After Hours Medical Care And Personal Safety Needs Of Urban General Practitioners
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$73,250.00
Summary
Experiences of violence and aggression are widespread within the health care field. Episodes of violence and aggression against general practitioners (GPs) in their working environment are not uncommon. These incidents frequently go unreported and the toll they take on GPs, on a personal as well as a professional level, is unknown. The frequency and severity of violence experienced by some health professionals is extreme. Such experiences may undermine the confidence and commitment of GPs and ma ....Experiences of violence and aggression are widespread within the health care field. Episodes of violence and aggression against general practitioners (GPs) in their working environment are not uncommon. These incidents frequently go unreported and the toll they take on GPs, on a personal as well as a professional level, is unknown. The frequency and severity of violence experienced by some health professionals is extreme. Such experiences may undermine the confidence and commitment of GPs and may inevitably have detrimental effects on health care services. Studies in the UK indicate that violence against general practitioners is increasing, violence against GPs in rural areas of Australia is also increasing but there have been no comparable studies carried out in our major cities. This research aims to ask general practitioners working in a range of different urban areas around NSW to describe their experiences of dealing with violent and aggressive patients. The study will be the first of its kind in Australia to provide an important insight into the level of violent and aggressive behaviour GPs are subjected to in city areas. One of the key areas of concern that has been reported in medical journals and the general press has been an increase in attacks on GPs making house-calls, this project will therefore be particularly focussed on GPs who provide after hours care. This study is important so in order to find out exactly what the incidence of violence against our urban general practitioners is, what type of violence is actually occurring, where it is occurring, who the perpetrators are, and also what the longer term psychological effects of abuse against general practitioners may be. The findings from this study will be used by the Commonwealth Government and Health Departments to plan better ways of providing after hours medical care. The findings may also be used to educate GPs and medical students about safety in the workplace.Read moreRead less
The Use Of Web 2.0 Internet Sites To Undermine Tobacco Advertising Bans And To Mobilise Tobacco Control Advocates
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$365,531.00
Summary
With advertising bans eroding direct tobacco advertising opportunities, tobacco companies are embracing covert means of keeping their products and policies in current and potential consumers' minds. While the Internet is being used extensively to sell cigarettes, its largely unregulated status holds much potential as a vehicle for promoting smoking and tobacco products, as well as anti-smoking dialogue. This project assesses the potential of globally popular websites to promote and discourage sm ....With advertising bans eroding direct tobacco advertising opportunities, tobacco companies are embracing covert means of keeping their products and policies in current and potential consumers' minds. While the Internet is being used extensively to sell cigarettes, its largely unregulated status holds much potential as a vehicle for promoting smoking and tobacco products, as well as anti-smoking dialogue. This project assesses the potential of globally popular websites to promote and discourage smoking.Read moreRead less
Contextual And Composition Determinants Of Urban Health Inequities: An Indigenous Perspective
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$426,317.00
Summary
This research studies the life experiences of Indigenous Australians living in suburban Australia. The project is exploring whether the characteristics of suburbs have an effect on residents' health, regardless of the make up of the resident population. In particular, this research is examining whether this locational impact is any different for Indigenous people compared to non-Indigenous people. It will specifically take into account the impact of social and economic factors on health. More pa ....This research studies the life experiences of Indigenous Australians living in suburban Australia. The project is exploring whether the characteristics of suburbs have an effect on residents' health, regardless of the make up of the resident population. In particular, this research is examining whether this locational impact is any different for Indigenous people compared to non-Indigenous people. It will specifically take into account the impact of social and economic factors on health. More particularly, the research will consider how Indigenous people's patterns of social interaction, trust and reciprocity - elements of social capital - affect their perceived health status. The research will examine the extent to which people are able to use their social networks to gain access to benefits such as assistance in daily life, access to jobs or to people with influence in ways that directly or indirectly contribute to improved health within the Indigenous population. The impact of racism on health will also be considered. The research will be conducted in two high income and three low income suburbs in Adelaide in order to allow comparisons between the suburbs and between Indigenous and non-Indigenous residents in each. Information will be collected from detailed interviews, a face-to-face survey and observation of the social environment, services and facilities available in the case study suburbs. The final stage of the research will engage policy makers and program planners to determine the implications of the research for their work. The research findings are designed to be used by policy makers and practitioners when they devise interventions aimed at improving health status and outcomes in Indigenous communities.Read moreRead less
Community-Based Interventions To Reduce The Risk Of Diabetes And Cardiovascular Disease In Indigenous Australians
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,699,291.00
Summary
Poor nutrition is one of the main factors causing high rates of diabetes and heart disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Obesity is one of the main risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases and it is associated with poor diet, lack of exercise and many social factors. Access to fresh vegetables and fruit is often difficult for indigenous people , especially in remote areas. The aim of this project is to work with indigenous communities in rural and remote areas to ....Poor nutrition is one of the main factors causing high rates of diabetes and heart disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Obesity is one of the main risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases and it is associated with poor diet, lack of exercise and many social factors. Access to fresh vegetables and fruit is often difficult for indigenous people , especially in remote areas. The aim of this project is to work with indigenous communities in rural and remote areas to plan and run programs to lower the risk of diabetes and heart disease. The programs will be designed by community members and involve health education, diet, exercise and improving availability of healthy food choices in community stores. The programs will target diabetic people and their families or, in most cases, the whole community. It is very difficult for overweight adults to lose weight permanently, so school-based programs will be run to provide health education and healthy canteen policies put in place to try and prevent excess weight gain in younger people. To see whether these programs are effective, we will measure changes over time in risk factors for diabetes and heart disease, nutrition and community support and involvement in the program. Where a community achieves even modest improvements in diet and exercise, this is likely to lead to a much lower risk of diabetes and heart disease. We will identify what factors make a program effective and sustainable over the long term. This study will help us to set up a system for introducing and monitoring similar programs in other indigenous communities. (1358 characters)Read moreRead less