Diverse Teams and Health Care - Problem or Cure? Research that is able to improve the quality of work life and patient care of health care professionals is vital to communities around Australia where work pressures placed on healthcare professionals are at an all time high as are shortages of qualified personnel. The research team brings together leading edge researchers in healthcare management, diversity, teamwork and workplace management. The project will result in a comprehensive descripti ....Diverse Teams and Health Care - Problem or Cure? Research that is able to improve the quality of work life and patient care of health care professionals is vital to communities around Australia where work pressures placed on healthcare professionals are at an all time high as are shortages of qualified personnel. The research team brings together leading edge researchers in healthcare management, diversity, teamwork and workplace management. The project will result in a comprehensive description of the types of diverse teams working in hospitals, policy and practice and will make recommendations for diversity management in the healthcare system, and the development of new international research collaborations in hospital research and development.Read moreRead less
The Heart of Health Care: Advancing Emotional Well-being, Engagement and Performance in Hospitals. This research will improve our understanding of the drivers of effective health care delivery and will identify practical ways to improve the well-being, performance, retention and engagement of health care professionals and improve patient care, satisfaction and safety. In light of significant staffing shortages of health care professionals, the knowledge created will have substantial benefits in ....The Heart of Health Care: Advancing Emotional Well-being, Engagement and Performance in Hospitals. This research will improve our understanding of the drivers of effective health care delivery and will identify practical ways to improve the well-being, performance, retention and engagement of health care professionals and improve patient care, satisfaction and safety. In light of significant staffing shortages of health care professionals, the knowledge created will have substantial benefits in developing more effective models of quality care. In addition this research will enable health care professionals to build holistic, adaptable and multidisciplinary approaches to patient care in order to ensure a sustainable health care system for the future.Read moreRead less
Wellbeing in the elderly: the role of respect. Due to advances in health care, many more Australians are living to old age. It is important to ensure that older people, who comprise a significant proportion of the population, maintain high levels of quality of life (QOL). One of the factors that impact on QOL of older people is the respect afforded to them. This project will determine the issues related to respect for older people in Australia, and produce an evidence-based strategy for encoura ....Wellbeing in the elderly: the role of respect. Due to advances in health care, many more Australians are living to old age. It is important to ensure that older people, who comprise a significant proportion of the population, maintain high levels of quality of life (QOL). One of the factors that impact on QOL of older people is the respect afforded to them. This project will determine the issues related to respect for older people in Australia, and produce an evidence-based strategy for encouraging Australians to adopt more positive attitudes and behaviours related to increasing levels of respect for older people. It is expected that the project will reduce the level of ageism and enhance the status of older people in Australia.Read moreRead less
Burnt out and worn out or engaged and energised? Exploring the antecedents and consequences of burnout and engagement in drug-treatment specialists. This project will have significant social benefits in regard to the health and well being of workers in the health and human services sector. The results and outcomes of this project will contribute to the National Research Priority of "Promoting and Maintaining Good Health" by (1) contributing to the design of workplace interventions to facilitate ....Burnt out and worn out or engaged and energised? Exploring the antecedents and consequences of burnout and engagement in drug-treatment specialists. This project will have significant social benefits in regard to the health and well being of workers in the health and human services sector. The results and outcomes of this project will contribute to the National Research Priority of "Promoting and Maintaining Good Health" by (1) contributing to the design of workplace interventions to facilitate health and wellbeing in the workplace, (2) contributing to the policies designed to address problems with worker retention in the AOD workforce, and (3) contributing to the development of strategies and interventions which are likely to benefit a key disadvantage group - individuals with alcohol or other drug problems.Read moreRead less
Evaluation of a Training Program for Staff to Recognize Depression Among Aged People Living in Residential and Community Care. Depression is a significant problem among older people, and is likely to increase in prevalence with the aging of the population. A large percentage of depressed older people fail to receive treatment because their depression is not diagnosed. This illness leads to high economic and social costs if it is not diagnosed and treated. This project will evaluate the effective ....Evaluation of a Training Program for Staff to Recognize Depression Among Aged People Living in Residential and Community Care. Depression is a significant problem among older people, and is likely to increase in prevalence with the aging of the population. A large percentage of depressed older people fail to receive treatment because their depression is not diagnosed. This illness leads to high economic and social costs if it is not diagnosed and treated. This project will evaluate the effectiveness of a training program to assist carers to detect depression, and so refer older people for treatment of this condition. Read moreRead less
Promoting high-performing multidisciplinary health care teams: An examination of the antecedents and consequences of psychological safety. Australian health care services are faced with an increasing burden of complex disease and changing demographics which require identification of new models of care. By promoting effective teams, this research aims to empower both organisations and their employees to contribute to a process of continuous improvement that identifies best-practice solutions for ....Promoting high-performing multidisciplinary health care teams: An examination of the antecedents and consequences of psychological safety. Australian health care services are faced with an increasing burden of complex disease and changing demographics which require identification of new models of care. By promoting effective teams, this research aims to empower both organisations and their employees to contribute to a process of continuous improvement that identifies best-practice solutions for all Australian hospitals. Overall, findings will help strengthen Australia's social and economic fabric by providing reliable and valid research evidence regarding ways to promote effective health care teams.Read moreRead less
Research and action in medical practitioner wellbeing: Testing a conceptual model. Being a medical practitioner in general practice is a hazard to wellbeing. However, not all practitioners succumb. Factors that promote resilience as well as vulnerability have been identified and developed as a conceptual model. This research aims, firstly, to enhance this model by consulting directly with general practitioners. Secondly, this enhanced model will be evaluated on stratified samples within two soci ....Research and action in medical practitioner wellbeing: Testing a conceptual model. Being a medical practitioner in general practice is a hazard to wellbeing. However, not all practitioners succumb. Factors that promote resilience as well as vulnerability have been identified and developed as a conceptual model. This research aims, firstly, to enhance this model by consulting directly with general practitioners. Secondly, this enhanced model will be evaluated on stratified samples within two socio-economic regions and a rural area in Victoria. Thirdly, its heuristic value will be assessed by evaluating an intervention program based on the model. The outcome will help to enhance wellbeing and retain medical practitioners in under-resourced primary care settings.Read moreRead less
Improving asthma device use: Innovative models for inter-professional practice. This project falls within the goals of National Priority 2: promoting and maintaining good health. This project has the potential to affect every individual accessing health care in the Australia. Through its approach to and focus on improving the use of asthma medications this project will impact on: the quality use of medicines and health outcomes for patients. Through its focus on health professional relationships ....Improving asthma device use: Innovative models for inter-professional practice. This project falls within the goals of National Priority 2: promoting and maintaining good health. This project has the potential to affect every individual accessing health care in the Australia. Through its approach to and focus on improving the use of asthma medications this project will impact on: the quality use of medicines and health outcomes for patients. Through its focus on health professional relationships and interdisciplinary approach to community health care it will result in: improved interprofessional relationships and a model of collaboration which has the potential to be implemented on a broad scale in the community.Read moreRead less
From patient-centred to family-centred care: A new conceptual framework and doctor training to involve family caregivers in cancer consultations. Cancer has an enormous impact on patients and families. Family caregivers play a critical role in supporting patients and participating in treatment decision-making. Yet there are no guidelines or training to optimise family caregivers' involvement in health care, and current practice is poor. This project aims to develop the first Conceptual Framewor ....From patient-centred to family-centred care: A new conceptual framework and doctor training to involve family caregivers in cancer consultations. Cancer has an enormous impact on patients and families. Family caregivers play a critical role in supporting patients and participating in treatment decision-making. Yet there are no guidelines or training to optimise family caregivers' involvement in health care, and current practice is poor. This project aims to develop the first Conceptual Framework and Strategies Document for involving family caregivers in communication and decision-making within cancer consultations and to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and potential efficacy of a novel doctor-patient-family (triadic) intervention for oncologists. By extending patient-centred to family-centred care, this project may transform the field of clinical communication.Read moreRead less
Prospective predictors of body image attitudes and dieting beliefs during first years of school: Providing guidance for prevention. Although it is recognised that body dissatisfaction is a risk factor for the development of a wide range of mental health problems, little is known about its early development. There is a distinct increase in body dissatisfaction and dieting awareness during early school years. However, there has not been an exploration of a wide range of family, media, peer and sch ....Prospective predictors of body image attitudes and dieting beliefs during first years of school: Providing guidance for prevention. Although it is recognised that body dissatisfaction is a risk factor for the development of a wide range of mental health problems, little is known about its early development. There is a distinct increase in body dissatisfaction and dieting awareness during early school years. However, there has not been an exploration of a wide range of family, media, peer and school adaptation variables as predictors of body image and weight change behaviours in both girls and boys. This project will examine prospective predictors of body image and related variables in five to seven years old children. Findings will inform development of prevention interventions to assist parents and schools provide a positive body image and eating environment for Australian children.Read moreRead less