Should I Take Low Dose Aspirin? The 'Optimise' Decision Aid Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$437,337.00
Summary
An aspirin per day reduces cancer risk as well as protecting against heart disease and stroke. It's readily available, affordable and could potentially reduce the two most common causes of death and disease in Australia. However, aspirin also increases the chance of bleeding and that needs to be weighed up against the potential benefits. The challenge for patients and their healthcare providers is personalising this evidence for the individual patient. Our study develops and tests an online tool ....An aspirin per day reduces cancer risk as well as protecting against heart disease and stroke. It's readily available, affordable and could potentially reduce the two most common causes of death and disease in Australia. However, aspirin also increases the chance of bleeding and that needs to be weighed up against the potential benefits. The challenge for patients and their healthcare providers is personalising this evidence for the individual patient. Our study develops and tests an online tool that does just that.Read moreRead less
Reducing Antibiotic Use In Primary Care: A Cluster Randomised Trial To Evaluate The Effectiveness Of Decision Aids About Antibiotic Use For Acute Respiratory Infections
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$325,500.00
Summary
Antibiotic resistance is a worldwide crisis. It means antibiotics no longer work. Reducing their use is critical. Acute respiratory infections (eg ear infections, sore throats, cough) are a target for reducing use as they are the most common reason that general practitioners (GPs) prescribe antibiotics, despite being usually not needed. This trial will test if decision aids reduce antibiotic use, by helping GPs and patients to discuss their benefits and harms and jointly decide about their use.
Translating Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Guidelines Into General Practice: A Behavioural Intervention Within A Systems Approach To Improve Evidence-based Practice
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
This project will develop, evaluate and implement a combined GP and patient intervention to improve cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention, by increasing: 1) use of CVD risk calculators; 2) guidelines-based prescribing of medication to high risk and not low risk patients; and 3) patient understanding of CVD risk/management options and involvement in decision making. This will improve care for millions of patients, reduce the cost of CVD, and develop new methods to improve other areas of health.
Often when people are sick they cannot communicate their wishes regarding medical decisions. This research will explore, through surveys and interviews, how older general practice patients understand these decisions and how their understanding compares with that of their loved ones and their general practitioner. We aim to provide an insight into the meaning people give to these decisions thereby assisting those who wish to plan for their future medical care and their doctors.
The Development Of A Composite Index Of Need For Regional Maternity Services: The Australian Regional Birthing Index (ARBI)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$486,975.00
Summary
the Australian Regional Birthing Index (ARBI) is to be developed in response to the National Maternity Services Plan recommendation for an index to guide the provision of maternity services in rural and remote Australia. This index uses the size, remoteness, and vulnerability of the community, plus lessons learnt from the Canadian rural birth index. An Expert Panel of experienced clinicians, health planners and policy makers and managers of services will guide and test the feasibility of impleme ....the Australian Regional Birthing Index (ARBI) is to be developed in response to the National Maternity Services Plan recommendation for an index to guide the provision of maternity services in rural and remote Australia. This index uses the size, remoteness, and vulnerability of the community, plus lessons learnt from the Canadian rural birth index. An Expert Panel of experienced clinicians, health planners and policy makers and managers of services will guide and test the feasibility of implementing this index.Read moreRead less
The FaXeS Study. Offering Fragile X Carrier Testing To Women: Comparing Prenatal And Preconception Screening.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$432,883.00
Summary
Fragile X syndrome is the leading cause of inherited intellectual disability. A genetic screening test is available to detect carriers of this condition. Using questionnaires and interviews we will directly compare carrier screening in pregnant and non-pregnant women in the general community, looking at issues such as informed decision-making, test uptake and its predictors and cost-effectiveness. This will be critical to inform policy and guidelines for genetic screening programs.
A Randomised Controlled Trial Of A Decision Aid For Prenatal Screening And Diagnosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$269,625.00
Summary
Prenatal screening is becoming increasingly available to pregnant women in many countries, including Australia, to test for Down syndrome and other chromosomal disorders as well as neural tube defects. Almost half the pregnant women in Victoria are now undergoing prenatal screening. Inherent in all screening tests is the possibility of false positive or false negative results. More than 5% of all women undergoing prenatal screening are likely to receive false positive results and must decide whe ....Prenatal screening is becoming increasingly available to pregnant women in many countries, including Australia, to test for Down syndrome and other chromosomal disorders as well as neural tube defects. Almost half the pregnant women in Victoria are now undergoing prenatal screening. Inherent in all screening tests is the possibility of false positive or false negative results. More than 5% of all women undergoing prenatal screening are likely to receive false positive results and must decide whether to put the pregnancy at risk of miscarriage, or a possible pregnancy termination, as a result of the necessary follow-up invasive diagnostic test. Many women do not realise they may have to face this decision. Others are not aware that their baby may be born with undiagnosed problems even if they have the screening test. One aspect of care that is likely to have a crucial influence on women's experience of screening is how much they are informed about a test prior to undergoing it. Most women visit a GP early in the first trimester of pregnancy. This visit provides an opportunity for information provision about prenatal screening. Decision aids have been developed as adjuncts to practitioners' counselling to prepare patients for decision-making. In this project we will be developing a decision aid for women considering their prenatal screening options. A randomised controlled trial will compare the efficacy of a general educational pamphlet to that of a tailored decision aid in preparing women for decision-making about prenatal screening. A total of 500 women who are less than 11 weeks pregnant and are attending one of 50 GPs will be included. Self-report questionnaires will be used to assess women immediately after use of the educational materials and then again at 24 weeks of pregnancy. The impact of the educational materials on informed choice, decisional conflict, anxiety, depression and uptake of prenatal screening tests will be compared.Read moreRead less