Dianah Rodrigues
University of Sydney
Rotary Club of Parkes
Spinal Cord Injury, 2010
Dianah Rodrigues is a doctoral student in the Rehabilitation Studies Unit, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney. She is studying the interactions between chronic conditions in spinal cord injury (SCI) such as pain and fatigue with neurophysiological factors (such as brain activity), psychological factors (such as hyper-arousal states, depression) and cognitive capacity.
Her study is aimed at improving the successful reintegration of SCI persons into the community. Through a better understanding of these interactions, she hopes to contribute towards improved screening tools and innovative intervention strategies that may enhance the management of pain and fatigue during SCI rehabilitation.
Dianah has a broad interest in healthcare. She spent her childhood in Singapore where relatives specialised in both Western orthodox and traditional Chinese medicine. This influence led her to pursue a career as an acupuncturist and neurofeedback practitioner. After over a decade observing the processes of health and disease in clinical practice, she became interested in finding novel ways to understand health in terms of adaptability. In 2005 she completed a Master of Science degree in the University of Technology, Sydney, using non-linear analyses of blood pressure signals to study the effects of acupuncture. Collaboration with a team of Newcastle University philosophers of science has resulted in an ongoing program of research on the foundations and methodology of Chinese medicine resulting in invited papers delivered in the U.S.A. and China, as well as published book chapters and articles including one in the Journal of Chinese Philosophy.
SUMMARY OF PROJECT:
The influence of neural factors on secondary conditions such as pain and fatigue in persons living with Spinal Cord Injury.
Spinal Cord Injury is a costly traumatic injury affecting approximately 10,000 people in Australia and it can have devastating consequences for those injured and their loved ones. A high prevalence of depression, anxiety, pain and fatigue is known to negatively impact rehabilitation outcomes. This research aims to clarify the relationship between such complications and other factors thought to play an important role in successful community reintegration. In particular it is hypothesised that such factors as self-efficacy, mood and personality, autonomy and social participation will impact upon a patient’s rehabilitation. These factors will be studied in conjunction with such neurophysiological factors as brainwave activity, hyper-arousal states, and cognitive capacity. New data produced by this project is expected to contribute to the following:
1. A deeper understanding of the neurophysiological/psychological/social relationship in pain and fatigue in community dwelling SCI persons
2. An understanding of the influence of neurophysiological, psychological and social factors on health status and quality of life of SCI persons
3. Improved screening tools that predict and detect individuals at risk of developing emotional and psychological complications
4. Development of innovative intervention that may enhance the management of pain and fatigue during SCI rehabilitation.
This study is aimed at improving the successful reintegration of Spinal Cord Injured persons into the community. Findings from this project will contribute to innovative assessment tools and concrete strategies for spinal cord injury rehabilitation that is being investigated by the Rehabilitation Studies Unit, The University of Sydney.