19683 research outputs found
Sort by
Relational Egalitarianism and the Injustices of COVID-19 in the Philippines
No full textA thesis submitted in total fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia.</p
Comparing the effectiveness of an interactive immersive virtual reality experience and a desktop game for beach safety education with children in Australia
No full textDrowning is a leading cause of injury-related death among children worldwide, prompting calls for effective water safety education. While innovative technologies have shown pedagogical potential in safety education, their application in beach safety remains underexplored. This study compared two digital platforms, an immersive virtual reality (VR) experience and a non-immersive digital game, Swim City (SC), to improve beach safety knowledge among Australian children. The platforms were tested with 101 students aged 8–11 years, assigned to either the VR group (N = 52) or the SC group (N = 49). Students completed a pre-test, a learning session, and a post-test one week later. Outcome measures included knowledge of safety preparation, safe beach practices, recognition of signage and flags, rip current identification, and selecting the safest swimming area. Intrinsic motivation (IM) was also assessed. Interviews with eight teachers explored feasibility, usability, and educational value. VR was more effective than SC in improving signage and flag recognition and rip current identification from aerial-view media. Safety preparation knowledge declined in the VR group, but did not change significantly in the SC group. Both platforms were equally effective for improving safe beach practices, rip current identification from ground-level view media, and selecting the safest swimming area. IM did not differ significantly between groups. Teachers found both platforms engaging and educationally valuable, though VR’s feasibility was affected by setup time, equipment, and health concerns. This study highlights specific strengths of VR and SC for beach safety education. Platform choice can be guided by educational goals, resources, and classroom context.</p
Investigation of human DNA transfer during mock dog- napping
No full textThis study investigated the role of companion animals, specifically dogs, as vectors for human DNA transfer in a simulated crime scene scenario. While human DNA transfer via surfaces and items is well-documented, the potential for pets to serve as DNA reservoirs and subsequent vectors of DNA transfer remains under-investigated. Building upon recent research with cats and dogs, this study examined human DNA transfer dynamics in a mock “dog- napping” scenario. Five dogs were placed into five separate cars, by a recruited handler, which were neither owned by the handler nor familiar to the animals or their owners. The dogs remained in a car for the duration of 20 min and were subsequently returned home for sampling that took place one hour later. The head back and sides were all separately sampled. Each experiment took place on a different day. Various areas of the car (based on the researcher's observations of surface contacts made by a dog) and four sections of the handler's shirt (based on observations of contact between the handler and the dog) were sampled 4-hours and 12-hours post-contact, respectively. DNA was extracted using DNA IQ™, quantified using Quantifiler Trio™ and amplified using Power Plex 21®. The dog owners' DNA was detected most frequently on their respective dogs (85 %) followed by inside of the cars (35 %) and the handler's clothing (10 %). In comparison, the handler's DNA was found on their own shirts (85 %), on the dogs (40 %) and inside the cars (13 %). Notably, the car owners' DNA was detected on the dogs (5 %), on the handler (5 %) (neither of which was directly contacted by the car owners), and inside of the car (47 %). These findings highlight the ease of human DNA transfer during brief contacts and further demonstrate that dogs can effectively serve as vectors of this transfer. The study underscores the vital importance of considering animal-mediated DNA transfer in forensic investigations involving pets, which could influence future evidence collection strategies and interpretations of DNA results in such cases.</p
Agency and queer solidarity: Help-seeking for alcohol and nicotine issues among lesbian, bisexual and queer women and non-binary people
No full textIntroduction: Lesbian, bisexual, and queer (LBQ) women consume more alcohol and nicotine than their heterosexual peers but are less likely to seek healthcare support for managing their usage. This study aimed to understand the impact of queer substance use cultures on help-seeking among LBQ women and non-binary people who used alcohol and/or nicotine. Methods: This was a qualitative longitudinal study using semi-structured interviews. Participants were recruited in 2023 using purposive self-selected sampling methods. Eligibility included people who: identified as a woman (cis or trans) or as non-binary with a strong affiliation with the identity of woman; identified as lesbian, bisexual, or queer; were at least 18 years old; lived in Australia; and had consumed alcohol and/or nicotine within the previous month. Sixty participants aged 18–72 were interviewed three times over 18 months. Participants included 41 cis women, 9 trans women and 10 non-binary people. Data were analysed using feminist and critical drug studies frameworks. Results: Accounts of help-seeking for alcohol and nicotine use were shaped by awareness, shame, agency, and trust. Awareness of substance-related issues and solutions facilitated help-seeking, but overcoming shame was a precursor. Shame acted as both a catalyst for substance use—often as self-medication for gender or sexuality-based discrimination—and a barrier to seeking help. Agency reflected a preference for self-reliance, resistance to social norms, and the need for control in help-seeking processes. Peer support was crucial for successful help-seeking, while trust in healthcare providers was bolstered by their LBQ cultural competence. Conclusions: Some LBQ participants did not seek help despite a clear need, while others only did so in crisis. LBQ peer support provided empathy but also reciprocity through a system of care that was queer-informed. Healthcare providers should cultivate an understanding of LBQ substance use and care cultures and integrate peer support frameworks. They should ask directly about substance use in clinical interactions, particularly in primary care, mental healthcare and sexual healthcare contexts to enable an integration of responses to all these intersecting issues. Demonstrating LBQ inclusivity and fostering environments that support autonomy and self-efficacy are critical for improving help-seeking behaviours.</p
The effects of daytime napping on psychophysiological measures in physically active individuals and athletes: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression, with assessment of the certainty of evidence
No full textTo synthesise the impacts of napping following normal sleep (NS) or deprived sleep on psychophysiological measures in physically active individuals and athletes. This systematic review and meta-analysis utilized nine databases, including Web of Science, PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, Embase, ProQuest Central, Cochrane Library, PsycInfo, and SciElo, to evaluate the effects of napping in physically active individuals and athletes, focusing on psychophysiological measures. The risk of bias in the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration’s RoB 2.0 tool, while the certainty of evidence (CoE) was evaluated using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations) approach. In the 35 studies, 489 participants (athletes or physically active) were studied. Following NS, napping significantly reduced total mood score (standardized mean difference (SMD)=0.61), fatigue (SMD=0.91), rating of perceived exertion (RPE) both during (SMD=1.62) and immediately after exercise (SMD=1.11). Additionally, napping significantly improved perceived recovery (SMD=1.66). There were no significant effects of napping on sleepiness (SMD=1.09), muscle soreness (SMD=1.57), heart rate during exercise (SMD=0.62), and temperature (SMD=0.66). Similarly, following sleep deprivation, there were no significant effects of napping on sleepiness (SMD=1.03) and fatigue (SMD=0.79). The CoE was rated as moderate for RPE during and after exercise following NS, while it was low to very low for the remaining outcomes. Napping has been found to positively impact only fatigue, mood states, perceived exertion, and recovery following NS in physically active individuals and athletes. The low-to-very low CoE requires cautious interpretation, highlighting the need for further napping studies implementing robust methodologies.</p
Rethinking social media and mental health: The role of emotion regulation difficulties
No full textResearch, on the whole, does not suggest that time spent on social media is associated with risks to mental health, although it is possible there are more nuances about how people use social media. Further, evidence suggests that individuals with emotion regulation difficulties may be drawn to certain social media behaviours as a means of coping with distress. The present study aimed to examine whether emotion regulation difficulties predict patterns of social media use and, in turn, symptoms of depression and anxiety. We examined four distinct types of social media use: (1) image management-based, (2) social comparison-based, (3) negative engagement-based, and (4) passive consumption-based. Sampling 548 adults aged 18–84 years (Mage = 33.16, SD = 17.37; 401 (73.2 %) female; 128 (23.2 %) male), we tested a structural equation model to examine whether the four distinct types of social media use mediated links between difficulties in emotion regulation at Time 1 and depression and anxiety symptomology at Time 2, one week later. Results suggested that, when controlling for age, difficulties in emotion regulation significantly predicted all types of social media use and symptoms of depression and anxiety over one week. Only comparison-based social media use predicted anxiety symptoms over time. The model explained 50.1 % and 52.1 % of the variance in depression and anxiety symptoms, respectively. Taken together, these findings suggest the critical importance of emotion regulation in predicting mental health. By contrast, with the exception of social comparison and anxiety, no form of social media use predicted mental health outcomes.</p
Is the head-mounted laser an appropriate tool to measure cervical movement across three planes?
No full textThe head-mounted laser is commonly used in clinical proprioceptive tests, but its ability to measure movement across three planes of motion has not been investigated. Therefore, this study evaluated the head-mounted laser against a validated gold standard multi-sensor inertial measurement unit (IMU) (XsensTM) in measuring cervicocephalic movement across three planes. Fourteen healthy adults (seven males and seven females) performed six repetitions each of active cervical flexion, extension, lateral flexion and rotation, whilst instructed to maintain the laser beam within a bullseye corresponding to 4.5° of movement. Primary plane means XsensTM range of motion (ROM) was used to evaluate if movement remained less than 4.5°. During flexion, extension and rotation movements, mean ROM in the primary plane using XsensTM remained within the 4.5° threshold (2.97°-3.57°), indicating that the head-mounted laser corresponded with the IMU (p ≤ 0.01). However, XsensTM mean lateral flexion movement reached 11.34° and 12.10° for left and right lateral flexion, indicating poor correspondence (p = 0.95 and 0.97). The head-mounted laser is appropriate for clinical movement assessment in the sagittal and transverse planes but not recommended for the coronal plane. Other devices should be considered for complete clinical assessment of cervical position sense.</p
Language Use, Attitudes and Maintenance in the Vietnamese Community in Australia
No full textA thesis submitted in total fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia.</p
Heterogeneity Of Microglial-Derived Extracellular Vesicles and Their Clinical Relevance as Biomarkers for Neuroinflammation
No full textA thesis submitted in total fulfilment for the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia.</p
The Biopsychosocial-spiritual Impact upon Health Information Managers from Exposure to Sensitive Information within Patient Records
No full textA thesis submitted in total fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Applied Science to the School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia.This thesis was a recipient of the Research Masters Award in recognition of the originality and high standard of the research and the impact of the work in the context of the field of research.</p