ANZCTR search results

This retrospective, observational cohort study will include nonagenarians admitted to the ICU between 2010 and 2023 across Australia and New Zealand. The study will utilise data from the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society (ANZICS) Adult Patient Database. Who is it for? You are eligible if you are greater than 90 years old and admitted to ICI. Patients will be categorized into those with a normal body mass index and thiose with either a high or low body mass index. Study details This study will evaluate the short-term effects of body mass index on ICU and hospital mortality, length of stay, and mortality-associated factors. We hope these findings will emphasise the importance of shared decision-making that respects patient autonomy and considers clinical, cultural, and systemic factors.

The primary objective of Therapeutic Dragon Taming is to evaluate the effectiveness of an 8-week therapeutically applied Dungeons and Dragons group intervention (relative to a social board-gaming control group) for consumers of adult and adolescent community mental health services at improving self-reported symptoms of social anxiety, as measured with a validated instrument. The secondary objectives are to compare changes between intervention groups in depression, self-reported trauma symptoms and self-esteem (measured with validated questionnaires). In addition, drop-out rates between the Dungeons and Dragons intervention group and the board-game control group will be compared, and written feedback provided by participants relating to their experience of the intervention will be considered.

In 2024, we conducted the first pilot feasibility trial to test the effectiveness of an Embodied Conversational Agent (ECA) HAFSE (Helper Agent For Self Esteem) to increase the self-esteem in university (psychology) students. For this initial study, (Tahir, Richards & Kangas., 2024), We found that the HAFSE program, a brief (20 minute) psychoeducational program for increasing self-esteem was effective in increasing self-esteem (with moderate effects) following the completion of this course. Given our 2024 pilot study was based on a pre-post-trial design we did not collect follow-up data to evaluate retention effects of self-esteem and self-efficacy improvements as well as investigate any secondary gains to improve students' confidence in learning and engagement at university. The overarching aim of the current study is to further investigate the effectiveness of the HAFSE program to enhance the self-esteem and improve well-being in university students enrolled at Macquarie University across various courses. We aim to test the short-term effects of this program (at 1-month follow-up) as well as test moderator and mediator effects to determine factors contributing to the benefits of this program.

Artificial tear supplementation is the mainstay of treatment for dry eye disease, designed to mimic natural tears and improve the stability and properties of the tear film. Aqueous-based and lipid-containing artificial tears are the most used formulations for the treatment of dry eye, primarily due to their rapid ability to alleviate symptoms. However, there is a lack of evidence for selecting artificial tears tailored to specific dry eye disease subtypes. This study aims to investigate the comparative efficacy of aqueous and lipid-based artificial tears in improving symptoms, clinical signs, inflammatory biomarkers, and corneal immune cell dynamics of various dry eye disease subtypes.

Semi-elite male and female soccer players from a single soccer club will be recruited to participate in this study. The study aims to assess the effect of a dietary education program on dietary intake and nutrition knowledge. Participants will be randomised into a group education only group or a group education with individual dietary counselling group. Outcomes include dietary intake and nutrition knowledge. The intervention will last for 7 weeks and will include 4xgroup education sessions (presentation, small group activities, questions) and for the combined group, 2 individual dietary counselling sessions. All sessions will be conducted by dietitian interns under the direct supervision of the chief researcher.

This research project aims to determine the feasibility of the Elecsys® GAAD blood test for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance in a regional Australian setting. Who is it for? You may be eligible for this study if you are an adult already undergoing HCC surveillance within the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service. Study details Participants will undergo a single blood test, with the collected blood analysed using the Elecsys® GAAD assay. Findings will be reported to their treating gastroenterologist and participants will be followed up as required. Participants will be asked to complete online surveys regarding the feasibility of this HCC surveillance pathway. It is hoped that findings from this study may help design HCC surveillance systems that reduce the burden on the health care system and patients with liver disease, and lead to improved adherence, especially in regional settings.

This study aims to investigate how laser acupuncture therapy works in combination with a type of brain stimulation called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), which gently increases brain activity. Both techniques are non-invasive and may help improve muscle control. The research will be conducted in healthy adults using standardized testing before and after treatment. It is hypothesised that combining tDCS with laser acupuncture will enhance brain excitability and motor function more effectively than either technique alone.

Motherhood can give rise to significant physical and psychological difficulties. It is worthwhile to explore interventions that may improve mothers’ psychological functioning and support the development of the mother-infant bond. This study will test a novel flexible perspective taking intervention, comprising of: (1) ACT metaphors for enhancing a transcendent sense of self and applying them to perinatal context, (2) a guided experiential exercise on flexible perspective taking for pregnant and new mothers. Previous research has supported the effectiveness of brief online interventions for mothers of infants in Australia. The current study takes a similar approach by assessing the efficacy of a flexible perspective taking intervention.

This is an exploratory study to collect preliminary clinical performance data of Bio Concepts Pathology Interpretation Assistant (PIA) software to guide further product development and future pivotal study design. The trial is designed to investigate the effectiveness of using PIA for improving the users’ pathology reading performance. The primary hypotheses of this study are: using PIA is not inferior to the standard practice in terms of accuracy of identifying health conditions and using PIA reduces the time required to interpret pathology reports compared to standard practice.

This study aims to assess the feasibility and acceptability of two new decision support interventions for patients with cancer who are considering taking part in a genomics research program. Who is it for? This study is for people who have very recently joined a cancer genomics research program named CaSP. Patients eligible for CaSP are aged 18 years or older, have been diagnosed with an incurable, advanced and/or metastatic tumour of any cancer type, and are willing to undergo genomic testing by providing a tissue sample of their tumour. Study details Participants who choose to enrol in this study will be allocated randomly by chance (similar to flipping a coin) to one of three groups. Participants allocated to the first group will undergo the standard CaSP consent procedure, which involves viewing an online video animation and/or a written document describing CaSP and what taking part involves. Participants allocated to the second group will undergo the standard CaSP consent procedure and then will also receive a Question Prompt List, which is a structured list of questions and answers relevant to genomic testing/research that they can review in their own time. Participants allocated to the third group will undergo the standard CaSP consent procedure and then will also be given access to a Dynamic Consent Platform, an interactive website designed to support participants to access information and provide informed consent for genomic testing/research, which also incorporates the Question Prompt List. It is hoped this research will determine whether having access to a question prompt list and/or a dynamic consent platform is feasible and acceptable for patients with cancer and indicate whether access to these tools may have a positive impact on their understanding of genomic testing and how they feel about consenting to a genomic testing program.