Gabriela Ilie | Dalhousie University (original) (raw)
Papers by Gabriela Ilie
Frontiers in Public Health, Jun 15, 2023
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European Urology, Aug 1, 2023
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JAMA, Jun 26, 2013
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Frontiers in Public Health, Jul 7, 2022
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PLOS ONE, Aug 31, 2022
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Journal of Psychiatric Research, Oct 1, 2015
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European Urology, Jun 1, 2023
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Current Oncology
A 28-day Prostate Cancer-Patient Empowerment Program (PC-PEP) developed through patient engagemen... more A 28-day Prostate Cancer-Patient Empowerment Program (PC-PEP) developed through patient engagement was successful at promoting mental and physical health. Thirty prostate cancer patients from Halifax, Canada participated in the 28-day PC-PEP intervention in early 2019. PC-PEP encompassed daily patient education and empowerment videos, prescribed physical activities (including pelvic floor exercises), a mostly plant-based diet, stress reduction techniques, intimacy education, social connection, and support. Quantitative exit surveys and semi-structured interviews (conducted in focus groups of ten) were used to assess perceived factors that facilitated or impeded adherence to the program. The program received high praise from the patients and was deemed extremely useful by the participating men, who rated it 9 out of 10. Patients expressed that the multifaceted, online, home-based nature of the program helped them adhere to it better than they would have had to a single or less compre...
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European Urology
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European Urology
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Journal of Transport & Health
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Psychiatry Research, 2018
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International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 2017
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Current Oncology
Prostate cancer (PCa) survivors often experience post-treatment challenges that impact their well... more Prostate cancer (PCa) survivors often experience post-treatment challenges that impact their well-being and mental health. The Prostate Cancer Patient Empowerment Program (PC-PEP) aims to address these issues through a comprehensive intervention, involving daily meditation/breathing exercises, physical activity, pelvic floor exercises, emotional connection strategies, and peer support. This study presents a secondary analysis of a Phase 2 feasibility study that evaluated the effects of a 28-day PC-PEP intervention on stress reduction. Thirty patients with PCa from the Maritimes, Canada, underwent pre- and post-intervention assessments to measure brainwave activity (delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma) using the Muse™ headband, and heart rate variability (HRV) using the HeartMath® Inner Balance™ as indicators of stress reduction. A statistically significant Time × Sensor Scalp Assessment Time interaction emerged for all brain waves. Amplitudes were generally higher during the first ...
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Journal of Endourology, 2021
PURPOSE We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature to evaluate the effi... more PURPOSE We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature to evaluate the efficacy of the routine use of tranexamic acid during percutaneous nephrolithotomy. METHODS This systematic review was conducted following best practices from Cochrane and the Institute of Medicine [Cochrane Handbook and IOM citations]. We followed the updated reporting guidelines from PRISMA 2020. RESULTS In total 275 titles and abstracts were reviewed, of which 20 were screened to be eligible for full text review. Of these 20 articles, 11 were selected for inclusion after full article evaluations. Seven of these 11 studies were seen as having a low risk of bias with a Jadad score of ≥3. These studies were included for data extraction. Once data was extracted, 964 patients were included. The primary outcome, blood transfusion rate, showed significant reduction with a ratio for transfusion rate of 0.34 [ 95% CI (0.19 to 0.61), z= 3.61, p=0.0003]. Mean Hemoglobin (Hgb) drop, and operative time were both shown to be reduced with the use of TXA. The mean difference for Hgb drop was -0.86 [ 95% CI (-1.26 to -0.46), z= 4.23, p< 0.0001]. Reduction in operative time showed a mean difference of -8.45 min [ 95% CI (-15.04 to -1.86), z= 2.51, p= 0.01]. Stone clearance was not shown to differ significantly between experimental and control groups, with a risk ratio of 1.28 [ 95% CI (0.89 to 1.84), z= 1.31, p= 0.19]. CONCLUSIONS This meta-analysis revealed that the routine use of TXA at time of PCNL reduces the rates of blood transfusion, mean Hgb drop, and operative time. With the low cost of TXA and strong safety profile, stronger consideration should be given to the routine use of TXA during PCNL by endoscopic surgeons.
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Radiotherapy and Oncology, 2019
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Addiction Research & Theory, 2012
The study aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of traumatic brain injury (TBI) amongst ... more The study aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of traumatic brain injury (TBI) amongst heroin users, and its associations with cognitive functioning and drug use histories. TBI and drug use histories were taken from 175 heroin users enrolled in maintenance or residential treatment, and neuropsychological tests administered measuring executive function, working memory, information processing speed, verbal learning and non-verbal learning. A TBI had been suffered by 55%, 37% had suffered multiple injuries, and 15% ...
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Predicting recidivistic severity in forensic populations would prove useful to tribunals deciding... more Predicting recidivistic severity in forensic populations would prove useful to tribunals deciding on sentence length, deciding on determinate versus indeterminate sentences, and applying “significant risk” statutes. In an exploratory study, we combine actuarial and self-report data to “predict” current severity of offending, in a forensic population in which all individuals are past offenders. Current criminal charges against a group of inmates (participants) in a Canadian, forensic psychiatric unit, were related to basic demographic and diagnosis information from psychiatric file, past offences, and a few, easily administered and scored pencil-and-paper tests. Many participants previously held Not Criminally Responsible due to Mental Disorder for at least one criminal offense. The collected information “predicted” current offence(s), producing R’s of .60, .57 and .89 for N = 171 males and 28 females. Limitations include the need for replication with prospective designs and a better...
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PLOS ONE, 2020
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(ProQuest:. denotes formula omitted.)Stress and stress-related health issues are major problems i... more (ProQuest:. denotes formula omitted.)Stress and stress-related health issues are major problems in modern life that compromise many aspects of physical and mental health (Glaser et al., 1985; McEwen, 1998]. Thus the goal of identifying behavioural interventions that reduce the intensity and frequency of the stress response or hasten its recovery is timely. The growing research demonstrating associations between music and emotions, health, and well-being have provided a basis for increased inclusion of music and music therapists as active partners in health care (Juslin & Sloboda, 2010; Krueger, 2011]. Music listening has been shown to be helpful to patients recovering from stress through the calming and relaxing affective states it represents and can induce (Azoulay & Loewy, 2009; Harvey, 1987; Taylor, 1997).Basic psychoacoustic properties of music, such as pitch (high or low tone of sounds], rate (fast or slow speed of sounds], loudness (loud or soft intensity of sounds], mode (major or minor key], timbre, and rhythm have been shown to be important factors in the perception and induction of positive as well as negative emotional states (Gabrielsson & Lindstrom, 2001; Gomez & Danuser, 2007; Husain, Thompson, & Schellenberg, 2002; Ilie & Thompson, 2006, 2011]. For example, listening to a classical music excerpt in a major mode can elicit feelings of pleasantness and contribute to a significant reduction of mental fatigue and stress as measured by Cortisol concentration levels (Suda, Morimoto, Obata, Koizumi & Maki, 2008].Representations of negative mood and arousal communicated through music have also been found to elicit physiological responses, supporting the behavioural evidence of the relationship between musical structure and affect, both perceived and experienced (Goldstein, 1980; Krumhansl, 1997; Panksepp, 1995]. Fast, staccato music can induce anxiety-like experiences, such as faster breathing and an increased heart rate (Etzel et al., 2006; Gomez & Danusher, 2007; Haas, Distenfeld, & Axen, 1986]. Given this relationship between music and affect, Pelletier (2004] suggested that one of music's functions in life may be to help facilitate the body's process of achieving sympathetic-parasympathetic stability. However, this process may be quite complex and not necessarily linear (McEwen, 2008]. Much research has examined the psychological, physiological, social, and genetic factors that contribute to individual differences in the frequency and intensity of stress responses to psychological challenges (Dickerson & Kemeny, 2004; Kudielka, Hellhammer, & Wust, 2009].In contrast, there is a small but growing body of interdisciplinary work that has examined what factors and conditions contribute to stress recovery (e.g., Roy, Kirschbaum, & Steptoe, 2001]. It is accepted that music listening has an anxiolytic effect on symptoms of acute stress (Pelletier, 2004]. For example, Hamel (2001] found that 20 minutes of passive music listening was effective in reducing symptoms of acute stress as measured by systolic blood pressure and heart rate in a group of 101 patients waiting for cardiac catheterization, compared to a similar group of patients not exposed to the music intervention.Unknown, however, is whether the playing of music would have similar effects on the stress system. This question has generally been challenging to address since performance anxiety, as measured by behavioural and physiological responses, could be confounded with more beneficial performance states (Steptoe, 2001]. Studies involving trained musicians have established that music performance may result in a pleasant experience-even elation; however, it may also lead to performance anxiety due to a state of motor readiness while already in a state of high tension and anxiety, which can interfere with control of fine motor skills and coordination (Persson, 2001; Yoshie, Kudo, Murakoshi & Ohtsuki, 2009]. …
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Frontiers in Public Health, Jun 15, 2023
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European Urology, Aug 1, 2023
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JAMA, Jun 26, 2013
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Frontiers in Public Health, Jul 7, 2022
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PLOS ONE, Aug 31, 2022
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Journal of Psychiatric Research, Oct 1, 2015
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European Urology, Jun 1, 2023
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Current Oncology
A 28-day Prostate Cancer-Patient Empowerment Program (PC-PEP) developed through patient engagemen... more A 28-day Prostate Cancer-Patient Empowerment Program (PC-PEP) developed through patient engagement was successful at promoting mental and physical health. Thirty prostate cancer patients from Halifax, Canada participated in the 28-day PC-PEP intervention in early 2019. PC-PEP encompassed daily patient education and empowerment videos, prescribed physical activities (including pelvic floor exercises), a mostly plant-based diet, stress reduction techniques, intimacy education, social connection, and support. Quantitative exit surveys and semi-structured interviews (conducted in focus groups of ten) were used to assess perceived factors that facilitated or impeded adherence to the program. The program received high praise from the patients and was deemed extremely useful by the participating men, who rated it 9 out of 10. Patients expressed that the multifaceted, online, home-based nature of the program helped them adhere to it better than they would have had to a single or less compre...
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European Urology
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European Urology
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Journal of Transport & Health
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Psychiatry Research, 2018
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International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 2017
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Current Oncology
Prostate cancer (PCa) survivors often experience post-treatment challenges that impact their well... more Prostate cancer (PCa) survivors often experience post-treatment challenges that impact their well-being and mental health. The Prostate Cancer Patient Empowerment Program (PC-PEP) aims to address these issues through a comprehensive intervention, involving daily meditation/breathing exercises, physical activity, pelvic floor exercises, emotional connection strategies, and peer support. This study presents a secondary analysis of a Phase 2 feasibility study that evaluated the effects of a 28-day PC-PEP intervention on stress reduction. Thirty patients with PCa from the Maritimes, Canada, underwent pre- and post-intervention assessments to measure brainwave activity (delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma) using the Muse™ headband, and heart rate variability (HRV) using the HeartMath® Inner Balance™ as indicators of stress reduction. A statistically significant Time × Sensor Scalp Assessment Time interaction emerged for all brain waves. Amplitudes were generally higher during the first ...
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Journal of Endourology, 2021
PURPOSE We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature to evaluate the effi... more PURPOSE We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature to evaluate the efficacy of the routine use of tranexamic acid during percutaneous nephrolithotomy. METHODS This systematic review was conducted following best practices from Cochrane and the Institute of Medicine [Cochrane Handbook and IOM citations]. We followed the updated reporting guidelines from PRISMA 2020. RESULTS In total 275 titles and abstracts were reviewed, of which 20 were screened to be eligible for full text review. Of these 20 articles, 11 were selected for inclusion after full article evaluations. Seven of these 11 studies were seen as having a low risk of bias with a Jadad score of ≥3. These studies were included for data extraction. Once data was extracted, 964 patients were included. The primary outcome, blood transfusion rate, showed significant reduction with a ratio for transfusion rate of 0.34 [ 95% CI (0.19 to 0.61), z= 3.61, p=0.0003]. Mean Hemoglobin (Hgb) drop, and operative time were both shown to be reduced with the use of TXA. The mean difference for Hgb drop was -0.86 [ 95% CI (-1.26 to -0.46), z= 4.23, p< 0.0001]. Reduction in operative time showed a mean difference of -8.45 min [ 95% CI (-15.04 to -1.86), z= 2.51, p= 0.01]. Stone clearance was not shown to differ significantly between experimental and control groups, with a risk ratio of 1.28 [ 95% CI (0.89 to 1.84), z= 1.31, p= 0.19]. CONCLUSIONS This meta-analysis revealed that the routine use of TXA at time of PCNL reduces the rates of blood transfusion, mean Hgb drop, and operative time. With the low cost of TXA and strong safety profile, stronger consideration should be given to the routine use of TXA during PCNL by endoscopic surgeons.
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Radiotherapy and Oncology, 2019
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Addiction Research & Theory, 2012
The study aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of traumatic brain injury (TBI) amongst ... more The study aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of traumatic brain injury (TBI) amongst heroin users, and its associations with cognitive functioning and drug use histories. TBI and drug use histories were taken from 175 heroin users enrolled in maintenance or residential treatment, and neuropsychological tests administered measuring executive function, working memory, information processing speed, verbal learning and non-verbal learning. A TBI had been suffered by 55%, 37% had suffered multiple injuries, and 15% ...
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Predicting recidivistic severity in forensic populations would prove useful to tribunals deciding... more Predicting recidivistic severity in forensic populations would prove useful to tribunals deciding on sentence length, deciding on determinate versus indeterminate sentences, and applying “significant risk” statutes. In an exploratory study, we combine actuarial and self-report data to “predict” current severity of offending, in a forensic population in which all individuals are past offenders. Current criminal charges against a group of inmates (participants) in a Canadian, forensic psychiatric unit, were related to basic demographic and diagnosis information from psychiatric file, past offences, and a few, easily administered and scored pencil-and-paper tests. Many participants previously held Not Criminally Responsible due to Mental Disorder for at least one criminal offense. The collected information “predicted” current offence(s), producing R’s of .60, .57 and .89 for N = 171 males and 28 females. Limitations include the need for replication with prospective designs and a better...
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PLOS ONE, 2020
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(ProQuest:. denotes formula omitted.)Stress and stress-related health issues are major problems i... more (ProQuest:. denotes formula omitted.)Stress and stress-related health issues are major problems in modern life that compromise many aspects of physical and mental health (Glaser et al., 1985; McEwen, 1998]. Thus the goal of identifying behavioural interventions that reduce the intensity and frequency of the stress response or hasten its recovery is timely. The growing research demonstrating associations between music and emotions, health, and well-being have provided a basis for increased inclusion of music and music therapists as active partners in health care (Juslin & Sloboda, 2010; Krueger, 2011]. Music listening has been shown to be helpful to patients recovering from stress through the calming and relaxing affective states it represents and can induce (Azoulay & Loewy, 2009; Harvey, 1987; Taylor, 1997).Basic psychoacoustic properties of music, such as pitch (high or low tone of sounds], rate (fast or slow speed of sounds], loudness (loud or soft intensity of sounds], mode (major or minor key], timbre, and rhythm have been shown to be important factors in the perception and induction of positive as well as negative emotional states (Gabrielsson & Lindstrom, 2001; Gomez & Danuser, 2007; Husain, Thompson, & Schellenberg, 2002; Ilie & Thompson, 2006, 2011]. For example, listening to a classical music excerpt in a major mode can elicit feelings of pleasantness and contribute to a significant reduction of mental fatigue and stress as measured by Cortisol concentration levels (Suda, Morimoto, Obata, Koizumi & Maki, 2008].Representations of negative mood and arousal communicated through music have also been found to elicit physiological responses, supporting the behavioural evidence of the relationship between musical structure and affect, both perceived and experienced (Goldstein, 1980; Krumhansl, 1997; Panksepp, 1995]. Fast, staccato music can induce anxiety-like experiences, such as faster breathing and an increased heart rate (Etzel et al., 2006; Gomez & Danusher, 2007; Haas, Distenfeld, & Axen, 1986]. Given this relationship between music and affect, Pelletier (2004] suggested that one of music's functions in life may be to help facilitate the body's process of achieving sympathetic-parasympathetic stability. However, this process may be quite complex and not necessarily linear (McEwen, 2008]. Much research has examined the psychological, physiological, social, and genetic factors that contribute to individual differences in the frequency and intensity of stress responses to psychological challenges (Dickerson & Kemeny, 2004; Kudielka, Hellhammer, & Wust, 2009].In contrast, there is a small but growing body of interdisciplinary work that has examined what factors and conditions contribute to stress recovery (e.g., Roy, Kirschbaum, & Steptoe, 2001]. It is accepted that music listening has an anxiolytic effect on symptoms of acute stress (Pelletier, 2004]. For example, Hamel (2001] found that 20 minutes of passive music listening was effective in reducing symptoms of acute stress as measured by systolic blood pressure and heart rate in a group of 101 patients waiting for cardiac catheterization, compared to a similar group of patients not exposed to the music intervention.Unknown, however, is whether the playing of music would have similar effects on the stress system. This question has generally been challenging to address since performance anxiety, as measured by behavioural and physiological responses, could be confounded with more beneficial performance states (Steptoe, 2001]. Studies involving trained musicians have established that music performance may result in a pleasant experience-even elation; however, it may also lead to performance anxiety due to a state of motor readiness while already in a state of high tension and anxiety, which can interfere with control of fine motor skills and coordination (Persson, 2001; Yoshie, Kudo, Murakoshi & Ohtsuki, 2009]. …
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Objectives: This study examines the associations between lifetime traumatic brain injury (TBI), d... more Objectives: This study examines the associations between lifetime traumatic brain injury (TBI), driver aggression and motor vehicle collisions among a population sample of adults who reside in the province of Ontario, Canada.
Methods: A cross-sectional sample of 3993 Ontario adults, aged 18–97, were surveyed by telephone in 2011 and 2012 as part of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s ongoing representative survey of adult mental health and substance use in Canada. A second cross-sectional sample was based on a 3-year cumulated cross-sectional sample of 6048 Ontario adults, aged 18 and older, who were surveyed by telephone in the 2011, 2012 and 2013 cycles of the CAMH’s Monitor. TBI was defined as trauma to the head that resulted in loss of consciousness for at least 5 minutes or overnight hospitalization.
Results: An estimated 17% (95% CI = 15.6–18.6) of adults reported a TBI in their lifetime between 2011–2012. An estimated 91% (95% CI = 90.0–91.9) of individuals in this sample held a valid Ontario driver’s license at the time of testing. Among those, 16.7% reported a lifetime TBI and 83.3% reported no TBI. The prevalence of TBI was higher among men than women. Relative to licensed adults without TBI, adults with lifetime TBI had significantly higher odds of engaging in serious driver aggression in the past 12 months, such as making threats to hurt another driver, passenger or their vehicle (AOR = 4.39). These individuals also reported significantly higher odds (AOR = 1.74) of being involved in a motor vehicle collision that resulted in hurting themselves, their passenger(s) or their vehicle. Odds ratios for roadway aggression were significantly higher among drivers (OR = 2.65) compared to non-drivers, between 2–4.5-times higher among individuals aged 18–29, 30–39, 40–49 and 50–64 years compared to adults over 65 (OR = 3.12, 4.49, 3.19, 2.20, respectively), higher among adults with TBI than without (OR = 2.05) and men (OR = 1.54) than women. Among respondents with lowest, but not highest, levels of education, aggression was predicted by a history of TBI.
Conclusions: This is the first population-based study to demonstrate a relationship between a history of TBI and higher rates of serious driver aggression and collision involvement. Given the large proportion of adult drivers with a history of TBI, these individuals may account for a disproportionate burden of all traffic safety problems. Whether the increased road safety risk of adults with a history of TBI is reflective of neurocognitive deficits or is merely evidence of a cluster of unsafe activities produced by higher risk lifestyles requires further research attention.
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Background: Information on the prevalence, mechanisms and adverse correlates of traumatic brain i... more Background: Information on the prevalence, mechanisms and adverse correlates of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) among teens is limited. Yet the associations and synergies between TBI and substance use, energy drinks consumption and academic performance represent important considerations when assessing and recommending treatment for these conditions.
Objectives: To describe the lifetime and past 12 months prevalence, the mechanisms of injury and adverse correlates of self-reported TBI among one population samples of 7th–12th graders in Ontario, Canada.
Methods: Data were derived from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s 2013 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS). This population-based cross-sectional school survey included 10 272 (ages 11–20; mean = 15.22 years) who completed anonymous self-administered questionnaires in classrooms. The survey was based on a two-stage cluster design and analyses include appropriate adjustments for the complex sample design.
Main outcome measures: Head injury that resulted in being unconscious for at least 5 minutes or being retained in the hospital for at least one night due to its symptoms. Causes of self-reported TBI, prevalence estimates and past 12 months incidence and odds according to substance use, cannabis consumption, energy drinks, risk behaviours and school grades are presented.
Results: Among all students, 22.4% (95% CI = 20.7–24.1), 6.0% (95% CI = 5.1–7.1) reported TBI in the past 12 months and 16.3% (95% CI = 15.1–17.3) reported TBI in their lifetime but not in the past 12 months. Sports injuries were the most likely cause of self-reported TBI (45.5%, 95% CI = 41.0–50.1). Logistic regression showed that students who reported drinking alcohol occasionally/frequently, used cannabis 10 or more times and consumed energy drinks in the past 12 months had significantly higher odds of reporting TBI in their lifetime (but not the past 12 months) than students who reported abstinence (ORs = 1.78, 1.95 and 1.67, respectively). Consumption of energy drinks mixed with alcohol in the past 12 months was significantly associated with TBI. Students who reported overall poor grades at school (below 60%) had higher odds of reported lifetime (excluding past 12 months) TBI or past 12 months TBI compared to students who reported grades at or above 90% (OR = 3.43 and 5.88, respectively).
Conclusions: This study confirms TBI continue to remain a harmful common condition among adolescents, it is most frequently acquired during sports and has important adverse educational and behavioural associations.
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