Publications by authors named "Lana Williams"

Article Synopsis
  • - LGBTQA+ individuals are more likely to experience psychosis and face challenges in accessing timely mental health care, leading to an increased risk of negative outcomes.
  • - A scoping review analyzed 37 studies and identified 89 barriers and 63 facilitators related to mental health care for LGBTQA+ people, categorizing them into five key themes: service-related factors, stigma, social networks, personal factors, and psychosis-related factors.
  • - The findings emphasize the importance of understanding intersectionality and suggest that enhancing knowledge and resources in public services could lead to earlier detection and better treatment of psychosis in the LGBTQA+ community.
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  • * The study reviewed the characteristics and treatment of falls among 2,631 adults aged 20-97, using self-reported falls data and examining factors like age, mobility, and health conditions.
  • * Results show a 25% overall prevalence of falls, with the rate increasing with age, particularly high among those 80+ years; men experience higher fall rates but fewer fractures, and outdoor falls are the most common, with about 46% of the injured seeking medical help.
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  • The study explored how slow gait speed and weak handgrip strength in older adults are linked to an increased risk of developing depression over time.
  • It utilized data from a large group of participants (17,231) over approximately 4 years, measuring depression through a validated self-reported scale.
  • Findings indicate that both low physical performance measures are significant risk factors for depression, suggesting the importance of addressing physical health to improve mental well-being in older adults.
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The important trace elements, copper and selenium, have diverse effects on human health. As well as other important roles in living tissues, these trace elements are toxic at high levels but are key constituents of various enzymes and proteins essential for maintaining physiological health. However, links between dietary intakes of these elements, particularly copper, and bone mineral density (BMD) in humans remain uncertain.

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Introduction: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neuropsychiatric condition prevalent in both children and adults. With growing awareness of the importance of the preconception period in health, it is essential to understand whether preconception parental mental health and related factors are related to onset of offspring ADHD. This protocol presents the methodology for undertaking a systematic review to investigate associations between parental mental health and/or psychotropic use during the preconception years and offspring ADHD.

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Objective: Harmonized tools are essential for reliable data sharing and accurate identification of relevant factors in mental health research. The primary objective of this study was to create a harmonized questionnaire to collect demographic, clinical and behavioral data in diverse clinical trials in adult psychiatry.

Methods: We conducted a literature review and examined 24 questionnaires used in previously published randomized controlled trials in psychiatry, identifying a total of 27 domains previously explored.

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Introduction: We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the quality and extent of evidence on associations between personality disorders (PDs) and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in population-based studies, since these disorders are leading causes of disease burden worldwide.

Methods: A search strategy of published, peer-reviewed and gray literature was developed in consultation with a liaison librarian and implemented for Embase, CINAHL Complete, Medline Complete, and PsycINFO via the EBSCOhost platform from 1990 to the present and CORDIS and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global, respectively. The inclusion criteria were as follows: I) general population participants aged ≥15 years; II) self-report, probable PD based on positive screen, or threshold PD according to the DSM-IV/5 (groupings: any, Clusters A/B/C, specific PD) or ICD-10/11; III) MSDs identified by self-report or ICD criteria (arthritis, back/neck conditions, fibromyalgia, osteopenia/osteoporosis) and III) cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional study designs.

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Background: The prevalence of psychosis has been shown to be disproportionately high amongst sexual and gender minority individuals. However, there is currently little consideration of the unique needs of this population in mental health treatment, with LGBTQA+ individuals facing barriers in accessing timely and non-stigmatising support for psychotic experiences. This issue deserves attention as delays to help-seeking and poor engagement with treatment predict worsened clinical and functional outcomes for people with psychosis.

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Schizophrenia is associated with increased risk of medical comorbidity, possibly including osteoporosis, which is a public health concern due to its significant social and health consequences. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to determine whether schizophrenia is associated with bone fragility. The protocol for this review has been registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020171959).

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Background: Socio-economic status (SES) has a large impact on health through a complex interplay of upstream, midstream and downstream factors. However, little is known about the predictive role of SES on long-term major adverse cardiovascular, cerebrovascular events, and mortality (MACCE).

Aim: To determine the long-term relationship between SES and MACCE for men and women.

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Objectives: Persistent functional impairment is common in bipolar disorder (BD) and is influenced by a number of demographic, clinical, and cognitive features. The goal of this project was to estimate and compare the influence of key factors on community function in multiple cohorts of well-characterized samples of individuals with BD.

Methods: Thirteen cohorts from 7 countries included = 5882 individuals with BD across multiple sites.

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Background: Psychiatric symptomatology and medications used in their treatment may be modifiable risk factors associated with cognitive function, although findings from population-based studies spanning the full adult age range are lacking. This study aimed to investigate associations between psychiatric symptomatology, psychotropic medication use and cognitive function in a population-based sample of men.

Methods: Data for 537 men were drawn from the Geelong Osteoporosis Study.

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Introduction: Farm workers are at high risk for injuries, and epidemiological data are needed to plan resource allocation.

Objective: This study identified regions with high farm-related injury rates in the Barwon South West region of Victoria, Australia, for residents aged ≥50 yr.

Design: Retrospective synthesis using electronic medical records of emergency presentations occurring during 2017-2019 inclusive for Local Government Areas (LGA) in the study region.

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Background: Previous studies report that maternal vitamin D exposure during pregnancy is associated with offspring later-life bone health. A study in the Vitamin D in Pregnancy (VIP) cohort reported sexually dimorphic effects of maternal 25-hydroxyvitamin-D (25(OH)D) and offspring fracture profiles at 10 years of age. We, therefore, aimed to determine associations between maternal 25(OH)D status and offspring fracture risk at 16 years of age in this cohort.

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Objective: This analysis estimated 2013 annual healthcare costs associated with the common mental disorders of mood and anxiety disorders and psychological symptoms within a representative sample of Australian women.

Methods: Data from the 15-year follow-up of women in the Geelong Osteoporosis Study were linked to 12-month Medicare Benefits Schedule and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme data. A Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Non-patient edition identified common mental disorders and the General Health Questionnaire 12 assessed psychological symptoms.

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Introduction: Several psychiatric disorders and medications used to treat them appear to be independently associated with skeletal deficits. As there is increasing evidence that lithium possesses skeletal protective properties, we aimed to investigate the association between lithium use and bone health in a group of women with bipolar disorder.

Method: Women with bipolar disorder (n = 117, 20+ years) were recruited from south-eastern Australia.

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Objectives: The abbreviated World Health Organisation Quality of Life tool (WHOQOL-BREF) is a short-form quality of life (QoL) assessment commonly used worldwide in both healthy and ill populations. Normative data for the Australian general population are limited. The objective of this study was to present normative data for the WHOQOL-BREF based on a general population sample.

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Background: We aimed to determine women's risk of major depressive disorder (MDD) in relation to obesity phenotypes characterized by levels of circulating high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP).

Methods: This population-based retrospective cohort study comprised 808 women (ages 20-84 y) recruited 1994-1997 and followed for a median 16.1 y (IQR 11.

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Background: Inadequate healthcare access and utilisation are implicated in the mental health burden experienced by those living in regional, rural, and remote Australia. Facilitators that better enable access and utilisation are also reported in the literature. To date, a synthesis on both the barriers and facilitators to accessing and utilising mental health services within the rural Australian context has not been undertaken.

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Background: Poor cognitive function, a major disabling condition of older age, is often considered a prodromal feature of dementia. High mortality and the lack of a cure for dementia have necessitated a focus on the identification of potentially modifiable risk factors. Mental and physical health conditions such as mood disorders and bone loss have been previously linked with poor cognition individually although their combined effect remains largely unknown.

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Article Synopsis
  • People with physical diseases like cardiovascular issues, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders are at a higher risk for major depressive disorder (MDD), and those with MDD also face increased risks for various physical diseases, creating a cycle of health challenges.
  • This comorbidity leads to worse health outcomes, higher treatment costs, and more complex clinical management due to overlapping symptoms and treatments, highlighting the need for integrated care approaches.
  • The text explores shared genetic and biological factors, social influences, and effective treatment strategies for managing both MDD and common physical diseases, emphasizing the importance of lifestyle interventions and collaborative care models.
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Background: A minimally invasive blood-based assessment of cognitive function could be a promising screening strategy to identify high-risk groups for the incidence of Alzheimer's disease.

Methods: The study included 448 cognitively unimpaired men (mean age 64.1 years) drawn from the Geelong Osteoporosis Study.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study explores how social determinants, like socioeconomic status (SES), marital status, and perceived social support, relate to cognitive function in men without dementia, using data from the Geelong Osteoporosis Study (n=536).
  • - Results indicate that higher SES, being in a relationship, and having strong social support from significant others and friends correlate with improved cognitive performance across various cognitive tasks.
  • - The findings suggest a need for further research to understand how social factors impact cognitive health, aiming to develop strategies for prevention and enhancement of cognitive function.
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Damage to bone leads to pain and loss of movement in the musculoskeletal system. Although bone can regenerate, sometimes it is damaged beyond its innate capacity. Research interest is increasingly turning to tissue engineering (TE) processes to provide a clinical solution for bone defects.

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