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Biomedical subjects

A Wodak

Publications and source records attributed to A Wodak.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Pilot randomized controlled study of dexamphetamine substitution for amphetamine dependence.

AIMS: To test the feasibility of conducting a definitive randomized controlled trial of dexamphetamine substitution for amphetamine dependent people and provide preliminary data. DESIGN: An open, two-group pre-post randomized controlled trial. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-one long-term, dependent amphetamine users seeking treatment. INTERVENTION: Twenty subjects were offered weekly counselling. Twenty-one subjects were, in addition, prescribed up to 60 mg dexamphetamine daily. MEASUREMENTS: Immunoassay and mass spectrometric urinalysis techniques were used to identify the presence of amphetamine and methylamphetamine in urine. The Opiate Treatment Index and Severity of Dependence Scale were used to collect pre- and post-self-report data. Subjects were screened using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. FINDINGS: Reduced street amphetamine use and amphetamine dependence was observed both in subjects prescribed dexamphetamine and subjects receiving counselling only. Treatment subjects appeared more likely to attend counselling. CONCLUSIONS: A definitive randomized controlled trial of dexamphetamine substitution using the techniques and instruments piloted in this study is feasible. Users appeared to be attracted and retained in substitution treatment. The intervention also appeared to be acceptable to clinicians.

Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors↗
PubMed2000

Evaluation of a workplace brief intervention for excessive alcohol consumption: the workscreen project.

BACKGROUND: The workplace provides a useful setting for early identification and intervention with individuals who have unhealthy lifestyles. The objective was to evaluate the effects of a workplace-based lifestyle intervention (Workscreen) to reduce excessive drinking. METHOD: There were eight Australia Post networks randomly allocated to experimental and control conditions, comprising 67 worksites and 1206 employees. The experimental condition involved a broad spectrum lifestyle campaign, incorporating support from management, employee awareness of health, and brief interventions for high-risk behaviors, including excessive alcohol use. Focus groups identified relevant cultural factors. Changes in workplace culture and employee behavior were assessed 10 months after baseline. Males and females were analyzed separately. RESULTS: Over half of APOST employees participated at each screening point. In the experimental condition 61% of employees overall and 58% of those identified as excessive drinkers in Phase 1 responded to the lifestyle campaign by attending health assessments. Analyses focusing on the organization as a whole did not reveal significant reductions in excessive alcohol consumption among men or women. However, a significant reduction in number of drinks was observed in the experimental condition among women for whom completion of baseline and follow-up could be confirmed (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The present study indicates that a workplace-based lifestyle campaign can assist self-selected employees in reducing their alcohol consumption. There was a moderately high level of participation among those identified as drinking excessively, which supports our approach of embedding a low-intensity alcohol program within the context of a broader health promotion campaign.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

HIV transmission in a prison system in an Australian State.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate possible HIV transmission among prison inmates. SETTING: A prison system in an Australian State. PARTICIPANTS: 13 ex-prisoners and their prison contacts. METHODS: Ex-prisoners who claimed to have been infected with HIV in prison and their prison contacts were interviewed about HIV risk behaviour. Entries in prison and community medical records were used by a three-member expert panel to establish the likelihood of primary HIV infection and its possible timing and location. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Determination of whether HIV infection probably occurred in prison. RESULTS: There was a very high probability that at least four of 13 ex-prisoners investigated acquired HIV in prison from shared injection equipment. Another two ex-prisoners most probably acquired HIV infection outside prison. The location of infection for the remaining seven could not be determined. CONCLUSIONS: HIV transmission in prison has substantial public health implications as most drug-using prisoners soon return to the community. HIV prevention strategies known to be effective in community settings, such as methadone maintenance treatment and syringe exchange schemes, should be considered for prisoners.

Australia↗
PubMed1999

Quantitative and qualitative evaluations of brief interventions to change excessive drinking, smoking and stress in the police force.

AIMS: To evaluate the effects of a brief intervention to reduce excessive drinking, smoking and stress among police. DESIGN: (1) Controlled intervention trial with pre and post-intervention assessment approximately 8 months apart; (2) focus group identification of relevant factors). SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: Assessment was carried out of 954 NSW (Australia) police at 19 stations within two matched districts in the Sydney metropolitan area. Five focus groups were carried out with 43 randomly selected police from the matched districts. MEASUREMENTS: Weekly alcohol consumption and binge drinking, smoking and symptoms of stress were measured by a self-administered Health and Fitness Questionnaire. Recorded responses to set questions provided qualitative data. RESULTS: Participation was high (89%) at both quantitative assessments. Alcohol consumptions, particularly among men, was high at both baseline and follow-up assessments, although comparisons between groups across occasions showed no significant intervention effects. Excessive drinkers and those reporting moderate to severe stress levels reported more sick leave days (p < 0.05, p < 0.05). A significant increase in awareness of alcohol policies in the work-place showed in both experimental and control groups over time (p < 0.01). The percentage of smokers declined significantly in both intervention and control groups. Overall, women had significantly more symptoms of stress than men. Only 20% of police thought they would seek advice from work-place staff about alcohol consumption, 14% for smoking and 61% for stress. In the qualitative study, employees generally distrusted their organization's involvement in health unless work performance was affected. Seeking professional assistance for life-style issues was viewed as a sign of weakness. Alcohol use was seen as a way of obtaining information or group membership, self-medication and socializing. CONCLUSIONS: The brief interventions did not produce significant improvements in three life-style factors beyond positive trends in alcohol consumption among women and general reductions in smoking among both study groups. Combining quantitative and qualitative approaches helped identify interactive individual and organizational factors which influence behavioural and cultural norms.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

A mathematical model of HIV transmission in NSW prisons.

A mathematical model was developed to estimate HIV incidence in NSW prisons. Data included: duration of imprisonment; number of inmates using each needle; lower and higher number of shared injections per IDU per week; proportion of IDUs using bleach; efficacy of bleach; HIV prevalence and probability of infection. HIV prevalence in IDUs in prison was estimated to have risen from 0.8 to 6.7% (12.2%) over 180 weeks when using lower (and higher) values for frequency of shared injections. The estimated minimum (and maximum) number of IDU inmates, infected with HIV in NSW prisons was 38 (and 152) in 1993 according to the model. These figures require confirmation by seroincidence studies.

Databases, Factual↗
PubMed1998

How healthy are the police? A survey of life-style factors.

AIMS: To examine the prevalence of five life-style behaviours among New South Wales police. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A total of 852 police were recruited from metropolitan Sydney. MEASUREMENTS: Prevalence related to age and sex of self-reported alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, inadequate exercise, perception of overweight and stress symptoms. RESULTS: A high level (89%) of participation was achieved in the survey. Almost half (48%) of males and more than two-fifths (40%) of females consumed alcohol excessively including continuous hazardous or harmful consumption and binge drinking. Excessive drinking was more prevalent among younger police. There were 8% of male and 15% of female police who reported that they did not drink alcohol. Over one-quarter (27%) of male and one-third (32%) of female respondents reported smoking. Almost half (46%) of men and women (47%) believed that they were overweight. More than one-fifth (21%) of men and less than one-quarter (24%) of women reported that they did not exercise. Finally, 12% of men and 15% of women reported feeling moderate to severe symptoms of stress. CONCLUSIONS: The police work-force offers an opportunity to screen for a large number of healthy, young and high risk individuals (particularly men) who are hard to reach in other settings and who rarely visit their general practitioner. A sizeable majority (83%) of NSW police had at least one unhealthy life-style behaviour with 19% reporting 3-5 unhealthy factors. The high prevalence of excessive alcohol consumption among police is of particular concern. More active health promotion and provision of brief interventions among police may reduce morbidity and mortality associated with unhealthy life-styles.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Effect of training on general practitioners' use of a brief intervention for excessive drinkers.

OBJECTIVE: To determine among general practitioners (GPs) the effect of three different types of training on utilisation of a brief, controlled drinking intervention. DESIGN: A non-randomised intervention study. Setting, participants: 96 GPs (64%) within the South Eastern Sydney Division of General Practice participated; 35 chose workshop training, 39 one-to-one training and 22 received a special kit by mail. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Identification by GPs of excessive drinkers by practice audits; use of the program determined by the number of patients recruited in 3 months and by GPs' use of the intervention 6 months after training. RESULTS: 41 (43%) GPs conducted practice audits, identifying 15.1% of males and 6.6% of females as excessive drinkers (regular excessive weekly consumption and/or binge). 179 patients were recruited by 36 GPs over 3 months, and 32% of these patients reported a reduction of alcohol consumption. 63% who attended workshop training, 57% who received one-to-one training, and 36% who received the kit by mail reported they were current users of the program at 6 months. Significantly fewer GPs who received the kit by mail reported ever using the program (59%) compared to the other groups (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: This naturalistic study found that workshops and one-to-one training sessions in doctors' surgeries achieved greater uptake of a brief intervention for problem drinkers than distribution of a special kit by mail.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Screening for unhealthy lifestyle factors in the workplace.

OBJECTIVE: To examine (1) the prevalence of four lifestyle behaviours among Australia Post employees and (2) employees' perceptions of the role of the workplace in promotion of lifestyle change. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire involved 688 employees working in Australia Post throughout metropolitan Sydney. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence related to age and sex of alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, inadequate exercise, perception of excessive weight. RESULTS: 36% of men and 11% of women reported drinking alcohol at levels considered hazardous or harmful; 33% of men and 25% of women reported smoking; 51% of men and 62% of women thought they were overweight; 30% of men and 39% of women did not exercise regularly. Younger respondents were more likely to report drinking hazardously or harmfully, were smokers and had multiple risk factors. A majority of respondents thought that their employer should be interested in employee's lifestyle issues, particularly excessive drinking (63%). However, few considered seeking advice from the workplace regarding smoking (16%), weight (25%) and excessive alcohol consumption (12%). CONCLUSIONS: These results show that many of Australia Post employees have unhealthy lifestyle behaviours. While employees perceive that the workplace has an important role in promoting healthy lifestyles among staff, few are presently willing to seek advice from the workplace regarding these issues. Promotion of healthy lifestyles in Australian workplaces is a potentially important public health advance that could reduce the incidence of diseases associated with high-risk lifestyle behaviours.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

HIV and HCV prevalence among trawler crew.

A survey of 51 people who work on trawlers was carried out to describe injecting and sexual behaviour and the prevalence of HIV and HCV antibody. All crew members who were departing from an Australian port during the last week of February 1996 to work on trawlers were asked to complete a brief, self-administered questionnaire and provide a finger prick blood sample. Questionnaires were received from 51 (77%) and blood samples from 45 (68%) of the 66 crew from 15 vessels. Almost half the respondents reported ever injecting illicit drugs. No respondents had HIV antibody while 27% had HCV antibody detected. Among 20 injecting drug user (IDU) respondents, the prevalence of HCV was 55% (95% CI 32%-77%). Twelve respondents reported new sex partners in the past month of whom half reported no condom use with these sex partners. The survey emphasises the diversity of the IDU population in Australia. Yet it would appear that regardless of the sub-population surveyed that HCV is endemic among IDUs in Australia. Effective HCV prevention programs targeted specifically for these (and other) sub-populations of IDUs should be devised.

Adolescent↗