End-of-Life Care And Dying-at-Home: Choices And Needs Of People With Intellectual Disability And Their Carers
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$104,343.00
Summary
With the continued push towards community living for people with intellectual disability, how best to provide support at the end-of-life remains a neglected research area. This occurs against a backdrop of an increasingly ageing population, in an arena where end-of-life care and dying at home is the preferred option for most people. This research breaks new ground, aiming to establish supports such that people with intellectual disability may remain at home until the end of their life.
Investigating Causes Of Stillbirths: A Prospective Cohort Study Examining Use And Effectiveness Of A Comprehensive Investigation Protocol
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$567,508.00
Summary
The effects of stillbirth on women and their families are often devastating and long term. Many stillbirths are not appropriately investigated, resulting in lack of accurate data on causes with one-third classified as unexplained. A major driver for suboptimal investigation is the lack of research to guide which tests should be done. This study aims to accurately identify causes of death in 984 comprehensively investigated stillbirths and determine which tests are needed, with consideration of c ....The effects of stillbirth on women and their families are often devastating and long term. Many stillbirths are not appropriately investigated, resulting in lack of accurate data on causes with one-third classified as unexplained. A major driver for suboptimal investigation is the lack of research to guide which tests should be done. This study aims to accurately identify causes of death in 984 comprehensively investigated stillbirths and determine which tests are needed, with consideration of costs and value.Read moreRead less
Management Of Families With A Genetic Cause Of Sudden Cardiac Death
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$307,946.00
Summary
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a tragic complication of a number of genetic heart diseases, where families have to cope with the grief of losing a family member and the risk to themselves. This research seeks to better understand the psychosocial impact to family members; to determine what access and services families are currently provided with; and to determine the cost-effectiveness of family management strategies. The ultimate goal is that every family will have access to high-quality and cos ....Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a tragic complication of a number of genetic heart diseases, where families have to cope with the grief of losing a family member and the risk to themselves. This research seeks to better understand the psychosocial impact to family members; to determine what access and services families are currently provided with; and to determine the cost-effectiveness of family management strategies. The ultimate goal is that every family will have access to high-quality and cost-effective management practices.Read moreRead less
MEDICAL EARLY RESPONSE INTERVENTION AND THERAPY (MERIT): A RANDOMISED CLINICAL TRIAL
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$530,500.00
Summary
Every year, between 12,000 and 23,000 deaths are associated with in-hospital adverse events, making them one of the leading causes of death in the general population. These adverse events lost Australia over three million bed-days per year, and cost the country up to $4.7 billion every year. Among the adverse events, death, cardiac arrest and unplanned admissions to intensive care unit (ICU) are the most serious occurrences. The majority of the events were preceded by serious clinical deteriorat ....Every year, between 12,000 and 23,000 deaths are associated with in-hospital adverse events, making them one of the leading causes of death in the general population. These adverse events lost Australia over three million bed-days per year, and cost the country up to $4.7 billion every year. Among the adverse events, death, cardiac arrest and unplanned admissions to intensive care unit (ICU) are the most serious occurrences. The majority of the events were preceded by serious clinical deterioration, which can be easily identified. Recognising these problems, a hospital-wide intervention system called the Medical Emergency Team (MET) has been developed in Australia over the last 10 years. Under this system, when a patient's clinical condition is unstable, a call is immediately placed to the MET for intervention. Preliminary data have shown that the MET can reduce in-hospital deaths, cardiac arrests and unplanned ICU admissions. However, past studies have been based on observational design and their results lack scientific credence due to uncontrolled confounders and biases. It is proposed to conduct a multi-centre randomised clinical trial to test the hypothesis that the implementation of the hospital-wide MET system will reduce the aggregate incidence of the following three adverse events: unplanned admissions to intensive care units, cardiopulmonary arrest, and in-hospital death. The study will involve 20 Australian and New Zealand hospitals, each with at least 20,000 admissions per year. This study will provide crucial scientific evidence for health managers and governments to make decision on the implementation of MET in Australian and New Zealand hospitals. If the MET system is shown to reduce adverse events as observed in preliminary studies, then the introduction of MET could save approximately 4000 lives, avoid 1500 cardiac arrests, and prevent 2500 unplanned ICU admissions every year.Read moreRead less
Clinical, Genetic And Psychosocial Aspects Of Sudden Cardiac Death
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$433,423.00
Summary
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) in the young is a tragic complication of a number of genetic heart diseases. Families must deal with profound grief and act on the genetic risk to themselves and other relatives. Clinical management can include the implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) and is the only therapy proven to prevent SCD. This proposal seeks to investigate the clinical, genetic and psychosocial aspects of managing families who present following a SCD, including psychological outcomes o ....Sudden cardiac death (SCD) in the young is a tragic complication of a number of genetic heart diseases. Families must deal with profound grief and act on the genetic risk to themselves and other relatives. Clinical management can include the implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) and is the only therapy proven to prevent SCD. This proposal seeks to investigate the clinical, genetic and psychosocial aspects of managing families who present following a SCD, including psychological outcomes of life-saving ICD therapy.Read moreRead less
Incorporating Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) Into Clinical Registries
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$181,065.00
Summary
Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) are questionnaires that measure a person's physical symptoms such as pain or nausea, quality of life, and well-being. Traditionally these measures have not been used to assess the quality of medical treatments in routine care. This project seeks to implement PROMs alongside biological outcomes into the national kidney dialysis (ANZDATA) registry, and evaluate the feasibility and acceptability by patients, clinicians and policy makers
Polypharmacy In Elderly Australians - Can Deprescribing Improve Health Related Outcomes And Reduce Costs?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$344,644.00
Summary
Medications are often inappropriately prescribed in elderly Australians. This research investigates whether reducing certain classes of medications results in improved patient outcomes, and what the cost implications are of inappropriately prescribed medications and the costs of a service which reduces drug useage.
A Fundamental study into the role of the organic fraction on the toxicity of combustion generated airborne particles. Using a new set of analytical tools this project will for the first time allow a quantified measure of the toxicity of organic compounds condensed on the surface of airborne particles. Understanding the toxicity of particle pollution is essential in controlling the exposure risk to public health.