Reports and Findings
Research
Health promotion is central to the establishment of an Australian Centre for Disease ControlMelinda Edmunds BSc Program Manager, Ear and Hearing Health Melinda.Edmunds@thekids.org.au Program Manager Melinda is the Program Manager of the Ear and Hearing Health team, which sits in the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases.
Research
A Gender Lens on User Quality Ratings From Young Teenagers Assessing the Sun Safe App: Comparing Responses From Co-researchers and Participants of Pilot Intervention StudiesWe developed the iOS smartphone app Sun Safe to support healthy sun practices in young teenagers (aged 12-13 years). The production involved co-design with young co-researchers (ie, aged 12-13 years) with a health message of using sun protection when the UV index is ≥3. Important features include real-time and location-specific weather data on the UV index and gamified educational content.
Research
Improving compliance with swallowing exercise to decrease radiotherapy-related dysphagia in patients with head and neck cancerDysphagia, one of the most common complications in head and neck cancer (HNC) treated with radiotherapy, can severely affect patients’ quality of life. Currently, because no “gold standard” treatment exists, swallowing exercise remains the main rehabilitation strategy for dysphagia. However, patients’ compliance with long-term swallowing exercise is only 40%, thus, greatly compromising outcomes. This article aims to analyze thefactors influencing swallowing exercise compliance in patients with HNC and explains strategies developed to date for improved rehabilitation outcomes.
Research
Implementation of an Early Communication Intervention for Young Children with Cerebral Palsy Using Single-Subject Research DesignThe implementation of an intervention protocol aimed at increasing vocal complexity in three pre-linguistic children with cerebral palsy (two males, starting age 15 months, and one female, starting age 16 months) was evaluated utilising a repeated ABA case series design. The study progressed until the children were 36 months of age. Weekly probes with trained and untrained items were administered across each of three intervention blocks.
Research
The effect of undernutrition on sputum culture conversion and treatment outcomes among people with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis: a systematic review and meta-analysisWe aimed to evaluate the effect of undernutrition on sputum culture conversion and treatment outcomes among people with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.
Research
Perspectives of health service providers in delivering best-practice care for Aboriginal mothers and their babies during the postnatal periodEvidence suggests that Aboriginal babies in Western Australia are not receiving adequate primary health care in their first 3 months of life, leading to questions about enablers and constraints to delivering such care. This paper presents findings from a qualitative research project investigating health providers' perceptions and experiences of best and current practice in discharge planning, postnatal care and health education for Aboriginal mothers and their newborn babies.
Research
Global estimates of the number of pregnancies at risk of malaria from 2007 to 2020: a demographic studyThe most recent global estimates of the number of pregnancies at risk of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax malaria infection are from 2007. To inform global malaria prevention and control efforts, we aimed to estimate the global distribution of pregnancies at risk of malaria infection from 2007 to 2020.
Research
Sexualized Images on Social Media and Adolescent Girls’ Mental Health: Qualitative Insights from Parents, School Support Service Staff and Youth Mental Health Service ProvidersThis research explored adults' perceptions of how sexualized images typically found on social media might influence adolescent girls' mental health, what support girls might need should they experience mental health difficulties, and how such difficulties could be prevented or reduced.
Research
Parental perspectives of the everyday experiences of uncertainty among young children on the autism spectrumAnxiety commonly co-occurs in autism. Exploring and understanding potential underpinning mechanisms contributing to and maintaining anxiety in the early years is important in managing anxiety. Intolerance of uncertainty (IU), a tendency to find uncertainty difficult, is a transdiagnostic mechanism contributing to anxiety, but little is known about how IU may be experienced in young children on the autism spectrum. This study investigated parental perspectives of children's experiences of uncertainty.
Research
The Benefits to Bone Health in Children and Pre-School Children with Additional Exercise Interventions: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisDetermine if exercise interventions, beyond what is already provided to children and preschool children, improve bone health and reduce fracture incidence.