A Brief Couple-focussed Psychoeducational Intervention To Prevent Postnatal Mental Health Problems In Women: A Cluster Randomised Trial.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$703,437.00
Summary
Mental health problems in women after childbirth are of national concern. Interventions to prevent these have had little success. What Were We Thinking (WWWT) is a promising new program for mothers, fathers and newborns. It provides knowledge and skills about soothing and settling babies and enhancing parents’ understanding of their changed needs and how to share the workload fairly. This trial will test whether WWWT improves women’s mental health in the first six months of motherhood.
CRE In Traumatic Brain Injury Psychosocial Rehabilitation: Breaking Down Barriers For Social Reintegration
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,678,530.00
Summary
Severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) from motor vehicle accidents, assaults and accidents will surpass many diseases as the major cause of disability in the Western world by 2020. It causes cognitive and emotional disorders that result in unemployment, loss of relationships, social isolation and depression in adults and children. This CRE is a world first, tackling deficits in fatigue, mood, self-awareness and self-regulation and social competency, i.e. speech, social skills and communication.
Supporting Older Adults With Dementia With Driving Cessation And Mobility: An Innovative Telehealth Approach
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,868,907.00
Summary
This program addresses dementia and driving cessation, a significant life event for people with dementia and challenge in primary care. We will translate an evidence-based driving cessation intervention into a telehealth model and implement it in a national cRCT. Expectations are that drivers with dementia will make independent decisions about stopping driving, however interventions are urgently needed to support people with dementia, their families and GPs to manage the challenges.
Controlled Clinical Trial Of Desensitization To Chronic Pain
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$349,149.00
Summary
An estimated 17.1% of males and 20.0% of females in NSW report having chronic pain. Chronic pain sufferers are major users of health services, with frequent medical consultations and high pharmacological consumption. A recent NSW population-based study found that 78% of pain sufferers had consulted at least one healthcare practitioner in the previous 6 months about their pain, and 71% of those sampled were taking regular oral analgesic medications. Disability due to chronic pain is often associa ....An estimated 17.1% of males and 20.0% of females in NSW report having chronic pain. Chronic pain sufferers are major users of health services, with frequent medical consultations and high pharmacological consumption. A recent NSW population-based study found that 78% of pain sufferers had consulted at least one healthcare practitioner in the previous 6 months about their pain, and 71% of those sampled were taking regular oral analgesic medications. Disability due to chronic pain is often associated with higher levels of distress and use of healthcare services. Unfortunately, at present there are no lasting curative treatments for most chronic pain conditions and most people with these conditions are told they have to learn to live with their ongoing pain. One of the most effective ways of teaching chronic pain sufferers to live with their pain are known as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) interventions. But even though many find these methods helpful, a significant proportion of cases remain distressed by their pain. This places them at higher risk of relapse and further treatment seeking. If this group of pain sufferers could be taught more effective ways of minimising their pain-related distress, their overall functional and long-term quality of life goals could be maximised. The study has the potential to achieve a major improvement in outcomes for distressed patients with disabling chronic pain, traditionally a very intractable group. The study would also have important implications for the prevention of disability associated with persisting pain. If successful, it could alter the ways in which many health professionals advise patients to cope with their chronic pain, especially in relation to the use of the common modalities of relaxation and distraction techniques, as well as the use of pain reducing interventions. The study represents the first major clinical test of an alternative to these traditional modalities.Read moreRead less
Acquiring Severe Communication Disabilities- Interactions, Perceptions And Adjustment Of Friends And The Public
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$104,018.00
Summary
People with severe communication impairments are rarely studied in everyday interactions. It is unclear how these people manage everyday affairs with friends and the community in the absence of intact language, speech, voice, or cognition. This project will inform Speech Pathologists of the range of communication strategies used by these people to function in the community. It will also lead to an urgently needed training program for the community to maximise reintegration for these people.
Randomised Controlled Trial Of Early Intervention To Improve Sexual And Couple Functioning After Prostate Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$405,000.00
Summary
Treatment for localised prostate cancer has a long term negative impact on the sexuality, quality of life, and relationship quality of Australian men and their intimate partners. This study will trial a remote access couples based sexuality intervention for this patient and carer group that has potential for broader translation into community and acute health care settings. This approach will also have broader application for chronic disease self management for other health conditions.
Cancer Genomics; Psychosocial, Behavioural And Ethical Issues And Outcomes, Two Inter-related Longitudinal Studies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$506,654.00
Summary
Over 1/3 of patients with cancer will die of their disease. Genomics offers hope of more tailored risk management and treatment, but will only realize its promise if patients understand, cope with, inform relatives about, and make informed decisions based on, genomic results. This study will be the first internationally to explore the knowledge, attitudes, preferences, experiences and outcomes of cancer patients who undergo genomic testing and their relatives, over time.
Preventing Early Internalising Problems In The Preschool Setting: Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$893,870.00
Summary
Internalising mental health problems reflect inner emotional distress and encompass all symptoms of anxiety and depression. Affecting 1 in 7 Australian school-age children, many internalising problems persist into adulthood, impacting on personal wellbeing, family relations and workforce capabilities. This randomised prevention trial in the preschool-setting, screens for children at-risk and tests if a parenting program can reduce internalising problems across the population by school-entry.