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The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted university faculty in profound ways, particularly those who are marginalized by gender. While social and institutional injustices have always existed for these faculty, stressors related to caregiving during a global pandemic have exacerbated inequities related to distribution of care work at home and teaching and caring for students. This amplification of inequities has affected the health and well-being of gender-marginalized faculty, as well as their professional careers. The multi-method qualitative research study described in this report, through a survey and follow-up interviews, examined the impact of caregiving on gender-marginalized faculty at Brandon University during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings from the study illustrate the problematic nature of caregiving for faculty marginalized by gender, the toll it has taken during a global crisis, and the imperative to equitably recognize, value, and compensate such work.

Psychological and social adjustment and academic success in post-secondary institutions are supported by a sense of belonging to a social group and having meaningful relationships with other students, staff, and faculty members. This exploratory study used a qualitative approach to investigate post-secondary students' sense of belonging in the virtual learning environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted at a small Western Canadian university. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 participants who were undergraduate students, from various faculties, and in different years in their programs. Findings were clustered into three themes: (1) student expectations of university; (2) impact of virtual learning environments on students; and (3) the role of educators. Recommendations are included to enhance support and belonging for post-secondary students in virtual learning environments. [The publication year on the PDF is incorrect, this article was published in 2022.]

With the increased incidence of poor mental health in young adults, health promotion strategies are needed on campuses. World Cafés were held to facilitate discussion around three main topics: thoughts about findings emerging from a recent health survey; resources currently available on campus; and strategies or resources needed to improve student well-being. Participants readily provided insight into mental health concerns among students, and their recommendations focused primarily on creating a culture of well-being in the university, with more professional support services and greater health promotion. Overall, the World Café approach provided an effective method to engage students and discuss possible strategies to promote better mental health on campus.

AbstractPurposeMaterials and methodsResultsConclusions\nIMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONChronic pain assessment tools exist for children, but may not be valid, reliable, and feasible for populations with functional, cognitive or communication limitations, for example, cerebral palsy (CP). This study aimed to (i) identify chronic pain assessment tools used with children and young people and rate their measurement properties; (ii) develop a CP specific feasibility rating tool to assess the feasibility of tools in CP; and (iii) categorise tools according to reporting method.Assessment tools were identified by literature review. Their measurement properties were rated using the COnsensus based standards for the Selection of health Measurement INstruments. The CP specific Feasibility Rating Tool was developed and used to rate the tools.Fifty-seven chronic pain assessment tools were identified. Six have content validity for CP, four of these use proxy-report. Forty-two tools were considered feasible for people with CP; 24 self report and 18 observational/proxy-report. Only the Paediatric Pain Profile has content validity and feasibility for people with CP unable to self-report.There are few valid, reliable and feasible tools to assess chronic pain in CP. Further research is required to modify tools to enable people with cognitive limitations and/or complex communication to self-report pain.Few of the existing chronic pain assessment tools are feasible or valid to use with all young people with cerebral palsy (CP).Modifications to self-report tools are needed to improve access for young people who have cognitive impairment or use alternative and augmentative communication.The pain assessment tool with the strongest feasibility and measurement properties for young people who cannot self-report is the Paediatric Pain Profile.Clinicians will need to consider a range of chronic pain assessment tools to assess the biopsychosocial domains important to young people with cerebral palsy.Few of the existing chronic pain assessment tools are feasible or valid to use with all young people with cerebral palsy (CP).Modifications to self-report tools are needed to improve access for young people who have cognitive impairment or use alternative and augmentative communication.The pain assessment tool with the strongest feasibility and measurement properties for young people who cannot self-report is the Paediatric Pain Profile.Clinicians will need to consider a range of chronic pain assessment tools to assess the biopsychosocial domains important to young people with cerebral palsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study is to describe the individualized occupational performance issues identified by parents/carers and children prior to selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) surgery and analyse change up to 2 years post surgery in goal attainment and quality of life (QoL). Method: The Australian SDR Research Registry (trial registration: ACTRN12618000985280) was used to extract data for individualized goals, goal attainment and QoL based on the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and the Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life Questionnaire for Children (CP QOL‐Child parent‐proxy) at baseline and 1 and 2 years following SDR. Change in mean scores was analysed using linear mixed models. Results: Fifty‐two children had COPM scores at baseline and 1 and/or 2 years post, of which 28 had two QoL scores. COPM problem areas included leisure (n = 39), productivity (n = 37) and self‐care (n = 173). The most common goals were walking (26.1%), participation in physical activities (17.7%) and transitions (14.1%). Mean COPM scores improved significantly between baseline to 1 year and baseline to 2 years (P < 0.001). Mean QoL scores improved between baseline to 1 year for functional QoL domains: participation and physical health (P = 0.003) and pain and impact of disability (P = 0.011). Conclusions: Collaborative goal setting is an integral part of family‐centred rehabilitation practice. The COPM was an appropriate individualized outcome measure in identifying meaningful goals for our SDR cohort. Results demonstrate improved scores in goal attainment and improvement in functional QoL domains. This paper highlights the need to include outcomes that measure daily life experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the feasibility of using parent-reported outcome measures of the Paediatric Pain Profile (PPP), Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) and Care and Comfort Hypertonicity Questionnaire (CCHQ) as repeated outcome measures of change at weekly intervals for children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy (CP). The secondary aim was to explore the efficacy of individualised movement intervention. In this pilot feasibility study a single subject research design was utilised. Three children with dyskinetic CP, completed 5 weeks of parent-reported baseline assessments, 8 weekly sessions of intervention and 5 weeks of follow up. All children completed 18 weeks of the study, with no missing data. There was evidence of parent-reported improvements in their child's pain and care and comfort between the baseline and intervention phases. The PPP, SDSC and CCHQ were feasible to assess pain, sleep and comfort before and after an intervention in children with dyskinetic CP. There is preliminary evidence that individualised movement intervention as little as once a week may help improve pain, sleep and improve ease of care and comfort. The Paediatric Pain Profile is feasible to identify and monitor pain, as frequently as weekly, in children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy (CP). There is preliminary evidence that movement can decrease pain in children with dyskinetic CP. Assessments and treatment in this group may be interrupted due to their complex health issues which may be a limitation when collecting repeated measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inconsistent and inadequate pain assessment practices in cerebral palsy (CP) have resulted from a lack of standardisation of pain assessment, limited use of appropriate tools and failure to integrate disability and biopsychosocial models. To assist with improving consistency, this study aimed to establish consensus from key stakeholders regarding domains considered essential for measuring chronic pain in children and young people with CP. A modified electronic Delphi study was conducted on 83 stakeholders, including clinicians, researchers, people with CP and parents of children with CP. Participants rated 18 domains sourced from existing literature as either "core", "recommended", "exploratory" or "not required". After two rounds of surveys, 12 domains were considered core: pain location, pain frequency, pain intensity, changeable factors, impact on emotional wellbeing, impact on participation, pain communication, influence on quality of life, physical impacts, sleep, pain duration and pain expression. These domains reflect the complexity of pain in a heterogeneous population where medical comorbidities are common and communication and intellectual limitations impact significantly on the ability of many to self-report. The domains will be utilised to build a framework of pain assessment specific to children and young people with CP guided by the biopsychosocial model. Chronic pain is under-identified and poorly assessed in the cerebral palsy (CP) population. The perspectives of clinicians, researchers and consumers are vital for developing a framework for chronic pain assessment in CP. Consensus of key stakeholders found 12 domains considered essential to incorporate into a chronic pain assessment model in CP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This commentary is on the original article by Schiariti et al. on pages 610–622 of this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The studies have shown the way in which magnetic-susceptibility compensation sequences are adapted and are able to measure temperatures very close to the transducer surface. This method is useful for studying both the therapeutic and detrimental effects of heating when transducers are placed very close to the surface of the skin.

The origins of the end-element anomalies and corresponding design changes are analyzed. This ultrasonic piezo-composite array is modeled by using the finite element method.

The concept of a knowledge-based approach to policy making (also referred to as 'evidence-based policy making' or 'science meets policy') has been around for 10 years, and is widely 'signed [...]

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of blood-borne viruses and associated risk factors among prison entrants at seven Australian prisons across four States. Design: Consecutive cross-sectional design. Voluntary confidential testing of all prison entrants for serological markers of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C (HCV) and hepatitis B (HBV) over 14 consecutive days in May 2004. Demographic data and data related to risks for blood-borne virus transmission, such as sexual activity, body piercing, tattooing, and injecting drug use, were collected. Results: National prevalence for HIV was 1%, hepatitis B core antibody 20%, and hepatitis C antibody 34%. Fifty-nine per cent of participants had a history of injecting drug use. Among injecting drug users, the prevalence of HIV was 1%, hepatitis C antibody 56%, and hepatitis B core antibody 27%. Forty-one per cent of those screened reported a previous incarceration. In the multivariate model, Queensland and Western Australian (WA) prison entrants were significantly less likely to test positive to HCV than those in New South Wales (NSW). Amphetamine was the most commonly injected drug in Queensland, Tasmania and WA. In NSW, heroin was the most common drug injected. In the multivariate analysis a history of injecting drug use, being aged 30 years or more, and a prior incarceration were positively associated with hepatitis C infection. For hepatitis B core antibody, age over 30 years and a history of injecting drug use were associated with an increased risk. Conclusions: The findings support the view that prisoner populations are vulnerable to blood-borne virus infection, particularly hepatitis B and C. Prisoner populations should be included in routine surveillance programs so as to provide a more representative picture of blood-borne virus epidemiology in Australia.