Preventing Hospital Readmission In A Regional Australian Hospital Setting
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$565,695.00
Summary
Hospitals face high levels of emergency presentations and demand for inpatient care particularly for Aboriginal Australian people from remote communities. Readmissions lead to overcrowded emergency departments and poorer patient outcomes. We will evaluate the efficacy of a multidimensional case-based management intervention linking hospital and primary health in a regional Australian hospital with the aim of reducing hospital readmission and improving patient outcomes.
Pandemic Influenza Containment Strategies In Aboriginal Communities: What Is Acceptable And Feasible?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,056,688.00
Summary
Influenza is a serious disease with a much greater impact in Indigenous communities. This project will work with Aboriginal communities in NSW, north Qld and WA on modifying the national pandemic influenza plan to develop control strategies that are acceptable to the culture and circumstances of those communities. A template and acceptable process will then be offered to other Indigenous communities, finally leading to negotiation to modify implementation of pandemic influenza plans.
The CRE in Telehealth will advance knowledge and research capacity in telehealth to increase the availability of healthcare to all Australians. Modern communication technologies used in telehealth have the potential to revolutionise healthcare delivery. The CRE will focus on health service settings where access is currently challenging: Small rural hospitals; residential aged care facilities; people’s homes (particularly for disabled and older people); and indigenous communities.
Next-generation ocean current forecasting to improve maritime safety . This project aims to measure upper ocean currents at scales of 10-100 km in Australia's marine estate using pioneering satellite radar technology. The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission will map currents at 10 times the resolution of present-day satellites and revolutionise our understanding of ocean dynamics. Expected outcomes include validation of SWOT data in Australian waters and merging this data into Bure ....Next-generation ocean current forecasting to improve maritime safety . This project aims to measure upper ocean currents at scales of 10-100 km in Australia's marine estate using pioneering satellite radar technology. The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission will map currents at 10 times the resolution of present-day satellites and revolutionise our understanding of ocean dynamics. Expected outcomes include validation of SWOT data in Australian waters and merging this data into Bureau of Meteorology ocean models. Downstream benefits include improved ocean forecasts for maritime safety, search-and-rescue, spill modelling, and marine conservation. At the same time, the project will build sovereign capability in emerging remote sensing technology with a legacy beyond the life of the SWOT mission.Read moreRead less
Implementation And Evaluation Of A Diabetes Intervention Program In Indigenous Australian Communities.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$173,625.00
Summary
Approximately 700,000 Australians have type 2 diabetes (also termed maturity-onset diabetes or non-insulin dependent diabetes), which is a condition associated with reduced lifespan, eye disease, heart disease, renal disease, stroke, and foot complications leading to amputation. Indigenous Australians are at particularly high risk, with over 30% of adults affected by this condition in a number of communities, associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis, healthy lifestyle ....Approximately 700,000 Australians have type 2 diabetes (also termed maturity-onset diabetes or non-insulin dependent diabetes), which is a condition associated with reduced lifespan, eye disease, heart disease, renal disease, stroke, and foot complications leading to amputation. Indigenous Australians are at particularly high risk, with over 30% of adults affected by this condition in a number of communities, associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis, healthy lifestyle modification and tight control of the blood sugar levels, blood pressure and cholesterol are the keys to preventing the complications of diabetes. Self-management is central to success, and education, support and encouragement play an important role. This research project incorporates an education program that has been developed in partnership with the indigenous health team at Cherbourg. Particular strengths include the emphasis on family involvement and community support. The central role of the indigenous health team will ensure continuity of benefit to the community. If proven to be effective, the program could be used as a model for interventions in other community settings to reduce the burden from type 2 diabetes in the indigenous Australian population.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240100095
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$378,920.00
Summary
Using systems science to secure the health workforce against climate change. The widespread maldistribution of the Australian health workforce is creating significant health human resource shortages in non-urban areas of need. Climate-related extreme weather events (i.e., heat, droughts, fires, floods) are projected to exacerbate workforce deficiencies in rural regions. This project aims to explore how climate change will impact the future of the rural health workforce through a novel integratio ....Using systems science to secure the health workforce against climate change. The widespread maldistribution of the Australian health workforce is creating significant health human resource shortages in non-urban areas of need. Climate-related extreme weather events (i.e., heat, droughts, fires, floods) are projected to exacerbate workforce deficiencies in rural regions. This project aims to explore how climate change will impact the future of the rural health workforce through a novel integration of computational systems science methods. The project expects to discover new policies to correct the maldistribution and strengthen the resilience of the rural health workforce against climate change impacts. Benefits include a sustained and more adaptable workforce leading to improved health for vulnerable communities.Read moreRead less
Evaluation Of Internet-based, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy For The Treatment Of Anxiety Disorders In Adolescents
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$570,750.00
Summary
Anxiety disorders affect around 5-10% of adolescents and are associated with a range of adverse consequences if left untreated. The majority of young people with anxiety disorders do not seek nor receive treatment. This may be due partly to the perceived stigma of attending a mental health clinic and logistic problems of attending therapy. A challenge is to identify ways in which treatment can be made more accessible to adolescents in need, particularly those in rural and remote areas. Contrary ....Anxiety disorders affect around 5-10% of adolescents and are associated with a range of adverse consequences if left untreated. The majority of young people with anxiety disorders do not seek nor receive treatment. This may be due partly to the perceived stigma of attending a mental health clinic and logistic problems of attending therapy. A challenge is to identify ways in which treatment can be made more accessible to adolescents in need, particularly those in rural and remote areas. Contrary to original beliefs, evidence shows that the internet can be used to deliver effective psychological therapies for a range of mental health problems, including anxiety disorders. So far this research has focused on adults, but adolescents may be in a particularly strong position to benefit from these forms of therapy, being experienced users of internet resources. This research investigates the effectiveness of internet-based cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) in the treatment for anxiety disorders in adolescents. Recently we have piloted CBT for anxious children that combines clinic and internet therapy, with half the therapy sessions in the clinic and half over the internet. Pilot data show that clinic + internet therapy produced significant reductions in anxiety and is almost as effective full clinic-based therapy. The proposed research builds on our pilot work by evaluating the effectiveness of a more extensive internet-based therapy in which all sessions are completed using the internet and with an older age group. The research also examines the factors that predict which young people will respond most positively to the intervention so that the treatment can be matched to those most likely to benefit from it in the future. The aim is to develop an effective internet-based treatment for adolescents with anxiety disorders that is easily accessed and suitable for use in rural and remote populations, requiring minimal face-to-face therapist contact.Read moreRead less
Exploring The Value Of Telehealth In Primary Care: A Controlled Trial Within The Royal Flying Doctor Service
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$465,165.00
Summary
This project will evaluate how telehealth services can partially replace expensive fly-in fly-out primary care services for people living in remote communities through reduced waiting times for appointments and significant savings related to the use of aeroplane and staff travel. The study will examine the patient and staff experiences of the change, providing important lessons to guide future development of telehealth not only for rural communities but also for primary health care in general.
Home-based Speech Treatment For Parkinsons Disease Via Telerehabilitation : Clinical And Economic Outcomes.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$485,793.00
Summary
Parkinson's Disease affects a person's ability to speak clearly. Speech pathologists can provide effective treatment for this speech disorder. Access to a speech pathologist, however, is difficult for many people with Parkinson's Disease due to their physical difficulties and the limited availability of speech pathology services in rural areas. This study demonstrates the use of telerehabilitation to deliver speech treatment to people with Parkinson's Disease in their own homes via the Internet.
Validation Of Cognitive Assessments Using Telecommunication
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$257,261.00
Summary
This project will assess the use of video conferencing to enable geriatricians to assess and diagnose memory problems including dementia. Establishing the reliability of diagnosis and other related assessments, and identifying which functions can confidently be carried out via video conferencing, is one step towards extending the availability of this service to rural and remote communities. Access to accurate diagnosis and assessment of cognitive impairment is an important step in the management ....This project will assess the use of video conferencing to enable geriatricians to assess and diagnose memory problems including dementia. Establishing the reliability of diagnosis and other related assessments, and identifying which functions can confidently be carried out via video conferencing, is one step towards extending the availability of this service to rural and remote communities. Access to accurate diagnosis and assessment of cognitive impairment is an important step in the management of dementia, Alzheimer's disease and other associated disorders. High level expertise, such as that offered by a specialist Memory Disorder Clinic, is particularly important if there is uncertainty about the diagnosis, or if the prescription of cholinesterase inhibitors and associated medications are being considered. It was estimated that in 2005 there were 52,000 people diagnosed with dementia in Australia and by 2050 there will be an additional 175,000 cases each year. For the vast number of people who will be affected by dementia, early detection and intervention will play an important role in their healthy ageing experience. Access to accurate diagnosis and advice as a function of detection and intervention is often not as freely available to people in rural areas. The experience of travelling long distances for assessment can be detrimental to the emotional well being of people who may have dementia. Access to geriatrician services in a local rural area is an important element to maintaining their sense of well being. Geriatricians are not commonly available in rural areas which means current access to specialist diagnosis and assessment is either a missed opportunity or involves extensive travel. Internationally, there are many individuals living in remote regions with no access to geriatrician services, or reliable cognitive assessment. This study will inform similar experiments in other cultural settings.Read moreRead less