An Implementation Trial Of A Telephone-based Care Management Program For Patients Following Myocardial Infarction
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$641,656.00
Summary
We are trialling the implementation of an innovative telephone-delivered program for managing people who have had a heart attack. Cardiac rehabilitation programs are generally based in hospitals in Australia and people have to be able to attend the programs when they are offered. Even though such programs have been shown to be very effective in improving outcomes after a heart attack, at least 85% of Australians after a heart attack are either unable to access and-or unable to attend such progra ....We are trialling the implementation of an innovative telephone-delivered program for managing people who have had a heart attack. Cardiac rehabilitation programs are generally based in hospitals in Australia and people have to be able to attend the programs when they are offered. Even though such programs have been shown to be very effective in improving outcomes after a heart attack, at least 85% of Australians after a heart attack are either unable to access and-or unable to attend such programs due to transport and many other barriers. So, there is an urgent need to identify new, effective, and affordable ways of delivering cardiac rehabilitation programs to people after a heart attack. The proposed telephone-delivered program will be particularly appropriate for disadvantaged people, such as those living in rural and remote areas as well as Indigenous Australians, who do not currently have access to hospital-based cardiac rehabilitation programs. People who have had a heart attack will be recruited from three of Brisbane's largest public teaching hospitals, and will then be randomly assigned to the telephone-delivered cardiac rehabilitation program (Care Management Intervention group) or to a control or Usual Care group. The Care Management Intervention group will receive regular telephone calls from a highly qualified 'Care Manager' based at the renowned National Heart Foundation of Australia telephone support service, 'Heartline'. The Care Manager will help people to manage their heart condition and prevent the reoccurrence of further heart problems. People will also be encouraged to make necessary lifestyle and behavioural changes with the assistance of the Care Manager and some Heart Foundation educational and interactive resources to record their progress. We expect that the program or Care Management Intervention group will have better health outcomes than the control or Usual Care group at 6 and 12 months follow up.Read moreRead less
Smoking cessation program for smokers admitted to public hospitals. This project will implement and evaluate a multidisciplinary healthcare intervention initiated by hospital pharmacists and followed up by primary health professionals to assist smokers admitted to three Victorian tertiary public hospitals to give up smoking. This program could potentially reduce smoking-related death, illness and healthcare costs.
The role of attention re-training in pain tolerance. Chronic pain is one of the most debilitating and expensive chronic health problems in westernized countries. Chronic pain develops when an individual is injured and is fearful of the pain that they experience. This causes them to become hypervigilant to pain, avoid activity and results in a vicious cycle of increasing disability. This research has two, related aims. First, we aim to test this model to see whether hypervigilance influences resp ....The role of attention re-training in pain tolerance. Chronic pain is one of the most debilitating and expensive chronic health problems in westernized countries. Chronic pain develops when an individual is injured and is fearful of the pain that they experience. This causes them to become hypervigilant to pain, avoid activity and results in a vicious cycle of increasing disability. This research has two, related aims. First, we aim to test this model to see whether hypervigilance influences response to pain, as predicted. Second, we will develop and test an intervention to reduce hypervigilance to pain in healthy people and those with acute injuries. If the intervention is successful, it will have the potential to prevent the development of chronic pain or reduce its severity.Read moreRead less
Can parents teach their children to drink alcohol responsibly? Or, is one drop a drop too many? Parents typically supply alcohol to their children believing it is the best way to teach responsible drinking. Whether parents should provide alcohol is controversial and the evidence to inform this decision is unclear. This research will provide an in-depth understanding of the consequences of parents providing alcohol to their children and when, where and how this can be done to minimise harm. This ....Can parents teach their children to drink alcohol responsibly? Or, is one drop a drop too many? Parents typically supply alcohol to their children believing it is the best way to teach responsible drinking. Whether parents should provide alcohol is controversial and the evidence to inform this decision is unclear. This research will provide an in-depth understanding of the consequences of parents providing alcohol to their children and when, where and how this can be done to minimise harm. This is a national priority as alcohol abuse is a leading cause of injury and death among young Australians and developing the knowledge for preventive health care is essential. This research will provide parents with the information they need to give their children a healthier start to life.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120102878
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Mobile phone text reminders to modify behaviours and prevent cardiovascular disease. Strategies are needed to improve adherence to behavioural and medical preventative treatments for heart disease. Brief informative reminders sent via mobile phone text message have potential as a cheap and safe method of improving behavioural change and adherence to treatments in people at risk of cardiovascular disease.
Cluster randomised controlled trial of a psycho-educational intervention for people with a family history of depression for use in general practice. Many individuals with a family history of depression are concerned about their personal risk for depression. This project will develop and evaluate the first online psycho-educational intervention nationally and internationally targeted to individuals with a family history of depression for use in the general practice setting.
Screening and responding to domestic violence experienced by refugee women. We will adapt and test an evidence-based intervention to identify and address domestic violence with newly arrived refugee women, partnering with Settlement Services International, one of Australia’s largest providers of settlement programs. Domestic violence is the lead contributor to premature death among Australian women, and costs $22 b each year, with refugee women at heightened risk. This study will compare outcome ....Screening and responding to domestic violence experienced by refugee women. We will adapt and test an evidence-based intervention to identify and address domestic violence with newly arrived refugee women, partnering with Settlement Services International, one of Australia’s largest providers of settlement programs. Domestic violence is the lead contributor to premature death among Australian women, and costs $22 b each year, with refugee women at heightened risk. This study will compare outcomes for women who receive the intervention to controls and culturally sensitive, scaleable tested tools. This intervention should reduce the human and financial cost of domestic violence among refugee and other vulnerable migrant women, providing tools to settlement services to address this complex, hidden problem. Read moreRead less
The effectiveness of pro-active telemarketing of a smoking cessation telephone counselling service. Despite the availability of services, such as telephone support lines to help people quit, only a small number of smokers seek help. One solution is to pro-actively contact and offer support with quitting to smokers in the community. This study will involve pro-actively contacting households by telephone and offering intensive, personalised telephone counselling to smokers to support them in the q ....The effectiveness of pro-active telemarketing of a smoking cessation telephone counselling service. Despite the availability of services, such as telephone support lines to help people quit, only a small number of smokers seek help. One solution is to pro-actively contact and offer support with quitting to smokers in the community. This study will involve pro-actively contacting households by telephone and offering intensive, personalised telephone counselling to smokers to support them in the quitting process. Such a service will provide treatment to smokers who might not otherwise seek assistance to quit, thereby greatly increasing the potential impact of quit smoking services at a community level.Read moreRead less
Efficacy of strategies to increase participation rates in disease management programs. The aim of this project is to determine the most effective strategies for maximising recruitment and retention of at-risk adults into evidence-based disease- and risk-management programs, as well as completion of health risk assessments. It is evident from the literature on risk factor modification, and on the economic and social costs of chronic diseases, that increasing participation in these programs will ....Efficacy of strategies to increase participation rates in disease management programs. The aim of this project is to determine the most effective strategies for maximising recruitment and retention of at-risk adults into evidence-based disease- and risk-management programs, as well as completion of health risk assessments. It is evident from the literature on risk factor modification, and on the economic and social costs of chronic diseases, that increasing participation in these programs will lead to reduced health costs and reduced morbidity and mortality among the target population. The primary outcome of this project will be evidence-based guidelines on the best strategies for recruitment to, and retention in, disease and risk management programs.Read moreRead less