Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluation Of Nsw Family And Carer Mental Health Program: Summary Report, R Gordon, Carol Loggie, P Grootemaat, Mijanur Rahman, Peri O'Shea

Australian Health Services Research Institute

The purpose of this report is to provide a summary of the Family and Carer Mental Health
Program evaluation that was commissioned by the NSW Ministry of Health (the Ministry)
and undertaken by the Centre for Health Service Development (CHSD), Australian Health
Services Research Institute (AHSRI), University of Wollongong. The study was completed
between June 2020 and September 2021. Detailed information on all aspects of the
evaluation were provided to the Ministry in two associated reports: an interim report
submitted in March 2021 and a final report in December 2021.

The evaluation was conducted to better understand the achievements of …

Profile Of Adult Patients Referred For Specialist Pain Management In New Zealand, Eppoc Information Series No. 1, Dinberu Shebeshi, Samuel F. Allingham, Hilarie Tardif, Janelle M. White

Australian Health Services Research Institute

The present paper aims to provide a profile of a large cohort of adult patients referred for specialist pain management in New Zealand using the measures in the ePPOC minimum dataset.

This information will provide a description of the people seeking specialist pain management in New Zealand during the period 2015-2020, and can allow pain management services to compare scores for individuals seen at their service to these group values.

Pragmatic Randomised Controlled Trial Of A Personalised Intervention For Carers Of People Requiring Home Oxygen Therapy, Peter Frith, Ruth Sladek, Richard Woodman, Tanja Effing, Sandra Bradley, Suzanne Van Asten, Tina Jones, Khin Hnin, Mary Luszcz, Paul Cafarella, Simon Eckermann, Debra Rowett, Paddy Phillips

Australian Health Services Research Institute

© The Author(s) 2020. We used a pragmatic randomised controlled trial to evaluate a behavioural change strategy targeting carers of chronically hypoxaemic patients using long-term home oxygen therapy. Intervention group carers participated in personalised educational sessions focusing on motivating carers to take actions to assist patients. All patients received usual care. Effectiveness was measured through a composite event of patient survival to hospitalisation, residential care admission or death to 12 months. Secondary outcomes at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months included carer and patient emotional and physical well-being. No difference between intervention (n = 100) and control (n = 97) …

Efficacy And Cultural Appropriateness Of Psychosocial Interventions For Paediatric Burn Patients And Caregivers: A Systematic Review, H Williams, K Hunter, Kathleen F. Clapham, C Ryder, R Kimble, B Griffin

Australian Health Services Research Institute

Background: Paediatric burns are highly painful and traumatising injuries that are overrepresented among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Paediatric burn patients' pain remains poorly managed by pharmacological interventions, leading to increased anxiety, distress, and trauma in patients and their caregivers. Non-pharmacological psychosocial interventions have been suggested as effective in reducing pain and psychological morbidities among paediatric burn patients and their caregivers; however, their degree of effectiveness and appropriateness for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is unclear. Methods: A non-date restricted systematic review was conducted through four databases. Studies published in English assessing psychosocial interventions on paediatric burn patients' …

Patient Outcomes In Pain Management: Enterprise One Paediatric Pain Management Service, 2020 Mid Year Report For 1 July 2019 To 30 June 2020, Samuel F. Allingham, Karen Quinsey, Meredith P. Bryce, Kate V. Cameron, Hilarie Tardif

Australian Health Services Research Institute

No abstract provided.

The Nsw Emergency Drought Relief: Mental Health Supports Package Final Evaluation Report, R. Gordon, D. Fildes, Sonia Bird, Rodney Clarke

Australian Health Services Research Institute

In July 2018, the NSW Government announced a new $500 million NSW Emergency Drought Relief Package to provide immediate support measures to primary producers to address the compounding impacts of the drought on regional communities. This included a commitment of $6.3 million over two years for a Mental Health Support package known as the Emergency Drought Relief Mental Health (EDR-MH) support package.

The aim of the EDR-MH was to better support the mental well-being of people living and/or working in drought-affected communities. The target group includes farmers and their families, farm workers and farming-related businesses, broader communities (including businesses, services …

Comparison Of Health Literacy Profile Of Patients With End-Stage Kidney Disease On Dialysis Versus Non-Dialysis Chronic Kidney Disease And The Influencing Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study, Karumathil Murali, Judy Mullan, Steven J. Roodenrys, Maureen A. Lonergan

Australian Health Services Research Institute

Objectives: Lower health literacy (HL) is associated with poor outcomes in patients with kidney disease. Since HL matches the patient's competencies with the complexities of the care package, the level of HL sufficient in earlier stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) may be inadequate for patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) on dialysis. We aimed to analyse the HL profile of patients with ESKD and non-dialysis CKD and examine if there were significant associations with covariates which could be targeted to address HL deficits, thereby improving patient outcomes. Design and setting: Cross-sectional study of patients with CKD and ESKD from …

The Relationship Between Emotion Dysregulation And Postnatal Attachment In Women Admitted To A Mother Baby Unit, Elloise Brake, David Berle, Nicole M. Reilly, Marie-Paule Austin

Australian Health Services Research Institute

Objective: Mothers with insecure attachment styles may have increased difficulty establishing secure attachment with their infant and may experience emotion regulation difficulties in the postpartum period. This study aimed to examine the mediating effect of emotion dysregulation (ED) on the relationship between maternal insecure attachment style and self-reported attachment to infant in women admitted to a mother-baby unit. Methods: At admission, women completed self-report questionnaires measuring attachment style, ED, postnatal attachment and postnatal depression (PND) symptoms. Descriptive statistics, correlations, and mediation analyses (PROCESS macro) were conducted. Results: Insecure maternal attachment style was found to predict postnatal attachment through ED. When …

Evaluation Of Outcomes For Help Seekers Accessing A Pilot Sms-Based Crisis Intervention Service In Australia, Kate Williams, David L. Fildes, Conrad Kobel, Pamela E. Grootemaat, Sally Bradford, Robert Gordon

Australian Health Services Research Institute

© 2020 Hogrefe Publishing. Background: In July 2018, Lifeline Australia launched Australia's first short message service (SMS) crisis support service. Lifeline Text aims to reduce psychological distress and increase coping and social connectedness among help seekers, particularly those who prefer text-based communication. Aims: We aimed to independently evaluate the pilot SMS service over a 240-day period. Method: The service evaluation used operational data, pre and postconversation automated questions, and an online survey to assess outcomes. Results: There were 7,315 contacts during operational hours, of which 5,266 progressed to the queue and 99.2% were answered. Suicide was actively being considered by …

Aroc Annual Report – The State Of Inpatient Rehabilitation In Australia In 2019, Tara L. Alexander, Frances D. Simmonds, Jacquelin T. Capell, Lewis J. Green

Australian Health Services Research Institute

This is the 14th comprehensive annual report describing discharge episodes from subacute inpatient rehabilitation programs provided by Australian facilities that are members of the Australasian Rehabilitation Outcomes Centre (AROC).

Aroc Annual Report – The State Of Inpatient Rehabilitation In New Zealand In 2019, Tara L. Alexander, Frances D. Simmonds, Jacquelin T. Capell, Lewis J. Green

Australian Health Services Research Institute

This is the seventh comprehensive annual report describing discharge episodes from subacute inpatient rehabilitation programs provided by New Zealand facilities that are members of the Australasian Rehabilitation Outcomes Centre (AROC).

Peritoneal Dialysis Related Peritonitis As A Risk Factor For Cardiovascular Events, Kirsten S. Hepburn, Kelly Lambert, Judy Mullan, Brendan Mcalister, Maureen A. Lonergan, Hicham Ibrahim Cheikh Hassan

Australian Health Services Research Institute

Background Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Infection is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular events (CVE), however no studies have examined the association between PD peritonitis and CVE. Aim The aim of the study was to examine peritonitis as a risk factor for CVE in PD patients. Methods This retrospective cohort study included all adults undertaking PD for ≥ 3 months in one Australian health district from 2001‐2015. Baseline characteristics and peritonitis event information was obtained from the Australian and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry. The Centre for Health Research …

Factors Associated With Patterns Of Psychological Distress, Alcohol Use And Social Network Among Australian Mineworkers, Carole L. James, Mijanur Rahman, Aaron Bezzina, Brian Kelly

Australian Health Services Research Institute

Objective: To investigate the convergence of individual findings relating to psychological distress, alcohol use and social network (SN) to identify their associated clusters within Australian mineworkers. Methods: This study used cross‐sectional survey data from 3,056 participants across 12 Australian mines. Latent class analysis used the scores of Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and Social Network Index. Results: Class 1 (moderate to very high psychological distress, low SN score and low to moderate AUDIT) included 39% (n=1,178) participants and class 2 (low to moderate psychological distress and AUDIT and very high SN) composed of 61% (n=1,873) …

Exploring How Older People Living At Home Alone Occupy Their Time – A Time-Geographic Study, Alison Wicks, Megan B. Blanchard, Ingeborg Nilsson

Australian Health Services Research Institute

Background: Knowing what older people choose to do with their time informs occupational therapists in their everyday practice. This study explored how sixteen older Australians living at home alone without support occupied their time. Method: People aged 70 years and older living alone in one’s home and receiving no support services were voluntary recruited. The participants completed time-use diaries for 5 days and recorded how, with whom, and where they spent time. Data were coded and analyzed using the software program Vardagen. Results: The participants reported 217 different daily activities. While patterns of daily participation varied, all of the participants …

Factors Contributing To Low Readiness And Capacity Of Culturally Diverse Participants To Use The Australian National Bowel Screening Kit, Lyn Phillipson, Leissa Pitts, Julie Hall, Tameika Tubaro

Australian Health Services Research Institute

Objectives: Bowel screening is an effective way to promote early detection of bowel cancer. Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) people face considerable barriers to screening. This qualitative study explored perceptions towards, and usability of, Australia's national bowel screening kit with members of two migrant communities. Methods: Thirty-three people (aged 50-79 years) from Serbian and Macedonian communities in the Illawarra region in New South Wales, Australia, participated in one of five interactive focus group sessions. Sessions used innovative 'customer journey' techniques to understand participants' experience of each step of the faecal occult blood test process. Participants discussed knowledge of bowel cancer …

The Prevalence And Protective Factors For Resilience In Adolescent Aboriginal Australians Living In Urban Areas: A Cross-Sectional Study, Christian Young, Jonathan C. Craig, Kathleen F. Clapham, Sandra Banks, Anna Williamson

Australian Health Services Research Institute

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence and determine protective factors for resilience in urban Aboriginal adolescents. Methods: Cross-sectional survey data was collected from 119 Aboriginal adolescents participating in the Study of Environment on Aboriginal Resilience and Child Health (SEARCH). Resilience was defined as having 'low-risk' Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire scores on the total difficulties (range: 0-40) or the prosocial scale (range: 0-10). Results: Most adolescents scored in the low-risk range of the total difficulties (n=85, 73%) and prosocial scales (101, 86%). Family encouragement to attend school was associated with a 4.3-point reduction in total difficulties scores (95%CI, 0.22-8.3). Having someone to …

Patient Outcomes In Pain Management: Enterprise One Pain Management Service, 2018 Annual Report For 1 January To 31 December 2018, Megan B. Blanchard, Janelle M. White, Meredith P. Bryce, Julie A. Blacklock, Karen Quinsey, Hilarie Tardif

Australian Health Services Research Institute

ePPOC aims to assist services to improve the quality of the pain management they provide through the analysis and benchmarking of patient outcomes. In this report, data submitted for patients active during the period 1 January to 31 December 2018 are summarised to enable participating services to assess their performance and compare this with outcomes achieved by other services.

The Trajectory Of Functional Decline Over The Last 4 Months Of Life In A Palliative Care Population: A Prospective, Consecutive Cohort Study, Deidre Morgan, Jennifer Tieman, Samuel F. Allingham, Magnus Ekstrom, Alanna M. Connolly, David C. Currow

Australian Health Services Research Institute

Background: Understanding current patterns of functional decline will inform patient care and has health service and resource implications. Aim: This prospective consecutive cohort study aims to map the shape of functional decline trajectories at the end of life by diagnosis. Design: Changes in functional status were measured using the Australia-modified Karnofsky Performance Status Scale. Segmented regression was used to identify time points prior to death associated with significant changes in the slope of functional decline for each diagnostic cohort. Sensitivity analyses explored the impact of severe symptoms and late referrals, age and sex. Setting/participants: In all, 115 specialist palliative care …

Which Outcome Domains Are Important In Palliative Care And When? An International Expert Consensus Workshop, Using The Nominal Group Technique, Susanne De Wolf-Linder, Marsha Dawkins, Francesca Wicks, Sophie Pask, Kathy Eagar, Catherine Evans, Irene Higginson, Fliss E. M Murtagh

Australian Health Services Research Institute

Background: When capturing patient-level outcomes in palliative care, it is essential to identify which outcome domains are most important and focus efforts to capture these, in order to improve quality of care and minimise collection burden.

Aim: To determine which domains of palliative care are most important for measurement of outcomes, and the optimal time period over which these should be measured.

Design: An international expert consensus workshop using nominal group technique. Data were analysed descriptively, and weighted according to ranking (1-5, lowest to highest priority) of domains. Participants' rationales for their choices were analysed thematically.

Setting/participants …

The Aroc Annual Report: The State Of Rehabilitation In New Zealand In 2018, Tara L. Alexander, Frances D. Simmonds, Jacquelin T. Capell, Lewis J. Green

Australian Health Services Research Institute

This is the seventh comprehensive annual report describing discharge episodes from subacute inpatient rehabilitation programs provided by New Zealand facilities that are members of the Australasian Rehabilitation Outcomes Centre (AROC).

Social And Emotional Developmental Vulnerability At Age Five In Aboriginal And Non-Aboriginal Children In New South Wales: A Population Data Linkage Study, Anna Williamson, Alison Gibberd, Mark Hanly, Emily Banks, Sandra Eades, Kathleen F. Clapham, Kathleen Falster

Australian Health Services Research Institute

Background: Early childhood social and emotional development underpins later social, emotional, academic and other outcomes. The first aim of this study was to explore the association between child, family and area-level characteristics associated with developmental vulnerability, amongst Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children in their first year of school. The second aim was to quantify the magnitude of the social and emotional developmental inequalities between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children and the extent to which differences in socioeconomic disadvantage and perinatal characteristics explained this inequality.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study used cross-sectoral data linkage to identify and follow participants from birth …

Electronic Persistent Pain Outcomes Collaboration Annual Data Report 2018, Hilarie Tardif, Megan B. Blanchard, Karen Quinsey, Meredith P. Bryce, Janelle M. White, Julie A. Blacklock, Kathy Eagar

Australian Health Services Research Institute

ePPOC is a program that aims to improve services and outcomes for people experiencing persistent pain. It involves specialist pain services collecting a standard set of information to measure outcomes for their patients as a result of treatment. Pain services use the information to triage, monitor and plan treatment for individual clients, and also send non-identifiable information to ePPOC for analysis. The results of these analyses are fed back to participating services every six months, allowing pain management services to assess their results, and compare their patients, services and outcomes to other pain management services. ePPOC also uses the information …

Perceived Parenting Styles And Values Development: A Longitudinal Study Of Adolescents And Emerging Adults, Kate Williams, Joseph Ciarrochi

Australian Health Services Research Institute

© 2019 Society for Research on Adolescence This study explored parenting styles and values internalization. Perceived parenting styles were measured in Grade 7 (n = 749) and Grade 12 (n = 468), and values were measured in Grade 12 (n = 271) and one year postschool (n = 291). We measured three aspects of valuing: priority (extrinsic, intrinsic importance); regulation (controlled, autonomous); and successful enactment of values (success). Mothers’ authoritative parenting in Grade 7 predicted increased importance and autonomous regulation of values one year postschool. Fathers’ authoritative parenting in Grade 7 predicted decreased importance of extrinsic values. Fathers’ permissive parenting …

Patient Outcomes In Pain Management: Enterprise One Paediatric Pain Management Service, 2018 Annual Report For 1 January To 31 December 2018, Megan B. Blanchard, Meredith P. Bryce, Janelle M. White, Julie A. Blacklock, Karen Quinsey, Hilarie Tardif

Australian Health Services Research Institute

ePPOC aims to assist services to improve the quality of the pain management they provide through the analysis and benchmarking of patient outcomes. In this report, data submitted for patients active during the period 1 January to 31 December 2018 are summarised to enable participating services to assess their performance and compare this with outcomes achieved by other services.

Where Else Would I Look For It? A Five-Country Qualitative Study On Purposes, Strategies, And Consequences Of Online Health Information Seeking, Nicola Diviani, Eva Haukeland Fredriksen, Corine S. Meppelink, Judy Mullan, Warren C. Rich, Tobba Therkildsen Sudmann

Australian Health Services Research Institute

Background. Online health information (OHI) is widely available and consulted by many people in Western countries to gain health advice. The main goal of the present study is to provide a detailed account of the experiences among people from various demographic backgrounds living in high-income countries, who have used OHI.

Design and methods. Thematic analysis of 165 qualitative semi-structured interviews conducted among OHI users residing in Australia, Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland was performed.

Results. The lived experience of people using OHI seem not to differ across countries. The interviews show that searches for OHI are motivated from …

Patient Outcomes In Pain Management: Enterprise One Paediatric Pain Management Service, 2019 Mid Year Report For 1 July 2018 To 30 June 2019, Megan B. Blanchard, Janelle M. White, Meredith P. Bryce, Julie A. Blacklock, Karen Quinsey, Hilarie Tardif

Australian Health Services Research Institute

ePPOC is a program which aims to help improve services and outcomes for patients experiencing chronic pain through benchmarking of care and treatment. ePPOC is an initiative of the Faculty of Pain Medicine and has been further developed in recent years by the Faculty and the wider pain sector.

Prioritizing A Sequence Of Short-Duration Groups As The Standardized Pathway For Chronic Noncancer Pain At An Australian Tertiary Multidisciplinary Pain Service: Preliminary Outcomes, Hema Rajappa, Michelle Wilson, Ruth White, Megan B. Blanchard, Hilarie Tardif, Chris Hayes

Australian Health Services Research Institute

Objective: To describe implementation and report preliminary outcomes of a resource-efficient, standardized group pathway for chronic noncancer pain.

Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study of a group-based pain management pathway in comparison with an Australasian benchmarking data set.

Setting: An Australian tertiary multidisciplinary pain service.

Subjects: Patients with chronic noncancer pain actively participating in the group pathway in 2016.

Methods: Referred patients were prioritized to a short-duration group-based standardized pain management pathway linking education, assessment, and treatment groups. Measures of pain, mood, self-efficacy, and catastrophizing and reduction in daily opioid use were collated from the Australasian data …

Knowledge, Help-Seeking And Efficacy To Find Respite Services: An Exploratory Study In Help-Seeking Carers Of People With Dementia In The Context Of Aged Care Reforms, Lyn Phillipson, Keryn M. Johnson, Elizabeth Preston, Danika Hall, Christine Neville, Elaine Fielding, Helen M. Hasan

Australian Health Services Research Institute

Background Research highlights the need for carers of people with dementia to acquire relevant and timely information to assist them to access appropriate respite services. Unfortunately, negative experiences of information-seeking can create additional stress for carers and contribute to delays in up-take, or not using respite services at all. Methods Cross-sectional survey data was collected from a convenience sample of n = 84 carers of older people with dementia living in the Illawarra-Shoalhaven region of NSW, Australia. We assessed knowledge, attitudes, information seeking behaviours, and unmet need for respite services in 2016, following national aged care reforms. Results Over the …

Comparability Of The Australian National Cancer Symptom Trials (Cst) Group's Study Populations To National Referrals To Non-Cst Specialist Palliative Care Services Participating In The Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration, Hiromichi Matsuoka, Samuel F. Allingham, Belinda Fazekas, Linda Brown, Zac Vandersman, Katherine Clark, Meera Agar, David C. Currow

Australian Health Services Research Institute

Using the results of Phase III studies in clinical practice depends on how representative study participants are of the clinical population to whom the results will be applied. The closer the characteristics between the subgroup who participate in a clinical trial and the whole population, the easier it is for clinicians to apply the results directly to the patient that he/she is treating. Trial participation is generally more happenstance than a systematic sampling of a population and is limited by eligibility criteria that do not reflect the entire clinical population. Phase III study populations tend to be younger with fewer …

The Paediatric Electronic Persistent Pain Outcomes Collaboration (Paedeppoc): Establishment Of A Binational System For Benchmarking Children's Persistent Pain Services, Susan Lord, Hilarie Tardif, Elizabeth A. Kepreotes, Megan B. Blanchard, Kathy Eagar

Australian Health Services Research Institute

Chronic or persistent pain is a growing global health problem. Effective management of pain emerging in childhood may prevent long-term health and vocational consequences. Internationally, paediatric pain services are a limited resource and, as such, must strive to improve equity, outcomes, and value for money. The Paediatric electronic Persistent Pain Outcomes Collaboration (PaedePPOC) is a binational paediatric outcome measurement centre that aims to measure, benchmark, and improve children's specialist pain services in Australasia. This study documents the establishment of PaedePPOC and presents baseline and initial outcome data. Binational consensus meetings determined the measures. Governance structures, collection protocols, information technology, site-specific …