An Ethical Analysis Of The Disclosure Of Surgeons' Performance Data To Patients Within The Informed Consent Process
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$148,937.00
Summary
For over a decade, hospitals in the American state of New York have been collecting information about the mortality rates of surgeons conducting Coronary Artery Bypass Grafts, and making this information available to patients. The United Kingdom is set to make these and other performance indicators on the ability of surgeons ('report cards') available from 2004. There are good reasons to think a similar system may be introduced in Australia in the near future. Patients can use the information co ....For over a decade, hospitals in the American state of New York have been collecting information about the mortality rates of surgeons conducting Coronary Artery Bypass Grafts, and making this information available to patients. The United Kingdom is set to make these and other performance indicators on the ability of surgeons ('report cards') available from 2004. There are good reasons to think a similar system may be introduced in Australia in the near future. Patients can use the information contained in report cards when deciding whether or not to consent to have a particular surgeon conduct an operation on them. Contemporary bioethicists stress the importance of a proper informed consent process in medicine. This is a process in which a doctor advises a patient of relevant information and ensures that the patient comprehends that information, before the patient consents to an operation. Currently report cards in America are publicly disseminated on the internet, however there is no systematic attempt to incorporate the information contained in report cards into the informed consent process. We do not know if patients understand the information they are given, or if they incorporate it into their decision making procedures appropriately. In our study we will consider how information that is contained in report cards could best be used in the informed consent process. We will keep in mind the importance of helping patients to make their own informed decisions to consent to operations, the importance of respecting the professional integrity of surgeons and the importance of providing the best possible standard of care for patients. The result of our study will be a revised model of the informed consent process that incorporates report cards in an ethically acceptable way.Read moreRead less
Effect Of A Weight Management Program For Overweight And Obese Children: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$430,000.00
Summary
Children who are obese have a higher risk of numerous health problems, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and joint problems. They also experience reduced self-esteem and discrimination as well as an increased risk of premature death or poor health due to heart disease and Type 2 diabetes in adulthood. Approximately 25% of Australian children are overweight or obese. This prevalence has doubled since the 1980's and is still increasing. Child obesity is a major public health problem ....Children who are obese have a higher risk of numerous health problems, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and joint problems. They also experience reduced self-esteem and discrimination as well as an increased risk of premature death or poor health due to heart disease and Type 2 diabetes in adulthood. Approximately 25% of Australian children are overweight or obese. This prevalence has doubled since the 1980's and is still increasing. Child obesity is a major public health problem and innovative approaches to solving this problem are urgently needed. A range of factors has been postulated as contributing to the global childhood obesity epidemic, including environmental, psychosocial, physical, nutrition, metabolic and lifestyle factors. However, the major determinants involve a shift away from energy balance through reduced energy expenditure or physical activity and increased energy intake. Conventional weight-management strategies have incorporated restricting energy intake or diet, increasing energy expenditure or physical activity, decreasing sedentary activities, parental involvement, and behaviour modification. However, these strategies have only shown moderate success among children in the medium to long term and very few can be translated into community settings. The purpose of this study, and its original contribution to research, is to determine the impact of a physical activity skill development and parent-centred family weight management program on the weight, cardiovascular health, physical activity, dietary intake, and sedentary behaviours of overweight and obese children.Read moreRead less
Competence To Give Informed Consent For Research Participation In Schizophrenia And Related Psychoses.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$300,000.00
Summary
There is current controversy surrounding the ethics of allowing people with mental illness to participate in research. By trying to safe guard what is considered a vulnerable group, we may also be denying these people their rights to make decisions for themselves. The potential benefits of clinical research in an area where treatments are often ineffective and cause serious side effects may also be denied to these people. This study aims to measure the capacities of patients with psychoses to gi ....There is current controversy surrounding the ethics of allowing people with mental illness to participate in research. By trying to safe guard what is considered a vulnerable group, we may also be denying these people their rights to make decisions for themselves. The potential benefits of clinical research in an area where treatments are often ineffective and cause serious side effects may also be denied to these people. This study aims to measure the capacities of patients with psychoses to give informed consent to participate in clinical research. The uniqueness of this project is that subjects will be rated as either competent or incompetent according to legal definitions applicable in Australia by utilising predetermined thresholds. We will also determine whether performance of patients in tests of competence can be improved through an established educational program. Additionally we plan to re-evaluate patients after a period of 6 months in order to test the reliability of competence performance.Read moreRead less
The Role Of Growth Differentiation Factor 9 (GDF9) In Human Fertility
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$568,811.00
Summary
IVF comes at a substantial financial burden to the Australia health system through Medicare. There is mounting evidence to suggest that egg quality is the key limiting factor in female fertility. The aim of this proposal is to produce a key egg-secreted protein which is critical for the ability of the egg to be fertilized and to develop a diagnostic assay to measure egg quality to improve the treatment of infertility.