DR ADRIANA VENTURA

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Research

For many years, I worked as a Research Fellow at Deakin University, studying the psychosocial and behavioural aspects of diabetes. In this role, I produced numerous peer-reviewed articles, spoke at national and international conferences and events, and was interviewed by various media organisations. 

Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications

Ventura AD, Nefs G, Browne JL, Friis A, Pouwer F, Speight J. Is self-compassion related to health behaviours, outcomes and emotional distress in adults with diabetes? Results from the second Diabetes MILES – Australia (MILES-2) Study. Mindfulness, 2019; 10(7): 1222-1231. 

Ventura A, Browne J, Pouwer F, Speight J. Emotional Well-Being Factors Associated with Sexual Dysfunction in Adults with Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes: Results from Diabetes MILES—Australia. International Journal of Sexual Health, 2018; 30(3): 237-249.

Ventura A, Evans S. What Are the Benefits of Yoga for People with Diabetes? Journal of Yoga and Physiotherapy, 2018; 4(3): 1-3.

Holmes-Truscott E, Browne JL, Ventura AD, Pouwer F, Speight J. (2018). Diabetes stigma is associated with negative treatment appraisals among adults with insulin-treated Type 2 diabetes: results from the second Diabetes MILES – Australia (MILES-2) survey. Diabetic Medicine; doi: 10.1111/dme.13598.

Hansen UM, Willaing I, Ventura AD, Olesen K, Speight J, Browne JL. (2017). Stigma perceived and experienced by adults with type 1 diabetes: linguistic adaptation and psychometric validation of the Danish  Version of the Type 1 Diabetes Stigma Assessment Scale (DSAS-1 DK). Patient; doi:10.1007/s40271-017-0289-x.

Browne J, Ventura A, Mosely K, Speight J. Measuring Type 1 diabetes stigma: development and validation of the Type 1 Diabetes Stigma Assessment Scale (DSAS-1). Diabetic Medicine; doi: 10.1111/dme.13507

Browne JL, Holmes-Truscott E, Ventura AD, Hendrieckx C, Pouwer F, Speight J. Cohort profiles of the cross-sectional and prospective participant groups in the second Diabetes MILES – Australia (MILES-2) study. BMJ Open, 2017; 7:e012926.doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2016-012926.  

Browne JL, Ventura AD, Mosely K, Speight J. (2016) Measuring the stigma surrounding type 2 diabetes: Development and validation of the Type 2 Diabetes Stigma Assessment Scale (DSAS-2). Diabetes Care, 2016,dc160117. 

Newton-John TR, Ventura AD, Mosley K, Browne JL, Speight J. (2016). ‘Are you sure you’re going to have another one of those? A qualitative analysis of the social control and social support models in type 2 diabetes. Journal of Health Psychology, doi: 10.1177/135910531664200.

Handley TE, Ventura AD, Browne JL, Rich J, Attia JR, Reddy P, Pouwer F, Speight J. (2015) Suicidal ideation reported by adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes: results from Diabetes MILES – Australia. Diabetic Medicine, 33(11), 1582-1589.  

Beasley E, Brooker J, Warren N, Fletcher J, Boyle C, Ventura AD, Burney S. (2015). The lived experience of volunteering in a palliative care biography service. Palliative & Supportive Care, 13(5), 1417-25.

Browne JL, Ventura AD, Mosely K, Speight J. (2014). “I’m not a druggie, I’m just a diabetic”: a qualitative study of stigma from the perspective of adults with type 1 diabetes. BMJ Open, 4:e005625, doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2014-005625.

Browne JL, Ventura AD, Mosely K, Speight J. (2013). “I call it the blame and shame disease”: a qualitative study about perceptions of social stigma surrounding type 2 diabetes. BMJ Open, 3:e003384, doi:10,1136/bmjopen-2013-003384

Ventura AD, Burney S, Brooker J, Fletcher J, Ricciardelli L. (2013). Home based palliative care: a systematic literature review of the self-reported unmet needs of patients and carers. Palliative Medicine, 28. 391-402. 

Other Publications – Unranked Journals and Consumer Magazines

Ventura AD, Speight J. It’s Complicated! Diabetes and Relationships. (2017). Circle (Diabetes Australia’s consumer magazine), Spring Edition.

Ventura AD, Browne JL, Holmes-Truscott E, Hendrieckx C, Pouwer F, Speight J. Diabetes MILES-2 2016 Survey Report. Diabetes Victoria, Melbourne.

Ventura AD, Hendrieckx C, Halliday J, Speight J. (2016). NDSS Diabetes and Emotional Health Information Leaflets: Adjusting to life with diabetes; Diabetes distress; Fear of hypoglycaemia; Concerns about starting insulin; Diabetes and depression; Diabetes and anxiety; Diabetes and disordered eating; Peer support for diabetes. http://www.ndss.com.au (Publications & Resources). 

Ventura AD. (2016). Building happiness and wellbeing. Circle (Diabetes Australia’s consumer magazine), Autumn Edition. 

Ventura AD, Halliday J, Hendrieckx C. Having the conversation about diabetes distress and depression in primary care. Diabetes Management Journal. March 2016. 

Ventura AD. Staying motivated this winter. (2014). Circle (Diabetes Australia’s consumer magazine), Winter Edition, 20-22.  

Ventura AD, Browne JL, Mosely K, Speight J. (2013). The diabetes stigma. Conquest (Diabetes Australia’s consumer magazine), Summer Edition, 26-27. 

Selected Conference Presentations

Ventura AD, Browne JL, Nefs G, Friis A, Pouwer F, Speight J. (2016). The association between self-compassion and diabetes distress: Results from the second Diabetes MILES – Australia (MILES – 2) study. Australian Diabetes Society and Australian Diabetes Educators Association Conference, Gold Coast, Australia, 24-26 August. (poster). 

Ventura AD, Hendrieckx C, Halliday J, Speight J. (2016). Reducing diabetes distress using a novel, ultra-brief smartphone ‘app’. Work in Progress, PsychoSocial Aspects of Diabetes (PSAD), Wurzburg, Germany, 15-17 April. (oral). 

Ventura AD, Newton-John T, Mosely K, Browne JL, Speight J. (2015). Social control and social support in type 2 diabetes: an interview study. American Diabetes Association 75th Scientific Sessions, Boston, USA, 5-9 June. (poster)

Ventura AD, Brooker J, Burney S, Fletcher J, Ricciardelli L. (2014). The unmet needs of private palliative home-based care recipients. 9th Biennial Conference: Living, Dying and Grieving Well, Palliative Care Victoria, Melbourne, Australia, 31 July-1 August. (poster)

Ventura AD, Burney S, Brooker J, Fletcher J, Ricciardelli L. (2013). Palliative home based care: a systematic literature review of the self-reported unmet needs of patients and carers. Australian Psychological Society Inaugural Health Psychology Conference, Cairns, Australia, 5-6 April. (oral)

Research Grants and Funding

Ventura AD, Hendrieckx C, Halliday J, Hagger V, Morris A, Sturt J, Speight J. Supporting people with diabetes distress: Development and pilot randomised controlled trial of an online training module for health professionals. (2017) Budget $60,000. 1 year project. 

Speight J, Hendrieckx C, Ventura, AD. Prioritising Mental Health in People with Diabetes. National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) Mental Health and Diabetes Priority Area. (2017) Budget $76,908. 1 year project. 

Ventura AD, Browne JL, Mosely K, Speight, J. Social stigma in diabetes: quantifying the extent and impact of the problem. Diabetes Australia Research Trust (DART) grant. (2014). Budget $59,820. 1 year project. 

Browne JL, Ventura AD. Diabetes stigma: a real problem. http://www.pozible.com/project/180905 Pozible Crowd-funding Campaign, successfully funded. (2014). Budget $5,427.

Community & Media / Invited Speaker Engagements
  • Peer reviewed for various journals, including Diabetic Medicine, Stigma and Health.
  • Ventura AD. How do you feel? Discussing ‘diabetes downers’. Women’s Weekend, Oral Presentation, Diabetes Victoria. October 2015, Melbourne, Australia. (Invited speaker).
  • Ventura AD. Diabetes and emotional health. Australian Psychological Society Webinar series in chronic Illness and mental health. 8 November 2016, Melbourne, Australia. (Invited speaker).
  • Ventura AD. Diabulimia: Greater awareness needed about eating disorders. ABC News, The World Today (radio). 28 October 2016. (Invited expert).
  • It’s time to recognise distress caused by diabetes. Diabetes Victoria media release. 24 November 2016.
  • Psychosocial burden of diabetes revealed in 2016 MILES-2 Survey Report. Diabetes Victoria media release.19 December 2016.
  • Diabetes impacts psychological health: MILES-2. Interview for The Limbic editorial magazine. 31 January 2017. (Invited expert).
  • Ventura AD. Diabetes distress and food. Living Well with Diabetes, Oral Presentation, Diabetes Victoria. October 2017, Sunshine, Australia (invited speaker).
  • Diabetes is associated with anxiety symptoms. Diabetes Victoria media release. 10 October 2017.
  • Ventura AD. Uno stigma duro da eliminare (translation: The stigma of diabetes). Il Globo newspaper. 16 November 2017. (Invited expert). 
  • Facing life with diabetes. Diabetes Victoria media release. 14 November 2017.