Mass Disseminable Approaches To Smoking Cessation In General Practice
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$412,100.00
Summary
Tobacco smoking is the most significant preventable cause of mortality in Australia. At any one time, many smokers want to quit. There are several interventions that are known to work in research settings, such as advice from care providers, self-help materials, drug therapies and telephone counselling. This study wants to find out if these strategies work in ordinary general practice. Over 50% of Australian have access to the Internet and research suggests that seeking health information is one ....Tobacco smoking is the most significant preventable cause of mortality in Australia. At any one time, many smokers want to quit. There are several interventions that are known to work in research settings, such as advice from care providers, self-help materials, drug therapies and telephone counselling. This study wants to find out if these strategies work in ordinary general practice. Over 50% of Australian have access to the Internet and research suggests that seeking health information is one of the most common uses of this technology. The rapid growth of Internet use potentially provides access to a number of cessation aids for tobacco smokers, including online support through 'chat rooms'. It is also possible to tailor interventions to individuals according to their stated interests and readiness to quit. General practitioners, in addition to providing support and care to smokers attemtping to quit, can direct them to community services such as Quit Victoria, which now offers smoking cessation programs tailored to individuals' needs delivered either through telephone counselling or by the Internet. We want to know whether more smokers quit successfully if their GP refers them to Quit services in addition to their usual care. As well as assessing the effectiveness of broadly distributable interventions in smoking cessation, this project will also collect data about the use of the Internet for health research. Little is known about how to perform research on the Web. This project will allow automatic monitoring of how people respond to research endeavours in this environment.Read moreRead less
RCT Of A Client-centred, Caseworker-delivered Smoking Cessation Intervention For A Socially Disadvantated Population
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$440,217.00
Summary
Smoking among the socially disadvantaged is unacceptably high. Little is known about the best way to reduce smoking among the disadvantaged. This study aims to lower smoking rates among clients attending community social services. Given smoking is the leading preventable cause of death and illness, the study has the potential to impact on the health and well-being of a particularly vulnerable sector of the community.
A Randomised Trial Assessing A Shade Development Intervention In Secondary Schools For Adolescent Skin Cancer Prevention
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$709,615.00
Summary
Skin cancer is a significant burden to health costs, and morbidity and mortality in Australia. Reduction of exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in sunlight, particularly during childhood and adolescence is an important strategy for preventing skin cancer in later life. Adolescents have been particularly resistant to skin cancer prevention messages. Despite a high knowledge of skin cancer, the majority of Australian adolescents report a reliance on sunscreen, a resistance to hat wearing, and ....Skin cancer is a significant burden to health costs, and morbidity and mortality in Australia. Reduction of exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in sunlight, particularly during childhood and adolescence is an important strategy for preventing skin cancer in later life. Adolescents have been particularly resistant to skin cancer prevention messages. Despite a high knowledge of skin cancer, the majority of Australian adolescents report a reliance on sunscreen, a resistance to hat wearing, and commonly experience sunburn, an important indicator of increased risk of skin cancer. Psycho-social interventions have shown limited influence on adolescents' sun protective behaviours to date. The current research proposal explores an alternative approach to psycho-social interventions for adolescents. The study will assess the effect of increasing available shade at secondary schools. In a randomised control trial study design, the change in the number of students using certain outdoor areas at intervention schools will be observed 'before' and 'after' the installation of built shade sail structures. Our main hypothesis states that the number of students using these newly shaded areas in intervention schools will increase compared with use of equivalent unshaded areas in control schools. Shade development is increasingly becoming an issue for secondary schools and given both the high cost of providing shade structures and adolescents' resistance to other forms of sun protection it is important to establish that adolescents will use this form of sun protection. This study will determine whether adolescents actively avoid or seek shade and so provide evidence for informing decisions about further investment in shade provision in schools.Read moreRead less
Kidskin: An Intervention To Reduce Sun Exposure In Children
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$307,775.00
Summary
Melanoma is an important public health problem in Australia. Almost all melanoma is caused by exposure to sunlight, and childhood exposure appears to be particularly important. Thus, if we can reduce childhood exposure, we should ultimately be able to reduce the incidence of melanoma. Despite nation-wide campaigns such as SunSmart, children in Australia still get too much sun exposure. The school offers an ideal opportunity for implementing sun-safety campaigns in children. In 1995, we began the ....Melanoma is an important public health problem in Australia. Almost all melanoma is caused by exposure to sunlight, and childhood exposure appears to be particularly important. Thus, if we can reduce childhood exposure, we should ultimately be able to reduce the incidence of melanoma. Despite nation-wide campaigns such as SunSmart, children in Australia still get too much sun exposure. The school offers an ideal opportunity for implementing sun-safety campaigns in children. In 1995, we began the Kidskin study, which aims to develop, implement and test a school-based program to reduce sun exposure. Preliminary data from the study show that we successfully reduced exposure. However, we are not certain that we have reduced their risk of melanoma. To see if we have reduced the risk of melanoma, we are counting the children's moles. Moles are strongly related to melanoma, and are our best way of measuring actual risk of melanoma. If we are successful, it will be the first time anyone has shown that reducing exposure to sunlight during childhood will lead to a reduction in the incidence of melanoma in later life.Read moreRead less
Randomised Trial Of A GP-initiated Tobacco Control Intervention With Arabic-speaking Smokers
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$232,000.00
Summary
Previous estimates of smoking rates among Arabic-speakers men and women range from 43% to 55%. No intervention has been designed specifically to target smoking in this community. Barriers to smoking cessation among Arabic-speakers are poorly understood. GPs find it difficult to counsel smokers about their smoking. Even when they do, they are as likely to use ineffective strategies. An alternative approach is referral of smokers by GPs to a smoking cessation skilled in evidence-based behavioural ....Previous estimates of smoking rates among Arabic-speakers men and women range from 43% to 55%. No intervention has been designed specifically to target smoking in this community. Barriers to smoking cessation among Arabic-speakers are poorly understood. GPs find it difficult to counsel smokers about their smoking. Even when they do, they are as likely to use ineffective strategies. An alternative approach is referral of smokers by GPs to a smoking cessation skilled in evidence-based behavioural strategies to facilitate abstinence. Therefore, we propose to conduct a randomised controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of referral of smokers attending general practices who offer consultation in Arabic to an Arabic-speaking counsellor for intensive support to improve quit rates at six and twelve months. We also will assess the acceptability of the intervention to smokers and GPs. Participating Arabic-speaking GPs in SWS will refer to the study about 1050 Arabic men and women aged between 18 and 65 years who self-report being current smokers. Participants will receive either intensive smoking cessation intervention or usual care provided by their GPs and self-help written information. The Intensive intervention will involve usual care by GPs and intensive smoking cessation counselling program that will involve series of scheduled telephone calls from an Arabic-speaking counsellor trained in smoking cessation counselling; printed self-help material in Arabic script and also will be offered a home visit and face-to-face counselling session. Results from this randomised trial will add to the scarce literature about smoking cessation among ethnic CALD minorities in Australia and overseas. If proven to be effective, a new choice will have been emerged to achieve optimal tobacco control in ethnic minorities in general practice. Divisions could consider employing bilingual counsellors as a resource for all GPs in their region.Read moreRead less
Helping Women Meet Their Activity Goals: Randomised Trial Of A Personalised Program Delivered By Mobile Telephone
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$493,346.00
Summary
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in Australian women, but is less likely among women who are active. Because women are less active than men, and women with young children are the least active of all, we developed a program to increase postnatal women's physical activity. Women in the pilot study reported high program satisfaction and more physical activity, because the program focused on them (not their kids) and helped them prioritise time for physical activity.
WALK 2.0: Investigating The Internal And External Validity Of Web 2.0 Applications In Promoting Physical Activity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$934,436.00
Summary
More then half of the Australian population do not meet the recommended levels of physical activity to achieve health benefits. Internet based physical activity interventions which include innovative technology have the potential to reach large groups of individuals and contribute to physical activity promotion. This study evaluates the efficacy and utility of Web 2.0 applications to promote physical activity.
Efficacy Of Exercise Physiologist Counselling In Primary Care Patients: A RCT Of Two Pragmatic Approaches
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$940,925.00
Summary
Physical activity is one of the most powerful contributors to health, but population levels of activity are low. General practitioners (GPs) are well placed to provide physical activity counselling, but many are too busy. This project examines the effectiveness of referral of insufficiently active adults to an exercise physiologist (EP), using step counts from a pedometer as the outcome. We compare usual care from the GP with: (1) 5 EP visits, and (2) a single visit and telephone follow up.
Physical Activity And Nutrition For Seniors (PANS)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$477,956.00
Summary
Research has shown that participation in physical activity and the consumption of a healthy diet for older people can produce significant health benefits. The aim of this study is to develop and evaluate a low cost, accessible, sustainable and replicable, home based physical activity and nutrition program for older people aged 55 to 70 that will ultimately reduce chronic disease (obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease), and improve mental health.
An Intervention To Improve The Nutrition And Physical Activity Behaviours In Mothers With Young Children
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$474,780.00
Summary
The aim of the project is to develop, implement and evaluate a six-month community based intervention that will improve the nutrition and physical activity behaviours of mothers with young children. As mothers are a major influence among the family, an intervention that successfully improves physical activity and nutrition behaviours will also impact on behaviours of the whole family making it a 'whole family' approach.