A Controlled Multi-faceted Community Intervention Trial To Improve The Oral Health Of Preschool Aged Child In Rural VIC
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$100,000.00
Summary
Pre-school aged children living in rural Victoria have worse dental health than that of their metropolitan counterparts. This is due in part to the lack of exposure to water fluoridation, difficulty accessing dental services and other sociodemographic issues. Whilst most pre-school aged children do not routinely get taken to a dentist, they do come into contact with local community nursing and medical staff. The aim of this project is to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of improving or ....Pre-school aged children living in rural Victoria have worse dental health than that of their metropolitan counterparts. This is due in part to the lack of exposure to water fluoridation, difficulty accessing dental services and other sociodemographic issues. Whilst most pre-school aged children do not routinely get taken to a dentist, they do come into contact with local community nursing and medical staff. The aim of this project is to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of improving oral health for these preschool aged children by developing oral health promotion skills in the existing local medical, nursing and dental practitioners, augmented by referral pathways that improve accessibility to dental services.Read moreRead less
Comparison Of Three Workforce Models To Improve Oral Health & Public Dental Care For Disadvantaged Adults Living In Rura
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$98,131.00
Summary
The proposed study will compare two workforce models incorporating new clinical teams with new programs (oral health promotion, prevention and timely restorative dental care) in targeted communities in rural Tasmania with the existing model of public sector dental service. The results will provide an evidence-base for both workforce and service delivery policy and planning to improve access and equity in oral health and public dental care for people in rural areas.
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
Remote Indigenous Oral Health Testing A Commmunity Based Model Of Oral Health Promotion
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$77,152.00
Summary
Development and trial of an oral health promotion package for remote Aboriginal groups based on community consultations. This would include the development of visual health promotion packages in local language. The aim is to develop sustainable change in oral health behaviours.
Intervention Strategies For The Prevention Of Early Childhood Caries
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$125,000.00
Summary
Rampant dental decay in young children remains an important challenge for preventive dentistry. Although it is a preventable disease, the prevalence is high in many disadvantaged communities. The study will examine a few intervention programs to determine their effectiveness in preventing early childhood decay. These include brushing the teeth with a safe, dental antibacterial gel compared to traditional oral hygiene methods. Brushing with antibacterial gels at crucial times during the establish ....Rampant dental decay in young children remains an important challenge for preventive dentistry. Although it is a preventable disease, the prevalence is high in many disadvantaged communities. The study will examine a few intervention programs to determine their effectiveness in preventing early childhood decay. These include brushing the teeth with a safe, dental antibacterial gel compared to traditional oral hygiene methods. Brushing with antibacterial gels at crucial times during the establishment of the oral flora is likely to prevent decay-causing bacteria from colonising a child’s mouth, so that the risk of dental decay is reduced, not only during childhood, but possibly extending to adulthood as well.Read moreRead less
In virtually every major industry, quality improvement has been based on measuring and monitoring performance. There is good evidence to show that when processes and outcome data is measured and compared, improvements are made. Healthcare has been slow to introduce systematic measurement across the sector, however internationally this is rapidly changing. In Australia, we have data available to measure quality and safety; however it is not collected systematically or consistently between states ....In virtually every major industry, quality improvement has been based on measuring and monitoring performance. There is good evidence to show that when processes and outcome data is measured and compared, improvements are made. Healthcare has been slow to introduce systematic measurement across the sector, however internationally this is rapidly changing. In Australia, we have data available to measure quality and safety; however it is not collected systematically or consistently between states and territories. Our aim is to develop a national set of high quality, credible indicators using existing data sources to measure healthcare performance in regard to safety and quality in clinical practice. We propose a “probes in the pudding” approach, where each probe measures the performance of one aspect of the healthcare system. Coded administrative hospital data collected mainly for financial reasons has potential to be used as quality indicators. However, to provide an accurate picture, indicators must take into account people’s risk factors over which the doctor has no control but which can influence outcome. For example, a hospital in an area surrounded by a principally elderly population would be more likely to have a higher death rate than a hospital admitting younger patients. In effect, indicators must compare apples with apples. We will further test ways in which clinical patient information databases can be linked to develop quality indicators. For example, by linking pharmacy data with hospital data we can monitor whether patients are receiving appropriate medication. The most reliable data for use in measuring quality exists in registries, which have been established for a number of procedures and conditions in Australia. We will investigate ways in which registries can be better standardised at a national level. We will compare registry data with administrative hospital data to investigate how quality indicators can be developed which provide an accurate picture of the health system. This program will succeed because it can be implemented at a low cost using data readily available in most Australian health settings. The group doing the research consists of consumer advocates and people with knowledge in the use of administrative data and registries, health policy, law, research design and statistics.Read moreRead less
A Computer Model Of Service Delivery For Behavioural And Psychological Symptoms Of Dementia: A Tool For Policy Makers An
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$400,108.00
Summary
Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) affect approximate 90% of persons with dementia. BPSD include depression, aggression and psychosis and have negative effects on persons with dementia and carers. Management of BPSD is costly. This project will update and enhance our theoretical model of service delivery for BPSD by turning it into a computer-based model to assist health managers and policy makers. This model will incorporate the projected increase in prevalence of dementi ....Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) affect approximate 90% of persons with dementia. BPSD include depression, aggression and psychosis and have negative effects on persons with dementia and carers. Management of BPSD is costly. This project will update and enhance our theoretical model of service delivery for BPSD by turning it into a computer-based model to assist health managers and policy makers. This model will incorporate the projected increase in prevalence of dementia and project associated costs of care into the future. It will also incorporate information about interventions for BPSD, and how they may affect prevalence and cost in the future.Read moreRead less
Models Of Care To Address Unmet Of Older Indigenous With Dementia Their Families And Communites Living In Remote WA
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,081,060.00
Summary
The health and unmet needs of older Indigenous people, particularly in remote and rural areas is generally under researched. It is well known that the life expectancy of indigenous people is approximately 20 years younger than non-Indigenous counterparts. Many illnesses generally experienced by non Indigenous people in older ages (e.g. 75 years) are seen at a much younger age in Indigenous populations. These conditions include dementia, falls, incontinence, premature heart disease and strokes. O ....The health and unmet needs of older Indigenous people, particularly in remote and rural areas is generally under researched. It is well known that the life expectancy of indigenous people is approximately 20 years younger than non-Indigenous counterparts. Many illnesses generally experienced by non Indigenous people in older ages (e.g. 75 years) are seen at a much younger age in Indigenous populations. These conditions include dementia, falls, incontinence, premature heart disease and strokes. Over the last 4 years the applicants of this project have started to address some of the health related problems faced by older Indigenous people, particularly the challenging area of dementia. The authors have developed a culturally appropriate assessment tool to help determine if an older Indigenous person has dementia. This has been very successful and is now frequently used by health professionals in remote and rural areas of Australia. A survey is in the final stages of completion to determine the estimated number of people in remote areas of the Kimberley who manifest signs and symptoms of dementia and associated old age diseases. Preliminary data sadly indicate that the frequency of dementia is higher than expected for people of this age group. The next phase of this project is to determine the unmet needs of this vulnerable group, by interviewing those with dementia and their families, communities and service providers in remote areas of Kimberley and Pilbara. This will determine culturally appropriate and practical ways to provide care to assist those with this condition and their families and communities.Read moreRead less