ORCID Profile
0000-0001-6533-1597
Current Organisations
University College Cork
,
Deakin Univeristy
,
Deakin University - Warrnambool Campus
,
Women's Health and Wellbeing Barwon South West
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Publications
Role of Antihypertensive Treatment and Blood Pressure Control in the Occurrence of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: a Population-Based Study of Linked Electronic Health Records
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 07-2022
DOI: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.122.18920
Abstract: Chronic hypertension (CH) adversely impacts pregnancy. It remains unclear whether antihypertensive treatment alters these risks. We examined the role of antihypertensive treatment in the association between CH and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Electronic health records from the UK Caliber and Clinical Practice Research Datalink were used to define a cohort of women delivering between 1997 and 2016. Primary outcomes were preecl sia, preterm birth (PTB), and fetal growth restriction (FGR). We used multivariable logistic regression to compare outcomes in women with CH to women without CH and propensity score matching to compare antihypertensive agents. The study cohort consisted of 1 304 679 women and 1 894 184 births. 14 595 (0.77%) had CH, and 6786 (0.36%) were prescribed antihypertensive medications in pregnancy. Overall, women with CH (versus no CH), had higher odds of preecl sia (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 5.74 [95% CI, 5.44–6.07]) PTB (aOR, 2.53 [2.39–2.67]) and FGR (aOR, 2.51 [2.31–2.72]). Women with CH prescribed treatment (versus untreated women) had higher odds of preecl sia (aOR, 1.17 [1.05–1.30]), PTB (1.25 [1.12–1.39]), and FGR (1.80 [1.51–2.14]). Women prescribed methyldopa (versus β-blockers) had higher odds of preecl sia (aOR, 1.43 [1.19–1.73]) PTB (1.59 [1.30–1.93]), but lower odds of FGR (aOR, 0.66 [0.48–0.90]). Odds of adverse outcomes were similar in relation to calcium channel blockers (versus β-blockers) except for PTB (aOR, 1.94 [1.15–3.27]). Among women prescribed treatment, lower average blood pressure ( /85 mm Hg) was associated with better pregnancy outcomes. Treatment with antihypertensive agents and control of hypertension ameliorates some effects but higher risks of adverse outcomes persist. β-Blockers versus methyldopa may be associated with better pregnancy outcomes except for FGR. Powered trials are needed to inform optimal treatment of CH during pregnancy.
Myotherapy student clinical placements: A review beyond the teaching clinic
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.JBMT.2019.04.003
Abstract: Student clinical placements can offer an enriching learning experience, better preparing "work ready" graduates however, it is unknown whether the type of clinical placement undertaken impacts the learning experience. Myotherapy degrees differ in their clinical practicum units, dependant on the undergraduate program they have enrolled in to. External clinical placements are common in allied health professional qualifications, offering industry experience and professional development. The purpose of this literature review is to examine allied health placement models, identify dominant theories, best practice, advantages and disadvantages of external clinical placements. This paper discusses current clinical placements offered within the myotherapy undergraduate degrees, as well as exploring other allied health professions. The review of other allied health professions may act as potential exemplars to develop an understanding of best practice around student clinical placements and how this can translate into improvements of existing myotherapy teaching programs. This summary may be useful to warrant further research into the development of myotherapy clinical education.
Quality appraisal of spatial epidemiology and health geography research: A scoping review of systematic reviews
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2023
Dry cupping for musculoskeletal pain and range of motion: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2020
The application of spatial measures to analyse health service accessibility in Australia: a systematic review and recommendations for future practice
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 04-2023
DOI: 10.1186/S12913-023-09342-6
Abstract: Australia's inequitable distribution of health services is well documented. Spatial access relates to the geographic limitations affecting the availability and accessibility of healthcare practitioners and services. Issues associated with spatial access are often influenced by Australia's vast landmass, challenging environments, uneven population concentration, and sparsely distributed populations in rural and remote areas. Measuring access contributes to a broader understanding of the performance of health systems, particularly in rural/remote areas. This systematic review synthesises the evidence identifying what spatial measures and geographic classifications are used and how they are applied in the Australian peer-reviewed literature. A systematic search of peer-reviewed literature published between 2002 and 2022 was undertaken using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology. Search terms were derived from three major topics, including: [1] Australian population [2] spatial analysis of health service accessibility and [3] objective physical access measures. Database searches retrieved 1,381 unique records. Records were screened for eligibility, resulting in 82 articles for inclusion. Most articles analysed access to primary health services ( n = 50 61%), followed by specialist care ( n = 17 21%), hospital services ( n = 12 15%), and health promotion and prevention ( n = 3 4%). The geographic scope of the 82 articles included national ( n = 33 40%), state ( n = 27 33%), metropolitan ( n = 18 22%), and specified regional / rural /remote area ( n = 4 5%). Most articles used distance-based physical access measures, including travel time ( n = 30 37%) and travel distance along a road network ( n = 21 26%), and Euclidean distance ( n = 24 29%). This review is the first comprehensive systematic review to synthesise the evidence on how spatial measures have been applied to measure health service accessibility in the Australian context over the past two decades. Objective and transparent access measures that are fit for purpose are imperative to address persistent health inequities and inform equitable resource distribution and evidence-based policymaking.
Spatial methods for measuring access to health care
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 17-08-2023
Abstract: Access to health care is a universal human right and key indicator of health system performance. Spatial access encompasses geographic factors mediating with the accessibility and availability of health services. Equity of health service access is a global issue, which includes access to the specialized nursing workforce. Nursing research applying spatial methods is in its infancy. Given the use of spatial methods in health research is a rapidly developing field, it is timely to provide guidance to inspire greater application in cardiovascular research. Therefore, the objective of this methods paper is to provide an overview of spatial analysis methods to measure the accessibility and availability of health services, when to consider applying spatial methods, and steps to consider for application in cardiovascular nursing research.
Association Between Chronic Hypertension and the Risk of 12 Cardiovascular Diseases Among Parous Women: The Role of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 07-2023
DOI: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.122.20628
Abstract: Evidence on the association between chronic hypertension and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in mothers with adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) is limited. We investigated the association between chronic hypertension and risk of CVD, considering the role of APOs. We used linked electronic health records in the CALIBER platform to define a UK cohort of women with recorded births between 1997 and 2016. We conducted multivariable Cox regression to estimate the association between chronic hypertension, with and without APOs, and 12 subsequent CVD events. The study cohort comprised 1 784 247 births (1.2 million women) of these 12 698 (0.71%) records had chronic hypertension, and 16 499 women had incident CVD during follow-up, of which 66% occurred in women under 40 years. Chronic hypertension (versus no chronic hypertension) was associated with a 2-fold higher risk of first subsequent CVD (adjusted hazard ratios, 2.22 [95% CI, 2.03–2.42]). Compared to normotensive women without APOs, the associations were the strongest in women with chronic hypertension and APOs across the 12 CVD outcomes, varying from 9.65 (5.96–15.6) for heart failure to 2.66 (2.17–3.26) for stable angina. In women with chronic hypertension without APOs, adjusted hazard ratios varied from 5.25 (3.47–7.94) for subarachnoid hemorrhage to 1.26 (0.59–2.67) for peripheral arterial disease. In women with APOs, but without chronic hypertension, adjusted hazard ratios varied from 3.27 (2.48–4.31) for intracerebral hemorrhage to 1.33 (1.26–1.41) for stable angina. We found strong associations between chronic hypertension and the risk of premature CVD, with greater risk in women who additionally had APOs. Intervention programs focused on these groups might lower their risk of subsequent CVD.
Related Organisations
Related Funding Activities
No related grants have been discovered for Sarah Wood.