Publications by authors named "Christopher Tennant"

Background: University students have a higher prevalence rate of depression than the average 18 to 24 year old. Internet self-help has been demonstrated to be effective in decreasing self-rated measures of depression in this population, so it is important to explore the awareness, access and use of such self-help resources in this population.

Objective: The objective of this study is to explore university students' awareness, access and use of Internet self-help websites for depression and related problems.

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Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of alcohol and other substance use in patients presenting to an emergency department with acute psychiatric illnesses and to clarify the role of urine drug screens.

Method: This was an unblinded prospective (observational) cohort study incorporating retrospective review of patient medical records, history of alcohol and substance use, results of urine drug screens and blood alcohol concentrations.

Results: Of 196 acute psychotic patients, 104 were diagnosed with schizophrenia and 92 with "other psychosis".

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Objectives: To explore the perceived impact of medicolegal concerns on how Australian doctors practise medicine and to compare doctors who have experienced a medicolegal matter with those who have not.

Design And Setting: Cross-sectional survey (posted in September 2007, with reminder 4 weeks later) of Australian doctors from all major specialty groups, trainees and a sample of general practitioners who were insured with a medical insurance company.

Participants: 2999 respondents of 8360 who were sent the survey.

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Objective: To investigate the frequency of, and factors associated with, Australian doctors' involvement in medicolegal matters.

Design, Setting And Participants: Cross-sectional survey of Australian doctors (specialists, trainees and general practitioners) insured with the medical insurance company Avant. A self-report questionnaire was mailed to Avant members in September 2007 to gather data on their involvement in medicolegal matters.

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Objective: To better understand sexual dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia and its associations with prolactin and reproductive hormones.

Methods: This was a secondary analysis of an open-label, one-day study (N = 402). The primary objective of the study was to assess the prevalence of hyperprolactinemia in patients with schizophrenia who had been treated with conventional antipsychotics or risperidone.

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The Coordinating Research Council (CRC) convened its 18th On-Road Vehicle Emissions Workshop March 31- April 2, 2008, with 104 presentations describing the most recent mobile source-related emissions research. In this paper we summarize the presentations from researchers whose efforts are improving our understanding of the contribution of mobile sources to air quality. Participants in the workshop discussed emission models and emissions inventories, results from gas- and particle-phase emissions studies from spark-ignition and diesel-powered vehicles (with an emphasis in this workshop on particle emissions), effects of fuels on emissions, evaluation of in-use emission-control programs, and efforts to improve our capabilities in performing on-board emissions measurements, as well as topics for future research.

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The Coordinating Research Council, Inc. (CRC) held its 17th On-Road Vehicle Emissions Workshop in March 2007, where results of the most recent on-road vehicle emissions research were presented. We summarize ongoing work from researchers who are engaged in improving our understanding of the role and contribution of mobile sources to ambient air quality and emission inventories.

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Research on the neuropsychology of substance use in schizophrenia has been steadily growing over the past decade. However, significant gaps remain in the knowledge of individual substances and their relationship to cognition in the schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Approximately 65 studies to date have directly examined this relationship.

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This study examined the relationship between neuropsychological performance and three different indices of cannabis use in schizophrenia. These indices were DSM-IV lifetime abuse/dependence, frequency of use, and recency of use. Sixty males with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder and 17 healthy males were recruited.

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Background: The efficacy of antidepressants in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is controversial. No trials have directly compared a tricyclic with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Our aim was to determine whether imipramine and citalopram are efficacious in IBS.

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The Coordinating Research Council held its 16th workshop in March 2006, with 83 presentations describing the most recent mobile source-related emissions research. In this paper, we summarize the presentations from researchers who are engaged in improving our understanding of the contribution of mobile sources to air quality. Participants in the workshop discussed evaluation of in-use emissions control programs, effects of fuels on emissions, emission models and emission inventories, results from gas- and particle-phase emissions studies from spark-ignition and diesel-powered vehicles, and efforts to improve our capabilities in performing on-board emissions measurements, as well as topics for future research.

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Objectives: This pilot study investigates the psychological impact on doctors of a complaint to the New South Wales Health Care Complaints Commission and the doctor's perception of legal risk.

Method: Doctors who received a complaint were sent a set of questionnaires embracing psychological variables and their perceptions of legal risk.

Results: The response rate was 60%.

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Background: Empirical studies have revealed a significant, but modest association between maternal depression and insecure mother-child attachment. Across studies, however, a substantial number of mothers with depression are able to provide a sensitive caretaking environment for their children. This paper aimed to explore whether a mother's own state of mind regarding attachment moderated the association between postpartum depression and insecure mother-child attachment.

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Objective: To describe the psychological impact of complaints and negligence litigation on doctors.

Methods: A review of the literature from 1966 to 2003 was conducted. Additional sources were obtained from targeted experts and organizations.

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Background: This study prospectively investigated the factors underlying the maintenance and persistence of postnatal depression beyond the first year after birth.

Method: One hundred primiparous women who were admitted to a parentcraft hospital for a week were assessed after discharge at 4 and 12 months postpartum. Various measures of mood, interpersonal relationships and defence styles were administered at 4 months and the relation between these measures and clinically elevated symptoms of depression at 12 months was examined.

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Objective: To determine the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity and burnout in final-year medical students, and changes in these measures during the intern year.

Design: Prospective longitudinal cohort study over 18 months, with assessment of psychiatric morbidity and burnout on six occasions.

Participants: All 117 students in the first graduating cohort of the University of Sydney Graduate Medical Program were invited to participate in the study; 110 consented.

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Sixty-six parents who had conceived by in vitro fertilization (IVF) were compared with 46 matched naturally conceiving control parents regarding psychosocial adjustment and parenting stress 5 years after the birth of their first child. IVF mothers reported a more external locus of control than did control mothers but did not differ on other measures. Within the IVF group, higher levels of treatment predicted lower parenting stress and more defensive responding on the Parenting Stress Index (R.

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Background: The recent derivation of embryonic stem cell lines from human blastocysts and related implications for regenerative medicine has intensified a longstanding debate about the use of human embryos for research purposes. However, studies have shown that few couples with stored embryos opt to donate them for research. Herein, the attitudes and concerns of potential embryo donors to donation of surplus embryos for medical research were examined.

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An Expert Working Group of the National Heart Foundation of Australia undertook a review of systematic reviews of the evidence relating to major psychosocial risk factors to assess whether there are independent associations between any of the factors and the development and progression of coronary heart disease (CHD), or the occurrence of acute cardiac events. The expert group concluded that (i) there is strong and consistent evidence of an independent causal association between depression, social isolation and lack of quality social support and the causes and prognosis of CHD; and (ii) there is no strong or consistent evidence for a causal association between chronic life events, work-related stressors (job control, demands and strain), Type A behaviour patterns, hostility, anxiety disorders or panic disorders and CHD. The increased risk contributed by these psychosocial factors is of similar order to the more conventional CHD risk factors such as smoking, dyslipidaemia and hypertension.

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In Australia, the lifetime use of cocaine is rising, with 3% of the population aged over 14 using cocaine in 1991, increasing to 4.5% in 1998, and cocaine use accounting for 10% of all deaths secondary to illicit drug use in 1998. Cocaine is prepared from the leaves of the plant Erythroxylon coca, and is available as cocaine hydrochloride (a water-soluble powder or granule which can be taken orally, intravenously or intranasally) and as "freebase" or "crack" cocaine (heat stable, melting at high temperatures, thus allowing it to be smoked).

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Objective: To review recent empirical prospective studies on the relation between life event stressors and depression.

Method: A systematic literature search focusing on predictive studies was carried out from 1980 to early 2001 using Medline, Embase and PsychInfo.

Results: The empirical findings for the most part support clinical impressions of the relation of stressors to depression but at the same time provide some clearer understanding in relation to differences of stressor impact on depression type and on index episode, relapse or recurrence.

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Objective: Forty-seven patients with long-term mental illness were transferred to the community following the closure of a psychiatric hospital in Sydney. This 6-year evaluation is an extension of a detailed clinical, ethnographic and economic study of the initial 2-years of community transition.

Method: Quantitative evaluation was conducted using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Life Skills Profile, Social Behaviour Scale, Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale and Quality Of Life measures.

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