Seven printmakers

A Tasmanian School of Art Exhibition held at the Tasmanian School of Art Gallery, September 11 - 22, 1978. The prints cover the years 1971-1978 and display a variety of techniques as well as a diversity of attitudes towards the creation of images

Adopting a family approach to theory and practice: measuring distress in cancer patient-partner dyads with the distress thermometer

Objective: Significant others are central to patients' experience and management of their cancer illness. Building on our validation of the Distress Thermometer (DT) for family members, this investigation examines individual and collective distress in a sample of cancer patients and their matched partners, accounting for the aspects of gender and role.Method: Questionnaires including the DT were completed by a heterogeneous sample of 224 couples taking part in a multisite study.Results: Our investigation showed that male patients (34.2%), female patients (31.9%), and male partners (29.1%) exhibited very similar levels of distress, while female partners (50.5%) exhibited much higher levels of distress according to the DT. At the dyad level just over half the total sample contained at least one individual reporting significant levels of distress. Among dyads with at least one distressed person, the proportion of dyads where both individuals reported distress was greatest (23.6%). Gender and role analyses revealed that males and females were not equally distributed among the four categories of dyads (i.e. dyads with no distress; dyads where solely the patient or dyads where solely the partner is distressed; dyads where both are distressed).Conclusion: A remarkable number of dyads reported distress in one or both partners. Diverse patterns of distress within dyads suggest varying risks of psychosocial strain. Screening patients' partners in addition to patients themselves may enable earlier identification of risk settings. The support offered to either member of such dyads should account for their role- and gender-specific needs. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

An overview of outputs of Aboriginal- and Torres Strait Islander-related publications from University Departments of Rural Health in Australia; 2010–2021

Introduction Disparities in the health of Indigenous people and in the health of rural populations are well described. University Departments of Rural Health (UDRHs) in Australia are federally funded under a program to address ongoing challenges with health workforce distribution for rural and remote areas. They have a significant role in research in regional, rural and remote areas, including research related to Indigenous health. However, a comprehensive analysis of their contributions to original Indigenous health related to Indigenous health is lacking. Objective This study examines the contributions of UDRHs to Indigenous issues through analysis of publications of UDRHs focused on Indigenous health during the period 2010–2021. Design This paper examines a database of UDRH Indigenous-related publications from 2010 to 2021. Findings A total of 493 publications to which UDRHs contributed were analysed, including 354 original research articles. Health services research was the most common category, followed by epidemiology and papers exploring Indigenous culture and health. While health services research substantially increased over the period, the numbers of original research papers specifically focused on Indigenous workforce issues, whether related to Indigenous people, students or existing workforce was relatively small. Discussion This broad overview shows the nature and trends in Indigenous health research by UDRHs and makes evident a substantial contribution to Indigenous health research, reflecting their commitment to improving the health and well-being of Indigenous communities. Conclusions The analysis can help direct future efforts, and future analyses should delve deeper into the impact of this research and further engage Indigenous researchers

Adjusting to life after treatment: distress and quality of life following treatment for breast cancer

Clinical and anecdotal findings suggest that the completion of cancer treatment may be marked by heightened distress and disrupted adjustment. The present study examined psychological adjustment during the 3 months following treatment among 89 women with stages 0–III breast cancer. Participants completed measures of depression, cancer-related anxiety, cancer concerns, and quality of life at three time points: during treatment, 3 weeks following the end of treatment, and 3 months post-treatment. Post-treatment scores were suggestive of good psychological adjustment among the majority of women. Moreover, distress did not increase following treatment; longitudinal analyses showed no significant changes in depression or recurrence worry, while intrusive thoughts decreased, and quality of life improved. Younger age predicted greater distress across measures. A history of depression or anxiety predicted greater depressive symptomatology, while more extensive treatment predicted greater cancer-related anxiety. Despite the lack of distress endorsed on general depression and anxiety indices, participants reported moderate distress associated with cancer-related concerns, including physical problems, fear of cancer recurrence, and resuming normal life. In sum, while breast cancer survivors demonstrate good adjustment on general distress indices following treatment, some women are at risk for sustained distress. Moreover, significant cancer-related concerns are prevalent and may be important intervention targets

Taking CHARGE: A self-management program for women following breast cancer treatment

The purpose of the study was to develop and evaluate Taking CHARGE, a self-management intervention designed to facilitate successful transitions to survivorship after breast cancer treatment. The Taking CHARGE intervention involves a two-pronged approach building on self-regulation principles to (1) equip women with self-management skills to address concerns following breast cancer treatment, and (2) provide information about common survivorship topics. The program involved four intervention contacts, two small group meetings and two individualized telephone sessions, delivered by nurse/health educators. This paper focuses on the process evaluation findings from a preliminary test of the Taking CHARGE intervention conducted with 25 women, aged 34–66 years, completing breast cancer treatment, who were randomly assigned to the intervention group. The process evaluation was conducted to obtain systematic information about the relevance and usefulness of the self-regulation approach, informational aspects, and program delivery. The findings indicated that intervention group participants found the Taking CHARGE program to be timely, relevant, and to have high utility in dealing with concerns that exist following breast cancer treatment. The process evaluation findings provide early evidence of the usefulness of the Taking CHARGE intervention for successful transition to survivorship following breast cancer treatment. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/48695/1/891_ftp.pd

Social work support in settings of crisis

Social work has a long history of providing support to people living with cancer and their families. The overall objective of the social worker in this setting is to support and equip the patient and those close to them to navigate and adjust to the impact of the disease on their lives. The social work perspective views living with cancer as an experience accompanied by a series of challenges as treatment decisions are made, side effects are endured, and relationships strained. For most patients, these challenges are managed with support from loved ones and their healthcare team. However, any one of these difficulties can develop into a crisis or a situation where customary methods of coping do not work and the person living with the disease feels overwhelmed. The focus of this chapter will be on the social work role during the crisis periods of the cancer experience.</p

The family perspective

In considering cancer as an illness that affects not only the patient but their entire family, this chapter offers a model of family-centred care to encourage an understanding of the impact of illness on the family, the family in the caregiver role, and the needs of family-based caregivers. From a clinical perspective, the authors offer a guide for assessing these families for interventions, including the use of open communication and information provision, the recognition of past patterns of relating, the encouragement of acceptance of support, discussions with the family as a whole, and support during unpreventable emotional suffering that families experience. Specific interventions described include preventive and supportive interventions, interventions that challenge dysfunction, and interventions with the family when a patient is dying. Family-centred care is challenging as a paradigm but a useful harness to improved quality of life, one that warrants the effort involved to ease the suffering of all.</p

Governor W. O. Cavenagh and the Malay States, 1859-1867

This thesis was scanned from the print manuscript for digital preservation and is copyright the author. Researchers can access this thesis by asking their local university, institution or public library to make a request on their behalf. Monash staff and postgraduate students can use the link in the References field