Publications by authors named "Kylie-ann Mallitt"

Introduction: Inequitable access to health care based on demographic factors such as ethnicity, socioeconomic status and geographical location has been consistently found in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, little is known about the perspectives of caregivers on accessing health care. We described caregivers' perspectives on accessing health care for children with CKD from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and/or rural or remote areas.

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Introduction: Community-driven research in primary healthcare (PHC) may reduce the chronic disease burden in Indigenous peoples. This systematic review assessed the cultural safety of reports of research on PHC use by Indigenous peoples from four countries with similar colonial histories.

Methods: Medline, CINAHL and Embase were all systematically searched from 1st January 2002 to 4th April 2023.

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  • Patient navigators help adult patients navigate complex health systems, aiming to improve access and health outcomes; this study focused on the effects of such a program for children with chronic kidney disease (CKD).
  • In a multi-center trial, children with CKD from low socioeconomic backgrounds were randomly assigned to receive immediate patient navigation or waitlisted for six months.
  • Results showed no significant difference in self-rated health between the two groups after six months, but caregivers reported gaining skills for better care coordination and support despite some challenges in the process.
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  • - The study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the relationship between gastrointestinal inflammation and autism, particularly through non-invasive faecal biomarkers, due to conflicting evidence in previous research.
  • - The researchers analyzed data from various databases and focused on specific inflammatory markers like calprotectin and lactoferrin, finding no significant differences between autistic and non-autistic participants.
  • - Limitations of the research included the small number of studies available on faecal markers for the autistic population, as many common biomarkers have not been investigated in this context.
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  • Disadvantaged socioeconomic position (SEP) negatively impacts the health of children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and their carers, with the study tracking 377 families over four years.* -
  • Findings reveal that higher family income, employed primary carers, better financial perception, and home ownership are associated with improved health ratings for both children and carers.* -
  • Carers from lower income households reported steadily declining health over time, highlighting the ongoing health disparities linked to socioeconomic factors in families dealing with CKD.*
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Background: School attendance and life participation, particularly sport, is a high priority for children with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study is aimed at assessing the association between CKD stage, sports participation, and school absences in children with CKD.

Methods: Using data from the binational Kids with CKD study (ages 6-18 years, n = 377), we performed multivariable regression to evaluate the association between CKD stage, school absences, and sports participation.

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Background: Females account for 60% of all living kidney donors worldwide. We defined the proportion of female to male donors for living donor kidney transplantation stratified by recipient gender, and explored the factors associated with female kidney donation.

Methods: Data from the ANZDATA (Australian and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplantation) and ANZOD (Australian and New Zealand Organ Donor) registries (2002-2019) were used to identify the sociodemographic characteristics and their interactions associated with living donation from female donors.

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The Environmental Determinants of Islet Autoimmunity (ENDIA) pregnancy-birth cohort investigates the developmental origins of type 1 diabetes (T1D), with recruitment between 2013 and 2019. ENDIA is the first study in the world with comprehensive data and biospecimen collection during pregnancy, at birth and through childhood from at-risk children who have a first-degree relative with T1D. Environmental exposures are thought to drive the progression to clinical T1D, with pancreatic islet autoimmunity (IA) developing in genetically susceptible individuals.

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In this multi-center longitudinal cohort study conducted in Australia and New Zealand, we assessed the trajectories of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) over time. A total of 377 children (aged 6-18 years) with CKD stages 1-5 (pre-dialysis), dialysis, or transplant, were followed biennially for four years. Multi Attribute Utility (MAU) scores of HRQoL were measured at baseline and at two and four years using the McMaster Health Utilities Index Mark 3 tool, a generic multi-attribute, preference-based system.

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  • Advanced-stage mucinous ovarian carcinoma (MOC) is difficult to treat due to poor chemotherapy response and the need for better biomarkers for stage I treatment, leading researchers to analyze gene-expression and clinicopathologic data.
  • A study identified 19 genes potentially linked to patient prognosis, validating findings with data from 604 patients that included different types of tumors.
  • Results indicated that an infiltrative pattern of invasion correlates with worse survival, and higher levels of certain proteins (THBS2 and TAGLN) are associated with poor prognosis, suggesting both may be useful for determining treatment approaches.
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Background: The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with restricted community movement and limited access to healthcare facilities, resulting in changed clinical service delivery to people with cystic fibrosis (CF). This study aimed to determine clinical outcomes of Australian adults and children with CF in the 12-months following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This longitudinal cohort study used national registry data.

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Diets of children and adolescents on the autism spectrum often differ when compared to their non-autistic peers. Most dietary studies have been limited by small sample sizes and rarely assess the heterogeneity of autism. Addressing this gap, this study compared the anthropometrics, dietary composition, dietary quality, and food variety of 154 Australian children and adolescents on the spectrum and 213 non-autistic children (71 siblings and 142 unrelated controls).

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  • - This study compares two eLearning programs (video-based vs. slide-based) designed to improve how clinicians manage bronchiolitis in infants under 12 months.
  • - Participants from six hospitals were assessed on their management plans for a bronchiolitis case before and after the training, focusing on changes in investigations, treatments, and overall understanding.
  • - Both training methods improved management outcomes, but the video-based program showed more significant benefits, including reduced hospital admissions and enhanced clinician confidence.
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  • Obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIS) are serious hospital-acquired injuries that can lead to various issues for women, impacting their quality of life significantly.
  • This study aims to analyze how a doctor's choice of instruments during delivery affects the rate of OASIS, considering other factors like their experience and delivery methods.
  • Results show that doctors who prefer using forceps instead of vacuum have lower OASIS rates and higher rates of fully dilated caesarean sections, indicating a need for careful consideration when choosing instruments during difficult deliveries.
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  • - Neurodevelopmental disorders are diverse and share similar symptoms, creating a need for a comprehensive screening tool that assesses these conditions in a unified way.
  • - The Neurodevelopment Assessment Scale (NAS) is being co-designed with input from individuals affected by these disorders and service providers to create a user-friendly assessment inventory.
  • - The NAS aims to validate its effectiveness by evaluating its user-friendliness and suitability while also ensuring it accurately measures the relevant symptoms and constructs for better personalized care.
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Introduction: This study aimed to investigate whether early treatment with paracetamol reduces the number of infants requiring intervention for patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and assess the safety profile of paracetamol during the early postnatal period.

Methods: This was a double-blind, parallel, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Preterm infants born at <29-week gestation with a ductus arteriosus >0.

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Objective: To assess propranolol's impact on sleep when used in infants and toddlers with infantile hemangioma (80% under 6 months old).

Methods: Parents and caregivers of infants and toddlers with infantile hemangioma presenting to a tertiary pediatric hospital's dermatology clinic and assessed by their dermatologist as requiring propranolol treatment were invited to participate. All participants completed an extended version of the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire (BISQ) prior to propranolol treatment initiation, which acted as the control, and 5 weeks after treatment commencement.

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Aim: The aim was to evaluate an educational video in educating doctors on the key messages and follow-up pathways following a first afebrile seizure presentation. A multidisciplinary expert team developed the video (http://www.pennsw.

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Aim: To investigate and describe factors contributing to the impact of caring for a child with posterior urethral valves and to determine the extent to which families view their care as family-centred, and whether this can affect the impact of care.

Methods: A cross-sectional, survey-based study involving primary caregivers of children with posterior urethral valves. Caregivers completed the Impact on Family Scale (IOFS) and the Measure of Processes of Care (MPOC).

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Background: There is a need for improvement in informed medical consent to address the lack of standardization and to increase patient engagement.

Objective: To investigate the use of a video to aid informed consent for Mohs micrographic surgery and evaluate patient understanding, satisfaction, anxiety, and time savings relative to verbal consent.

Methods: A 2-armed randomized controlled trial involving 102 patients compared video-assisted consent with a control group who underwent consent in the standard verbal manner.

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Introduction And Hypothesis: Postpartum anal incontinence is common and distressing for women. We sought to look at the prevalence of anal incontinence in women who sustained obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASI) compared with women who did not, and factors leading to these symptoms during the postpartum period.

Methods: A total of 129 primiparous women sustaining OASI were compared with 131 women who did not (controls).

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Background/objectives: Vulvar disease leads to significant disease burden and reduced quality of life (QOL). However, vulvar disease-specific instruments to measure QOL are lacking. We developed the Vulvar Quality of Life Index (VQLI) to comprehensively and reproducibly assess symptomatic, psychosexual and physical aspects of vulvar disease.

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This mixed method study explored parent and child characteristics that impact grief and personal growth in parents ( = 119) after a child dies from cancer in Australia. Medical components of a child's cancer care including radiation treatment, referral to palliative care, and location of death had a significant impact on levels of grief. Parents' gender, religious affiliation, and education level had a significant impact on levels of personal growth.

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  • The Myc oncogene family is linked to aggressive forms of various cancers and is considered a potential target for therapy in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), although its clinical importance in EOC remains unclear.
  • A novel statistical approach using qPCR allowed for reliable assessment of Myc gene copy number variations in large EOC patient cohorts, confirming that Myc gain/amplification is prevalent in certain cancer types.
  • Despite the presence of Myc abnormalities in EOC, the study found they have limited impact on patient prognosis, indicating that their relevance may only apply to specific types of EOC, such as endometrioid cancer.
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Background: Treatment as prevention approaches for HIV require optimal HIV testing strategies to reduce undiagnosed HIV infections. In most settings, HIV testing strategies still result in unacceptably high rates of missed and late diagnoses. This study aimed to identify clinical opportunities for targeted HIV testing in persons at risk to facilitate earlier HIV diagnosis in New South Wales, Australia; and to assess the duration between the diagnosis of specific conditions and HIV diagnosis.

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