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Modafinil For Neurobehavioural Dysfunction In Sleep Apnea Patients Who Cannot Use Standard Device-based Treatments.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$505,830.00
Summary
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is often caused by obesity and can result in fall-asleep car crashes. It is often treated by mechanical devices that keep the sleeping airway open. Unfortunately, around half of all patients cannot tolerate these treatments. We propose to help patients reduce obesity with a lifestyle intervention program whilst testing whether their daytime symptoms of sleepiness and poor driving ability can be treated with a wake-promoting drug called modafinil.
PlaTFORM: PrevenTing Falls In A High Risk, Vision Impaired Population Through Specialist ORientation And Mobility Services: A Randomised Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$773,768.00
Summary
While many older people fall causing injury and loss of confidence, people with vision impairment and blindness have a dramatically increased risk of falls. In the PlaTFORM study we will deliver and comprehensively evaluate a falls prevention program through instructors with specialised training in orientation and mobility. This fills a gap in services and if effective will prevent injury in this vulnerable population and promote mobility.
The ASPREE-fracture Sub-study: Does Daily Low-dose Aspirin Reduce Fracture Risk In Healthy Older Adults?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,351,150.00
Summary
Disability, mortality and healthcare burden from fractures in older people is a growing problem worldwide. This is despite decades of clinical research, best practice guidelines and advances in therapies that aim to reduce fracture risk. The World Health Organization has identified fracture prevention as a public health priority. This study will determine whether a widely available, simple and inexpensive health intervention—aspirin—can reduce the incidence of fracture and associated disability ....Disability, mortality and healthcare burden from fractures in older people is a growing problem worldwide. This is despite decades of clinical research, best practice guidelines and advances in therapies that aim to reduce fracture risk. The World Health Organization has identified fracture prevention as a public health priority. This study will determine whether a widely available, simple and inexpensive health intervention—aspirin—can reduce the incidence of fracture and associated disability amongst older Australians.Read moreRead less
Effectiveness Of An Ambient Intelligence Geriatric Management System (AmbIGeM) To Prevent Falls In Older People In Hospitals: The AmbIGeM Stepped Wedge Randomised Trial.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,649,946.00
Summary
Falls are common in hospitals, especially among older patients and those with cognitive impairment. We will investigate if our newly developed ambience intelligence geriatric management system (AmbiGeM), which recognises when patients are undertaking risky movements related to increased risk of falling (e.g. walking without a necessary aid), and alerts staff so that they could offer help earlier, could reduce the number of falls in hospitals and is acceptable to staff and patients and/or carers.
Preventing Falls In Older People With Dementia - A Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,349,410.00
Summary
There is no evidence to date that has shown it is possible to prevent falls in older people with dementia. This proposal builds on a number of years of research by this group to try and address the question of how to prevent falls in people with dementia. We will undertake a study looking at the impact of a professionally prescribed, carer assisted, individualised exercise and home hazard reduction program on falls in people with dementia.
Understanding And Predicting Freezing Of Gait In Parkinson's Disease.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$380,580.00
Summary
Freezing of Gait (FOG) affects half of all patients with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) with episodes causing the feet to feel glued to the ground leading to a significant falls risk. The mechanisms underlying FOG are not well understood and current treatments are usually ineffective. Combining brain wave recording, eye-tracking and functional brain scanning we will identify the changes that precipitate an episode of FOG allowing the development of a non-invasive device to prevent falls.
Can Real-time Biofeedback Of Foot Clearance Data Be Used To Assist With Gait Rehabilitation Following Stroke?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$587,143.00
Summary
A new intervention for falls-risk minimization is proposed by providing additional visual sensory information to increase foot-ground clearance in order to walk more safely.A randomised controlled trial will be employed to assess the effects of biofeedback on foot-ground clearance during gait training. The outcome will be innovative biofeedback-based gait training that could significantly enhance existing stroke rehabilitation programs.
Novel Brain Biomarkers Of Neurobehavioural Dysfunction In Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$417,145.00
Summary
Obstructive sleep apnea is recognised as a common condition that has a clearly measurable impact on public health. However, it is often difficult for doctors to decide which patients have problems with driving or day to day brain functioning. This study will measure driving and memory during an extended period of waking in patients with sleep apnea. Special markers of brain function will be correlated with performance results during this extended wakefulness challenge.
Preventing Falls In Older Aboriginal People: The Ironbark Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,026,699.00
Summary
Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is ageing: in 1991, Aboriginal people aged 55 years and over accounted for only 6% of Australia’s total Aboriginal population and this proportion is predicted to double to 12% by 2021, with resulting increased in ageing conditions such as falls. This large scale trial in NSW, SA and WA will test the effectiveness of a community based program in reducing falls and improving function in older Aboriginal people.
An Investigation Of The Patient Experience Of Adverse Events.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$587,543.00
Summary
Harm during health care (referred to as adverse events) can be serious. Reporting systems have been developed but patients’ experiences of adverse events have remained alarmingly absent. In order to be fully effective policy and services must be designed with these experiences in mind. This study will provide a unique and comprehensive picture of the occurrence of adverse events from the patient's perspective and use this data to enhance policy and service responses.