The Impact Of Insurance On Use Of Dental Services And Oral Health
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$203,616.00
Summary
Dental problems are very common in the Australian population, and health expenditure on dental services is large. This project addresses the impact of dental insurance on use of dental services and oral health outcomes to investigate the effect of insurance on dental visit patterns and mix of dental services provided, and examine how the cost of dental care is related to outcomes such as tooth loss and quality of life.
Systematic Practice-based Asthma Care In The Australian Setting
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$563,625.00
Summary
Asthma is an illness which increasingly is affecting the health and quality of life of millions of Australians. Much effort has been focused in recent years on ways of improving the management of those people who suffer from moderate and severe asthma. A recent government initiative has been to promote the use of the 3+ Visit Plan, which encourages a more proactive, systematic approach to assessing and treating asthma in general practice. There is currently no evidence about exactly how practice ....Asthma is an illness which increasingly is affecting the health and quality of life of millions of Australians. Much effort has been focused in recent years on ways of improving the management of those people who suffer from moderate and severe asthma. A recent government initiative has been to promote the use of the 3+ Visit Plan, which encourages a more proactive, systematic approach to assessing and treating asthma in general practice. There is currently no evidence about exactly how practices can best be organized to provide this systematic care, in a way which improves the process of care and the health outcomes for patients. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of changing aspects of practice organization and structure, such as setting up registers of asthma patients, providing recalls or reminders to patients to come in for regular review, having the GPs provide education and self-management skills to patients, focusing on the contributions which practice staff can make to the process, and initiating quality assurance measures such as audit and feedback to the GPs about their quality of care. We anticipate that these changes will provide positive benefits for the patients, but will also investigate what it costs the practices, patients and government to bring these changes about, within the perspective of efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The evidence generated by this study will provide an excellent base for providing advice to policy makers, as well as contributing to the development of best-practice models of care for asthma patients in general practice.Read moreRead less
Exercise Therapy For Prevention Of Falls In People With Parkinsons Disease: A Randomised Controlled Trial.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$598,820.00
Summary
Despite optimal medication regimes, people with Parkinson's disease frequently and recurrently experience falls. Up to 68% of the 100,000 people living in Australia with Parkinson's disease fall every year and fall-related injuries are the most common reason why people with Parkinson's disease are admitted to hospital. This project will implement an exercise program targeting risk factors for falls and will determine the efficacy and the cost effectiveness of the program.
Development And Validation Of An Australian Diabetes Health Policy Simulation Model
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$400,396.00
Summary
Diabetes imposes a heavy personal, societal and financial burden on Australia and this is predicted to increase over time. The aim of this project is to develop a computer simulation model that can be used to inform clinicians and policy makers in efficient allocation of resources to improve the quality of diabetes care.
ACTIVE Dialysis: A Clinical Trial Of IntensiVE Dialysis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,310,836.00
Summary
People with kidney disease requiring dialysis have substantially reduced life expectancy, poorer health status and quality of life. Better treatments are therefore urgently required. ACTIVE Dialysis is a clinical trial that will assess whether increased duration of dialysis improves these critical outcomes. A formal cost-effectiveness analysis will be conducted from a health system perspective.
The Comparative Health System Efficiency For Treating Chronic Physical And Mental Disorders
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$58,500.00
Summary
Mental disorders account for 15% of the burden of disease in Australia, and are the largest cause of disability. Effective treatments are available for all mental disorders, however the majority of sufferers in Australia do not receive these treatments that work. Hence the burden of disease due to mental disorders in Australia persists. Why is this so? Is there something unique about mental disorders that means little can be done with direct treatment? The feasibility and affordability of mental ....Mental disorders account for 15% of the burden of disease in Australia, and are the largest cause of disability. Effective treatments are available for all mental disorders, however the majority of sufferers in Australia do not receive these treatments that work. Hence the burden of disease due to mental disorders in Australia persists. Why is this so? Is there something unique about mental disorders that means little can be done with direct treatment? The feasibility and affordability of mental health treatment can only be truly understood in comparison with other chronic disorders. Such comparisons are particularly significant as mental health remains a stigmatised area of the health sector. Without comparative data it would be easy for critics to argue for decreased funding for people with mental disorders. Project Outcomes: For three chronic physical disorders in Australia (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma) this project will define the cost-effectiveness of current care, the cost-effectiveness of optimal care (everyone getting treatments that work), and the amount of disease burden that can be averted with high-quality health care. These findings will be compared to similar calculations we have produced for mental disorders, to determine if it is mental disorders or chronic disorders per se that require much more effort by the health care system in Australia.Read moreRead less
EFFECTIVENESS OF INFLUENZA AND PNEUMOCOCCAL VACCINATION IN PREVENTING HOSPITALISATION DUE TO PNEUMONIA IN OLDER PERSONS
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$258,475.00
Summary
Flu and pneumococcus remain important causes of illness and death in Australia. They can cause pneumonia and severe respiratory illness, including death, especially in older people. This is because natural immunity against infections tends to decrease with age. Vaccination against flu and pneumococcus is therefore recommended for all persons aged 65 years or older, but only in Victoria are both vaccines publicly funded. The Victorian initiative appears to have had a marked impact on improving va ....Flu and pneumococcus remain important causes of illness and death in Australia. They can cause pneumonia and severe respiratory illness, including death, especially in older people. This is because natural immunity against infections tends to decrease with age. Vaccination against flu and pneumococcus is therefore recommended for all persons aged 65 years or older, but only in Victoria are both vaccines publicly funded. The Victorian initiative appears to have had a marked impact on improving vaccination coverage, but its impact on disease has never been assessed. This study will estimate vaccination coverage, missed vaccination opportunities, effectiveness of flu and pneumococcal vaccines in preventing hospitalisation for pneumonia, and cost-effectiveness of the currently funded vaccination program in this age group. This is considered a priority because of the serious but preventable nature of the diseases caused by these infections. This study will improve awareness of the importance of vaccination among individuals, and given the high estimated vaccine coverage in older Victorians, is well placed to provide the first available evidence for or against effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of flu and pneumococcal vaccination in older Australians. The results may have major implications for public health policy in Victoria and elsewhere in Australia.Read moreRead less