Strenthening The Contribution Of Australian General Practice To The Control Of Pandemic Influenza
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$110,257.00
Summary
Most primary and preventive care in Australia occurs in general practice. Australian general practice will therefore have a critical role to play in control efforts during an influenza pandemic, and also in sustaining other primary health care activities. After an initial surge in attendances, there may be a decline in attendance, as Australians become more reluctant to congregate in a place where they may become ill. This study seeks to complement the Australian Pandemic Influenza Management Pl ....Most primary and preventive care in Australia occurs in general practice. Australian general practice will therefore have a critical role to play in control efforts during an influenza pandemic, and also in sustaining other primary health care activities. After an initial surge in attendances, there may be a decline in attendance, as Australians become more reluctant to congregate in a place where they may become ill. This study seeks to complement the Australian Pandemic Influenza Management Plan by developing a range of action plans for use by general practitioners and public health authorities to support essential primary health care functions through a pandemic, and maximize general practice's contribution to control efforts. A range of methods will be used, including systematic review of existing literature, economic modeling of the Medicare costs and savings of different models of health care, interviews with key informants who have helped develop disaster response plans for general practice, or who are in positions of leadership. The project will culminate in the development of a simulation exercise to be used as a self-assessment tool for general practitioners, and a summit of general practice stakeholders who will help to finalise agreed action plans for the general practice response to pandemic influenza.Read moreRead less
Changing Patterns Of Work: Impacts On Physical And Mental Health And The Meditating Role Of Resiliency And Social Capital
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,140,342.00
Summary
This project will provide, for the first time in Australia, a detailed understanding of the impact of the changing forms of employment and unemployment on overall health. It will provide original insights into what aspects of the employment relation help or harm health, and on what enables some people to escape the harm that others experience. This will provide vital information to underpin policies designed to gain the benefits of a flexible workplace, with minimum harm to workers.
The aim of this project is to design and implement a broad-ranging research program that produces in-depth knowledge of motorcycle rider behaviour, performance, and safety that can be used to inform and develop a broad, and integrated package of countermeasures and-or public policies to improve the safety of motorcycle riders. A key focus of the research program will be on the identification and characterisation of errors that give rise to incidents and crashes involving motorcycle riders. Austr ....The aim of this project is to design and implement a broad-ranging research program that produces in-depth knowledge of motorcycle rider behaviour, performance, and safety that can be used to inform and develop a broad, and integrated package of countermeasures and-or public policies to improve the safety of motorcycle riders. A key focus of the research program will be on the identification and characterisation of errors that give rise to incidents and crashes involving motorcycle riders. Australian motorcycle riders are three times more likely to be involved in a casualty crash than car drivers, and comprised 14% of the national road toll in 2005. The proposed research program aims to improve motorcycle safety by developing appropriate countermeasures that will be derived from the findings of simulator experiments, on-road studies, focus groups, and surveys. The results of these studies will be used to develop guidelines and recommendations for improving motorcycle safety.Read moreRead less
Which Heart Failure Intervention Is Most Cost-effective And Consumer Friendly In Reducing Hospital Care: The Which
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$921,640.00
Summary
Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a costly, debilitating and deadly condition that has reached near epidemic proportions in Australia. In the absence of a permanent cure for CHF, the number of people affected by CHF has risen beyond 350,000 and is expected to increase by 20-30% in the next 20 years. We recently reviewed the benefits of applying nurse-led, CHF management programs (CHF-MPs) to typically old and fragile patients, in whom recurrent hospital admissions and a premature death are common. ....Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a costly, debilitating and deadly condition that has reached near epidemic proportions in Australia. In the absence of a permanent cure for CHF, the number of people affected by CHF has risen beyond 350,000 and is expected to increase by 20-30% in the next 20 years. We recently reviewed the benefits of applying nurse-led, CHF management programs (CHF-MPs) to typically old and fragile patients, in whom recurrent hospital admissions and a premature death are common. We confirmed the results of pioneering Australian research that CHF-MPs dramatically improve health outcomes in CHF. CHF-MPs now form part of the recommended gold-standard management of CHF. However, we also have evidence that only a small proportion of patients are exposed to a CHF-MP in Australia. Residual issues such as consumer preference and the cost of applying these programs are hindering their wide-spread application. The WHICH? Study addresses this _road block� to implementing a potentially valuable health care service by tackling a number of critical issues: which form of CHF-MP (home or specialist clinic-based follow-up), will produce the best health outcomes, save the most money and meet the needs of consumers at the same time? To answer this question, we will undertake a randomised, head-to-head study of a home versus clinic-based CHF-MP, in 1000 recently hospitalised CHF patients recruited from SA, VIC, NSW and QLD. Patterns and of health care and consumer preferences and quality of life will then be compared for these two different forms of CHF-MP from a combined health economic, health policy and consumer perspective to determine the best form of CHF-MP to be applied. A _consensus� vision for applying an Australia-wide service will then be developed. The potential impact of the results of the study will then be modelled on the status of Australian CHF-MPs in the year 2010 and a blue-print for action devised.Read moreRead less
Dental Care And Oral Health For The Indigenous Communities Of South Australia's Mid-north
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$100,000.00
Summary
Improving access to dental services and oral health for Indigenous communities is a high priority. This project will initially involve the evaluation of oral health programs for Indigenous children in Port Augusta. This will guide the planning and implementation of programs for the other age groups and for the remote communities serviced by Pika Wiya Health Service. In addition, the project group will investigate the appropriateness of the developed strategies for implementation in other communi ....Improving access to dental services and oral health for Indigenous communities is a high priority. This project will initially involve the evaluation of oral health programs for Indigenous children in Port Augusta. This will guide the planning and implementation of programs for the other age groups and for the remote communities serviced by Pika Wiya Health Service. In addition, the project group will investigate the appropriateness of the developed strategies for implementation in other communities.Read moreRead less