Publications by authors named "Alexandra Wade"

The primary aim of this study was to establish the feasibility of implementing a larger RCT designed to evaluate the effect of financial incentives on HCV treatment initiation among persons receiving opioid agonist therapy and/or who have injected drugs in the prior six months. ETHOS Engage is an observational cohort of participants recruited from drug treatment and needle and syringe programs in Australia. Among 11 drug and alcohol clinics, participants who were HCV RNA-positive were randomized (1:1) to receive standard of care or a AUD $60 gift card at treatment initiation.

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Background: Healthy dietary patterns can support the maintenance of cognition and brain health in older age and are negatively associated with cardiometabolic risk. Cardiometabolic risk factors are similarly important for cognition and may play an important role in linking diet to cognition.

Aim: This study aimed to explore the relationship between dietary patterns and cognition and to determine whether cardiometabolic health markers moderate these relationships in older adulthood.

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Background: Each day is made up of a composition of "time-use behaviors." These can be classified by their intensity (eg, light or moderate-vigorous physical activity [PA]) or domain (eg, chores, socializing). Intensity-based time-use behaviors are linked with cognitive function and cardiometabolic health in older adults, but it is unknown whether these relationships differ depending on the domain (or type/context) of behavior.

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Introduction: Stigma has negative consequences for the health of people who inject drugs and people living with hepatitis C virus (HCV). This study evaluated factors associated with stigma related to injecting drug use (IDU) or HCV and those associated with being treated negatively by health workers.

Methods: ETHOS Engage is an observational cohort study of people who inject drugs attending drug treatment clinics and needle and syringe programs in Australia.

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Background: Increasing physical activity (PA) is an effective strategy to slow reductions in cortical volume and maintain cognitive function in older adulthood. However, PA does not exist in isolation, but coexists with sleep and sedentary behaviour to make up the 24-hour day. We investigated how the balance of all three behaviours (24-hour time-use composition) is associated with grey matter volume in healthy older adults, and whether grey matter volume influences the relationship between 24-hour time-use composition and cognitive function.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study examines how a Mediterranean diet with dairy affects the gut microbiome and health in Australians at risk of cardiovascular disease.
  • 34 adults participated in a randomized crossover trial comparing a Mediterranean diet with dairy to a low-fat control diet over 8 weeks each, with a washout period in between.
  • While overall microbial structure didn’t change significantly, specific bacteria increased or decreased with the Mediterranean diet, which correlated with lower blood pressure and changes in glucose levels, indicating potential health benefits for cardiovascular risk.
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Introduction: Physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep are associated with cognitive function in older adults. However, these behaviours are not independent, but instead make up exclusive and exhaustive components of the 24-h day. Few studies have investigated associations between 24-h time-use composition and cognitive function in older adults.

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People's perceptions of the mental effort required for everyday activities may drive variation in the relationships between lifestyles and cognitive ability. We asked n = 259 healthy older adults aged 60 to 70 years (90 males, 169 females) to provide a rating of the Perceived Mental Effort (PME) for each activity instance they recalled over a 48-h period as part of a time-use recall. PME was rated on a 9-point scale from "very, very low" (score of 1) to "very, very high" (score of 9).

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This study evaluated HCV treatment initiation among people who inject drugs (PWID) following an intervention of campaign days involving peer connection, point-of-care HCV RNA testing, and linkage to nursing support. ETHOS Engage is an observational cohort study of PWID attending 25 drug treatment clinics and needle and syringe programs in Australia (May 2018-September 2019). Point-of-care results were provided to the nurse, facilitating confirmatory testing and treatment.

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Background: Evaluating trends in HCV treatment and prevalence is crucial for monitoring elimination. We evaluated the change in current infection and treatment among people who inject drugs (PWID) between 2018-2019 and 2019-2021.

Methods: ETHOS Engage is an observational cohort study of PWID attending drug treatment clinics and needle and syringe programs in Australia.

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Background: Evidence regarding the acceptability of contingency management is limited. We investigated the willingness of people who inject drugs to participate in a randomised controlled trial (RCT) involving financial incentives to initiate HCV treatment.

Methods: ETHOS Engage is an observational cohort study of people with a history of injecting drug use who either injected in the past six months or receive opioid agonist therapy (OAT) in Australia.

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The relationships between cognitive function and each of physical activity, sleep and sedentary behaviour in older adults are well documented. However, these three "time use" behaviours are co-dependent parts of the 24-hour day (spending time in one leaves less time for the others), and their best balance for cognitive function in older adults is still largely unknown. This systematic review summarises the existing evidence on the associations between combinations of two or more time-use behaviours and cognitive function in older adults.

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Introduction: Approximately 40% of late-life dementia may be prevented by addressing modifiable risk factors, including physical activity and diet. Yet, it is currently unknown how multiple lifestyle factors interact to influence cognition. The ACTIVate Study aims to (1) explore associations between 24-hour time-use and diet compositions with changes in cognition and brain function; and (2) identify duration of time-use behaviours and the dietary compositions to optimise cognition and brain function.

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Associations between fermented dairy products and blood pressure are unclear. The current study therefore examined the association between yogurt and blood pressure in hypertensive and non-hypertensive individuals. Cross-sectional analyses were undertaken on 915 community-dwelling adults from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study.

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Numerous observational studies have investigated the role of the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII®) in chronic disease risk. The aims of this umbrella review and integrated meta-analyses were to systematically synthesize the observational evidence reporting on the associations between the DII and health outcomes based on meta-analyses, and to assess the quality and strength of the evidence for each associated outcome. This umbrella review with integrated meta-analyses investigated the association between the DII and a range of health outcomes based on meta-analyses of observational data.

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Combining physical exercise with cognitive training is a popular intervention in dementia prevention trials and guidelines. However, it remains unclear what combination strategies are most beneficial for cognitive and physical outcomes. We aimed to compare the efficacy of the three main types of combination strategies (simultaneous, sequential or exergaming) to either intervention alone or control in older adults.

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Hypertension is a key modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) may be associated with improvements in blood pressure. However, few studies have examined the association between MedDiet adherence and blood pressure in non-Mediterranean populations, and findings are mixed.

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Adherence to a Mediterranean diet is associated with higher cognitive function and reduced risk of dementia in Mediterranean populations. However, few studies have investigated the association between Mediterranean diet adherence and cognition in populations outside of the Mediterranean basin. Furthermore, it is currently unknown whether the association between Mediterranean diet adherence and cognitive function differs between middle-aged and older individuals.

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Background: The Mediterranean diet may be capable of improving cognitive function. However, the red meat restrictions of the diet could impact long-term adherence in Western populations. The current study therefore examined the cognitive effects of a Mediterranean diet with additional red meat.

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The Mediterranean diet offers a range of health benefits. However, previous studies indicate that the restricted consumption of red meat in the diet may affect long-term sustainability in non-Mediterranean countries. A 24-week randomised controlled parallel cross-over design compared a Mediterranean diet supplemented with 2-3 serves per week of fresh, lean pork (MedPork) with a low-fat control diet (LF).

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The Mediterranean diet has been linked to improved cognitive function and reduced risk of dementia. However, a traditional Mediterranean diet may not meet calcium requirements for older non-Mediterranean populations, which could limit long-term sustainability in Western countries. The current study therefore aimed to determine the cognitive and psychological effects of a Mediterranean diet with adequate calcium for an ageing Australian population.

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Background: The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) offers benefits to cardiovascular health but may not meet Western recommendations for calcium and dairy intake, which could impede long-term adoption.

Objective: The current study aimed to determine the effect of a MedDiet supplemented with dairy foods on cardiovascular risk factors.

Design: A randomized, controlled, crossover design compared a MedDiet with 3-4 daily servings of dairy (MedDairy) and a low-fat (LF) control diet.

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