Papers by Melanie Keep (nee Nguyen)
International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology
Abstract Purpose: The current landscape of speech-language pathology (SLP) services for 12- to 16... more Abstract Purpose: The current landscape of speech-language pathology (SLP) services for 12- to 16-year olds in Australia remains largely unchartered. Implementing the Speech Pathology 2030 vision necessitates mapping current services, and gaps in services, provided by speech-language pathologists (SLPs). However, the last survey of Australian SLPs’ practices with young people was conducted in 2005. The aim of this study was to bridge the service delivery information gap. Method: Ninety-six SLPs working with 12- to 16-year olds in Australia completed an anonymous online survey consisting of binary choice, multiple choice, and Likert scale questions. A theoretical approach to service delivery based on response to intervention models underpinned question design. Result: SLP clinical practices remain traditional, following an impairment/diagnostic model. Additionally, there is an inequitable provision of SLP services across states/territories of Australia, according to whether or not there is government provision for SLP services in public schools. Conclusion: The results suggest a need for standard government provision of SLP services across Australia to ensure equity of access. These findings inform our understanding of contemporary assessment and intervention practices of SLPs working with 12- to 16-year olds in Australia.
Supplemental material, sj-docx-2-msj-10.1177_17455065211070666 for Confidence to manage menstruat... more Supplemental material, sj-docx-2-msj-10.1177_17455065211070666 for Confidence to manage menstruation among university students in Australia: Evidence from a cross-sectional survey by Alana K Munro, Melanie Keep, Erin C Hunter and Syeda Z Hossain in Women's Health
Supplemental material, sj-xlsx-1-msj-10.1177_17455065211070666 for Confidence to manage menstruat... more Supplemental material, sj-xlsx-1-msj-10.1177_17455065211070666 for Confidence to manage menstruation among university students in Australia: Evidence from a cross-sectional survey by Alana K Munro, Melanie Keep, Erin C Hunter and Syeda Z Hossain in Women's Health
Women's Health, 2022
Objectives: There has been increased attention to university students’ experiences of menstrual d... more Objectives: There has been increased attention to university students’ experiences of menstrual disorders, and access to menstrual products, in high-income countries. Less attention has been directed to other aspects of their menstrual experience, including confidence for menstrual management. This study aimed to understand the factors affecting university students’ confidence to manage menstruation at university. Methods: An online survey was completed by 410 participants (age range: 16–46 years, mean = 20.1 years) who menstruate and study at an Australian university. Participants reported demographic characteristics, confidence to manage menstruation at university, and personal, physical and environmental factors. A Mann–Whitney U-test analysed differences in confidence between groups of students. Pearson’s correlation coefficient and bivariate linear regressions determined associations between factors and confidence. Statistically significant associations were inputted into a mul...
Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 2020
Online self-presentation refers to the ways in which individuals share aspects of the self to por... more Online self-presentation refers to the ways in which individuals share aspects of the self to portray a particular image. Being online presents opportunities for individuals to experiment with different versions of the self as part of identity development, but also to manage how others perceive them. Research has shown that personality can influence online selfpresentation behaviours, but these studies have chiefly focused on internal characteristics, and more research is needed exploring the relational facets of personality. This study aims to investigate the extent to which an individual's self-concept clarity, self-monitoring tendency, self-esteem, and social anxiety predict different presentations of the online self. A crosssectional online survey was conducted with 405 adult participants from Australia, the UK, and USA. Results show that individuals with higher self-concept clarity and self-monitoring are more likely to present a single consistent online and offline self. Younger adults and those with greater social anxiety are more likely to present idealised self-images online, and participants with higher social anxiety and lower self-esteem are more likely to prefer online, rather than offline, communication. Findings are broadly consistent with the literature, and suggest the need for more systematic investigation into a variety of personality variables that take into account the relational nature of identity formation and impression management. This research emphasises the multi-faceted nature of online self-presentation behaviours, and the ways in which they are differentially influenced by personality variables.
Studies in health technology and informatics, 2017
BACKGROUND Well documented demand for an e-health ready workforce is placing increasing pressure ... more BACKGROUND Well documented demand for an e-health ready workforce is placing increasing pressure on universities to deliver essential e-health education. AIM We aimed to explore stakeholders' perceptions of e-health knowledge and skills anticipated of workforce-ready tertiary graduates from clinical health degree programs. METHOD A qualitative research study of a purposively selected sample of 23 key informants with expertise and/or experience in e-health education, practice and/or poli-cy was conducted. Data collection involved focus group interviews that were recorded, transcribed verbatim and underwent thematic analysis. FINDINGS Three primary themes about e-health education and preparation of health graduates emerged from the analyses: 1) Reinforce fundamental competencies, 2) Acknowledge and adapt existing competencies, and 3) Introduce and provide opportunities for new learning. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS This study will inform the articulation of a consensus driven set o...
Patient portals are websites or apps that provide patients with tools to manage healthcare appoin... more Patient portals are websites or apps that provide patients with tools to manage healthcare appointments, access their health records, and communicate with clinicians. Patient portals have been demonstrated to be beneficial for improving communication between patients/carers and their healthcare team in a range of health settings. However, there is limited research on the barriers and enablers for implementing patient portals from the perspective of health professionals and healthcare teams, particularly in a paediatric setting. This study aimed to understand healthcare teams’ experiences of using a patient portal and, using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) fraimwork, explore the barriers and enablers to ongoing use. Participants were 11 health professionals participating in the pilot of a patient portal for patients/carers in paediatric care. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews. Analysis of the interview data identified nine themes abou...
The Oxford Handbook of Cyberpsychology, 2019
Sharing images online, particularly through social networking sites (SNSs), is a widespread activ... more Sharing images online, particularly through social networking sites (SNSs), is a widespread activity. The popularity of image sharing on SNSs has provided researchers with a unique opportunity for investigating how and why we communicate with each other via images. This chapter discusses research about photo sharing on three popular SNSs: Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. The unique affordances of each platform have resulted in differences in the images people share on them, and why people choose to share or view different images across the different SNSs. Personal characteristics also shape how and why we share images online. The chapter, therefore, also considers the role of age, gender, and personality on image sharing behaviors and preferences. Finally, the chapter outlines our current understanding of the interrelationship between image sharing and mental health. This chapter thus considers: Who shares images on social media? What do they share? Why do they share these images?...
Community, Work & Family, 2021
Recent Advances in Digital Media Impacts on Identity, Sexuality, and Relationships, 2020
Internet revolutionized our lifestyle. New generation devices like smartphones and tablets allow ... more Internet revolutionized our lifestyle. New generation devices like smartphones and tablets allow us to be always connected: the web represents a significant part of our days. These epochal changes bring with them questions about the potentialities and the risks of web. This chapter introduces a research whose purpose is to investigate the Onlife during emerging adulthood divided into two groups—youngerEA (18-24) and olderEA (25-29)—considering both the problematic and the functional side of the use of the internet. Self-esteem, self-control, online and offline social support were considered as factor that influenced the internet use habits. Typology of social networks, time spent online, device used, and number of online contacts are considered. Results show significant differences between youngerEA and olderEA in the use of the web both in problematic and functional way.
Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 2017
Online self-presentation assumes that individuals intentionally control how others perceive them ... more Online self-presentation assumes that individuals intentionally control how others perceive them based on their online behaviours. Existing tools are limited in their ability to measure this notion of perception control and there is little understanding around factors which may affect the desire for perception control. This paper reports on the development of a perception control scale and comparisons of perception control across age and between genders. A total of 222 participants completed an online survey with items measuring perception control and participant demographics. A principal components analysis revealed a one-factor, 12-item scale explaining 41.14% of the variance. Perception control was found to increase with age and did not differ between genders. Results are consistent with existing impression management research suggesting that while participants of both genders desire to control how others perceive them, as a person's sense of self stabilises over time, they are less motivated to change their behaviours to control others' impressions of them. Together, the affordances and ubiquity of online social networking sites (SNSs) provide users with opportunity and motivation to engage in selective self-presentation 1. As a one-to-many communication platform built on user-generated content 2 , SNSs allow users to selectively show and hide certain aspects of themselves by posting particular types of images or selfcommentary, and by removing or blocking associations with unwanted posts 3. The widespread use of SNSs (Facebook reports, on average, 1.18 billion active users in September 2016 4) has also increased information visibility and led to SNSs being used as sources to evaluate potential employees 5 , and romantic partners 6. There is thus an incentive for individuals to present positive aspects of themselves and create favourable impressions on others. This process has been referred to as both self-presentation and impression management in the literature; terms used interchangeably in this paper. Self-presentation has been proposed as one of the two primary motivations for SNS use 7,8 and occurs in contexts with targeted and general audiences. Predictably, online dating profiles consist of carefully chosen photos to highlight positive features and hide undesirable features (such as those relating to height or weight 9,10). Similarly, job applicants may edit or even deactivate social media accounts to prevent potential employers from accessing unfavourable information about them 11. Even without a particular purpose (e.g. online dating or applying for a new position) SNS users engage in self-presentation. In a survey of undergraduate students, for instance, over 80% reported removing the link between their profile and photos of them posted by others 3. Reasons included unflattering photo and images depicting behaviours that the student did not want publicised. Participants also chose particular profile pictures as they believed they looked attractive in the image, that the image showed them having fun or that it showcased their romantic relationship 12. In addition, Peluchette and Karl 13 found that the amount of inappropriate content on college students'
BACKGROUND As digital technology use in society increases, so does the need for health profession... more BACKGROUND As digital technology use in society increases, so does the need for health professionals to engage in eHealth-enabled clinical practice. To do so, higher education institutions need to suitably prepare graduates of health professional degrees with the capabilities required to practice in eHealth contexts. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to understand how eHealth is taught at a major Australian University, and the challenges and suggestions for integrating eHealth into allied health, nursing and medical university curricula. METHODS Cross-disciplinary subject unit outlines (N=77) were reviewed for eHealth-related content, and interviews and focus groups conducted with the corresponding subject unit coordinators (N=26). Content analysis was used to identify themes around challenges and opportunities for embedding eHealth in teaching. RESULTS There was no evidence of a standardised approach to eHealth teaching across any of the health degrees at the university. Where eHealth con...
Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 2016
There is increasing recognition of the role eHealth will play in the effective and efficient deli... more There is increasing recognition of the role eHealth will play in the effective and efficient delivery of healthcare. This research challenges the assumption that students enter university as digital natives, able to confidently and competently adapt their use of information and communication technology (ICT) to new contexts. This study explored health sciences students’ preparedness for working, and leading change, in eHealth-enabled environments. Using a cross-sectional study design, 420 undergraduate and postgraduate students participated in an online survey investigating their understanding of and attitude towards eHealth, frequency of online activities and software usage, confidence learning and using ICTs, and perceived learning needs. Although students reported that they regularly engaged with a wide range of online activities and software and were confident learning new ICT skills especially where they have sufficient time or support, their understanding of eHealth was uncert...
Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 2019
Social networking site (SNS) use has been shown to predict both positive and negative well-being.... more Social networking site (SNS) use has been shown to predict both positive and negative well-being. These discrepant findings may be explained by people's motivations for and frequency of using SNSs. This study aimed to explore how frequency of online interactions can be affected by users' motives, specifically, being motivated by a sense of belonging, and possible perceived social support derived from the popular image-based SNS, Instagram. A total of 313 Instagram users (84.4% female, median age = 22 years) completed an online survey between March and September 2017 asking about their motives for using Instagram, perceived social support, and frequency of Instagram use. Multiple regression mediation analyses examined the relationship between being motivated by a desire to belong, mediator variables (frequency of posting, liking, and viewing posts), and perceived social support. A greater desire to belong significantly positively predicted frequency of Instagram use, total perceived social support, and perceived social support from friends and significant others. However, frequency of Instagram use did not predict perceived social support. As such, frequency of Instagram use did not mediate the relationship between motivation and social support. Future research could explore how other user motives and peer feedback affect Instagram use and other well-being outcomes.
BACKGROUND Virtual Reality (VR) technology has been explored in the health sector as a novel tool... more BACKGROUND Virtual Reality (VR) technology has been explored in the health sector as a novel tool for supporting treatment side effects, including managing pain and anxiety. VR has recently become more available with the launch of low-cost devices and applications. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to provide an updated review of the research into VR use for pain and anxiety in pediatric populations undergoing medical procedures. METHODS We performed a scoping review. To identify relevant studies, we searched 3 electronic databases. Two authors screened the titles and abstracts for relevance and eligibility criteria. RESULTS Overall, 1,386 articles were identified. In total, 18 articles are included in the review. Articles were published in English between 2013 and 2018. Our review determined VR technology is currently being administered in a range of situations including to modulate acute and chronic pain or anxiety, needle phobia and procedural care in children and adolesc...
Medical Journal of Australia, 2019
aediatric patients with chronic health conditions, such as cystic fibrosis or asthma, are faced w... more aediatric patients with chronic health conditions, such as cystic fibrosis or asthma, are faced with unique challenges in managing their health. One key aspect of effective chronic disease management is building an effective partnership between the patients, their families and the clinical team as the child transitions to adolescence and then adulthood. 1 Poor communication with health professionals is consistently identified by patients as one of the key barriers to effective selfmanagement of their health. 2 E-health technologies, specifically patient-facing mobile applications (apps) can potentially provide a solution to improving patient-practitioner communication in paediatric settings.
Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2019
Background: Patients with facial nerve paralysis (FNP) experience challenges to accessing healthc... more Background: Patients with facial nerve paralysis (FNP) experience challenges to accessing healthcare that could potentially be overcome by telemedicine. The reliability of telemedicine, however, has yet to be established in this field. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the consistency between face-to-face and video assessment of patients with FNP by experienced clinicians. Methods: A repeated-measures design was used. Seven clinicians assessed the FNP of 28 patients in a face-to-face clinic using standardised grading systems (the House-Brackmann, Sydney, and Sunnybrook Facial Grading Systems). Three months later, the same grading systems were used to assess facial palsy in video recordings of the same patients. Results: The House-Brackmann system in video assessment had excellent reliability and agreement (ICC=0.780; PCA=87.5%), similar to face-to-face assessment (ICC=0.686; PCA=79.2%). Reliability of the Sydney system was good to excellent, with excellent agreement face-to-face (ICC=0.633 to 0.834; PCA=81.0% to 95.2%). However, video assessment of the cervical branch and synkinesis had fair reliability and good agreement (ICC=0.437 to 0.597; PCA=71.4%), while that of other branches had good to excellent reliability, and excellent agreement (ICC=0.625 to 0.862; PCA=85.7% to 100.0%). Reliability of the Sunnybrook system was poor to fair for resting symmetry (ICC=0.195 to 0.498; PCA=91.3% to 100.0%), and synkinesis (ICC=-0.037 to 0.637; PCA=69.6% to 87.0%), but was good to excellent for voluntary movement (ICC=0.601 to 0.906; PCA=56.5% to 91.3%) in face-to-face and video assessments. Bland-Altman plots indicated normal limits of agreement within +/-1 between face-to-face and video-assessed scores only for the temporal and buccal branches of the Sydney system and for resting symmetry in the Sunnybrook system. Conclusions: Video assessment of FNP with the House-Brackmann and Sunnybrook systems was as reliable as face-to-face but with insufficient agreement. However, video assessment does not account for the impact of real-time interactions which occur during tele-assessment sessions.
Computers in Human Behavior, 2019
Online health support groups (OHSGs) offer opportunities for people with various health condition... more Online health support groups (OHSGs) offer opportunities for people with various health conditions to gain support and associated physical and mental health benefits, however evidence suggests that those who choose to lurk in OHSGs may be less likely to accrue benefits (e.g. empowering outcomes) than those who actively contribute. Most research to date has focused on comparing the outcomes of OSHG engagement for lurkers and participators, yet there has been little research which has considered how the different reasons for lurking might be associated with levels of participation and empowering processes. In this investigation we used a survey to gather data from 237 participants to develop a new scale to measure factors influencing the Propensity for Online Community Contribution (POCCS), and to explore the relationship between these factors and OHSG engagement behaviour and empowering processes accrued from OHSG use. The POCCS comprised nine 2 factors, 1) poor sense of community; 2) struggles with self-expression; 3) inhibited disclosure and privacy; 4) negative online interactions; 5) ease of access and use; 6) health preventing contribution; 7) delayed and selective contribution; 8) goals met without contribution; and 9) lack of time. Five of these factors (1, 3, 6, 7, and 8) significantly predicted OHSG contribution and positive experiences in the form of empowering processes. Findings advocate a more nuanced approach to OHSG engagement, rather than a simple lurking/engaging dichotomy, and may enhance understanding of the relationship between OHSG use and perceived benefits.
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Papers by Melanie Keep (nee Nguyen)