Biomedical subjects

Rohan Jayasuriya

Publications and source records attributed to Rohan Jayasuriya.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Incidence and risk factors for hepatitis C seroconversion in injecting drug users in Australia.

AIMS: To determine the incidence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and identify risk factors for seroconversion. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. Participants were recruited through direct approaches, street-based outreach, methadone and sexual health clinics and needle and syringe programmes. SETTING: Urban, regional and rural settings in New South Wales, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Injecting drug users (IDUs) (n = 584) were screened and tested for exposure to HCV. Between 1999 and 2002 antibody HCV negative IDUs (n = 368) were enrolled and followed-up every 3-6 months until seroconversion or study completion. MEASUREMENTS: Interviewer-administered baseline and follow-up questionnaires consisted of 131 items and included demographics, drug use and risk behaviour. Approximately 10 cc of whole blood was drawn at each visit. Specimens were stored at -70C and serology performed using one or two third-generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and polymerase chain reaction testing. FINDINGS: Sixty-eight seroconversions were observed and incidence was 30.8 per 100 person-years, with incidence in IDUs injecting < 1 year, 133 per 100 person-years. Independent predictors of seroconversion were female gender, duration of injecting, injecting cocaine, shared use of filters and recruitment strategy. CONCLUSIONS: Women, new initiates and IDUs recruited via outreach appear to be at increased risk of infection. Results confirm the significance of cocaine injection as a risk factor and provide the first evidence outside North America of the link between shared use of drug preparation equipment and incident HCV infection. Prevention efforts should attempt to raise awareness of the risks associated with drug sharing and, in particular, the role of potentially contaminated syringes in HCV infection.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Increasing male involvement in family planning decision making: trial of a social-cognitive intervention in rural Vietnam.

We tested a social-cognitive intervention to influence contraceptive practices among men living in rural communes in Vietnam. It was predicted that participants who received a stage-targeted program based on the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) would report positive movement in their stage of motivational readiness for their wife to use an intrauterine device (IUD) compared to those in a control condition. A quasi-experimental design was used, where the primary unit for allocation was villages. Villages were allocated randomly to a control condition or to two rounds of intervention with stage-targeted letters and interpersonal counseling. There were 651 eligible married men in the 12 villages chosen. A significant positive movement in men's stage of readiness for IUD use by their wife occurred in the intervention group, with a decrease in the proportions in the precontemplation stage from 28.6 to 20.2% and an increase in action/maintenance from 59.8 to 74.4% (P < 0.05). There were no significant changes in the control group. Compared to the control group, the intervention group showed higher pros, lower cons and higher self-efficacy for IUD use by their wife as a contraceptive method (P < 0.05). Interventions based on social-cognitive theory can increase men's involvement in IUD use in rural Vietnam and should assist in reducing future rates of unwanted pregnancy.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Predictors of men's acceptance of modern contraceptive practice: study in rural Vietnam.

Studies have shown family planning adoption is likely to be more effective for women when men are actively involved. The transtheoretical model of behavior change was used to examine men's involvement in general contraception and intrauterine device (IUD) use by their wives. The study was carried out in rural Vietnam with 651 eligible participants. Cons of IUD use for men in precontemplation and contemplation/preparation were significantly higher than those in the action/maintenance stages, whereas the reverse was true for pros of IUD. The self-efficacy for convincing wife to have IUD in precontemplation was significantly lower than for those in higher stages. Women's education and ages, spontaneous recall of modern contraceptive method, cons for IUD, and self-efficacy for contraception and for convincing wives to get IUD inserted (or continue use) were significant predictors of men's readiness to accept IUD. Interventions are targeted to reduce cons and increase self-efficacy for IUD use.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Hepatitis C-related discrimination in New South Wales.

Hepatitis C-related discrimination was examined. Intake interviews with 606 HepCare trial participants from New South Wales were analysed to determine the prevalence and correlates of hepatitis C related discrimination. The sample was a mean age of 37 years, 54% were males, 79% reported a history of drug injecting and 35% were current injectors. Forty percent of the sample reported experiencing hepatitis C-related discrimination. Multivariate analysis revealed that current injectors, 35-44 year olds, females, those who had recently consulted a general practitioner and those who had been referred to a specialist for their hepatitis C were more likely to report discrimination than other groups. More research is required to attain a better understanding of hepatitis C-related discrimination.

Hepatitis C↗

PubMed2004

Nursing handovers: do we really need them?

AIM: This study attempts to address the content of nursing handover when compared with formal documentation sources. BACKGROUND: The nursing handover has attracted criticism in the literature in relation to its continuing role in modern nursing. Criticisms include those related to time expenditure, content, accuracy and the derogatory terms in which patients are sometimes being discussed. METHODS: Twenty-three handovers, covering all shifts, from one general medical ward were audio-taped. Their content was analysed and classified according to where, within a ward's documentation systems, the information conveyed could be located. FINDINGS: Results showed that almost 84.6% of information discussed could be located within existing ward documentation structures and 9.5% of information discussed was not relevant to ongoing patient care. Only 5.9% of handover content involved discussions related to ongoing care or ward management issues that could not be recorded in an existing documentation source. LIMITATIONS: The results of this study are representative of only one ward in one Australian Hospital. Specific documentation sources were also not checked to determine their content. CONCLUSION: Streamlining the nursing handover may improve the quality of the information presented and reduce the amount of time spent in handover.

Communication↗

PubMed2004

The roles of 'subjective computer training' and management support in the use of computers in community health centres.

There have been many changes made to information systems in the last decade. Changes in information systems require users constantly to update their computer knowledge and skills. Computer training is a critical issue for any user because it offers them considerable new skills. The purpose of this study was to measure the effects of 'subjective computer training' and management support on attitudes to computers, computer anxiety and subjective norms to use computers. The data were collected from community health centre staff. The results of the study showed that health staff trained in computer use had more favourable attitudes to computers, less computer anxiety and more awareness of others' expectations about computer use than untrained users. However, there was no relationship between management support and computer attitude, computer anxiety or subjective norms. Lack of computer training for the majority of healthcare staff confirmed the need for more attention to this issue, particularly in health centres.

Attitude to Computers↗

PubMed2003

Male involvement in family planning in rural Vietnam: an application of the Transtheoretical Model.

Various studies have shown that family planning adoption is likely to be more effective for women when men are actively involved. Male involvement in family planning is an instance of behavior change. The Transtheoretical Model of behavior change was used to examine men's involvement in general contraception and intrauterine device (IUD) use by their wives. The study tested whether the constructs of the model, decisional balance and self-efficacy, are sensitive to differences in stages of change. Reliable scales to test decisional balance and self-efficacy were developed. The study was carried out in rural Vietnam with 201 eligible participants. The staging algorithm identified that 25.8% of men were in the precontemplation stage, 10.5% of men were in the contemplation/preparation stages and 63.7% of men were in the action/maintenance stages. Disadvantages of IUD use for men in precontemplation were significantly higher than those in the action/maintenance stages, while the reverse was true for self-efficacy for convincing their wives to use an IUD. Interventions that are targeted to stage of change, that seek to reduce cons and that increase self-efficacy have the potential to influence male involvement in IUD adoption by their wives.

Adult↗