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Blue Mountains Cohort Study: Long-term (15-year) Incidence Of Eye Disease, Hearing Loss And Other Public Health Outcomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$837,919.00
Summary
The Blue Mountains Eye Study 15-year study will re-examine survivors of the 3,654 persons who participated in baseline BMES exams, to determine the long-term development and progression of sensory problems, including vision and hearing loss and eye diseases like macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataract or diabetic eye damage. The project will assess whether vascular conditions like high blood pressure, chronic medical conditions, medications, smoking, diet, blood, family and genetic factors pred ....The Blue Mountains Eye Study 15-year study will re-examine survivors of the 3,654 persons who participated in baseline BMES exams, to determine the long-term development and progression of sensory problems, including vision and hearing loss and eye diseases like macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataract or diabetic eye damage. The project will assess whether vascular conditions like high blood pressure, chronic medical conditions, medications, smoking, diet, blood, family and genetic factors predict the risk or age at onset of eye disease or hearing loss. We will assess impacts of vision and hearing loss on independence, falls, quality of life and development of memory loss and depression. This information will help to develop services, and to plan interventions to prevent and treat these conditions. Because of the exponential age-related increase in frequency of these diseases, this long follow-up will provide more disease events, and a longer interval to assess impacts from the exposures we measured when we started the BMES in 2002. It will enable us to estimate the strength of risk factors for eye disease and hearing loss with greater precision, essential to understand their evolution. Surviving participants from the original BMES will be invited to attend follow-up exams at our Katoomba clinic, or to attend mobile- nursing home exams. We will conduct similar exams to those previously to detect new or worsened eye disease or hearing loss. In 2002-4, we saw 82% of the population of 2 Blue Mountains postcodes aged 50 or older. At the 5- and 10-year exams we saw 75% of people still living. We expect the same proportion to participate this time. The BMES is one of Australia's main cohort studies with over 200 publications. It has yielded key findings on the frequency and causes of the major diseases threatening vision and hearing. Longer follow-up will greatly increase our power to detect predictors of these key age-dependent conditions.Read moreRead less
Mapping the developmental trajectories of foster families. Currently lacking in Australian research on foster care is a developmental account of foster families. This research will, through an ethnographic study of foster families, provide a map of the unique shapes that foster families take, and will provide much needed information about the support needs of both foster carers and children.
Workplace death: assessing and improving institutional responses to the needs of surviving families. The impact of workplace death and institutional responses on surviving families is seldom examined. Pilot research revealed enduring consequences not addressed by institutional responses. The project will use novel methods to advance scientific knowledge of how workplace death affects families and provide guidance to improved policy interventions.
Family Violence Triage in Family Courts: Safety, Efficacy and Benefit. Domestic and family violence (DFV) risks are highest during relationship separation, elevated further for parents and children involved in Family Court disputes. Utilising the federal Family Courts’ Triage pilot program, this partnership project aims to examine risk pathways, burdens and costs of post-separation DFV, and the efficacy and cost-benefits of early DFV triage. The project intends to produce new knowledge about fam ....Family Violence Triage in Family Courts: Safety, Efficacy and Benefit. Domestic and family violence (DFV) risks are highest during relationship separation, elevated further for parents and children involved in Family Court disputes. Utilising the federal Family Courts’ Triage pilot program, this partnership project aims to examine risk pathways, burdens and costs of post-separation DFV, and the efficacy and cost-benefits of early DFV triage. The project intends to produce new knowledge about family and systemic drivers of safety, to advance evidence on the efficacy of DFV triage and to translate findings into new resources for preventing DFV harms. This world-first study aims to inform global family law policy and practice, with inter-generational benefit for vulnerable Australian families and for society. Read moreRead less
Work, Love and Play: Understanding resilience in same-sex parented families. This research will provide information about the experiences of same-sex parented families in accessing health and community services in Australia and New Zealand. This will inform policy development aimed at improving access to services and reducing discrimination for same-sex attracted people and other minority groups. Additionally the research will increase knowledge about the impact of limited social or community su ....Work, Love and Play: Understanding resilience in same-sex parented families. This research will provide information about the experiences of same-sex parented families in accessing health and community services in Australia and New Zealand. This will inform policy development aimed at improving access to services and reducing discrimination for same-sex attracted people and other minority groups. Additionally the research will increase knowledge about the impact of limited social or community support on the health and wellbeing of families. Families are a key unit in society, and supporting strong and healthy families - in all their forms - is an important part of supporting the overall economic and social and physical wellbeing of society (National Research Priority 2: Promoting and Maintaining Good Health).Read moreRead less
Helping Family Caregivers Of Palliative Care Patients Manage Their Roles: Evaluation Of A Hospital Based Group Education
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$219,810.00
Summary
While most people would prefer to die at home, the reality is that about two thirds of people die in in-patient settings, such as palliative care units. A home death is more likely if family caregivers are well prepared and supported in their role. Palliative care services are expected to support family caregivers. Research shows, however, that many family caregivers lack the required information to effectively manage their role. They are also prone to suffer psychological distress while support ....While most people would prefer to die at home, the reality is that about two thirds of people die in in-patient settings, such as palliative care units. A home death is more likely if family caregivers are well prepared and supported in their role. Palliative care services are expected to support family caregivers. Research shows, however, that many family caregivers lack the required information to effectively manage their role. They are also prone to suffer psychological distress while supporting their dying relative. Caregivers have expressed a desire for structured information to better prepare them for their role, whether their dying relative is in hospital, a palliative care unit or at home. The aim of this project is to develop and evaluate an educational program offered to family caregivers who are supporting a relative who is receiving palliative care in an inpatient setting. The education program seeks to help family caregivers manage their role and to prepare them for the patient�s home care where appropriate. It is hoped that family caregivers who have attended the program will be more competent, better prepared and more informed about their caregiving role. An additional benefit from attending the program will be the opportunity for family caregivers to meet others in similar situations to themselves. Each education program will involve approximately six family caregivers; it will be conducted very soon after their relative has been admitted to the palliative care unit. The program will be of two hours duration (including time for data collection) and will be facilitated by a suitably qualified health professional. Written resources will be provided and caregivers will be given the opportunity to meet with staff from the multidisciplinary team. Referrals for scheduled consultations will be made where relevant. The program will be conducted in three sites (two in Victoria and one in Western Australia) and will be comprehensively evaluated. The caregivers who attend the program will be invited to provide feedback by completing several questionnaires designed to determine the effectiveness of the program. Group education programs of this kind have previously not been rigorously developed and tested. We seek to address this and hope to demonstrate that we can positively influence the family care giving experience.Read moreRead less