Reducing Depression And Suicide Amongst Older Australians: A Clustered Randomised Clinical Trial In Primary Health Care
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$765,050.00
Summary
Like many industrialised nations, Australia's population is ageing. By the year 2051, the population aged 65 years and over is projected to triple in size, while those over 85 will increase five-fold. The social, financial, and health consequences of a rapidly ageing society cannot be ignored. Accompanying this population explosion will be greater numbers of individuals experiencing age-related physical disorders and disabilities that give rise to social and psychological problems, including dep ....Like many industrialised nations, Australia's population is ageing. By the year 2051, the population aged 65 years and over is projected to triple in size, while those over 85 will increase five-fold. The social, financial, and health consequences of a rapidly ageing society cannot be ignored. Accompanying this population explosion will be greater numbers of individuals experiencing age-related physical disorders and disabilities that give rise to social and psychological problems, including depression and suicide. Suicide rates are very high in later life, with the ratio of men who kill themselves in late old age greater than that found in their youthful counterparts. Depression is most often linked to suicidal behaviour in this age group, with research suggesting that the treatment of this mental disorder may directly lead to a reduction in suicide in the aged. Approximately 80% of older adults will visit their general practitioner at least once per year in Australia, while up to 70% of older people will consult their GP in the month prior to their death by suicide. This suggests that GPs are in the best possible position to detect and manage depression and suicide risk in later life. Unfortunately, depression is consistently reported to be underdiagnosed and undertreated in this setting. The purpose of this study is to determine whether an educational programme targeting Australian GPs can enhance doctors' detection rates of depression and suicide risk, thereby leading to a reduction in depression and suicidal behaviour among those older patients visiting their surgeries.Read moreRead less
Does Inpatient Weight Restoration Prior To Outpatient Family Therapy Improve Outcomes In Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$552,283.00
Summary
This study examines the effect of length of hospital admission for refeeding, prior to manualised outpatient family therapy on outcomes for patients with anorexia nervosa. Subjects will include sixty children and adolescents aged 10 to 18 years admitted to the Children's Hospital at Westmead for medical management of anorexia nervosa. This study aims to randomly allocate and compare outcomes between adolescents with anorexia nervosa admitted for medical stabilisation followed by outpatient famil ....This study examines the effect of length of hospital admission for refeeding, prior to manualised outpatient family therapy on outcomes for patients with anorexia nervosa. Subjects will include sixty children and adolescents aged 10 to 18 years admitted to the Children's Hospital at Westmead for medical management of anorexia nervosa. This study aims to randomly allocate and compare outcomes between adolescents with anorexia nervosa admitted for medical stabilisation followed by outpatient family therapy versus adolescents admitted for full weight restoration followed by outpatient family therapy. Physical and psychological outcomes will be measured at admission to hospital, at the end of the hospital treatment and at the completion of outpatient family therapy and 6 and 12 months after the completion of treatment.Read moreRead less