Jo , Levett-Jones, Tracy , Olasoji, Michael , Willetts, Georgina
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Mental Health Nursing Vol. 32, no. 2 (2023), p. 544-555
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Forensic mental health nurses (FMHN) provide care to address the needs of people who have mental illnesses across a range of diverse settings. The Clinical Reasoning Cycle (CRC) has been identified as a potential framework to assist FMHNs; however, adaptations were required to reflect the unique nature of the clinical setting. This study aimed to explore adaptations made to determine suitability prior to implementation in practice. Nominal Group Technique was used to explore suggested adaptations determined from a previous study and reach a consensus on the changes. Fourteen senior nurses from a state-wide Forensic mental Health (FMH) service participated. A consensus was reached for two proposed changes. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Three main themes were interpreted from the data; FMH adaptations are warranted, the focus of the CRC, and who owns the cycle? Nurses in this study considered the need to include offence and risk issues due to the impact these factors have on the therapeutic relationship and cognitive bias; however, they also identified the need to focus on recovery-oriented care while engaging in clinical reasoning. Nurses in this study also expressed some reluctance for nursing to ‘own' the model, due to concern that ownership may cause division among the team or result in inconsistency in care. However, some participant's suggested the CRC with adaptations assisted FMH nurses to articulate their specialist skills and knowledge to others and highlight the nursing contribution to care. Further work is needed to finalize adaptations with a focus on engaging the consumer carer workforce and interdisciplinary team. © 2022 The Authors. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.
Exploring CBD retail performance, recovery and resilience of a smart city following COVID-19
- Fieger, Peter, Prayag, Girish, Dyason, David, Rice, John, Hall, C. Michael
- Authors: Fieger, Peter , Prayag, Girish , Dyason, David , Rice, John , Hall, C. Michael
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Sustainability Vol. 15, no. 10 (2023), p. 8300
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- Description: The city of Christchurch, New Zealand, incurred significant damage due to a series of earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. The city had, by the late 2010s, regained economic and social normalcy after a sustained period of rebuilding and economic recovery. Through the concerted rebuilding effort, a modern central business district (CBD) with redesigned infrastructure and amenities was developed. The Christchurch rebuild was underpinned by a commitment of urban planners to an open and connected city, including the use of innovative technologies to gather, use and share data. As was the case elsewhere, the COVID-19 pandemic brought about significant disruptions to social and economic life in Christchurch. Border closures, lockdowns, trading limitations and other restrictions on movement led to changes in traditional consumer behaviors and affected the retail sector’s resilience. In this study, we used CBD pedestrian traffic data gathered from various locations to predict changes in retail spending and identify recovery implications through the lens of retail resilience. We found that the COVID-19 pandemic and its related lockdowns have driven a substantive change in the behavioral patterns of city users. The implications for resilient retail, sustainable policy and further research are explored.
- Authors: Fieger, Peter , Prayag, Girish , Dyason, David , Rice, John , Hall, C. Michael
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Sustainability Vol. 15, no. 10 (2023), p. 8300
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The city of Christchurch, New Zealand, incurred significant damage due to a series of earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. The city had, by the late 2010s, regained economic and social normalcy after a sustained period of rebuilding and economic recovery. Through the concerted rebuilding effort, a modern central business district (CBD) with redesigned infrastructure and amenities was developed. The Christchurch rebuild was underpinned by a commitment of urban planners to an open and connected city, including the use of innovative technologies to gather, use and share data. As was the case elsewhere, the COVID-19 pandemic brought about significant disruptions to social and economic life in Christchurch. Border closures, lockdowns, trading limitations and other restrictions on movement led to changes in traditional consumer behaviors and affected the retail sector’s resilience. In this study, we used CBD pedestrian traffic data gathered from various locations to predict changes in retail spending and identify recovery implications through the lens of retail resilience. We found that the COVID-19 pandemic and its related lockdowns have driven a substantive change in the behavioral patterns of city users. The implications for resilient retail, sustainable policy and further research are explored.
Exploring efficient techniques to decrease phosphorus levels in previously farmed land to promote the revival of indigenous grassland
- Shakir, Shakir, Florentine, Singarayer, Schultz, Nicholas
- Authors: Shakir, Shakir , Florentine, Singarayer , Schultz, Nicholas
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Passer Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences Vol. 5, no. 2 (2023), p. 371-376
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- Description: Restoration of native grasslands is challenging due to high soil phosphorus levels. Cultivation of plants with high phosphorus (P) absorption is an optimal solution to remove and decrease P from the soil. It has been demonstrated that native grassland taxa (species) of the genus Ptilotus have significant P-uptake. In a glasshouse study, Ptilotus macrocephalus and Ptilotus polystachyus were tested for their ability to reduce the amount of soil phosphorus that was readily available. Lupinus albus, a third species with a reputation for high phosphorus uptake, served as a comparison species, and a further treatment included Phoslock®, a soil additive that could bind soil phosphorus into insoluble forms. The findings revealed that phosphorus in the soil was absorbed at a high level via Ptilotus macrocephalus and Ptilotus polystachyus showed a maximum reduction of P (-2.58 and -2.55 ppm). It is argued that several years of planting and harvesting these plants will offer a workable method for lowering soil phosphorus levels. However, this only happened at high concentrations of 1500 g/m2 and when soil phosphorus concentrations were very high. Despite, the Phoslock®'s effectiveness in lowering soil-accessible phosphorus. At concentrations often observed in former agriculture paddocks, it proved less effective. The study's findings have improved our existing comprehension of reclaiming abandoned grassland. © 2023 Authors. All rights reserved.
- Authors: Shakir, Shakir , Florentine, Singarayer , Schultz, Nicholas
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Passer Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences Vol. 5, no. 2 (2023), p. 371-376
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- Description: Restoration of native grasslands is challenging due to high soil phosphorus levels. Cultivation of plants with high phosphorus (P) absorption is an optimal solution to remove and decrease P from the soil. It has been demonstrated that native grassland taxa (species) of the genus Ptilotus have significant P-uptake. In a glasshouse study, Ptilotus macrocephalus and Ptilotus polystachyus were tested for their ability to reduce the amount of soil phosphorus that was readily available. Lupinus albus, a third species with a reputation for high phosphorus uptake, served as a comparison species, and a further treatment included Phoslock®, a soil additive that could bind soil phosphorus into insoluble forms. The findings revealed that phosphorus in the soil was absorbed at a high level via Ptilotus macrocephalus and Ptilotus polystachyus showed a maximum reduction of P (-2.58 and -2.55 ppm). It is argued that several years of planting and harvesting these plants will offer a workable method for lowering soil phosphorus levels. However, this only happened at high concentrations of 1500 g/m2 and when soil phosphorus concentrations were very high. Despite, the Phoslock®'s effectiveness in lowering soil-accessible phosphorus. At concentrations often observed in former agriculture paddocks, it proved less effective. The study's findings have improved our existing comprehension of reclaiming abandoned grassland. © 2023 Authors. All rights reserved.
Exploring emotional and social competencies in undergraduate students: Perspectives from CALD and non-CALD students
- Yu, Mong-Lin, Brown, Ted, Hewitt, Alana, Cousland, Robert, Lyons, Carissa, Etherington, Jamie
- Authors: Yu, Mong-Lin , Brown, Ted , Hewitt, Alana , Cousland, Robert , Lyons, Carissa , Etherington, Jamie
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Educational Researcher Vol. 50, no. 3 (2023), p. 601-624
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- Description: With the internationalisation of higher education, students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds represent a significant proportion of the university student body in Australia. Research literature indicates that the unique cultural and linguistic challenges experienced by these students may adversely impact their academic performance and social integration in university settings. However, less is known about how the socio-emotional competencies of undergraduate CALD and non-CALD domestic English-speaking students compare. This cross-sectional quantitative study compares the emotional and social competencies in a cohort of CALD and non-CALD occupational therapy undergraduates. Data were collected at one Australian university from a group of 360 students enrolled in the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) course. Participants completed the Emotional and Social Competency Inventory– University edition (ESCI-U). Multivariate regression analyses were used to compare between CALD and non-CALD students, controlling for students’ year level of study, age, and gender. Key findings from the regression analysis included the observation of indicate that non-CALD students having significant higher scores than CALD students on all the ESCI-U socio-emotional subscales, especially the Emotional Self-control, Achievement Orientation, Empathy and Teamwork from western perspectives. No difference was found between CALD and non-CALD student on two cognitive competencies- systems thinking and pattern recognition. These findings should be interpreted with caution considering CALD students may interpret the questions differently and demonstrate the competencies in different ways. Specific emotional and social competencies that need to be strengthened in students are discussed and recommendations are made to inform the preparation of evidence-based curricula.
- Authors: Yu, Mong-Lin , Brown, Ted , Hewitt, Alana , Cousland, Robert , Lyons, Carissa , Etherington, Jamie
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Educational Researcher Vol. 50, no. 3 (2023), p. 601-624
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- Description: With the internationalisation of higher education, students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds represent a significant proportion of the university student body in Australia. Research literature indicates that the unique cultural and linguistic challenges experienced by these students may adversely impact their academic performance and social integration in university settings. However, less is known about how the socio-emotional competencies of undergraduate CALD and non-CALD domestic English-speaking students compare. This cross-sectional quantitative study compares the emotional and social competencies in a cohort of CALD and non-CALD occupational therapy undergraduates. Data were collected at one Australian university from a group of 360 students enrolled in the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) course. Participants completed the Emotional and Social Competency Inventory– University edition (ESCI-U). Multivariate regression analyses were used to compare between CALD and non-CALD students, controlling for students’ year level of study, age, and gender. Key findings from the regression analysis included the observation of indicate that non-CALD students having significant higher scores than CALD students on all the ESCI-U socio-emotional subscales, especially the Emotional Self-control, Achievement Orientation, Empathy and Teamwork from western perspectives. No difference was found between CALD and non-CALD student on two cognitive competencies- systems thinking and pattern recognition. These findings should be interpreted with caution considering CALD students may interpret the questions differently and demonstrate the competencies in different ways. Specific emotional and social competencies that need to be strengthened in students are discussed and recommendations are made to inform the preparation of evidence-based curricula.
Exploring hospital inpatients’ awareness of their falls risk : a qualitative exploratory study
- Dabkowski, Elissa, Cooper, Simon, Duncan, Jhodie, Missen, Karen
- Authors: Dabkowski, Elissa , Cooper, Simon , Duncan, Jhodie , Missen, Karen
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol. 20, no. 1 (2023), p.
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- Description: Patient falls in hospital may lead to physical, psychological, social and financial impacts. Understanding patients’ perceptions of their fall risk will help to direct fall prevention strategies and understand patient behaviours. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions and experiences that influence a patient’s understanding of their fall risk in regional Australian hospitals. Semi-structured, individual interviews were conducted in wards across three Australian hospitals. Participants were aged 40 years and over, able to communicate in English and were mobile prior to hospital admission. Participants were excluded from the study if they returned a Standardised Mini-Mental State Examination (SMMSE) score of less than 18 when assessed by the researcher. A total of 18 participants with an average age of 69.8 years (SD ± 12.7, range 41 to 84 years) from three regional Victorian hospitals were interviewed for this study. Data were analysed using a reflexive thematic analysis identifying three major themes; (1) Environment (extrinsic) (2) Individual (intrinsic), and (3) Outcomes, as well as eight minor themes. Participants recognised the hazardous nature of a hospital and their personal responsibilities in staying safe. Falls education needs to be consistently delivered, with the focus on empowering the patient to help them adjust to changes in their clinical condition, whether temporary or permanent. © 2022 by the authors.
- Authors: Dabkowski, Elissa , Cooper, Simon , Duncan, Jhodie , Missen, Karen
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol. 20, no. 1 (2023), p.
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- Reviewed:
- Description: Patient falls in hospital may lead to physical, psychological, social and financial impacts. Understanding patients’ perceptions of their fall risk will help to direct fall prevention strategies and understand patient behaviours. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions and experiences that influence a patient’s understanding of their fall risk in regional Australian hospitals. Semi-structured, individual interviews were conducted in wards across three Australian hospitals. Participants were aged 40 years and over, able to communicate in English and were mobile prior to hospital admission. Participants were excluded from the study if they returned a Standardised Mini-Mental State Examination (SMMSE) score of less than 18 when assessed by the researcher. A total of 18 participants with an average age of 69.8 years (SD ± 12.7, range 41 to 84 years) from three regional Victorian hospitals were interviewed for this study. Data were analysed using a reflexive thematic analysis identifying three major themes; (1) Environment (extrinsic) (2) Individual (intrinsic), and (3) Outcomes, as well as eight minor themes. Participants recognised the hazardous nature of a hospital and their personal responsibilities in staying safe. Falls education needs to be consistently delivered, with the focus on empowering the patient to help them adjust to changes in their clinical condition, whether temporary or permanent. © 2022 by the authors.
Exploring sensory, motor, and pain responses as potential side or therapeutic effects of sub-2 mA, 400 Hz transcranial pulsed current stimulation
- Jaberzadeh, Shapour, Zoghi, Maryam
- Authors: Jaberzadeh, Shapour , Zoghi, Maryam
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: PLoS ONE Vol. 18, no. 12 December (2023), p.
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- Description: Background Various brain stimulation devices capable of generating high-frequency currents are readily available. However, our comprehension of the potential side or therapeutic effects associated with high-frequency transcranial pulsed current stimulation (tPCS), particularly concerning the new 400 Hz tPCS device, AscenZ-IV Stimulator, developed by AscenZion Neuromodulation Co. Pte. Ltd. in Singapore, remains incomplete. Objective This study examines preliminary parameters for the safe and comfortable application of 400 Hz tPCS at intensities below 2 mA. Methods In a cross-sectional study, 45 healthy participants underwent sub-2 mA 400 Hz tPCS to assess sensory, motor, and pain thresholds on the dominant side. Study 1 (N = 15) targeted the primary motor cortex of the right-hand area, while study 2 (N = 30) focused on the back of the right forearm. Results Study one showed that increasing the current intensity gradually resulted in no responses at sub-0.3 mA levels, but higher intensities (p < 0.001) induced sensory perception and pain responses. Study two replicated these findings and additionally induced motor responses along with the sensory and pain responses. Conclusion Despite the theoretical classification of tPCS as a subsensory level of stimulation, and the expectation that individuals receiving this type of current should not typically feel its application on the body, this high-frequency tPCS device generates different levels of stimulation due to the physiological phenomenon known as temporal summation. These novel levels of stimulation could be viewed as either potential “side-effects” of high frequency tPCS or as additional “therapeutic benefits”. This dual capacity may position the device as one that generates both neuromodulatory and neurostimulatory currents. Comprehensive comprehension of this is vital for the development of therapeutic protocols that incorporate high-frequency tPCS. Copyright: © 2023 Jaberzadeh, Zoghi. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
- Authors: Jaberzadeh, Shapour , Zoghi, Maryam
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: PLoS ONE Vol. 18, no. 12 December (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background Various brain stimulation devices capable of generating high-frequency currents are readily available. However, our comprehension of the potential side or therapeutic effects associated with high-frequency transcranial pulsed current stimulation (tPCS), particularly concerning the new 400 Hz tPCS device, AscenZ-IV Stimulator, developed by AscenZion Neuromodulation Co. Pte. Ltd. in Singapore, remains incomplete. Objective This study examines preliminary parameters for the safe and comfortable application of 400 Hz tPCS at intensities below 2 mA. Methods In a cross-sectional study, 45 healthy participants underwent sub-2 mA 400 Hz tPCS to assess sensory, motor, and pain thresholds on the dominant side. Study 1 (N = 15) targeted the primary motor cortex of the right-hand area, while study 2 (N = 30) focused on the back of the right forearm. Results Study one showed that increasing the current intensity gradually resulted in no responses at sub-0.3 mA levels, but higher intensities (p < 0.001) induced sensory perception and pain responses. Study two replicated these findings and additionally induced motor responses along with the sensory and pain responses. Conclusion Despite the theoretical classification of tPCS as a subsensory level of stimulation, and the expectation that individuals receiving this type of current should not typically feel its application on the body, this high-frequency tPCS device generates different levels of stimulation due to the physiological phenomenon known as temporal summation. These novel levels of stimulation could be viewed as either potential “side-effects” of high frequency tPCS or as additional “therapeutic benefits”. This dual capacity may position the device as one that generates both neuromodulatory and neurostimulatory currents. Comprehensive comprehension of this is vital for the development of therapeutic protocols that incorporate high-frequency tPCS. Copyright: © 2023 Jaberzadeh, Zoghi. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Exploring the effects of perioperative and preoperative exercise therapy for prostate, colorectal and breast cancer patients
- Authors: Hennessy, Declan
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
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- Description: Cancer is a prevalent disease with significant morbidity and mortality rates. Exercise interventions implemented before, during, or after cancer-based surgeries have shown promising benefits in improving fitness, postoperative complications, and quality of life. This thesis comprises three original research chapters aimed at investigating the effect of perioperative and preoperative 'prehabilitation' exercise in breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer patients. The first study focused on exploring exercise therapy interventions and their impact on cardio-respiratory fitness and 30-day postoperative outcomes in colorectal cancer patients. The systematic review and meta-analysis (N= 411 intervention and N= 368 control) revealed a small but significant improvement in cardio-respiratory fitness (SMD = 0.18; 95% CI = 0.03, 0.32; p < 0.05) with exercise interventions, although no significant impact on 30-day postoperative outcomes was observed. In the second study, various exercise types, including aerobic, resistance, flexibility, and mind-body exercises (alone or in combination), were compared in terms of their effect on cardio-respiratory fitness and 30-day postoperative outcomes in colorectal cancer patients (N= 411 intervention and N= 368 control). The network meta-analysis findings indicated that engaging in aerobic exercise alone (SMD = 0.30) or a combination of aerobic, resistance, and flexibility exercises (SMD = 0.57) yielded the most significant improvements in cardio-respiratory fitness. The final study examined the efficacy of pre-surgical aerobic exercise (prehabilitation) therapy in relation to post-operative cardio-respiratory fitness, quality of life, and 30-day postoperative outcomes in the Grampians Region of Victoria. The prehabilitation (PREHAB) group included a supervised aerobic based program which would see patients exercise every two/three days for a minimum of 2 weeks. A total of 11 PREHAB and 9 usual care (UCARE) patients were enrolled and analysed. The study showed that a prehabilitation exercise program resulted in small clinical improvements in some markers of cardio-respiratory fitness (+1.5% and +1.2% for absolute and relative V̇O2peak, respectively) and is safe and feasible. However, no significant improvements were observed in quality of life and 30-day postoperative outcomes. While the overall findings demonstrate some positive effects of perioperative and specifically prehabilitation exercise, it is important to consider the magnitude of these effects and any specific factors contributing to their success, if applicable. Further research is needed to fully understand the potential benefits and limitations of exercise before, during and after surgery in this patient population.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Hennessy, Declan
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Cancer is a prevalent disease with significant morbidity and mortality rates. Exercise interventions implemented before, during, or after cancer-based surgeries have shown promising benefits in improving fitness, postoperative complications, and quality of life. This thesis comprises three original research chapters aimed at investigating the effect of perioperative and preoperative 'prehabilitation' exercise in breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer patients. The first study focused on exploring exercise therapy interventions and their impact on cardio-respiratory fitness and 30-day postoperative outcomes in colorectal cancer patients. The systematic review and meta-analysis (N= 411 intervention and N= 368 control) revealed a small but significant improvement in cardio-respiratory fitness (SMD = 0.18; 95% CI = 0.03, 0.32; p < 0.05) with exercise interventions, although no significant impact on 30-day postoperative outcomes was observed. In the second study, various exercise types, including aerobic, resistance, flexibility, and mind-body exercises (alone or in combination), were compared in terms of their effect on cardio-respiratory fitness and 30-day postoperative outcomes in colorectal cancer patients (N= 411 intervention and N= 368 control). The network meta-analysis findings indicated that engaging in aerobic exercise alone (SMD = 0.30) or a combination of aerobic, resistance, and flexibility exercises (SMD = 0.57) yielded the most significant improvements in cardio-respiratory fitness. The final study examined the efficacy of pre-surgical aerobic exercise (prehabilitation) therapy in relation to post-operative cardio-respiratory fitness, quality of life, and 30-day postoperative outcomes in the Grampians Region of Victoria. The prehabilitation (PREHAB) group included a supervised aerobic based program which would see patients exercise every two/three days for a minimum of 2 weeks. A total of 11 PREHAB and 9 usual care (UCARE) patients were enrolled and analysed. The study showed that a prehabilitation exercise program resulted in small clinical improvements in some markers of cardio-respiratory fitness (+1.5% and +1.2% for absolute and relative V̇O2peak, respectively) and is safe and feasible. However, no significant improvements were observed in quality of life and 30-day postoperative outcomes. While the overall findings demonstrate some positive effects of perioperative and specifically prehabilitation exercise, it is important to consider the magnitude of these effects and any specific factors contributing to their success, if applicable. Further research is needed to fully understand the potential benefits and limitations of exercise before, during and after surgery in this patient population.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Exploring the experiences of frontline nurses during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic : an integrated literature review
- Jackson, Megan, Porter, Joanne, Mesagno, Christopher
- Authors: Jackson, Megan , Porter, Joanne , Mesagno, Christopher
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Nursing Open Vol. 10, no. 5 (2023), p. 2705-2719
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of frontline nurses caring for patients during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Design: The JBI manual for evidence synthesis and the PRISMA guidelines for reporting. Data sources: CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE, PsycINFO (EBSCO) and Scopus (Elsevier). Review Methods: The JBI Mixed Methods Data Extraction Tool following a Convergent Integrated Approach. Results: Nineteen studies were included in the review, comprising eight countries and 2525 frontline nurses. Six themes emerged encompassing frontline nurses' COVID-19 experiences including emotional experiences, physical symptoms, ethical and moral challenges, professional impact, risk factors for negative emotional experiences and protective factors for future pandemic events. Conclusion: Frontline nurses have faced numerous challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Providing frontline nurses with the required resources and support to perform their roles in global healthcare crises allows for an empowered and resilient workforce ensuring nurses remain in their chosen profession. © 2022 The Authors. Nursing Open published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
- Authors: Jackson, Megan , Porter, Joanne , Mesagno, Christopher
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Nursing Open Vol. 10, no. 5 (2023), p. 2705-2719
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of frontline nurses caring for patients during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Design: The JBI manual for evidence synthesis and the PRISMA guidelines for reporting. Data sources: CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE, PsycINFO (EBSCO) and Scopus (Elsevier). Review Methods: The JBI Mixed Methods Data Extraction Tool following a Convergent Integrated Approach. Results: Nineteen studies were included in the review, comprising eight countries and 2525 frontline nurses. Six themes emerged encompassing frontline nurses' COVID-19 experiences including emotional experiences, physical symptoms, ethical and moral challenges, professional impact, risk factors for negative emotional experiences and protective factors for future pandemic events. Conclusion: Frontline nurses have faced numerous challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Providing frontline nurses with the required resources and support to perform their roles in global healthcare crises allows for an empowered and resilient workforce ensuring nurses remain in their chosen profession. © 2022 The Authors. Nursing Open published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Exploring the role of the nurse unit manager in forensic mental health inpatient units : a qualitative study
- Maguire, Tessa, Mawren, Daveena, Ryan, Jo, Ennis, Gary, Olasoji, Michael
- Authors: Maguire, Tessa , Mawren, Daveena , Ryan, Jo , Ennis, Gary , Olasoji, Michael
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Mental Health Nursing Vol. 32, no. 6 (2023), p. 1756-1765
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Forensic mental health (FMH) inpatient settings are complex working environments at times due to a number of factors including the presence of challenging behaviours that may include violence and aggression, restrictions related to legislation, extended length of stay and the impact of trauma. Nurse unit managers (NUMs) play an important role in managing the unit environment and clinical standards of care to achieve better outcomes for consumers and staff. However, the role of NUMs in an FMH setting is poorly understood. The overall aim of this study was to explore the role of NUMs working within an FMH setting in Victoria, Australia. To our knowledge, this is the first study that has examined the subject. Data were collected via focus groups from n = 32 participants which included NUMs, their managers, staff who work alongside the NUMs and the staff the NUMs manage. Data were analysed using thematic analysis and four themes were interpreted from the data, (i) lack of role clarity, (ii) the importance of clinical Leadership and forensic mental health knowledge, (iii) step up in responsibility and step down in pay and (iv) seeing the difference you make. The role of the NUM within a forensic mental health setting comes with a number of challenges, but also opportunities to enact change. An ongoing effort to better support those employed within the NUM role and make the role desirable for aspiring staff is critical to the sustainability of a skilled clinical workforce and quality of care in this complex setting. © 2023 The Authors. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.
- Authors: Maguire, Tessa , Mawren, Daveena , Ryan, Jo , Ennis, Gary , Olasoji, Michael
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Mental Health Nursing Vol. 32, no. 6 (2023), p. 1756-1765
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Forensic mental health (FMH) inpatient settings are complex working environments at times due to a number of factors including the presence of challenging behaviours that may include violence and aggression, restrictions related to legislation, extended length of stay and the impact of trauma. Nurse unit managers (NUMs) play an important role in managing the unit environment and clinical standards of care to achieve better outcomes for consumers and staff. However, the role of NUMs in an FMH setting is poorly understood. The overall aim of this study was to explore the role of NUMs working within an FMH setting in Victoria, Australia. To our knowledge, this is the first study that has examined the subject. Data were collected via focus groups from n = 32 participants which included NUMs, their managers, staff who work alongside the NUMs and the staff the NUMs manage. Data were analysed using thematic analysis and four themes were interpreted from the data, (i) lack of role clarity, (ii) the importance of clinical Leadership and forensic mental health knowledge, (iii) step up in responsibility and step down in pay and (iv) seeing the difference you make. The role of the NUM within a forensic mental health setting comes with a number of challenges, but also opportunities to enact change. An ongoing effort to better support those employed within the NUM role and make the role desirable for aspiring staff is critical to the sustainability of a skilled clinical workforce and quality of care in this complex setting. © 2023 The Authors. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.
Factors influencing the timeliness of care for patients with lung cancer in Bangladesh
- Ansar, Adnan, Lewis, Virginia, McDonald, Christine, Liu, Chaojie, Rahman, Muhammad Aziz
- Authors: Ansar, Adnan , Lewis, Virginia , McDonald, Christine , Liu, Chaojie , Rahman, Muhammad Aziz
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: BMC Health Services Research Vol. 23, no. 1 (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: This study explored the factors associated with timeliness of care in the healthcare seeking pathway among patients with lung cancer in Bangladesh. Methods: A structured questionnaire was used for data collection from 418 patients with lung cancer through face-to-face interviews in three tertiary care hospitals. Log-rank tests were performed to test differences in the length of intervals between points in healthcare by socioeconomic characteristics and care seeking behaviours of the patients. Cox Proportional Hazard (PH) regression analysis was performed to identify the predictors of the intervals after adjustment for variations in other variables. Results: A higher education level was associated significantly (p < 0.05) with a shorter interval between first contact with a healthcare provider (HCP) and diagnosis (median 81 days) and initiation of treatment (median 101 days). Higher monthly household income was associated significantly with a shorter time from first contact and diagnosis (median 91 days), onset of symptom and diagnosis (median 99 days), onset of symptom and treatment (median 122 days), and first contact with any HCP to treatment (median 111 days). Consulting with additional HCPs prior to diagnosis was associated significantly with longer intervals from first contact with any HCP and diagnosis (median 127 days), onset of symptom and diagnosis (median 154 days), onset of symptom and treatment (median 205 days), and first contact with any HCP to treatment (median 174 days). Consulting with informal HCPs was associated significantly with a longer time interval from symptom to treatment (median 171 days). Having more than one triggering symptom was associated significantly with a shorter interval between onset of symptoms and first contact with any HCP. Conclusion: The predictors for timeliness of lung cancer care used in this study affected different intervals in the care seeking pathway. Higher education and income predicted shorter intervals whereas consulting informal healthcare providers and multiple providers were associated with longer intervals. © 2023, The Author(s).
- Authors: Ansar, Adnan , Lewis, Virginia , McDonald, Christine , Liu, Chaojie , Rahman, Muhammad Aziz
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: BMC Health Services Research Vol. 23, no. 1 (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: This study explored the factors associated with timeliness of care in the healthcare seeking pathway among patients with lung cancer in Bangladesh. Methods: A structured questionnaire was used for data collection from 418 patients with lung cancer through face-to-face interviews in three tertiary care hospitals. Log-rank tests were performed to test differences in the length of intervals between points in healthcare by socioeconomic characteristics and care seeking behaviours of the patients. Cox Proportional Hazard (PH) regression analysis was performed to identify the predictors of the intervals after adjustment for variations in other variables. Results: A higher education level was associated significantly (p < 0.05) with a shorter interval between first contact with a healthcare provider (HCP) and diagnosis (median 81 days) and initiation of treatment (median 101 days). Higher monthly household income was associated significantly with a shorter time from first contact and diagnosis (median 91 days), onset of symptom and diagnosis (median 99 days), onset of symptom and treatment (median 122 days), and first contact with any HCP to treatment (median 111 days). Consulting with additional HCPs prior to diagnosis was associated significantly with longer intervals from first contact with any HCP and diagnosis (median 127 days), onset of symptom and diagnosis (median 154 days), onset of symptom and treatment (median 205 days), and first contact with any HCP to treatment (median 174 days). Consulting with informal HCPs was associated significantly with a longer time interval from symptom to treatment (median 171 days). Having more than one triggering symptom was associated significantly with a shorter interval between onset of symptoms and first contact with any HCP. Conclusion: The predictors for timeliness of lung cancer care used in this study affected different intervals in the care seeking pathway. Higher education and income predicted shorter intervals whereas consulting informal healthcare providers and multiple providers were associated with longer intervals. © 2023, The Author(s).
Factors that promote a positive childbearing experience : a qualitative study
- Hall, Helen, Fooladi, Ensieh, Kloester, Joy, Ulnang, Arijanti, Sinni, Suzanne, White, Colleen, McLaren, Meredith, Yeganeh, Ladan
- Authors: Hall, Helen , Fooladi, Ensieh , Kloester, Joy , Ulnang, Arijanti , Sinni, Suzanne , White, Colleen , McLaren, Meredith , Yeganeh, Ladan
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health Vol. 68, no. 1 (2023), p. 44-51
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Introduction: Experiences of pregnancy and birth are important and have long-term impacts on the well-being of women and their families. Perinatal services should aim for care that promotes a positive childbearing experience, as well as optimizing health outcomes for the woman and newborn. This study aimed to understand the health system factors that promote a positive childbearing experience. Methods: Women who had a positive experience and had given birth in Australia in the previous 12 months were recruited for individual semistructured interviews. The interview guide focused on health system factors that participants credited with contributing to their positive experience of perinatal care. Interviews were conducted until data saturation was reached. Qualitative data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Data from 36 interviews were thematically analyzed, and 4 major themes were generated: health care provider attributes, health system attributes, communication and decision-making, and experience of care. The salient factors that promoted positive experiences included care that was respectful and individualized with effective communication, access to midwifery continuity of care models, and good integration between services. Competent and professional health care providers who facilitated shared decision-making were also essential. Discussion: Although women often sought out care that promoted physiologic birth, they emphasized that the way they were cared for was more important than fulfilling specific birth aspirations. Quality maternity care has the capacity to support a woman's confidence in her own abilities and promote a positive, and sometimes transformative, childbearing experience. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM).
- Authors: Hall, Helen , Fooladi, Ensieh , Kloester, Joy , Ulnang, Arijanti , Sinni, Suzanne , White, Colleen , McLaren, Meredith , Yeganeh, Ladan
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health Vol. 68, no. 1 (2023), p. 44-51
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Introduction: Experiences of pregnancy and birth are important and have long-term impacts on the well-being of women and their families. Perinatal services should aim for care that promotes a positive childbearing experience, as well as optimizing health outcomes for the woman and newborn. This study aimed to understand the health system factors that promote a positive childbearing experience. Methods: Women who had a positive experience and had given birth in Australia in the previous 12 months were recruited for individual semistructured interviews. The interview guide focused on health system factors that participants credited with contributing to their positive experience of perinatal care. Interviews were conducted until data saturation was reached. Qualitative data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Data from 36 interviews were thematically analyzed, and 4 major themes were generated: health care provider attributes, health system attributes, communication and decision-making, and experience of care. The salient factors that promoted positive experiences included care that was respectful and individualized with effective communication, access to midwifery continuity of care models, and good integration between services. Competent and professional health care providers who facilitated shared decision-making were also essential. Discussion: Although women often sought out care that promoted physiologic birth, they emphasized that the way they were cared for was more important than fulfilling specific birth aspirations. Quality maternity care has the capacity to support a woman's confidence in her own abilities and promote a positive, and sometimes transformative, childbearing experience. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM).
Falls risk perception measures in hospital : a COSMIN systematic review
- Dabkowski, Elissa, Missen, Karen, Duncan, Jhodie, Cooper, Simon
- Authors: Dabkowski, Elissa , Missen, Karen , Duncan, Jhodie , Cooper, Simon
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes Vol. 7, no. 1 (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Falls prevention in hospital continues to be a research priority because of the poor health outcomes and financial burdens that can arise. Recently updated World Guidelines for Falls Prevention and Management strongly recommend evaluating patients’ concerns about falling as part of a multifactorial assessment. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the quality of falls risk perception measures for adults in a hospital setting. This review was conducted using the Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments guidelines and provides a comprehensive summary of these instruments, including psychometric properties, feasibility and clinical recommendations for their use. The review followed a prospectively registered protocol, in which a total of ten databases were searched between the years 2002 and 2022. Studies were included if the instruments measured falls risk perception and/or other psychological falls constructs, if they were conducted in a hospital setting and if the target population contained hospital inpatients. A total of 18 studies met the inclusion criteria, encompassing 20 falls risk perception measures. These falls risk perception instruments were grouped into five falls-related constructs: Balance Confidence, Falls Efficacy/Concern, Fear of Falling, Self-Awareness and Behaviour/Intention. Two of the patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) received Class A recommendations (Falls Risk Perception Questionnaire and the Spinal Cord Injury-Falls Concern Scale); however, this rating is only applicable for the populations/context described in the studies. Thirteen PROMs received Class B recommendations, solidifying the need for further validation studies of these PROMs. © 2023, The Author(s).
- Authors: Dabkowski, Elissa , Missen, Karen , Duncan, Jhodie , Cooper, Simon
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes Vol. 7, no. 1 (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Falls prevention in hospital continues to be a research priority because of the poor health outcomes and financial burdens that can arise. Recently updated World Guidelines for Falls Prevention and Management strongly recommend evaluating patients’ concerns about falling as part of a multifactorial assessment. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the quality of falls risk perception measures for adults in a hospital setting. This review was conducted using the Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments guidelines and provides a comprehensive summary of these instruments, including psychometric properties, feasibility and clinical recommendations for their use. The review followed a prospectively registered protocol, in which a total of ten databases were searched between the years 2002 and 2022. Studies were included if the instruments measured falls risk perception and/or other psychological falls constructs, if they were conducted in a hospital setting and if the target population contained hospital inpatients. A total of 18 studies met the inclusion criteria, encompassing 20 falls risk perception measures. These falls risk perception instruments were grouped into five falls-related constructs: Balance Confidence, Falls Efficacy/Concern, Fear of Falling, Self-Awareness and Behaviour/Intention. Two of the patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) received Class A recommendations (Falls Risk Perception Questionnaire and the Spinal Cord Injury-Falls Concern Scale); however, this rating is only applicable for the populations/context described in the studies. Thirteen PROMs received Class B recommendations, solidifying the need for further validation studies of these PROMs. © 2023, The Author(s).
Fasting triglycerides are positively associated with cardiovascular mortality risk in people with diabetes
- Wang, Yutang, Fang, Yan, Magliano, Dianna, Charchar, Fadi, Sobey, Christopher, Drummond, Grant, Golledge, Jonathan
- Authors: Wang, Yutang , Fang, Yan , Magliano, Dianna , Charchar, Fadi , Sobey, Christopher , Drummond, Grant , Golledge, Jonathan
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Cardiovascular Research Vol. 119, no. 3 (2023), p. 826-834
- Relation: https://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1062671
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Aims We investigated the association of fasting triglycerides with cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. Methods and results This cohort study included US adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 1988 to 2014. CVD mortality outcomes were ascertained by linkage to the National Death Index records. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of triglycerides for CVD mortality. The cohort included 26 570 adult participants, among which 3978 had diabetes. People with higher triglycerides had a higher prevalence of diabetes at baseline. The cohort was followed up for a mean of 12.0 years with 1492 CVD deaths recorded. A 1-natural-log-unit higher triglyceride was associated with a 30% higher multivariate-adjusted risk of CVD mortality in participants with diabetes (HR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.08–1.56) but not in those without diabetes (HR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.83–1.07). In participants with diabetes, people with high triglycerides (200–499 mg/dL) had a 44% (HR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.12–1.85) higher multivariate-adjusted risk of CVD mortality compared with those with normal triglycerides (<150 mg/dL). The findings remained significant when diabetes was defined by fasting glucose levels alone, or after further adjustment for the use of lipid-lowering medications, or after the exclusion of those who took lipid-lowering medications. Conclusion This study demonstrates that fasting triglycerides of
- Authors: Wang, Yutang , Fang, Yan , Magliano, Dianna , Charchar, Fadi , Sobey, Christopher , Drummond, Grant , Golledge, Jonathan
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Cardiovascular Research Vol. 119, no. 3 (2023), p. 826-834
- Relation: https://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1062671
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Aims We investigated the association of fasting triglycerides with cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. Methods and results This cohort study included US adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 1988 to 2014. CVD mortality outcomes were ascertained by linkage to the National Death Index records. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of triglycerides for CVD mortality. The cohort included 26 570 adult participants, among which 3978 had diabetes. People with higher triglycerides had a higher prevalence of diabetes at baseline. The cohort was followed up for a mean of 12.0 years with 1492 CVD deaths recorded. A 1-natural-log-unit higher triglyceride was associated with a 30% higher multivariate-adjusted risk of CVD mortality in participants with diabetes (HR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.08–1.56) but not in those without diabetes (HR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.83–1.07). In participants with diabetes, people with high triglycerides (200–499 mg/dL) had a 44% (HR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.12–1.85) higher multivariate-adjusted risk of CVD mortality compared with those with normal triglycerides (<150 mg/dL). The findings remained significant when diabetes was defined by fasting glucose levels alone, or after further adjustment for the use of lipid-lowering medications, or after the exclusion of those who took lipid-lowering medications. Conclusion This study demonstrates that fasting triglycerides of
Finding a place for organic waste-to-energy in Australian agribusiness
- Authors: Hurley, Craig
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis seeks to understand Australian agribusiness engagement with approaches to generate energy from organic waste materials. Applications of modern bioenergy technologies, utilising agriculture residues to produce electrical, thermal and transport energy, have been well established in many parts of the world. There has been enthusiasm for bioenergy from agriculture to make a substantial contribution to Australia’s energy mix, but the agriculture sector, like Australia more generally, has been slow to transition to bioenergy technologies. Adopting the pragmatism research philosophy, this study applies the Multi-Level Perspective and Social Practice Approach frameworks to explore Australian agribusiness engagement with bioenergy systems, to produce energy from organic waste. A multi-methods qualitative research methodology is used to analyse the adoption of organic waste-to-energy approaches by Australian agribusiness, and to identify the critical drivers and barriers impacting these transitions. Except for sugar processors, Australian agribusiness adoption of organic waste-to-energy approaches is in its very early stages. The main drivers prompting agribusinesses to explore their organic waste-to-energy options are, agribusinesses experiencing problems with the cost and/or quality of their energy supplies, and/or problems with the social acceptance of their existing organic waste management practices. The main barriers to agribusinesses making the transition to bioenergy technologies, include financial factors such as the high capital costs of bioenergy plants and low returns on investment. Other barriers include a low level of awareness and understanding of bioenergy approaches in the agriculture industry, and in Australia more broadly, and a lack of consultative expertise to develop and service bioenergy systems. For organic waste-to-energy to play a more substantial role in Australian agriculture, support is needed to overcome critical barriers. This study finds policy and support mechanisms are required to encourage greater collaboration of small-scale agribusinesses and other relevant stakeholders. Investment is also needed to increase Australia’s awareness and understanding of organic waste-to-energy approaches, and to build the consultative expertise and skills-base to support the development of bioenergy systems.
- Description: Doctor of Philiosophy
- Authors: Hurley, Craig
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis seeks to understand Australian agribusiness engagement with approaches to generate energy from organic waste materials. Applications of modern bioenergy technologies, utilising agriculture residues to produce electrical, thermal and transport energy, have been well established in many parts of the world. There has been enthusiasm for bioenergy from agriculture to make a substantial contribution to Australia’s energy mix, but the agriculture sector, like Australia more generally, has been slow to transition to bioenergy technologies. Adopting the pragmatism research philosophy, this study applies the Multi-Level Perspective and Social Practice Approach frameworks to explore Australian agribusiness engagement with bioenergy systems, to produce energy from organic waste. A multi-methods qualitative research methodology is used to analyse the adoption of organic waste-to-energy approaches by Australian agribusiness, and to identify the critical drivers and barriers impacting these transitions. Except for sugar processors, Australian agribusiness adoption of organic waste-to-energy approaches is in its very early stages. The main drivers prompting agribusinesses to explore their organic waste-to-energy options are, agribusinesses experiencing problems with the cost and/or quality of their energy supplies, and/or problems with the social acceptance of their existing organic waste management practices. The main barriers to agribusinesses making the transition to bioenergy technologies, include financial factors such as the high capital costs of bioenergy plants and low returns on investment. Other barriers include a low level of awareness and understanding of bioenergy approaches in the agriculture industry, and in Australia more broadly, and a lack of consultative expertise to develop and service bioenergy systems. For organic waste-to-energy to play a more substantial role in Australian agriculture, support is needed to overcome critical barriers. This study finds policy and support mechanisms are required to encourage greater collaboration of small-scale agribusinesses and other relevant stakeholders. Investment is also needed to increase Australia’s awareness and understanding of organic waste-to-energy approaches, and to build the consultative expertise and skills-base to support the development of bioenergy systems.
- Description: Doctor of Philiosophy
Fire responses by bird guilds and species in heathy dry forests in central Victoria, Australia
- Kuchinke, Diana, di Stefano, Julian, Loyn, Richard, Gell, Peter, Palmer, Grant
- Authors: Kuchinke, Diana , di Stefano, Julian , Loyn, Richard , Gell, Peter , Palmer, Grant
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Forest Ecology and Management Vol. 535, no. (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Predicted increases in fire frequency and extent are being realised across Australia, bringing changes to the fire regime which may influence the availability of essential resources required by birds. However, few studies have examined either the impacts of fire frequency on birds or the impacts from both wildfire and planned burns, com bined. Birds were surveyed eight times across 84 sites in heathy dry forests in central Victoria, south-east Australia, from 2012 to 2014. Fire history records were retrieved from the 1970’s onwards, the time from which accurate planned burn records were kept. We developed mixed models to investigate how birds responded to time-since-fire and fire frequency, analysing total bird abundance, ten foraging guilds and 30 individual species. We found distinct responses by all modelled guilds and species to time-since-fire, along with evidence for responses to fire frequency. The greatest shifts in species’ abundances occurred during the first ten years post fire, with bird species commonly present across the stages greater than ten years since fire. For total bird abundance there was no statistically detectible difference between recently burnt forest (0-6 months) and other age classes. However, some guilds showed a significant drop in abundance in newly burnt vegetation (e.g. bark foragers, damp ground insectivores, those that feed on seeds close to the ground, tall shrub foragers). It is with guild and species’ responses that more differences across vegetation age classes became apparent. Significant increases in abundance were apparent in both the regrowth and new growth vegetation age classes, compared with older habitat (e.g. canopy foragers, damp ground insectivores, tall shrub foragers); open ground foragers were especially common in post-fire regrowth but then significantly declined. Other responses were more complex, with species’ preferences reflecting their foraging ecology. Some birds showed preferences across two age classes: sites that were young post-fire regrowth (6 months–2.5 years since fire) along with sites of old habitat (>35 years since fire), (e.g. Crimson Rosella, Scarlet Robin, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo), while some ground-foraging species became scarce in dense new-growth vegetation that appears 2.5–10 years post fire (e.g. Australian Magpie, Laughing Kookaburra and White-winged Chough). Such species may deserve specific management strategies to maintain populations in forests where substantial areas are burnt by wildfire or planned burns, over short periods of time. The model for total bird abundance showed a significant fire frequency response with birds preferring sites twice burnt within 35 years (e.g. bark and canopy-foraging guilds). Four guilds demonstrated a preference for sites frequently burnt, increasing in abundance as number of burns increased (nectarivores, open-ground foragers, seeds in trees foragers, tall shrub foragers). In contrast, two species appeared to prefer sites that had experienced low fire frequencies, a response not common to their guilds. Laughing Kookaburra (carnivore) and White-winged Chough (forages on open ground among trees) generally declined in abundance with increasing fire frequency. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.
- Authors: Kuchinke, Diana , di Stefano, Julian , Loyn, Richard , Gell, Peter , Palmer, Grant
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Forest Ecology and Management Vol. 535, no. (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Predicted increases in fire frequency and extent are being realised across Australia, bringing changes to the fire regime which may influence the availability of essential resources required by birds. However, few studies have examined either the impacts of fire frequency on birds or the impacts from both wildfire and planned burns, com bined. Birds were surveyed eight times across 84 sites in heathy dry forests in central Victoria, south-east Australia, from 2012 to 2014. Fire history records were retrieved from the 1970’s onwards, the time from which accurate planned burn records were kept. We developed mixed models to investigate how birds responded to time-since-fire and fire frequency, analysing total bird abundance, ten foraging guilds and 30 individual species. We found distinct responses by all modelled guilds and species to time-since-fire, along with evidence for responses to fire frequency. The greatest shifts in species’ abundances occurred during the first ten years post fire, with bird species commonly present across the stages greater than ten years since fire. For total bird abundance there was no statistically detectible difference between recently burnt forest (0-6 months) and other age classes. However, some guilds showed a significant drop in abundance in newly burnt vegetation (e.g. bark foragers, damp ground insectivores, those that feed on seeds close to the ground, tall shrub foragers). It is with guild and species’ responses that more differences across vegetation age classes became apparent. Significant increases in abundance were apparent in both the regrowth and new growth vegetation age classes, compared with older habitat (e.g. canopy foragers, damp ground insectivores, tall shrub foragers); open ground foragers were especially common in post-fire regrowth but then significantly declined. Other responses were more complex, with species’ preferences reflecting their foraging ecology. Some birds showed preferences across two age classes: sites that were young post-fire regrowth (6 months–2.5 years since fire) along with sites of old habitat (>35 years since fire), (e.g. Crimson Rosella, Scarlet Robin, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo), while some ground-foraging species became scarce in dense new-growth vegetation that appears 2.5–10 years post fire (e.g. Australian Magpie, Laughing Kookaburra and White-winged Chough). Such species may deserve specific management strategies to maintain populations in forests where substantial areas are burnt by wildfire or planned burns, over short periods of time. The model for total bird abundance showed a significant fire frequency response with birds preferring sites twice burnt within 35 years (e.g. bark and canopy-foraging guilds). Four guilds demonstrated a preference for sites frequently burnt, increasing in abundance as number of burns increased (nectarivores, open-ground foragers, seeds in trees foragers, tall shrub foragers). In contrast, two species appeared to prefer sites that had experienced low fire frequencies, a response not common to their guilds. Laughing Kookaburra (carnivore) and White-winged Chough (forages on open ground among trees) generally declined in abundance with increasing fire frequency. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.
Food safety considerations in the production of traditional fermented products : Japanese rice koji and miso
- Allwood, Joanne, Wakeling, Lara, Post, Laurie, Bean, David
- Authors: Allwood, Joanne , Wakeling, Lara , Post, Laurie , Bean, David
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Journal of Food Safety Vol. 43, no. 4 (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: While established in Asia, rice koji and miso are fermented foods that are becoming more popular in western countries. They have been shown to contain a variety of microorganisms, consisting of bacteria, yeasts, and fungal species. Many contemporary miso varieties are not pasteurized as consumers are looking for more natural products, and/or have the desire to consume fermented foods containing live microorganisms. While correctly prepared fermented foods are rarely associated with food safety outbreaks, incidences have been recorded. On these occasions, pathogenic, or spoilage microorganisms were introduced into the products from external sources such as the raw material or the processing environment. Consequently, hygiene and fermentation conditions need to be carefully monitored to ensure food safety. Furthermore, many of the production steps during koji and miso manufacture do not fit into contemporary food safety guidelines for foods. Although pH is a required food safety hurdle for fermented foods, this does not apply to nonacidic foods such as koji or miso. This review focuses on control of microbial pathogens and discusses the processes of miso fermentation, and how fermentation of rice koji and miso fits with current food safety hurdles in western countries. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of Food Safety published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
- Authors: Allwood, Joanne , Wakeling, Lara , Post, Laurie , Bean, David
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Journal of Food Safety Vol. 43, no. 4 (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: While established in Asia, rice koji and miso are fermented foods that are becoming more popular in western countries. They have been shown to contain a variety of microorganisms, consisting of bacteria, yeasts, and fungal species. Many contemporary miso varieties are not pasteurized as consumers are looking for more natural products, and/or have the desire to consume fermented foods containing live microorganisms. While correctly prepared fermented foods are rarely associated with food safety outbreaks, incidences have been recorded. On these occasions, pathogenic, or spoilage microorganisms were introduced into the products from external sources such as the raw material or the processing environment. Consequently, hygiene and fermentation conditions need to be carefully monitored to ensure food safety. Furthermore, many of the production steps during koji and miso manufacture do not fit into contemporary food safety guidelines for foods. Although pH is a required food safety hurdle for fermented foods, this does not apply to nonacidic foods such as koji or miso. This review focuses on control of microbial pathogens and discusses the processes of miso fermentation, and how fermentation of rice koji and miso fits with current food safety hurdles in western countries. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of Food Safety published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Food security and wellbeing project evaluation 2022-2023
- Porter, Joanne, Simic, Megan, Miller, Elizabeth, Bransgrove, Natalie, Barbagallo, Michael, Peck, Blake, Unsworth, Carolyn, Hewitt, Alana, Soldatenko, Daria, Hualda, Luis, My, Sambath, Prokopiv, Valerie
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Simic, Megan , Miller, Elizabeth , Bransgrove, Natalie , Barbagallo, Michael , Peck, Blake , Unsworth, Carolyn , Hewitt, Alana , Soldatenko, Daria , Hualda, Luis , My, Sambath , Prokopiv, Valerie
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
- Description: Although the country is transitioning out of COVID-19 lockdowns and easing restrictions, Australians are now facing increased costs of living. Global political unrest, interest rate rises, and inflation have seen the prices of fuel, food and household bills surge, increasing the strain on individuals and families. Fruit and vegetables have seen cost increases by almost 7% from last year, with this figure only estimated to rise. During the same period, however, takeaway food prices increased marginally by 0.7%, potentially due to government subsidy and voucher systems introduced post COVID-19 lockdowns. The strain of food prices is felt even more greatly by those living in regional, rural and remote Australia, with prices increasing due to freight costs. The Morwell Neighbourhood House (MNH) Food Bank provides emergency relief without requiring an appointment and is unrestricted by postcode or healthcare card status. The Food Bank is supported by St Vinnies Morwell, which provides $12,000 annually towards the cost of food, and by numerous community organisations, individuals and businesses. Demand for the Food Bank has increased steadily and particularly so during the COVID-19 pandemic. The immediate precursor to the People’s Kitchen was a 2019 project named Cooking for a Purpose. That involved GippsTAFE VCAL students preparing nutritious frozen meals using ingredients provided by MNH. The availability of frozen home-cooked meals has ensured that Food Bank clients have at least one nutritious hot meal per day. The CERC was commissioned to explore the activities of the MNH, gaining an insight into how the whole of person approach to food security was being implemented. This understanding was gained through the perspective of those who were paid employees, Volunteers or accessed the MNH services, outlining the benefits, barriers and future suggestions for the MNH operations when addressing food security in the Latrobe Valley. Data were collected between 2022 - 2023 using a mixed methods approach to understand the impact of the MNH services on participants. Participants included MNH stakeholders, staff, Volunteers, secondary school students and people who accessed the MNH services. In addition to this, a comprehensive literature review was performed to understand the global landscape of food insecurity, exploring how people access Food Banks, the opportunities that arise from engaging with food security service activities and the perspectives of employees who ran these services.
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Simic, Megan , Miller, Elizabeth , Bransgrove, Natalie , Barbagallo, Michael , Peck, Blake , Unsworth, Carolyn , Hewitt, Alana , Soldatenko, Daria , Hualda, Luis , My, Sambath , Prokopiv, Valerie
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
- Description: Although the country is transitioning out of COVID-19 lockdowns and easing restrictions, Australians are now facing increased costs of living. Global political unrest, interest rate rises, and inflation have seen the prices of fuel, food and household bills surge, increasing the strain on individuals and families. Fruit and vegetables have seen cost increases by almost 7% from last year, with this figure only estimated to rise. During the same period, however, takeaway food prices increased marginally by 0.7%, potentially due to government subsidy and voucher systems introduced post COVID-19 lockdowns. The strain of food prices is felt even more greatly by those living in regional, rural and remote Australia, with prices increasing due to freight costs. The Morwell Neighbourhood House (MNH) Food Bank provides emergency relief without requiring an appointment and is unrestricted by postcode or healthcare card status. The Food Bank is supported by St Vinnies Morwell, which provides $12,000 annually towards the cost of food, and by numerous community organisations, individuals and businesses. Demand for the Food Bank has increased steadily and particularly so during the COVID-19 pandemic. The immediate precursor to the People’s Kitchen was a 2019 project named Cooking for a Purpose. That involved GippsTAFE VCAL students preparing nutritious frozen meals using ingredients provided by MNH. The availability of frozen home-cooked meals has ensured that Food Bank clients have at least one nutritious hot meal per day. The CERC was commissioned to explore the activities of the MNH, gaining an insight into how the whole of person approach to food security was being implemented. This understanding was gained through the perspective of those who were paid employees, Volunteers or accessed the MNH services, outlining the benefits, barriers and future suggestions for the MNH operations when addressing food security in the Latrobe Valley. Data were collected between 2022 - 2023 using a mixed methods approach to understand the impact of the MNH services on participants. Participants included MNH stakeholders, staff, Volunteers, secondary school students and people who accessed the MNH services. In addition to this, a comprehensive literature review was performed to understand the global landscape of food insecurity, exploring how people access Food Banks, the opportunities that arise from engaging with food security service activities and the perspectives of employees who ran these services.