ORCID Profile
0000-0001-9963-8693
Current Organisations
University of New South Wales
,
University College London
,
CSIRO
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Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 06-04-2022
Abstract: ardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus are two of the most prevalent chronic conditions worldwide. An unhealthy lifestyle greatly contributes to someone’s risk of developing these conditions. Mobile health is an emerging technology that can help deliver health promotion interventions to the population, for ex le, in the form of health apps. he aim of this study was to test the feasibility of an app-based intervention for cardiovascular and diabetes risk awareness and prevention by measuring nonusage, dropout, adherence to app use, and usability of the app over 3 months. articipants were eligible if they were aged 45 years or older, resided in Australia, were free of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, were fluent in English, and owned a smartphone. In the beginning, participants received an email with instructions on how to install the app and a user guide. After 3 months, they received an email with an invitation to an end-of-study survey. The survey included questions about general smartphone use and the user version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale. We analyzed app-generated and survey data by using descriptive and inferential statistics as well as thematic analysis for open-text comments. ecruitment took place between September and October 2021. Of the 46 participants who consented to the study, 20 (44%) never used the app and 15 (33%) dropped out. The median age of the app users at baseline was 62 (IQR 56-67) years. Adherence to app use, that is, using the app at least once a week over 3 months, was 17% (8/46) of the total s le and 31% (8/26) of all app users. The mean app quality rating on the user version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale was 3.5 (SD 0.6) of 5 points. The app scored the highest for the information section and the lowest for the engagement section of the scale. onusage and dropouts were too high, and the adherence was too low to consider the intervention in its current form feasible. Potential barriers that we identified include the research team not actively engaging with participants early in the study to verify that all participants could install the app, the intervention did not involve direct contact with health care professionals, and the app did not have enough interactive features.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.SAPHARM.2018.07.013
Abstract: Point-of-care tests are characterised through the ability of conducting them near the patient's side without the necessity of a laboratory. They can be applied in different healthcare settings to improve patients' access to testing. To evaluate the effectiveness and analytical quality of point-of-care tests performed in the community pharmacy. Six electronic databases were systematically searched using a predefined search strategy. Interventional studies that reported on the effectiveness of the point-of-care tests and accuracy studies that investigated their analytical quality were included. The literature search, study selection, and data extraction were performed independently by two researchers. In total, eleven studies were identified focusing on blood glucose, cholesterol, creatinine, uric acid, liver enzymes, international normalized ratio for anticoagulation therapy, bone mineral density for osteoporosis, forced expiratory volume for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and infection with human immunodeficiency virus. The included studies showed that point-of-care tests that were conducted and analysed in community pharmacies had satisfactory analytical quality and that the interventions applying these tests were effective overall. Community pharmacies are well suited to deliver a wide range of point-of-care tests. In the future this will allow easier access to various screening and diagnostic tests for patients.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 26-02-2020
Abstract: Introduction: In recent decades the role of the Australian community pharmacist has evolved to focus primarily on pharmaceutical care provision. Despite this, compounding remains an important product service offered by pharmacists. The aim of this study was to qualitatively describe the current integration of training in compounding within Bachelor of Pharmacy courses in Australia. Methods: The Australian Health Practitioner Regulatory Agency website was searched to identify eligible university courses. Subsequently, the educational providers’ homepages were consulted, and Bachelor of Pharmacy handbooks and curricula perused. All relevant information regarding training in compounding was extracted. Results: In total, 16 Bachelor of Pharmacy courses were identified. All of these contain compounding training in their curricula, including laboratory classes. Most curricula have units specifically dedicated to compounding and drug formulation. Three universities offer a curriculum which is organ-systems based, and include compounding relevant to the in idual organ systems. Discussion and Conclusions: In Australia, the training in compounding is well integrated into pharmacy curriculum and is more emphasised than in many other developed countries. This is congruent with the International Pharmaceutical Federation’s needs-based approach to local pharmacy education. In Australia there is a need for pharmacists to routinely dispense simple compounded products. Further research is required to evaluate Australian pharmacy graduates’ compounding abilities and how best to promote the achievement of the required knowledge and skills to enable simple compounding.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 17-05-2018
Abstract: Laboratory tests can be important tools for the assessment of pharmacotherapy. Nonetheless, there are no previous studies that have explicitly focused on the role of pathology data in Home Medicines Reviews (HMR), an Australian medication review program. Evaluate pharmacists' recommendations regarding laboratory testing in the medication review process. This retrospective review of HMRs assessed the prevalence of the pathology data provided by general practitioners. Additionally, the pharmacists' recommendations based on these laboratory data were compared with national and international guidelines. In total, 580 reports were evaluated. Of these, 179 reports did not contain any pathology data. Pharmacists commented on provided laboratory values in 324 reports and recommended further testing in 473 reports. Not all suggestions were related to previous values or were in line with guidelines. Most recommendations were regarding vitamin D and lipids (69% and 62% of medication review reports, respectively). Particularly, regarding renal impairment, pharmacists used their knowledge on dose adjustments and contraindications. In relation to full blood count, vitamin B12, and thyroid function, unjustified screenings were often recommended. In 26% of all reports, the pharmacists requested an array of tests without explaining the necessity for these tests. Conclusion and Relevance: Pharmacists provided useful advice based on the pathology data, which was concordant with national and international guidelines however, in some cases, there was no rationale for the test recommendations provided. The outcome of the HMR program might be further enhanced if pharmacists had direct access to the patients' pathology data.
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 19-11-2021
Abstract: ardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are posing a huge burden on health care systems worldwide. Mobile apps can deliver behavior change interventions for chronic disease prevention on a large scale, but current evidence for their effectiveness is limited. his paper reported on the development and user testing of a mobile app that aims at increasing risk awareness and engaging users in behavior change. It would form part of an intervention for primary prevention of CVD and T2DM. he theoretical framework of the app design was based on the Behaviour Change Wheel, combined with the capability, opportunity, and motivation for behavior change system and the behavior change techniques from the Behavior Change Technique Taxonomy (version 1). In addition, evidence from scientific literature has guided the development process. The prototype was tested for user-friendliness via an iterative approach. We conducted semistructured interviews with in iduals in the target populations, which included the System Usability Scale. We transcribed and analyzed the interviews using descriptive statistics for the System Usability Scale and thematic analysis to identify app features that improved utility and usability. he target population was Australians aged ≥45 years. The app included 4 core modules (risk score, goal setting, health measures, and education). In these modules, users learned about their risk for CVD and T2DM set goals for smoking, alcohol consumption, diet, and physical activity and tracked them. In total, we included 12 behavior change techniques. We conducted 2 rounds of usability testing, each involving 5 participants. The average age of the participants was 58 (SD 8) years. Totally, 60% (6/10) of the participants owned iPhone Operating System phones, and 40% (4/10) of them owned Android phones. In the first round, we identified a technical issue that prevented 30% (3/10) of the participants from completing the registration process. Among the 70% (7/10) of participants who were able to complete the registration process, 71% (5/7) rated the app above average, based on the System Usability Scale. During the interviews, we identified some issues related to functionality, content, and language and clarity. We used the participants’ feedback to improve these aspects. e developed the app using behavior change theory and scientific evidence. The user testing allowed us to identify and remove technical errors and integrate additional functions into the app, which the participants had requested. Next, we will evaluate the feasibility of the revised version of the app developed through this design process and usability testing.
Publisher: Royal College of General Practitioners
Date: 07-08-2023
Abstract: Alcohol and smoking brief interventions (BI) in general practice have been shown to be effective in lowering alcohol- and smoking-related harm. Assess prevalence of self-reported BI receipt among increasing/higher risk drinkers and past-year smokers in Great Britain (GB) and associations between intervention receipt and socioeconomic position. Monthly population-based survey in England, Scotland, and Wales. The study comprised 47,799 participants (15,573 increasing/higher risk drinkers (AUDIT-C score ≥5), 7791 past-year smokers) surveyed via telephone in 2020-2022 (during the COVID-19 pandemic). All data were self-reported. Prevalence of self-reported BI receipt was assessed descriptively associations between receipt and socioeconomic position were analysed using logistic regression. Among adults in GB, 32.2% (95% CI 31.8–32.7) reported increasing/higher risk drinking and 17.7% (95% CI 17.3–18.1) past-year smoking. Among increasing/higher risk drinkers, 58.0% (95% CI 57.1–58.9) consulted with a general practitioner in the past year, and of these, 4.1% (95% CI 3.6–4.6) reported receiving BIs. Among past-year smokers, 55.8% (95% CI 54.5–57.1) attended general practice in the past year. Of these, 41.0% (95% CI 39.4–42.7) stated receiving BIs. There was a tendency for socioeconomically disadvantaged patients to receive more alcohol (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.38 95% CI 1.10–1.73) or smoking BIs (aOR 1.11 95% CI 0.98–1.26), but for the latter the results were statistically non-significant. Results did not differ notably by nation within GB. BIs in general practice are more common for smoking than for alcohol, but for alcohol a greater proportion is delivered to socioeconomically disadvantaged increasing/higher risk drinkers.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 16-08-2020
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 10-12-2018
DOI: 10.3390/JCM7120533
Abstract: The prolongation of the QT interval is a relatively rare but serious adverse drug reaction. It can lead to torsade de pointes, which is potentially life-threatening. The study’s objectives were: determine the use of QT interval-prolonging drugs in an elderly community-dwelling population at risk of medication misadventure and identify recommendations regarding the risk of QT interval prolongation made by pharmacists when performing medication reviews. In a retrospective evaluation, 500 medication review reports from Australian pharmacists were analysed. In patients taking at least one QT interval-prolonging drug, the in idual risk of drug-induced QT interval prolongation was assessed. Recommendations of pharmacists to avoid the occurrence of this drug-related problem were examined. There was a high prevalence of use of potentially QT interval-prolonging drugs (71% patients), with 11% of patients taking at least one drug with a known risk. Pharmacists provided specific recommendations in only eight out of 35 patients (23%) with a high-risk score and taking drugs with known risk of QT interval prolongation. Pharmacists’ recommendations, when present, were focused on drugs with known risk of QT interval prolongation, rather than patients’ additional risk factors. There is a need to improve knowledge and awareness of this topic among pharmacists performing medication reviews.
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 10-05-2022
DOI: 10.2196/35065
Abstract: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are posing a huge burden on health care systems worldwide. Mobile apps can deliver behavior change interventions for chronic disease prevention on a large scale, but current evidence for their effectiveness is limited. This paper reported on the development and user testing of a mobile app that aims at increasing risk awareness and engaging users in behavior change. It would form part of an intervention for primary prevention of CVD and T2DM. The theoretical framework of the app design was based on the Behaviour Change Wheel, combined with the capability, opportunity, and motivation for behavior change system and the behavior change techniques from the Behavior Change Technique Taxonomy (version 1). In addition, evidence from scientific literature has guided the development process. The prototype was tested for user-friendliness via an iterative approach. We conducted semistructured interviews with in iduals in the target populations, which included the System Usability Scale. We transcribed and analyzed the interviews using descriptive statistics for the System Usability Scale and thematic analysis to identify app features that improved utility and usability. The target population was Australians aged ≥45 years. The app included 4 core modules (risk score, goal setting, health measures, and education). In these modules, users learned about their risk for CVD and T2DM set goals for smoking, alcohol consumption, diet, and physical activity and tracked them. In total, we included 12 behavior change techniques. We conducted 2 rounds of usability testing, each involving 5 participants. The average age of the participants was 58 (SD 8) years. Totally, 60% (6/10) of the participants owned iPhone Operating System phones, and 40% (4/10) of them owned Android phones. In the first round, we identified a technical issue that prevented 30% (3/10) of the participants from completing the registration process. Among the 70% (7/10) of participants who were able to complete the registration process, 71% (5/7) rated the app above average, based on the System Usability Scale. During the interviews, we identified some issues related to functionality, content, and language and clarity. We used the participants’ feedback to improve these aspects. We developed the app using behavior change theory and scientific evidence. The user testing allowed us to identify and remove technical errors and integrate additional functions into the app, which the participants had requested. Next, we will evaluate the feasibility of the revised version of the app developed through this design process and usability testing.
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 07-2022
DOI: 10.2196/38469
Abstract: Cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus are two of the most prevalent chronic conditions worldwide. An unhealthy lifestyle greatly contributes to someone’s risk of developing these conditions. Mobile health is an emerging technology that can help deliver health promotion interventions to the population, for ex le, in the form of health apps. The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of an app-based intervention for cardiovascular and diabetes risk awareness and prevention by measuring nonusage, dropout, adherence to app use, and usability of the app over 3 months. Participants were eligible if they were aged 45 years or older, resided in Australia, were free of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, were fluent in English, and owned a smartphone. In the beginning, participants received an email with instructions on how to install the app and a user guide. After 3 months, they received an email with an invitation to an end-of-study survey. The survey included questions about general smartphone use and the user version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale. We analyzed app-generated and survey data by using descriptive and inferential statistics as well as thematic analysis for open-text comments. Recruitment took place between September and October 2021. Of the 46 participants who consented to the study, 20 (44%) never used the app and 15 (33%) dropped out. The median age of the app users at baseline was 62 (IQR 56-67) years. Adherence to app use, that is, using the app at least once a week over 3 months, was 17% (8/46) of the total s le and 31% (8/26) of all app users. The mean app quality rating on the user version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale was 3.5 (SD 0.6) of 5 points. The app scored the highest for the information section and the lowest for the engagement section of the scale. Nonusage and dropouts were too high, and the adherence was too low to consider the intervention in its current form feasible. Potential barriers that we identified include the research team not actively engaging with participants early in the study to verify that all participants could install the app, the intervention did not involve direct contact with health care professionals, and the app did not have enough interactive features.
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 08-09-2023
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 27-08-2018
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 06-06-2020
Abstract: igital technology is an opportunity for public health interventions to reach a large part of the population. his systematic literature review aimed to assess the effectiveness of mobile health–based interventions in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. e conducted the systematic search in 7 electronic databases using a predefined search strategy. We included articles published between inception of the databases and March 2019 if they reported on the effectiveness of an intervention for prevention of cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes via mobile technology. One researcher performed the search, study selection, data extraction, and methodological quality assessment. The steps were validated by the other members of the research team he search yielded 941 articles for cardiovascular disease, of which 3 met the inclusion criteria, and 732 for type 2 diabetes, of which 6 met the inclusion criteria. The methodological quality of the studies was low, with the main issue being nonblinding of participants. Of the selected studies, 4 used SMS text messaging, 1 used WhatsApp, and the remaining ones used specific smartphone apps. Weight loss and reduction in BMI were the most reported successful outcomes (reported in 4 studies). vidence on the effectiveness of mobile health-based interventions in reducing the risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes is low due to the quality of the studies and the small effects that were measured. This highlights the need for further high-quality research to investigate the potential of mobile health interventions. nternational Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) CRD42019135405 www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=135405
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 07-09-2022
DOI: 10.2196/37343
Abstract: The digital transformation has the potential to change health care toward more consumers’ involvement, for ex le, in the form of health-related apps which are already widely available through app stores. These could be useful in helping people understand their risk of chronic conditions and helping them to live more healthily. With this study, we assessed mobile health app use among older Australians in general and among those who were at risk of cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes mellitus. In this cross-sectional analysis, we used data from the second follow-up wave of the 45 and Up Study. It is a cohort study from New South Wales, Australia, with 267,153 participants aged 45 years and older that is based on a random s le from the Services Australia (formerly the Australian Government Department of Human Services) Medicare enrollment database. The 2019 follow-up questionnaire contained questions about technology and mobile health use. We further used data on prescribed drugs and hospitalizations to identify participants who already had cardiovascular disease or diabetes or who were at risk of these conditions. Our primary outcome measure was mobile health use, defined as having used a mobile health app before. We used descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression to answer the research questions. Overall, 31,946 in iduals with a median age of 69 (IQR 63-76) years had completed the follow-up questionnaire in 2019. We classified half (16,422/31,946, 51.41%) of these as being at risk of cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes mellitus and 38.04% (12,152/31,946) as having cardiovascular disease or type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus. The proportion of mobile health app users among the at-risk group was 31.46% (5166/16,422) compared to 29.16% (9314/31,946) in the total s le. Those who used mobile health apps were more likely to be female, younger, without physical disability, and with a higher income. People at risk of cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes mellitus were not statistically significantly more likely to use mobile health than were people without risk (odds ratio 1.06, 95% CI 0.97-1.16 P=.18 adjusted for age, sex, income, and physical disability). People at risk of cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes mellitus were not more likely to use mobile health apps than were people without risk. Those who used mobile health apps were less likely to be male, older, with a physical disability, and with a lower income. From the results, we concluded that aspects of equity must be considered when implementing a mobile health intervention to reach all those that can potentially benefit from it.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2021
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 29-10-2020
DOI: 10.2196/21159
Abstract: Digital technology is an opportunity for public health interventions to reach a large part of the population. This systematic literature review aimed to assess the effectiveness of mobile health–based interventions in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. We conducted the systematic search in 7 electronic databases using a predefined search strategy. We included articles published between inception of the databases and March 2019 if they reported on the effectiveness of an intervention for prevention of cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes via mobile technology. One researcher performed the search, study selection, data extraction, and methodological quality assessment. The steps were validated by the other members of the research team The search yielded 941 articles for cardiovascular disease, of which 3 met the inclusion criteria, and 732 for type 2 diabetes, of which 6 met the inclusion criteria. The methodological quality of the studies was low, with the main issue being nonblinding of participants. Of the selected studies, 4 used SMS text messaging, 1 used WhatsApp, and the remaining ones used specific smartphone apps. Weight loss and reduction in BMI were the most reported successful outcomes (reported in 4 studies). Evidence on the effectiveness of mobile health-based interventions in reducing the risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes is low due to the quality of the studies and the small effects that were measured. This highlights the need for further high-quality research to investigate the potential of mobile health interventions. International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) CRD42019135405 www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=135405
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 22-01-2023
Abstract: he Health eLiteracy for Prevention in General Practice (HeLP-GP) trial is a primary healthcare-based behavior change intervention for weight loss in overweight and obese Australians from lower socioeconomic areas. In iduals from these areas are known to have low levels of health literacy and are particularly at risk for chronic conditions, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The intervention comprised health check visits with a practice nurse, a purpose-built patient-facing mobile app (mysnapp) and referral to telephone coaching his study aimed to assess the mysnapp app use within the HeLP-GP trial and its effects on study outcomes. n 2018, we recruited 22 general practices from 2 Australian states and randomized them by cluster to the intervention or usual care. Patients who met the main eligibility criteria (i.e. BMI 28 in previous 12 months and aged 40-74 years) were identified through the clinical software. The practice staff then provided the patients with details about the study. The intervention consisted of a health check with a practice nurse and a lifestyle app, a telephone coaching program, or both depending on the participants' choice. We collected data directly through the app and combined it with data from the 6-week health check with the practice nurses, the telephone coaching, and the participants' questionnaires at baseline, and 6-month follow-up. The analyses comprised descriptive and inferential statistics. f the 120 participants who received the intervention, 62 (52%) participants chose to use the app. The two groups did not differ significantly in demographics or recent hospital admissions. The median time between first and last app use was 52 (IQR 4-95) days, with a median of 5 (IQR 2-10) active days. App users were significantly more likely to attend the 6-week health check (χ21=6.4, P=.010) and participate in the telephone coaching (χ22=25.0, P .001) than non-app users. here seemed to be no differences in demographics or recent hospital admissions between those who chose to use the app and those who did not. App users were more likely to attend the 6-week health check and participate in telephone coaching. These finding suggest that participants who opted for several intervention components felt more committed to the study. NZCTR.org.au ACTRN12617001508369 R2-10.1136/bmjopen-2018-023239
Location: Australia
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
No related grants have been discovered for Vera Helen Buss.