This project will examine the acceptability and validity of a depression screening tool for use with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patient with ischaemic heart disease, and concurrently determine depression prevalence in the sample population attending an urban Aboriginal community controlled health service.
THE DETECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF DEMENTIA IN GENERAL PRACTICE.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$499,977.00
Summary
This research aims to examine a new method and practice guidelines for detection of early dementia. General practitioners will be screened on their ability to diagnose and manage dementia and to distinguish it from other diseases. Patient outcomes - including quality of life, depression, and satisfaction with care and referral indicators - will be examined.
Alternative Medicines From Medicinal Plants Of Aboriginal People Of Northern New South Wales
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$150,400.00
Summary
This research will conserve customary Australian Aboriginal knowledge of historical and cultural significance and apply this knowledge to the discovery of new evidence-based alternative medicines that may help address the growing need for new antimicrobial treatments. It will also be a model for collaboration between Australian Aboriginal communities and research scientists. The customary (traditional and contemporary) knowledge of medicinal plants possessed by Indigenous peoples is a significan ....This research will conserve customary Australian Aboriginal knowledge of historical and cultural significance and apply this knowledge to the discovery of new evidence-based alternative medicines that may help address the growing need for new antimicrobial treatments. It will also be a model for collaboration between Australian Aboriginal communities and research scientists. The customary (traditional and contemporary) knowledge of medicinal plants possessed by Indigenous peoples is a significant medicinal resource, as seen by the reliance on customary medicines by ~80% of the population in developing countries as their primary healthcare. There has been a renewed interest in customary medicines, especially with the increase in microbial resistance and emergence of new diseases, side effects of single compound medications and high cost of drug development. Australian Aboriginal people have a vast medicinal plant knowledge based on thousands of years of using plants as medicines. This especially includes topical use for conditions indicative of microbial infections. Despite their potential, relatively few studies have been conducted on Australian Aboriginal medicines to provide evidence for their use. For Northern New South Wales (NNSW) Aboriginal communities, as is the case for many other Australian Aboriginal communities, this customary knowledge is rapidly disappearing, especially due to premature deaths of the elder custodians of this knowledge. The overall aims of this project are to work in partnership with the NNSW Yaegl Local Aboriginal Land Council and Ulgundahi Elders Aboriginal Corporation to i) document and preserve first hand customary medicinal plant knowledge; ii) identify plants of significant medicinal potential in treating antibacterial and antifungal infections; iii) evaluate their effectiveness using in vitro and in vivo biological assays; and iv) identify the major bioactive components responsible for their medicinal properties.Read moreRead less
QTL Linkage Analysis For Complex Human Traits In Twin Families
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,000,000.00
Summary
This project will focus on finding genes for common human diseases. Now that the human genome has been sequenced, the race is on to find out what the estimated 38,000 human genes do and which ones are associated with which diseases. Scattered throughout the genome are small variations in DNA sequence, some of which increase the odds of disease while others are protective.
Determining Critical Points In The Potential Palliative Care Pathway In The Last Year Of Life
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$356,461.00
Summary
People with serious illnesses who are approaching the end of their lives undergo a journey where, along the way, they experience several critical points. Although we know these critical points are crucial to how they might access the best kind of care, we are unsure exactly when these points may occur and how they may vary for different kinds of people. We need to know when is the best time to start withdrawing invasive and purely curative treatments, when are discussions about approaching death ....People with serious illnesses who are approaching the end of their lives undergo a journey where, along the way, they experience several critical points. Although we know these critical points are crucial to how they might access the best kind of care, we are unsure exactly when these points may occur and how they may vary for different kinds of people. We need to know when is the best time to start withdrawing invasive and purely curative treatments, when are discussions about approaching death best introduced and how we can care for people from a diverse range of backgrounds and beliefs within our current health care system. We also need to identify and promote the best possible ways of supporting patients at the end of life and their families as they negotiate the often complex path towards a good death. With this kind of information, health care practitioners, particularly those involved in palliative care, can design better services that put in place pathways where assessment of patient and family needs, referral to the most appropriate services and coordination of all the aspects of care are easy to understand and access for all people. This kind of care can be expensive so we need to use the money allocated to palliative care wisely. This can be achieved with thoughtful research that identifies those most in need, at the time of most need and investigates the best approaches to alleviating pain in suffering in the weeks and months before death. A fair and equitable health care system is not just about keeping people healthy, but also about dealing humanely with the inevitability of deathRead moreRead less
Development And Implementation Of An Educational Program To Guide Palliative Care For People With Motor Neurone Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$258,525.00
Summary
The project aims to improve the quality of care for people with MND and their family carers through the development, testing and implementation of an educational program for health professionals and other service providers focused on the palliative care needs of this population. The project is taking place in three sites: Western Australia, Victoria and South Australia, in collaboration with the MND associations in the three states. The effectiveness of the flexible model of care provided to peo ....The project aims to improve the quality of care for people with MND and their family carers through the development, testing and implementation of an educational program for health professionals and other service providers focused on the palliative care needs of this population. The project is taking place in three sites: Western Australia, Victoria and South Australia, in collaboration with the MND associations in the three states. The effectiveness of the flexible model of care provided to people with MND and their carers as a result of the implementation of the MND Education Program will be assessed and a national implementation plan will be developed.Read moreRead less
Examining A Core Assumption Of Policy And Services For Older Indigenous Australians
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$133,387.00
Summary
In aged care service planning, the age 50 years or over is used for the Indigenous Australian population in the same way as the age 70 years is used for the non-Indigenous population. This is based on the lower life expectancy of the Indigenous population which is presumed to result in a need for aged care services at younger ages. The underlying assumption is that Australia's Indigenous population aged over 50 has the same set of age-associated conditions and care needs as the non-Indigenous po ....In aged care service planning, the age 50 years or over is used for the Indigenous Australian population in the same way as the age 70 years is used for the non-Indigenous population. This is based on the lower life expectancy of the Indigenous population which is presumed to result in a need for aged care services at younger ages. The underlying assumption is that Australia's Indigenous population aged over 50 has the same set of age-associated conditions and care needs as the non-Indigenous population aged over 70. The evidence for this assumption is not established. It is well documented that the Indigenous population has worse health outcomes across all age groups relative to non-Indigenous Australians. However, our understanding of the details of the observed pattern is far from complete. This project seeks to compare the health status of the Indigenous population aged 50 years or over to the health status of the non-Indigenous population aged 70 years or over. The project will analyse a number of data sets to inform future directions in policy and service provision. A better understanding of these issues is fundamental to informed planning and allocation of resources, to identification of areas amenable to prevention strategies and to the development of approaches to care that meet the needs of Indigenous people.Read moreRead less
Better Targeting Of Preventive Services Using Epidemiological Modelling
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,951,463.00
Summary
The purpose of this program of research is to improve the effectiveness of chronic disease prevention in Australia. The focus is to develop epidemiological models that can assist policy-makers to make more informed choices of which preventive programs to fund, improve the ability of clinicians to provide accurate preventive advice and to increase the ability of consumers to make decisions about preventive activities (that may relate to themselves or their communities). Australian population tren ....The purpose of this program of research is to improve the effectiveness of chronic disease prevention in Australia. The focus is to develop epidemiological models that can assist policy-makers to make more informed choices of which preventive programs to fund, improve the ability of clinicians to provide accurate preventive advice and to increase the ability of consumers to make decisions about preventive activities (that may relate to themselves or their communities). Australian population trends over coming years will be dominated by increasing numbers of elderly and a continuing increase in average lifespan. A priority for preventive healthcare is to maintain the elderly in a healthy active state, free of chronic disease, for as long as possible. Options to achieve this are increasing but vary in terms of likely effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. Since many of the costs and benefits of preventive programs occur beyond the time-scale of major intervention trials, the prediction of long-term benefits requires the integration of information from multiple sources including trials, epidemiological studies, risk-factor surveys and demography through a process referred to as epidemiological modelling. This project has major relevance to consumers, allied health professionals and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. One outcome of the project will be to allow consumers to make informed decisions about their preventive health care and will assist allied health professionals providing preventive advice to patients. These include occupational health nurses, health promotion officers, Aboriginal health workers and nurse practitioners.Read moreRead less