Peer-reviewed Journal Articles Research Articles

Ending HIV Transmission in Australia: Expanding PrEP to Cisgender Women: A Scoping Review.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) availability through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme provides real potential for the elimination of HIV transmission in Australia, as evidenced by a rapid decline in HIV incidence among gay and bisexual men (GBM). However, HIV elimination will not be possible without also extending PrEP to other populations, including cisgender women. We conducted a scoping review to examine the extent to which PrEP access for cisgender women has been considered in Australia. A comprehensive search across five databases, grey literature, and hand search of references was conducted. A single reviewer conducted title and abstract screening and two reviewers completed full-text screening and data extraction. Nineteen documents were included in the final review and included both peer-reviewed journal articles and guidelines and strategies. Focused discussion of cisgender women's use of PrEP was largely missing from the literature and, although their use of PrEP is supported in some relevant guidelines, little has been done to actively develop strategies to inform cisgender women about PrEP as a precursor to prescribing for HIV prevention. Healthcare providers' narrow view of PrEP as being the domain of GBM further limits cisgender women's potential access. If HIV elimination in Australia is to be a reality, we need to develop mechanisms to specifically engage with cisgender women about PrEP.

Mapping the enhancing effects of additive manufacturing technology adoption on supply chain agility

AbstractGiven the proclaimed importance of additive manufacturing (AM) for generating agile supply chains, this study draws on the dynamic capabilities view to investigate the enhancing effects of adopting this digital technology on supply chain agility (SCA). To this end, relevant pieces of evidence are systematically gathered from a sample of 101 high-quality peer-reviewed journal articles at the intersection of AM technology and supply chain management.This information is then analyzed and synthesized to holistically map the features of AM technology adoption that enhance SCA. As a result, 42 features of AM technology adoption are identified that enhance thirteen different dimensions of SCA. The derived map explicitly indicates which features of AM technology adoption enhance which dimensions of SCA. Hence, this map can be used as a strategic tool by managers and policymakers who wish to explore different ways of enhancing SCA via AM technology adoption. This would, in turn, enable the adopting firm to deal with erratic business environments and dynamic supply chains in an agile manner, and therefore gain a competitive advantage. Moreover, based on the identified “white space” in the derived map, multiple questions are put forward that form a research agenda for future research.

Cross-sectional examination of commercial milk formula industry funding of international, regional and national healthcare professional associations: protocol

IntroductionCommercial milk formula manufacturers often emphasise their role in supporting infant and young child nutrition and breastfeeding, but their commercial goals to increase volume and profit margin of formula sales...

Health and well-being needs of Indigenous adolescents: a protocol for a scoping review of qualitative studies

IntroductionImproving the health of Indigenous adolescents is central to addressing the health inequities faced by Indigenous peoples. To achieve this, it is critical to understand what is needed from the...

The use of virtual reality for activities of daily living rehabilitation after brain injury: A scoping review.

Individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) experience high rates of poor functional outcomes such as inability to complete activities of daily living (ADL). Occupational therapy needs to be customised to the individual's function, goals, and environment to facilitate improvement in ADLs after ABI. Virtual reality (VR) is a novel treatment approach that aims to improve skills within an individualised environment. This study aimed to review the current literature for the use of VR platforms that incorporate ADLs to improve functional outcomesafter ABI. This review followed the six-stage framework by Arksey & O'Malley (2005). Electronic databases were searched for peer-reviewed journal articles based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. One thousand and six hundred eighty articles were screened, including 413 full text articles and 13 articles were included for review. Among the 13 articles, six were RCTs and the rest were pre-post intervention studies. Studies largely used non-immersive VR platforms, which incorporated ADLs such as grocery shopping, aiming to improve functional outcomes. Consumer and community were not involved in executing this study. This review suggests mixed results if VR is effective at treating upper limb, cognition, and ADL function after ABI. Using their clinical reasoning, occupational therapists can determine the suitability of VR for ADL rehabilitation for specific patient populations and settings. Plain Language Summary Individuals who sustain an acquired brain injury can have difficulty performing their daily activities such as, making a meal or getting dressed, because of limited function (e.g., physical and cognitive problems). To help improve their ability to complete daily activities, occupational therapy needs to be customised to the individual's function, goals, and environment. Virtual reality is a new rehabilitation approach that allows individuals to improve their function in an individualised environment. In this study, we reviewed the current studies that have used virtual reality platforms that incorporate daily activities to improve functionafter acquired brain injury. We searched databases and screened the titles and abstracts of 1,680 studies. Then, 413 full-text studies were screened, and 13 studies were included. Studies mostly used non-immersive platforms to practise daily activities such as, grocery shopping, aiming to improve function after acquired brain injury. This review suggests mixed results if virtual reality can effectively treat function after acquired brain injury.

Research trends in aerobic gymnastics in school settings: A bibliometric analysis

This study presents a bibliometric analysis of 5335 articles published between 2013 and 2023, aimed at exploring the research landscape of aerobic gymnastics in school settings. The study aims to identify key research categories, publication trends, and geographic distribution of publications. A bibliometric analysis was conducted using data from the Dimensions database, focusing on peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers, and scholarly outputs related to aerobic gymnastics in school-based physical education. The analysis reveals a multidisciplinary approach, with key research categories including education, health sciences, and public health. Publication trends indicate a significant increase in publications, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating a growing interest in aerobic gymnastics as a flexible physical activity adaptable to various contexts, including remote learning. The United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia lead in publication productivity, while countries like Indonesia exhibit lower productivity, suggesting a need for increased research efforts and collaborations. The sources with the highest number of citations offer insights into the relationship between physical activity and health outcomes in relation to aerobic gymnastics. An analysis of co-authorship highlights the key researchers and collaborations that have made significant contributions to the field. This study emphasizes the importance of ongoing research and collaboration to gain a better understanding of the benefits and challenges of implementing aerobic gymnastics programs in schools. Suggestions for future research include longitudinal, comparative, intervention, and qualitative studies to enhance our understanding of the impact of aerobic gymnastics on education, health, and society.

A Scoping Review of Artificial Intelligence Detection of Voice Pathology: Challenges and Opportunities.

Survey the current literature on artificial intelligence (AI) applications for detecting and classifying vocal pathology using voice recordings, and identify challenges and opportunities for advancing the field forward. PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Scopus databases. A comprehensive literature search was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysesExtension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. Peer-reviewed journal articles in the English language were included if they used an AI approach to detect or classify pathological voices using voice recordings from patients diagnosed with vocal pathologies. Eighty-two studies were included in the review between the years 2000 and 2023, with an increase in publication rate from one study per year in 2012 to 10 per year in 2022. Seventy-two studies (88%) were aimed at detecting the presence of voice pathology, 24 (29%) at classifying the type of voice pathology present, and 4 (5%) at assessing pathological voice using the Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, and Strainscale. Thirty-six databases were used to collect and analyze speech samples. Fourteen articles (17%) did not provide information about their AI model validation methodology. Zero studies moved beyond the preclinical and offline AI model development stages. Zero studies specified following a reporting guideline for AI research. There is rising interest in the potential of AI technology to aid the detection and classification of voice pathology. Three challenges-and areas of opportunities-for advancing this research are heterogeneity of databases, lack of clinical validation studies, and inconsistent reporting.

Surgical Treatment for Endometrial Cancer, Hysterectomy Performed via Minimally Invasive Routes Compared with Open Surgery: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Background: Total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy via minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has emerged as the standard of care for early-stage endometrial cancer (EC). Prior systematic reviews and meta-analyses have focused on outcomes reported solely from randomised controlled trials (RCTs), overlooking valuable data from non-randomised studies. This inaugural systematic review and network meta-analysis comprehensively compares clinical and oncological outcomes between MIS and open surgery for early-stage EC, incorporating evidence from randomised and non-randomised studies. Methods: This study was prospectively registered on PROSPERO (CRD42020186959). All original research of any experimental design reporting clinical and oncological outcomes of surgical treatment for endometrial cancer was included. Study selection was restricted to English-language peer-reviewed journal articles published 1 January 1995-31 December 2021. A Bayesian network meta-analysis was conducted. Results: A total of 99 studies were included in the network meta-analysis, comprising 181,716 women and 14 outcomes. Compared with open surgery, laparoscopic and robotic-assisted surgery demonstrated reduced blood loss and length of hospital stay but increased operating time. Compared with laparoscopic surgery, robotic-assisted surgery was associated with a significant reduction in ileus (OR = 0.40, 95% CrI: 0.17-0.87) and total intra-operative complications (OR = 0.38, 95% CrI: 0.17-0.75) as well as a higher disease-free survival (OR = 2.45, 95% CrI: 1.04-6.34). Conclusions: For treating early endometrial cancer, minimal-access surgery via robotic-assisted or laparoscopic techniques appears safer and more efficacious than open surgery. Robotic-assisted surgery is associated with fewer complications and favourable oncological outcomes.

Realist synthesis of a rapid response system in managing mental state deterioration in acute hospital settings.

Mental state deterioration in patients poses significant challenges in healthcare, potentially resulting in adverse outcomes for patients and continued reliance on restrictive interventions. Implementing evidence-based approaches such as a rapid response system that prioritises early identification and intervention can effectively manage adverse outcomes. However, little is known regarding the effectiveness of these interventions. The objective of this synthesis was to test and refine initial programme theories by synthesising evidence to understand what works, for whom and under what circumstances. Based on the realist synthesis methodology, we searched EMBASE, CINAHL, MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library and grey literature for evidence to inform contexts, mechanisms and outcomes on the functioning of a rapid response model. We identified 28 relevant sources encompassing peer-reviewed journal articles and grey literature. This synthesis identified three important elements that contribute to the effectiveness of a rapid response system for managing mental state deterioration: care processes, therapeutic practices and organisational support. Essential elements include improving confidence and clinical skills through training, timely assessment and intervention, teamwork, communication and the creation of governance structures for monitoring and evaluation. To ensure the effectiveness, an organisation must adopt a comprehensive approach that incorporates organisational support, resource allocation, training, clear communication channels and commitment to continuous quality improvement. However, implementing interventions within a complex healthcare system requires thoughtful consideration of the organisational culture and governance structures. By taking a comprehensive and holistic approach to improvement initiatives, organisations can strive to achieve optimal outcomes in managing mental state deterioration and improving patient care.

Preventing Sexual Harm in Nightlife Settings: A Scoping Review.

Sexual harm within nightlife settings is a pervasive global concern; however, little is known about the nature of available interventions. The current study aims to review the literature on the nature and effectiveness of nightlife-related sexual harm interventions. A systematic literature search of six databases was conducted to identify records that were published between 1970 and June 2023 and reported approaches that aimed to reduce or prevent nightlife-related sexual harm. Records were included if they theorized, discussed, or evaluated an intervention, prevention or response strategy; however, individual safety strategies were excluded. Results were categorized according to intervention type. Thirty-five peer-reviewed journal articles and 16 gray literature records were identified. The most common nightlife-related sexual harm intervention strategies covered by the literature included targeted policies, laws, and regulations, bystander interventions, and awareness-raising campaigns. Literature in the area is increasing, with the majority of the articles (77.1%) being published in the previous six years; however, there are very few interventions that have been critically evaluated (22.9%). Promising areas for intervention include targeted alcohol regulations (e.g., lockout policies), venue-level policies, and environmental interventions. However, an increase in rigorous evaluative practices is urgently required to ensure future interventions are based on sound theoretical work and empirical evidence.

Influential literature in tennis medicine and science

This study examined the most influential peer-reviewed journal articles and books in tennis medicine and science based on citations (C). Systematic searches were performed to extract authors, titles, year, journal, C, and research focus for the top cited publications indexed in Google Scholar (GS). The top 100 articles had high numbers of citations (85 to 1,164) and citation rates (3 to 41 C/year) that were similar between tennis medicine and science, with fewer citations to tennis books. The influence of tennis research has increased over the last decade, with citations and citation rates were higher than was previously reported (Knudson, 2012). The study confirmed important research topics and journal outlets and identified influential authors. Influential tennis research continues to focus on injuries, physiological and psychological factors, with recent increases in analytics and business aspects of the sport.

COS-PPA: protocol to develop a core outcome set for primary progressive aphasia

IntroductionThe term primary progressive aphasia (PPA) describes a group of language-led dementias. Disease-modifying treatments that delay, slow or reverse progression of PPA are currently lacking, though a number of interventions...

Racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare utilization among children in U.S. foster care: Recommendations to challenge the status quo based on a scoping review

Prior work has examined racial and ethnic disparities in the access to and utilization of healthcare services. However, evidence across studies is mixed, making it challenging to precisely identify where the racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare utilization are amongst children in foster care, and which race and ethnicity groups are most impacted by such disparities. As such, the purpose of the current study was to conduct a scoping review to synthesize evidence on the topic of racial and ethnic disparities in the physical and mental or behavioral healthcare utilization for children in the U.S. foster care system (PROSPERO ID: CRD42021272072). Comprehensive literature searches were conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection. Of the 414 studies identified, 23 met inclusion criteria: peer-reviewed journal article, published between 1991 and 2023, written in English, examined healthcare access or utilization of children in the U.S. foster care system as outcomes, included and disaggregated results by children’s race and ethnicity, conducted quantitative analysis, and was observational in study design. In the physical healthcare utilization domain, Black children were less likely to utilize routine and preventative check-ups and more likely to utilize medical services for treating chronic illnesses such as asthma, compared to White children. In the mental or behavioral healthcare utilization domain, Black and Hispanic/Latinx children were less likely to utilize both inpatient and outpatient mental health services, compared to White children. Furthermore, notable variations were observed by specific service types and continuity of services over time. Implications include additional research and education about racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare utilization amongst children in foster care, as well as implementing regulations and oversights that mandate racial equity in the child welfare and healthcare service pathways.

Investigating consumer preferences and experiences of telehealth services in Australian allied health practice: a study protocol

IntroductionTelehealth service provision and uptake has rapidly increased since the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing healthcare to be delivered safely and reducing non-essential face-to-face (F2F) contact. In Australia, the expansion of subsidisation...

Parents' disclosure to their donor-conceived children in the last 10 years and factors affecting disclosure: a narrative review.

Disclosure of donor conception has been advocated in several jurisdictions in recent years, especially in those that practice identity-release donation. However, research on disclosure decisions has not been consolidated systematically in the last 10 years to review if parents are telling and what factors may be impacting their decisions. Are parents disclosing to their donor-conceived children, and what factors have influenced their disclosure decisions across different contexts and family forms in the last 10 years? A bibliographic search of English-language, peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2012 and 2022 from seven databases was undertaken. References cited in included articles were manually scrutinized to identify additional references and references that cited the included articles were also manually searched. Inclusion criteria were articles focused on parents (including heterosexual, single mothers by choice, same-sex couples, and transsexual) of donor-conceived persons in both jurisdictions with or without identity-release provisions. Studies focused solely on surrogacy, donors, donor-conceived persons, or medical/fertility staff were excluded as were studies where it was not possible to extract donor-recipient parents' data separately. Both quantitative and qualitative studies were included. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed and Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools for Systematic Reviews were used to assess article quality and bias. Thirty-seven articles met the inclusion criteria representing 34 studies and 4248 parents (including heterosexual, single, same-sex, and transsexual parents although the majority were heterosexual) from countries with anonymous donation and those with identity-release provisions or who had subsequently enacted these provisions (Australia, Belgium, Finland, France, Hong Kong, Middle East, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and the USA) A general trend towards disclosure was noted across these groups of parents with most disclosing to their donor-conceived children before the age of 10 years. Further, the majority of those who had not yet told, reported planning to disclose, although delayed decisions were also associated with lower disclosure overall. Same-sex and single parents were more likely to disclose than heterosexual parents. There was recognition of disclosure as a process involving ongoing conversations and that decisions were impacted by multiple interacting intrapersonal, interpersonal, and external contextual and social factors. Methodological limitations, such as the different population groups and contexts from which participants were drawn (including that those parents who choose not to disclose may be less likely to participate in research), are acknowledged in integrating findings. This review has reinforced the need for a theoretical model to explain parents' disclosure decisions and research exploring the role of legislative provisions, culture, and donor/family type in decision-making. Greater ongoing access to psychological support around disclosure may be important to promote parent and family well-being.

A scoping review of sizeism in peer-reviewed journal articles: Where is counseling?

ABSTRACT Sizeism is among the few socially acceptable forms of discrimination, creating inequitable access to healthcare for people of size. This scoping review examined peer-reviewed research on sizeism over 20 years and found that counseling journals did not publish articles about sizeism. Counselors need to engage in research to understand and conceptualize sizeism and to address sizeism in counseling with social justice advocacy. Recommendations for wellness-based, size-inclusive, culturally responsive counseling, research, education, and supervision are provided.

Exploring Customer Relationship Research in Family Businesses: A Scoping Review and Future Insights

This paper aims to demonstrate the relevance of customer relationship research in the context of family businesses, to structure existing literature, and to identify promising areas for further research. By conducting a scoping review of relevant peer-reviewed journal articles published from 2005 to 2021 and adhering to the Prisma protocol for enhanced transparency and quality, this paper underscores the pivotal role of customer relationship management in the success of family businesses, emphasizing a tendency towards conservative and traditional approaches. The owner-manager involvement, especially in the BtoB segment, is recognized as a distinct advantage, urging an exploration of specific strategies for managing customer relationships in both B to C and B to B sectors. Also, social capital is deemed crucial, extending its significance beyond customers to suppliers and employees, focusing on the influence of generational transitions on stakeholder relations. The imperative for deliberate relationship strategies during successions is emphasized. Moreover, the significance of customer orientation for success, impacting satisfaction, loyalty, and overall performance, highlights the necessity for empirical studies to gain nuanced insights. Additionally, consumer behavior towards family businesses, shaped by the communication of familial identity, underscores the need for further research on diverse communication approaches. Lastly, acknowledging the positive impact of corporate social responsibility practices on loyalty and reputation in family businesses underscores the call for context-specific investigations, taking into account corporate social responsibility reporting regulations across countries.

How are Communication and Media Studies Scholars Writing about COVID-19? A Meta-analysis of Communication and Media-Focused Covid-19 Literature

According to the selective exposure hypothesis, media with the arrival of COVID-19, the output of communication and media-focused peer-review articles have increased frenetically. As a result, this study examines the communication and media aspects, methodological characteristics and guiding theories, the geographic landscape of content, and the dominant publication avenue of peer-reviewed articles in high-impact journals (n=576). Findings show that mass communication and social media are the leading media types, while Twitter is the leading platform. The quantitative research method, survey and grounded theory are the leading methodology, research technique and guiding theory, respectively. Countries in the Global North and China dominated the geographic content of this emergent area, while the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships and Health Communication were primary publication outlets. Within communication and media-focused communications research, ‘covid,’ ‘2020,’ ‘media,’ and ‘social’ are the most popular words.

Prevalence of Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Serving Military and Veteran Populations: A Systematic Review.

Serving military personnel and veterans are known to be at elevated risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and some veterans have been shown to respond poorly to current standard treatments. Evidence so far suggests that according to the 11th edition of the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems guidelines, complex PTSD (CPTSD) may be of higher prevalence in the general population than PTSD. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of CPTSD compared to PTSD in serving and ex-serving military populations. A systematic review was conducted with the search criteria set to peer-reviewed English language journal articles, focusing on serving military or veteran populations, reporting on the prevalence of CPTSD, not restricted by year. Four comprehensive databases (Psycinfo, Pubmed, CINAHL, and Embase) were searched. Of the 297 identified articles, 16 primary studies were eligible for inclusion. The review was registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42023416458), and results were reported based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Of the 16 studies, 13 demonstrated higher prevalence of CPTSD than PTSD. Studies were predominantly veteran focused. Prevalence of CPTSD ranged from 5% to 80.63%, while prevalence of PTSD ranged from 3.8% to 42.37%. There was high heterogeneity in study populations, preventing meta-analysis. This is the first systematic review to assess the prevalence of CPTSD in serving military and veteran populations, with the findings demonstrating a higher rate of CPTSD compared to PTSD. It is hoped that the review will assist clinicians and military and veteran health services with appropriate assessment, diagnosis, and intervention for those affected by CPTSD, as well as PTSD.

Social Media’s Influence on the Attitudes of Younger Daughters-in-Law towards their Mothers-in-Law: A South African Context

This systematic review explores social media’s influence on the attitudes of younger daughters-in-law towards their mothers-in-law within the South African context. The researchers carried out the “Preferred Reporting Items for the Systematic Review and Meta-analysis” guidelines as a research methodology. The scientific search databases such as Google Scholar, EBSCOhost, ResearchGate, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Sabinet and Taylor & Francis were used by the researchers to retrieve and analyse information from fourteen peer-reviewed journal articles (n=14) published between 2012 and 2023. Social media use is quickly expanding and families rely on it to stay in touch with their loved ones on a regular basis. Although social media has greatly enhanced the lives of many people, some cultures still value face-to-face interactions, especially in situations where they have to fulfil their traditional practices such as welcoming a daughter-in-law into their family or engaging in specific sensitive conversations. The study is limited to the South African context. Therefore, the role of family systems should be further explored to understand the mother-and-daughter-in-law relationship. More studies can be conducted to explore the role of culture in marriage and in-law relationships within the South African context. The study is valuable as it paves the way for further studies relating to the topic within the South African context. Further, this study is pivotal because it was conducted to help both daughters- and mothers-in-law strengthen and handle their online in-law relationships.