Identifying Malingered Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Biological Markers for Legal Assessment. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the most common psychiatric disorder that is claimed in compensation claims in Australia. There are currently no reliable means to distinguish malingered from genuine PTSD. This project aims to develop the most accurate means of identifying malingered PTSD by using the most recent technology to index biological responses, including fMRI, in participants with PT ....Identifying Malingered Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Biological Markers for Legal Assessment. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the most common psychiatric disorder that is claimed in compensation claims in Australia. There are currently no reliable means to distinguish malingered from genuine PTSD. This project aims to develop the most accurate means of identifying malingered PTSD by using the most recent technology to index biological responses, including fMRI, in participants with PTSD, without PTSD, and malingered PTSD. This study will lead to a biological assessment that can objectively index PTSD and be resistant to intentional feigning. These data will significantly enhance legal assessments of PTSD and facilitate compensation resolution.Read moreRead less
Determinants of successful community transition for individuals with acquired brain injury and their families. Transition home following acquired brain injury (ABI) is a critical phase in which individuals and families are vulnerable. Unsuccessful transitions are characterised by events such as financial crisis, family breakdown, loss of work, social isolation, and institutionalisation. ABI does not discriminate, but there is a higher rate in Indigenous, rural and remote communities and amongst ....Determinants of successful community transition for individuals with acquired brain injury and their families. Transition home following acquired brain injury (ABI) is a critical phase in which individuals and families are vulnerable. Unsuccessful transitions are characterised by events such as financial crisis, family breakdown, loss of work, social isolation, and institutionalisation. ABI does not discriminate, but there is a higher rate in Indigenous, rural and remote communities and amongst younger people. The societal impact of ABI includes loss of income and livelihood, health and welfare dependence, and long-term accommodation support. Research into the determinants of successful transition will alleviate the personal, social and economic burden of ABI and inform policy and program priorities for appropriate Australian Government bodies.Read moreRead less
Bilateral Cochlear Implants for Children: Does a Second Implant Improve Language, Psychosocial and Other Outcomes? Severe-profound congenital hearing loss engenders significant costs to society. In 2005, specialised education cost -- on average $25,000 per child, loss of productivity cost -- $6.7 billion, and social security benefits were paid to approximately 129,000 individuals who were unemployed due to hearing loss. If bilateral cochlear implantation results in improved language, social dev ....Bilateral Cochlear Implants for Children: Does a Second Implant Improve Language, Psychosocial and Other Outcomes? Severe-profound congenital hearing loss engenders significant costs to society. In 2005, specialised education cost -- on average $25,000 per child, loss of productivity cost -- $6.7 billion, and social security benefits were paid to approximately 129,000 individuals who were unemployed due to hearing loss. If bilateral cochlear implantation results in improved language, social development, and academic outcomes, the community benefits arising will be greatly improved quality of life for these individuals and significant savings to society. In partnership with Cochlear Ltd, this study will provide some of the first data worldwide comparing the effects of an additional implant on language, social and educational outcomes.Read moreRead less
Participation following traumatic brain injury in rural, regional and remote areas. The results of this project will lead to improved rehabilitation programs and better outcomes for people with brain injury, especially in regional, rural and remote areas, by targeting the ultimate goal more directly: participation - getting people back into their home, work and community roles. Participation is associated with improved social networks, wellbeing, independence and quality of life, so health care ....Participation following traumatic brain injury in rural, regional and remote areas. The results of this project will lead to improved rehabilitation programs and better outcomes for people with brain injury, especially in regional, rural and remote areas, by targeting the ultimate goal more directly: participation - getting people back into their home, work and community roles. Participation is associated with improved social networks, wellbeing, independence and quality of life, so health care burdens and costs are reduced, and people can lead more productive lives. The project's emphasis on country areas will benefit rural health care, and also help specialist metropolitan brain injury services to understand the specific rehabilitation issues facing people from the bush.Read moreRead less
Pandemic Influenza, Human Resources and Critical Infrastructure Dependencies: Mitigating The Impact on Hospitals. Pandemic planning is conducted from a health-centric model which only considers subsystems within health. This study will determine the impact of a pandemic on the hospital system by failures of human resources and external systems (such as power, finance and teleocmmunications) which comprise critical infrastructure of society. The results will enable identification of key weak poin ....Pandemic Influenza, Human Resources and Critical Infrastructure Dependencies: Mitigating The Impact on Hospitals. Pandemic planning is conducted from a health-centric model which only considers subsystems within health. This study will determine the impact of a pandemic on the hospital system by failures of human resources and external systems (such as power, finance and teleocmmunications) which comprise critical infrastructure of society. The results will enable identification of key weak points, strengthening of health systems and resilience in the event of a pandemic or other disruption.Read moreRead less
Prediction of outcome following whiplash injury: a multicentre international prospective study. The main aim of this study is to validate a set of biological and psychological prognostic indicators of outcome following whiplash injury that we have previously identified in a single centre prospective cohort. Validation will be in the context of a large multicentre international cohort. This will allow stakeholders involved in whiplash such as health care and insurance providers to predict with co ....Prediction of outcome following whiplash injury: a multicentre international prospective study. The main aim of this study is to validate a set of biological and psychological prognostic indicators of outcome following whiplash injury that we have previously identified in a single centre prospective cohort. Validation will be in the context of a large multicentre international cohort. This will allow stakeholders involved in whiplash such as health care and insurance providers to predict with confidence both those persons at risk of developing chronic symptoms as well as those with a good chance of full recovery. Furthermore the validation of the predictive capacity of these indicators will, for the first time, provide predictive markers that are amenable to specific early multiprofessional treatment interventions.Read moreRead less
From Suspician to Intervention : Improving responsiveness to abuse of the elderly in acute and sub-acute health care. Early identification of risk and an integrated multidisciplinary response across the health service would be effective in responding to the multiple and complex behavioural and social issues which contribute to aged abuse as it presents in emergency, acute and sub-acute care, but are currently often ignored in health services and the literature. We propose that effective use of ....From Suspician to Intervention : Improving responsiveness to abuse of the elderly in acute and sub-acute health care. Early identification of risk and an integrated multidisciplinary response across the health service would be effective in responding to the multiple and complex behavioural and social issues which contribute to aged abuse as it presents in emergency, acute and sub-acute care, but are currently often ignored in health services and the literature. We propose that effective use of this "window of opportunity in health care" could extend the level of community response to this vulnerable group of people. Read moreRead less
Detecting language disorder in children with a language background other than English: the role of the Dynamic Assessment. 17.6% of Australia's culturally diverse population are born in non-English speaking countries. Recently, reports of unprecedented growth in the diagnosis of children with language disorders have emerged. There are difficulties in accurately identifying children at risk of language disorder. We hypothesize that some children with language backgrounds other than English (LBOTE ....Detecting language disorder in children with a language background other than English: the role of the Dynamic Assessment. 17.6% of Australia's culturally diverse population are born in non-English speaking countries. Recently, reports of unprecedented growth in the diagnosis of children with language disorders have emerged. There are difficulties in accurately identifying children at risk of language disorder. We hypothesize that some children with language backgrounds other than English (LBOTE) are mis-identified. If true, then scarce resources are being misdirected and inappropriately allocated, depriving children with true language disorder of support and intervention. The aim of this project is to determine the utility of the Dynamic Assessment to discriminate normal language learning from language learning difficulties in LBOTE children.
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X-ray Micro-tomography Validation of HRCT-Based Airway Measurements. This project brings together a newly emergent modality of microscopy in the form of 3D X-ray micro-tomography (XRMT) along with leading-edge image analysis to develop breakthrough science in respiratory research aimed at improving the reliability of high resolution computed tomography (HRCT). The project will develop novel 3D lung image segmentation protocols, a stereotactic registration program allowing 3D matching of XRCT and ....X-ray Micro-tomography Validation of HRCT-Based Airway Measurements. This project brings together a newly emergent modality of microscopy in the form of 3D X-ray micro-tomography (XRMT) along with leading-edge image analysis to develop breakthrough science in respiratory research aimed at improving the reliability of high resolution computed tomography (HRCT). The project will develop novel 3D lung image segmentation protocols, a stereotactic registration program allowing 3D matching of XRCT and HRCT data sets, and a validation protocol for quantitative HRCT analysis of airway disease. These outcomes will allow wider application of HRCT to non-invasively follow the dynamics of pulmonary function.Read moreRead less
Economic, social and cross cultural issues in non-pharmaceutical protection of front line responders to pandemic influenza and emerging infections. The protection of front line responders in a pandemic is essential to underpin an effective response. This research is the only work internationally which will address a key gap in evidence. This research has major implications for the national stockpile and for management of front line responders in a pandemic. These data are urgently needed, not ju ....Economic, social and cross cultural issues in non-pharmaceutical protection of front line responders to pandemic influenza and emerging infections. The protection of front line responders in a pandemic is essential to underpin an effective response. This research is the only work internationally which will address a key gap in evidence. This research has major implications for the national stockpile and for management of front line responders in a pandemic. These data are urgently needed, not just in Australia, but globally to inform pandemic planning and disease control policy around emerging infections and bioterrorism.Read moreRead less