Menzies School of Health Research

Identification of expressed endogenous retroviral element associated long terminal repeats in devil facial tumour cells

Abstract The Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) population has undergone a major decline in the wild owing to the epidemics of two transmissible cancers known as devil facial tumours (DFT1 and DFT2). A multipronged conservation strategy is in place, but a vaccine that prevent...

Strategies for integrating artificial intelligence and cognitive assessment to predict disability progression in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: A model development study

Serial cognitive assessment in multiple sclerosis can help identify patients at higher risk of disability progression, but high dimensionality of reaction-time data makes analysis challenging. We developed a method to convert longitudinal reaction-time data into images and applie...

Strengthening Indigenous food security in remote Northern Australia: A policy analysis

The Northern Territory (NT) of Australia faces unique social, political, economic, and geographical food security challenges for Aboriginal Communities. International research and policy have advocated for greater coherence across government policies that support Indigenous-groun...

A systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis to determine the effect of primaquine dose on efficacy, tolerability and safety in uncomplicated Plasmodium vivax malaria in Latin America

Background Primaquine is widely used to prevent relapses of Plasmodium vivax malaria, but the optimal dose in Latin America is unknown. We undertook a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis to investigate the efficacy, tolerability and safety of different pri...

Health workforce retention in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in high-income countries: a rapid realist review

It is vital to reduce avoidable turnover and optimise retention of healthcare staff in Australian remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services. However, evidence informing the implementation of retention interventions is limited as existing literature inadequately...

Community perceptions, trust, and experiences of malaria clinical research and participation in rural Cambodia

INTRODUCTION: Understanding community perspectives on malaria treatment and research participation is important for designing ethically appropriate community engagement strategies, strengthening informed consent, and improving the conduct of clinical research while supporting dis...

Exploring the functions of NKG7 in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells during malaria

Malaria, caused by Plasmodium parasites, is a significant global health issue. CD4 + and CD8 + T cells are important for immunity against Plasmodium infections, but the specific roles of many immune-related effector molecules in T cells remain poorly defined. Here, we investigate...

Outcomes and associated risk factors among hospitalisations attributed to invasive group A streptococcal disease in Northern Queensland, Australia: a 21-year population-based data linkage study

Abstract Purpose Invasive group A Streptococcus (iGAS) disease is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to assess the outcomes of iGAS infection and associated risk factors in Northern Queensland, Australia. Methods A retrospective cohort study was...

Coronary Plaque Burden and Plaque Composition in Long-Term Cancer Survivors: A Comparative CCTA Study

Abstract Background The increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in cancer survivors is not fully elucidated. Understanding the coronary plaque burden and composition in survivors could address this gap. Objectives To determine whether cancer survivorship is assoc...

The use of natriuretic peptide to screen for stage B heart failure based on echocardiogram among cancer survivors

Abstract Background and Aims Heart failure is a progressive disorder that can be identified at earlier stage, also known as stage B heart failure (SBHF). While N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) was shown to be a key biomarker, its screening performance among c...

Customer-level factors associated with discretionary food and beverage purchasing in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community stores in remote Australia: a customer intercept survey of Healthy Stores 2020

Abstract Background Healthy Stores 2020 (HS2020), a 12-week randomised controlled trial conducted in partnership with an Aboriginal-owned retail organisation, reduced retailer merchandising and store-level purchases of unhealthy foods. Evidence on the influence of customer-level...

Dissecting pleiotropy between major depressive disorder and physical disease comorbidities

Abstract Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is characterised by substantial comorbidity with medical conditions. To achieve better outcomes for patients with MDD, an improved understanding of the mechanisms underlying pervasive comorbidities is required. To this end, we map patterns...

Geographic variations and factors associated with breastfeeding counseling during the first 2 days of birth in Ethiopia: spatial and multilevel analysis

Breastfeeding improves child health, and counseling during pregnancy and after delivery supports early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding. However, coverage remains uneven in many low- and middle-income countries, and relatively little work has sought to use multilevel and sp...

Understanding the family planning experiences and information needs of people living with multiple sclerosis: an Australian cohort study

Purpose Good quality information on family planning is essential for people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS), yet how they receive or seek information about family planning to inform reproductive decision-making is unknown. This cohort study aimed to understand the impact of MS on...

Factors associated with bowel cancer screening participation among First Nations Peoples receiving home health care services in New South Wales, Australia

First Nations Australians consistently exhibit lower bowel screening participation rates than non-First Nations Australians. However, limited studies have been conducted to understand the factors associated with bowel cancer screening participation among First Nations Australians...

Understanding current practice and challenges to the implementation of rehabilitation for people living with dementia: insights from health professionals in Malaysia

PURPOSE: To examine Malaysian health professionals' knowledge, attitudes, confidence, beliefs, and practices regarding dementia rehabilitation, and to identify perceived barriers and enablers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An online survey assessed dementia knowledge (DKAS), attitudes (...

Building the toolkit to address malaria resurgence and radical cure of vivax malaria in Ethiopia: a meeting report

Abstract Ethiopia has experienced a substantial resurgence in malaria in recent years, with increasing case numbers and a growing contribution of Plasmodium vivax in several regions. At the same time, new evidence supporting improved radical cure strategies, including high-dose p...