Gabriela Ilie

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Verified

Gabriela verified their affiliation via an institutional email.

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• PhD, MA, BSc
• Chair at Dalhousie University

Background/Objectives: The Prostate Cancer Patient Empowerment Program (PC-PEP) is a 6-month, home-based intervention aimed at enhancing mental health in men undergoing curative prostate cancer treatment. This exploratory secondary analysis evaluates PC-PEP’s impact on relationship satisfaction, quality of life, and support group attendance among p...

Simple Summary Cancer patients frequently encounter significant emotional and psychological challenges that can adversely affect their overall well-being and treatment outcomes. To address these challenges, we developed the Cancer Patient Empowerment Program (CancerPEP), a comprehensive, home-based intervention that incorporates physical exercise,...

Understanding how interventions reduce psychological distress in patients with prostate cancer is crucial for improving patient care. This study examined the roles of self-efficacy, illness perceptions, and heart rhythm coherence in mediating the effects of the Prostate Cancer Patient Empowerment Program (PC-PEP) on psychological distress compared...

Background: The Prostate Cancer—Patient Empowerment Program (PC-PEP) is a six-month daily home-based program shown to improve mental health and urinary function. This secondary analysis explores weight loss in male PC-PEP participants. Methods: In a randomized clinical trial with 128 men undergoing curative prostate cancer (PC) treatment, 66 receiv...

Purpose: This is a secondary analysis examining a six-month home-based Prostate Cancer-Patient Empowerment Program (PC-PEP) on patient-reported urinary, bowel, sexual, and hormonal function in men with curative prostate cancer (PC) against standard of care. Methods: In a crossover clinical trial, 128 men scheduled for PC surgery (n = 62) or radioth...

Introduction: Patients undergoing radical nephrectomy (RN) are often admitted with protocolized bloodwork for several days following their operation, yet the clinical value of serial hemoglobin (Hgb) measurements has not been established. This can lead to unnecessary costs and can prolong patient stay, despite the absence of an intervention based o...

Introduction: During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals shifted their resources and focus toward COVID-19 care and non-deferrable conditions. Renal colic is one of the most common urologic presentations to the emergency department (ED). In our study, we examined whether there was an increase in septic/febrile stone presentations...

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 ph...

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 co...

Introduction Chronic exposure to arsenic through drinking water has been linked to several cancers. The metabolism of arsenic is thought to play a key role in arsenic-related carcinogenesis as metabolites of varying toxicity are produced and either stored in or excreted from the body. Atlantic Canada has the highest age-standardized incidence rates...

Background: Although survival rates for newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients are very high, most of them will likely suffer significant treatment-related side effects, depression, or anxiety, affecting their quality of life. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a 6-mo online home-based physical, mental, and social s...

Background Comparisons of individuals using cannabis for medical versus recreational purposes have identified differences in health status, alcohol and drug use, and perceived risk of drug use. All of these factors are associated with aggressive and impaired driving and collision risk. Yet, few studies comparing medical and recreational cannabis us...

This study identified the social determinants of health (SDoH) associated with psychological distress in adults with and without a self-reported history of traumatic brain injury (TBI), stratified by sex. Data from the 2014–2017 cycles of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Monitor Survey, a representative survey of adults ≥18 years in Ontar...

Chronic exposure to inorganic arsenic and trace metals has been linked to prostate cancer, and altered arsenic methylation capacity may have an important role in arsenic carcinogenesis. Biomarkers may be able to elucidate this role. Our objectives were to characterize profiles of arsenic species and metallome in toenails and urine samples, compare...

Introduction Les blessures subies par les adolescents au Canada constituent un problème de santé publique coûteux. Les recherches, limitées, qui ont été faites dans ce domaine reposent en grande partie sur des données administratives, qui sous-estiment la prévalence des blessures en omettant celles qui ne sont pas traitées par le système de santé....

Introduction Injuries sustained by adolescents in Canada represent a costly public health issue. Much of the limited research in this area uses administrative data, which underestimate injury prevalence by ignoring injuries that are not treated by the health care system. Self-reported data provide population-based estimates and include contextual i...

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...

Recent research has revealed that prostate cancer (PCa) survivors are facing a silent epidemic of mental disorder. These findings are not surprising when the side effects of highly effective current treatment modalities are considered. Here, we assess the association between urinary function and quality of life indicators to mental disorder among s...

Prostate cancer (PCa) patients and survivors are at high risk of mental health illness. Here, we examined the contribution of treatment regret, mental and physical health indicators to the social/family, emotional, functional and spiritual well-being of PCa survivors. The study assessed 367 men with a history of PCa residing in the Maritimes Canada...

Objective: With a prolonged natural history compared with many other cancers, prostate cancer patients have high rates of mental illness over the duration of their treatment. Here, we examine the relationship between personality and mental health distress in a sample of prostate cancer patients. Methods: This study was conducted in the Canadian...

Background: Recent large population-based studies have shed light on an association between prostate cancer (PCa) survivorship and mental health, which emerged when the comparison group was either men without a history of cancer or those with any other type of cancer except prostate. Here we examine the role of surgery alone, compared to other typ...

Recognition of ADHD in the adult population is relatively recent. Epidemiological research examining the mental health impact of ADHD in adulthood is thus limited. The objective of this study was to examine whether adult ADHD symptoms are associated with psychological distress, hazardous drinking, and problem gambling, after controlling for traumat...

Objective: Prostate and skin cancer are among the most prevalent forms of cancer among men and have favorable survival rates compared to other, more aggressive forms of cancers. Recent studies have shown that the odds of depression among men with a lifetime history of prostate cancer are higher compared to men without a lifetime history of prostat...

Background: Small-scale studies indicate an increase in mental health disorders among prostate cancer survivors compared to the general population, but large population-based data assessing this relationship are scarce. The present study examined the prevalence of lifetime history of prostate cancer in a cross-sectional sample of Canadian men and a...

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is characterized by a change in brain function after an external force or sudden movement to the head. TBI is associated with risk-taking, impulsivity, psychological distress, substance abuse, and violent crime. Previous studies have also linked problem gambling to TBI, but these studies have not controlled for possible...

Background: Many youth report driving under the influence of cannabis (DUIC) and riding with a cannabis-impaired driver (RWCD), and many perceive that cannabis causes limited impairment. We examined associations of perceived risk of regular cannabis use with DUIC and RWCD, exploring differences by sex and rural setting. Methods: In a cross-secti...

Recent reviews and observational studies have reported that patients with prostate cancer (PCa) are at increased risk of mental health issues, which in turn negatively affects oncological outcomes. Here, we examine possible explanatory variables of mental distress in a population-based cohort of men who have undergone radical prostatectomy (RP). Da...

Mental health issues affect a third of prostate cancer (PCa) survivors. Here, we describe the development and preliminary evaluation of a unique multifaceted intervention, the Prostate Cancer–Patient Empowerment Program (PC-PEP), designed to improve mental health and quality of life among survivors. The 28-day pilot PC-PEP Intervention was develope...

Background Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in adolescence are associated with adverse outcomes, but whether the timing of the onset of TBIs leads to greater deficits has not been determined. We evaluate the relationship between the first and most recent TBI, and current academic performance and medically treated physical injuries. Methods Data wer...

Background Occupation was assessed as possible risk factors for prostate (PCa) and pancreatic cancer in a large Canadian worker cohort. Methods The Canadian Census Health and Environment Cohort (CanCHEC) was derived from linking the 1991 Canadian Census Cohort to the Canadian Cancer Database (1969–2010), Canadian Mortality Database (1991–2011), an...

Spherical noble metal-titanium dioxide nanoparticles (Pt/TiO2, Au/TiO2 and Ag/TiO2) were synthesized using laser pyrolysis (LP) followed by wet impregnation and reduction methods. Also, aerosol-assisted LP was used for direct Ag/TiO2 generation. Nanomaterial morpho-structural characteristics were evaluated using transmission electron microscopy (TE...

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 populatio...

Objective: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most prevalent form of cancer among men and has one of the most favorable survival rates among all cancers. Here we examine the association between depression and anxiety symptoms in a population-based sample of men. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on a subsample of 6 585 male participant...

Introduction: Although survival rates are highest among prostate cancer survivors compared to any other forms of cancer, nearly 60% suffer from mental distress. Here we examine urinary function and psychosocial stressors and their association with poor mental health in a younger group of prostate cancer survivors who have undergone curative treatm...

Objective: Response-shift has been cited as an important measurement consideration when assessing patient reported quality of life (QoL) outcomes over time among patients with severe chronic conditions. Here we report the results of a systematic review of response shift in studies assessing QoL among cancer patients. Methods: A systematic review us...

This study describes the association among lifetime traumatic brain injury (TBI) and past year hazardous/harmful drinking, as well as their unique and synergistic effects, on mental health problems and roadway aggression among Canadian adults. A cross-sectional sample of 6074 Ontario adults aged 18 years or older were surveyed between 2011 and 2013...

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common injury characterized by a change in brain function after an external blow to the head and is associated with substance abuse, psychological distress, risk-taking, and impulsivity. Convenience and clinical samples have also linked TBI to problem gambling, but have not ruled out confounding variables such as h...

Objective: The goal of this research was to assess the effectiveness of available concussion educational resources in Canada, the means used to disseminate this knowledge and the impact of these educational resources on players' concussion prevention knowledge. Methods: We assessed concussion knowledge before and after exposure to one or more of 19...

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the completeness of thyroid ultrasound (US) reports, assess for differences in report interpretation by clinicians, and evaluate for implications in patient care. Materials and methods: We retrospectively reviewed thyroid US examinations performed between January and June 2013 in Nova Scotia,...

Here, we report the process for creating a patient visible quality educational display to highlight the collaborative quality working practices of Radiation Oncology clinicians and staff in the main Radiotherapy Centers throughout three Canadian provinces. These processes are often not visible to patients yet they speak directly to the standards of...

Remedial programs for impaired driving offenders have proved valuable in reducing subsequent alcohol and other drug use and preventing recidivism in this population. Many of these programs are based on a severity-based assignment scheme, where individuals assessed to have greater problems or be at higher risk are assigned to longer, more intensive...

Back on Track (BOT) is Ontario’s remedial measures programme for convicted drinking drivers. Based on a pre-workshop assessment, individuals are assigned to complete either an 8-h Education workshop or a 16-h Treatment workshop. Six months later, participants are required to complete a 30-min follow-up interview by telephone. This report presents a...

Objective This study describes the association between history of lifetime traumatic brain injury (TBI) and current disabling functional restrictions among Ontario adults. Setting and design A two-stage rolling cross-sectional sample of 6,048 adults aged 18 to 93 were interviewed by computer assisted telephone interviewing between 2011–2013 regard...

Objective: This study examined the association between roadway aggression and traumatic brain injury (TBI) among drivers and passengers who reside in the province of Ontario, Canada. Methods: Data were based on a 3-year cumulated cross-sectional sample of 6,048 adults aged 18 years and older who were surveyed by telephone. The outcome in this st...

This study describes the association between history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and childhood symptoms of conduct disorder (CD). Data were based on telephone interviews with 6048 respondents derived from the 2011-2013 cycles of a representative cross-sectional survey of adults aged 18+ years in Ontario, Canada. TBI was defined as loss of consc...

Background Traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors often report difficulties with understanding and producing paralinguistic cues, as well as understanding and producing basic communication tasks. However, a large range of communicative deficits in this population cannot be adequately explained by linguistic impairment. The review examines prosodic...

Abstract Objective This study describes the impact of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and hazardous drinking on mental health and behavioural issues among Ontario adolescents. In particular, we assessed the incremental co-occurrence of hazardous drinking with a history of TBI, in comparison to experiencing just one of these conditions. Methods A cros...

OBJECTIVE The 30-day readmission rate has emerged as an important marker of the quality of in-hospital care in several fields of medicine. This review aims to summarize available research reporting readmission rates after cranial procedures and to establish an association with demographic, clinical, and system-related factors and clinical outcomes....

Purpose: Assessment of the association between illegal possession of weapon and assault on school property among adolescents with and without a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) while assessing risk factors for these outcomes. Methods: Data were derived from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health's 2013 Ontario Student Drug Use and Hea...

Objective: The present study is to identify factors contributing to underreporting of concussion in adolescent athletes. Design: Qualitative interviews. Setting: Participants were interviewed in an office environment. Participants: Interviews were conducted with 31 minor hockey players, 10 parents, 6 coaches, 4 trainers, 2 managers, and one...

Background: In North America, more than 800,000 youth are registered in organized ice hockey leagues. Despite the many benefits of involvement, young players are at significant risk for injury. Body-checking and aggressive play are associated with high frequency of game-related injury including concussion. We conducted a qualitative study to under...

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Abstract OBJECT Thirty-day readmission has been cited as an important indicator of the quality of care in several fields of medicine. The aim of this systematic review was to examine rate of readmission and factors relevant to readmission after neurosurgery of the spine. METHODS The authors carried out a systematic review using several databases, s...

Importance: The high prevalence of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) among adolescents has brought much focus to this area in recent years. Sports injuries have been identified as a main mechanism. Although energy drinks, including those mixed with alcohol, are often used by young athletes and other adolescents they have not been examined in relation...

This study examined prevalence of alcohol consumption among immigrants and the Canadian-born populations of Ontario by ethnic origin, and the association between ethnicity, country of birth, age at arrival, length of residence in Canada and drinking measures. Data were derived from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Monitor, a cross-...

BACKGROUND: This study describes the prevalence of reported history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its association with reports of current substance use, cigarette smoking and psychological distress among Canadian adults in a population sample. METHODS: A cross-sectional sample of 1,999 Ontario adults aged 18 to 93 were surveyed by telephone i...

Objective: The relationship between self-reported lifetime traumatic brain injury (TBI) and drug and alcohol use and associated harms was examined using an epidemiological sample of Canadian adolescents. Settings and design: Data were derived from a 2011 population-based cross-sectional school survey, which included 6383 Ontario 9th-12th graders...

Background: Although it is well established that sex is a risk factor in acquiring a traumatic brain injury (TBI) among adolescents, it has not been established whether it also moderates the influence of other TBI psychological health correlates. Methods and findings: Data were derived from a 2011 population-based cross-sectional school survey,...

Abstract Objective: We examined the associations between three measures of hazardous driving and psychiatric factors, substance use, mental health and reports of lifetime traumatic brain injuries among a general population sample of Canadian adults. Method: Data are based on a subsample of the 2011 and 2012 CAMH Monitor telephone survey of adults...

Objective: This study describes the prevalence of lifetime traumatic brain injury (TBI), and co-occurring psychiatric related problems among Canadian adults in a population sample. Method: A cross-sectional sample of 1,999 Ontario adults aged 18 to 93 were surveyed by telephone in 2011 as part of Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s ongoing rep...

Objective: We report lifetime traumatic brain injuries and adverse psychiatric conditions, bullying and suicide associated with TBI among adolescents from a population-based sample in Ontario. Method: Data were derived from 4,736 surveys administered to adolescents in grades 7 through 12 as part of the 2013 population-based cross-sectional Ontario...

Objective: With modern life stress becoming such an epidemic the goal of identifying behavioural interventions that reduce the intensity of acute stress responses has never been more essential. Methods: In a randomized experimental design we examined whether playing a simple and familiar melody on the iPhone for 10 minutes would facilitate stress r...

This paper describes gambling problems among Ontario students in 2009 and examines the relationship between gambling problems and substance use problems, mental health problem indicators, and delinquent behaviors. Data were derived from the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey of Ontario students in grades 7-12. Gambling problems were measure...

Background: Conduct disorder (CD) is diagnosed based on a prolonged pattern of antisocial behaviour including serious violation of laws and social norms [1]. There has been speculation that those with a history or current diagnosis of CD are more likely to demonstrate reckless and aggressive driving. Yet there has been little research examining the...

Our knowledge on the adverse correlates of traumatic brain injuries (TBI), including non-hospitalized cases, among adolescents is limited to case studies. We report lifetime TBI and adverse mental health and conduct behaviours associated with TBI among adolescents from a population-based sample in Ontario. Data were derived from 4,685 surveys admin...

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To examine energy drink consumption and its association with demographic characteristics, drug use, and injury among adolescents. METHODS: Data on 4,342 adolescents were derived from the 2011 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey, a province-wide school-based survey of students in grades 7 through 12. The survey was based...

In 1998, Ontario passed legislation requiring that all drivers convicted of drinking and driving complete a remedial program, called Back on Track (BOT), before their driver’s licences could be reinstated. Based on an assessment, clients are assigned to complete either an “education” program or a “treatment” program, depending on levels of substanc...

To examine energy drink consumption and its association with demographic characteristics, drug use, and injury among adolescents. Data on 4,342 adolescents were derived from the 2011 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey, a province-wide school-based survey of students in grades 7 through 12. The survey was based on a two-stage cluster design...

Incidence and mechanisms of traumatic brain injury and the relationship with psychological health among Ontario adolescents.

Author Contributions: Dr Ilie had full access to all of the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. Study concept and design: Ilie, Boak, Asbridge, Cusimano. Acquisition of data: Boak, Adlaf. Analysis and interpretation of data: Ilie, Boak, Adlaf, Cusimano. Drafting of the manu...

With stress in modern life becoming such an epidemic, the goal of identifying behavioural interventions that reduce the intensity of acute-stress responses has never been more important. Using a randomized experimental design, we examined whether playing a simple and familiar melody on the iPhone for 10 minutes would facilitate stress recovery in a...

The frequency and potential long-term effects of sport-related traumatic brain injuries (TBI) make it a major public health concern. The culture within contact sports, such as ice hockey, encourages aggression that puts youth at risk of TBI such as concussion. Newspaper reports play an important role in conveying and shaping the culture around heal...

We investigated the capacity for music and speech prosody to induce changes in mood valence, energetic arousal, and tension arousal. Independent groups of participants lis- tened to seven minutes of music or speech in one of eight possible conditions: fast or slow, high pitch or low pitch, and loud or soft. The Profiles of Mood States was used to a...

In Two Experiments, We Assessed the Experiential and cognitive consequences of seven minutes exposure to music (Experiment 1) and speech (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, participants listened to music for seven minutes and reported their emotional experiences based on ratings of valence (pleasant-unpleasant) and two types of arousal: energy (energe...

Using a three-dimensional model of affect, we compared the affective consequences of manipulating intensity, rate, and pitch height in music and speech. Participants rated 64 music and 64 speech excerpts on valence (pleasant-unpleasant), energy arousal (awake-tired), and tension arousal (tense-relaxed). For music and speech, loud excerpts were judg...

Three experiments revealed that music lessons promote sensitivity to emotions conveyed by speech prosody. After hearing semantically neutral utterances spoken with emotional (i.e., happy, sad, fearful, or angry) prosody, or tone sequences that mimicked the utterances' prosody, participants identified the emotion conveyed. In Experiment 1 (n=20), mu...

In two experiments, musically trained and untrained adults were tested on their ability to match spoken utterances with their tonal analogues (tone sequences that retained the pitch and temporal patterns of the utterances). In both cases, musical training was associated with superior performance, indicating an enhanced ability to extract prosodic i...

In two experiments, musically trained and untrained adults were tested on their ability to match spoken utterances with their tonal analogues (tone sequences that retained the pitch and temporal patterns of the utterances). In both cases, musical training was associated with superior performance, indicating an enhanced ability to extract prosodic i...

We examined effects of tempo and mode on spatial ability, arousal, and mood. A Mozart sonata was performed by a skilled pianist and recorded as a MIDI file. The file was edited to produce four versions that varied in tempo (fast or slow) and mode (major or minor). Participants listened to a single version and completed measures of spatial ability,...