ANZCTR search results

The present study investigates a psychological theory-based intervention to reduce alcohol pre-drinking - the practice of consuming alcohol at a home or private residence, prior to attending a subsequent event (where alcohol consumption often continues). The intervention comprises a motivational component that facilitates autonomous motivation to reduce pre-drinking alcohol consumption, and a volitional component that enables participants to generate their own 'if-then' plans to enact in response to contextual cues surrounding pre-drinking. The intervention comprises four conditions: an autonomy support only, an implementation intention only, a combined, and control condition. The control condition will receive information from the National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines with respect to consuming alcohol in moderation to reduce the risk of alcohol-related harm. It is hypothesized that the controlled condition targeting both motivational and volitional aspects will be most effective in reducing pre-drinking alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm.

We already know that the amount of walking completed by people in rehabilitation is very low and people find it hard to regain their walking ability in the community after having a hip fracture. This study will find out how much walking can feasibly and safely be completed by people who have been recently discharged from hospital after having a hip fracture. The results will help guide therapists as to how much walking they could prescribe to patients living in the community for long-term health benefits.

No study has yet investigated the therapeutic impact of computerized cognitive training (CCT) in frail or cognitively impaired daycare centre (DCC) clients or residents of retirement vilages, nor the relative merits of any particular booster training schedule. DCCs and retirement villages are an ideal health care setting to test CCT for primary and secondary prevention as they engage ultra high risk frail and old-old individuals and routinely deliver activities to their clients. This study will therefore compare two different booster training schedules in these settings with the aim of determining whether monthly booster sessions are equally effective at maintaining CCT gains as fortnightly booster sessions over a 3-month period. Specifically we aim to: 1. Compare the efficacy of monthly vs fortnightly booster sessions, by measuring cognitive function 3-months post-training; 2. Test the impact of the two booster schedules on everyday functional activities; If booster sessions can be spaced out like this without major loss in efficacy, then this will have significant ramifications for the practical and widespread implementation of computerized cognitive training in DCCs and retirement villages. Positive findings may also result in delaying the onset of cognitive impairment or loss of functional independence. In turn, these outcomes may benefit individuals, carers, communities and the health system.

The proposed project seeks to examine the acceptability, efficacy and feasibility of low-intensity CBT-based treatment program, the UniWellbeing Course, in reducing symptoms of stress, anxiety, low mood and depression in tertiary students attending Macquarie University. The UniWellbeing Course is based on the already established and efficacious Wellbeing and Mood Mechanic Courses (e.g., Titov et al., 2013, PLOS One; Johnston, et al., 2014, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry).

The Coronary Angiogram Database of South Australia (CADOSA) Outcomes Study was established in 2011 to evaluate self-reported health outcomes of patients undergoing coronary angiography for the evaluation of chest pain. The CADOSA Outcomes study assesses baseline, 1 and 12 month health status which includes symptomatic status, physical impairment from their condition, quality of life, and depression) in patients who agree to participate in a 12 month follow-up assessment.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of Brazil nuts in increasing selenium status in healthy males aged 65 years and older, as this is the average age of prostate cancer diagnosis in Australia. Who is it for? You may be eligible to join this study if you are a healthy, non-smoking male aged 65 years or older, who does not have any nut allergies, and does not regularly use a selenium supplement. Study design: Participants in this study will be assigned to 1 of 3 groups and asked to consume 2, 5, or 10 Brazil nuts daily for 30 days. At baseline volunteers will complete a questionnaire on dietary habits, supplement use, and demographic details. Height and weight will also be measured. Volunteers will be asked to avoid selenium enriched foods (e.g. fish, liver, kidney, and additional Brazil nuts) during the study period, but otherwise they will be asked to continue eating as normal. A 24-hour dietary recall and food frequency questionnaire will be used to verify the types of foods consumed at baseline and endpoint of the study period. Participants will also be required to give blood samples at the end of the 30 day study period in order to evaluate blood levels of selenium and other nutritional markers. The Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa) is the best source of selenium, a trace element and mineral that is nutritionally essential for human health. This antioxidant is the focus of significant recent research in prostate cancer, as it is proposed that selenium may reduce tumour growth and cancer progression. The data from this study will be explored to inform future nutrition intervention studies in men with advanced prostate cancer.

Breastfeeding is recognised as the optimal method for feeding infants with health gains made by reducing infectious diseases in infancy; and chronic diseases, including obesity, in childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Despite this, exclusivity and duration in developed countries remains resistant to improvement. The objectives of this research were to test if an automated mobile phone text messaging intervention, delivering one text message a week, could increase “any” breastfeeding rates and improve breastfeeding self-efficacy and coping.

The aim of the study is to examine the effectiveness of an evidence based decision making intervention (OPTIONS tool) for older people considering treatment options for end stage kidney disease. The anticipated study outcome will be reduced decisional conflict and uncertainty, improved knowledge regarding benefits and harms of dialysis and lower decisional regret.

Women undergoing caesarean section experience high rates of heat loss and hypothermia related to surgery and anaesthesia. As well as causing discomfort, hypothermia experienced during and after anaesthesia and surgery is also associated with many adverse effects, for example increased blood loss. It is also thought that spinal morphine, commonly given during caesarean section for pain relief, may also exacerbate heat loss. This project aims to test warming patients preoperatively via a warming blanket (which utilises heated air) to reduce the amount of heat loss during surgery. A randomised controlled study design will be used: the control group will receive normal care while the intervention group will receive preoperative warming. Potential participants will be identified via the surgical booking process. Recruitment and informed consent will occur at the preoperative assessment appointment. Participants will be randomly assigned, on the day of surgery, to either the control group receiving usual care, or the intervention group receiving preoperative warming. Temperature will be recorded throughout the preoperative period, during surgery and during the postoperative period in the recovery unit. Data will be analysed to investigate differences in the amount of temperature lost (temperature decline) in each group and comparisons made. Thermal comfort experienced by mothers will also be determined, as well as the incidence of shivering. Comparisons will also be made between newborn temperature and Apgar scores (used to assess the health of the newborn).

The Younger Women's Wellness after Cancer Program (YWWACP) will determine the effect of a 12 week, e-health enabled program, on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in women who have received treatment for breast or gynaecological cancer. Who is it for? You may be eligible to join this study if you are a female aged between 20-40 years who has completed surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy within the past 12 months for early or local breast and/or gynaecological cancer. Study details Participants in this study are randomly allocated (by chance) to one of two groups. Participants in the intervention group are given access to an e-health enabled, structured health promotion program which will include an interactive iBook and website containing health information, planning and goal setting, and three personal conferences with a nurse via video-conferencing over 12 weeks. Participants in the control group will receive usual care which includes only that information and support that is given as part of usual practice through their usual clinic visits. Participants from both groups will be asked to complete questionnaires before the program begins (0 weeks), at 12 weeks, and again at 24 weeks, in order to determine the effect of the program on HRQoL, dietary intake, physical activity levels, sleep quality, levels of stress, anxiety and depression, menopausal symptoms, and sexual function. They will also have their height, weight and other anthropometric measures taken at these timepoints.