Centre Of Research Excellence - Better Health Outcomes For Compensable Injury
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,500,000.00
Summary
Many people do not recover after a road traffic injury but develop chronic pain, disability and poor mental health. Health outcomes are worse for people who lodge a claim for injury compensation and/or engage a lawyer. The CRE will extend research and implementation beyond health services to the compensation and legal systems. Results will improve health outcomes advancing knowledge of system processes mediating recovery and implementing interventions that promote not hinder recovery.
Designing An Evidence-based Intervention To Improve Australian General Practitioners' Management Of Work-related Mental Health Claims
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Summary
Workplace-related mental health claims (MHCs) are an increasing reason for obtaining injury compensation in Australia. The aim of this study is to examine at a national level the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of GPs, workers’ compensation agents and mental health claimants in relation to MHC management. The outcomes from this study include a theoretically-informed and feasible intervention design that should improve the management of MHCs and increase rates of return to work.
Inter-rater Reliability And Predictive Validity Of A New Functional Capacity Evaluation For Chronic Back Pain
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$105,794.00
Summary
Back pain costs the Australian community tens of billions of dollars. Back pain is one of the main causes of work injury and lost time from work. The longer a person is off work, the harder it is to get them back to work. Workers' compensation systems around Australia aim at getting the injured worker with back pain back to work as soon as possible. One of the difficulties in this process is determining what the person with back pain can physically do in the workplace. An evaluation technique, c ....Back pain costs the Australian community tens of billions of dollars. Back pain is one of the main causes of work injury and lost time from work. The longer a person is off work, the harder it is to get them back to work. Workers' compensation systems around Australia aim at getting the injured worker with back pain back to work as soon as possible. One of the difficulties in this process is determining what the person with back pain can physically do in the workplace. An evaluation technique, called functional capacity evaluation (known as FCE), is one method used to find out what the person with back pain physically can and cannot do. In a FCE, a trained health professional such as an occupational therapist, observes the person performing a range of physical activities like the ones he or she may have to perform in a job. The therapist closely observes the person performing activities such as lifting, carrying, kneeling, crouching, balancing, and walking and notes any limitations in the person's ability to complete the activities. The therapist makes comments about what difficulties the person may have on the job and recommendations about how these could be reduced or eliminated. The information gained from these evaluations can be valuable for the treating doctor in deciding whether the person is ready to go back to work and what duties the person can and cannot do on the job. Because of such value they provide, FCE is commonly used in rehabilitation programs endorsed by workers' compensation systems around Australia. This widespread use and endorsement of FCE occurs despite limited research on the soundness of the ratings made from these evaluations. There is a need to see whether recommendations made from FCEs are consistent between therapists (i.e. reliable) and to see if the FCE accurately predicts the person's physical capacity for work. This research will examine these issues with injured workers with back pain.Read moreRead less
Vestibulo-ocular Reflex Physiology, Pathology And Rehabilitation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Summary
A sensation of movement from the inner ear is used to stabilise vision during head movements. Without it, every time you walk, run, or drive on a bumpy road, the world would appear to bounce. It can be debilitating when this sense doesn't work due to various diseases. This research examines how this sense works normally and the factors important for self-repair after injury. This work will also develop training exercises using a device for take-home balance rehabilitation.
A New Mouse Model That Determines The Effects Of A Unilateral Vestibular Prosthesis On Vestibular Plasticity.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$455,678.00
Summary
Much like a cochlear implant restores auditory function, a vestibular prosthesis restores balance function. It is not clear whether the limited results from vestibular prostheses is due the device not stimulating one component (the otoliths) of the vestibular system essential for self-repair. We will test mutant mice that lack otoliths to determine the importance of stimulating the otoliths in restoring function. This work will shape the future direction of prosthesis development.
Optimising Balance Function In Vestibular Schwannoma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$271,817.00
Summary
This project examines human balance function in subjects with vestibular Schwannoma, a slow growing tumor that presents with hearing loss and imbalance. We will measure inner ear balance function using 2 new non invasive tests called the video head impulse and the vestibular evoked myogenic potential. We will seek test parameters that predict tumor growth, explore reasons for post surgical imbalance, develop and validate home-based rehabilitation methods to optimise balance after surgery.
Development Of A Take-home Rehabilitation Device That Improves Visual Stability And Balance In Patients With Peripheral Vestibular Injury
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$789,377.00
Summary
The balance system senses head motion via the balance organs, one in each inner ear, and stabilises vision during head movements. Without it, every time you walk, run, or drive on a bumpy road, the world appears to bounce. We have developed a device shown to reliably 'train up' the balance system. Our aim is to develop this device further for effective take-home rehabilitation.