Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Priority Setting In Indigenous Health: Why We Need An Explicit Decision Making Approach, Michael E. Otim, Ranmalie Jayasinha, Margaret Kelaher, Edward Shane Houston, Ian P. Anderson, Stephen Jan

Michael E Otim

Indigenous Australians have significantly poorer health outcomes than the non-Indigenous population worldwide. The Australian government has increased its investment in Indigenous health through the "Closing the Health Gap" initiative. Deciding where to invest scarce resources so as to maximize health outcomes for Indigenous peoples may require improved priority setting processes. Current government practice involves a mix of implicit and explicit processes to varying degrees at the macro and meso decision making levels. In this article, we argue that explicit priority setting should be emphasized in Indigenous health, as it can ensure that the decision making process is accountable, systematic, and …

Addressing The Deficiencies In The Evidence-Base For Primary Practice In Regional Australia - Sentinel Practices Data Sourcing (Spds) Project: A Pilot Study, Abhijeet Ghosh, Karen E. Charlton, Lisa Girdo, Marijka J. Batterham, Keith Mcdonald

Dr Marijka Batterham

Background Chronic disease risk on a population level can be quantified through health surveys, either continuous or periodic. To date, information gathered from primary care interactions, using sentinel sites, has not been investigated as a potentially valuable surveillance system in Australia. Methods A pilot study was conducted in a single General Practice in a regional area of New South Wales, Australia to assess the feasibility of accessing data obtained through a computerised chronic disease management program that has been designed for desktop application (Pen Computer Systems (PCS) Clinical Audit Tool: ™ PCS CAT). Collated patient data included information on chronic …

Clinical Supervision In Allied Health In Australia: A Model Of Allied Health Clinical Supervision Based On Practitioner Experience, Sue Fitzpatrick, Megan Smith, Clare Wilding

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this manuscript is to identify key elements of allied health clinical supervision based on allied health practitioner’s experiences. Method: This study was conducted with qualitative methodology, including content analysis, and draws on hermeneutic interpretation of texts. Data were collected through an online survey in an Australian health service and subsequent focus groups. Results: Findings revealed four key dimensions including accessibility of regular clinical supervision, relationships between the supervisor and supervisee, clarity about the purpose, and roles and a focus on meeting the supervisee’s needs; these dimensions were central to the allied health practitioner’s …

The Evolution Of Epilepsy Surgery Between 1991 And 2011 In Nine Major Epilepsy Centers Across The United States, Germany, And Australia., Lara Jehi, Daniel Friedman, Chad Carlson, Gregory Cascino, Sandra Dewar, Christian Elger, Jerome Engel, Robert Knowlton, Ruben Kuzniecky, Anne Mcintosh, Terence J O'Brien, Dennis Spencer, Michael R. Sperling, Gregory Worrell, Bill Bingaman, Jorge Gonzalez-Martinez, Werner Doyle, Jacqueline French

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: Epilepsy surgery is the most effective treatment for select patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. In this article, we aim to provide an accurate understanding of the current epidemiologic characteristics of this intervention, as this knowledge is critical for guiding educational, academic, and resource priorities.

METHODS: We profile the practice of epilepsy surgery between 1991 and 2011 in nine major epilepsy surgery centers in the United States, Germany, and Australia. Clinical, imaging, surgical, and histopathologic data were derived from the surgical databases at various centers.

RESULTS: Although five of the centers performed their highest number of surgeries for mesial temporal sclerosis …

A Qualitative Exploration Of The Emotional Wellbeing And Support Needs Of New Mothers From Afghanistan Living In Melbourne, Australia, Alana Russo, Belinda Lewis, Andrew Joyce, Belinda Crockett, Stanley Luchters

Population Health, East Africa

Background: The Afghan community is a priority population for many health and social services within the southeast region of Melbourne, which is home to the largest population of Afghanistan-born people within the state of Victoria. The majority of Afghan women arriving in Australia are of childbearing age, and evidence suggests that they are at increased risk of emotional challenges following birth as a result of the refugee and migration experience. This research aimed to explored the experiences of Afghan women living in Melbourne throughout pregnancy, birth, and early motherhood, and gain insight into the aspects of their experiences that they …

Using Cultural Immersion As The Platform For Teaching Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Health In An Undergraduate Medical Curriculum, Janie Smith, Christina L. Wolfe, Shannon Springer, Mary Martin, John Togno, Katrina A. Bramstedt, Sally Sargeant, Brad Murphy

Janie Smith

In 2011 Bond University was looking for innovative ways to meet the professional standards and guidelines in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health into its Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) curriculum. In 2012 Bond piloted a compulsory cultural immersion program for all first year students, which is now a usual part of the MBBS program. Methodology The methodology included three phases: establishing an Indigenous health group; determining the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander educational content based on the professional standards; and developing nine educational sessions and resources; as well as significant administrative processes. The cultural immersion was piloted …

Using Cultural Immersion As The Platform For Teaching Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Health In An Undergraduate Medical Curriculum, Janie Smith, Christina L. Wolfe, Shannon Springer, Mary Martin, John Togno, Katrina A. Bramstedt, Sally Sargeant, Brad Murphy

Katrina A. Bramstedt

In 2011 Bond University was looking for innovative ways to meet the professional standards and guidelines in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health into its Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) curriculum. In 2012 Bond piloted a compulsory cultural immersion program for all first year students, which is now a usual part of the MBBS program. Methodology The methodology included three phases: establishing an Indigenous health group; determining the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander educational content based on the professional standards; and developing nine educational sessions and resources; as well as significant administrative processes. The cultural immersion was piloted …

Using Cultural Immersion As The Platform For Teaching Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Health In An Undergraduate Medical Curriculum, Janie Smith, Christina L. Wolfe, Shannon Springer, Mary Martin, John Togno, Katrina A. Bramstedt, Sally Sargeant, Brad Murphy

Sally Sargeant

In 2011 Bond University was looking for innovative ways to meet the professional standards and guidelines in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health into its Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) curriculum. In 2012 Bond piloted a compulsory cultural immersion program for all first year students, which is now a usual part of the MBBS program. Methodology The methodology included three phases: establishing an Indigenous health group; determining the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander educational content based on the professional standards; and developing nine educational sessions and resources; as well as significant administrative processes. The cultural immersion was piloted …

Performance Analysis Of Professional, Semiprofessional, And Junior Elite Rugby League Match-Play Using Global Positioning Systems, Chris Mclellan, Dale Lovell

Chris McLellan

The aim of the present study was to examine the positional differences in physical performance measures of professional, semiprofessional, and junior elite rugby league match-play using portable Global Positioning Systems (GPSs). Twelve professional, 12 semiprofessional, and 18 junior elite male rugby league players were monitored during 5 regular-season competition matches using portable GPS software. The mean total distance traveled during professional (8,371 ± 897 m) and semiprofessional (7,277 ± 734 m) match-play was significantly (p < 0.05) greater than that traveled during elite junior (4,646 ± 978 m) match-play. Position-specific total distance traveled and distance traveled per minute of playing time were significantly (p < 0.05) less for junior elite backs (5,768 ± 765 m; 74 ± 11 m·min-1) and forwards (4,774 ± 564 m; 82 ± 5 m·min-1) in comparison to those in professional (backs: 8,158 ± 673 m; 101 ± 8 m·min-1 and forwards: 8,442 ± 812 m; 98 ± 12 m·min-1) and semiprofessional (backs: 7,505 ± 765 m; 94 ± 8 m·min-1 and forwards: 6,701 ± 678 m; 89 ± 8 m·min-1) match-play. Maximum running speed, maximum sprints, and total sprint distance traveled by professional players were all significantly (p < 0.05) greater than those traveled by junior elite players but not semiprofessional players during match-play. Professional backs and forwards performed significantly (p < 0.05) more maximum sprints and traveled greater total distance during match-play in comparison to semiprofessional and junior elite players. The present findings demonstrate minimal differences in the physical performance measures of professional and semiprofessional rugby league match-play. The position-specific performance characteristics of junior elite match-play indicate that current junior elite player-development pathways may not provide adequate preparation for players transitioning into professional competition.

Determining The Quality Of Assessment Items In Collaborations: Aspects To Discuss To Reach Agreement Developed By The Australian Medical Assessment Collaboration, Lambert Schuwirth, Jacob Pearce

Dr Jacob Pearce

The Australian Medical Assessment Collaboration (AMAC) project, funded by the Office of Learning and Teaching, seeks to provide an infrastructure and a road map to support collaboration between Australian medical schools in matters of assessment. This may not seem very new perhaps, because there are already several collaborations taking place in Australia, and, typically, they relate to joint item banks, (such as the IDEAL consortium), or joint test administration, (such as the International Foundation of Medicine tests). The AMAC project seeks to build on these existing collaborations in two ways: first, by tying these initiatives together and thus bundling the …

Organic Geochemistry Of Non-Marine Permian-Triassic Mass Extinction (Ptme) Sections In The Sydney Basin, Australia, Simon George, Megan L. Williams, Justine Wheeler, Shirin Baydjanova, Nathan Camilleri, Benjamin Hanssen, Regina Maher, Uvana Meek, Adrian Nelson, Caiden O'Connor, William Porter, Brian G. Jones

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Most organic geochemical studies of the Permian-Triassic mass extinction (PTME) have utilised marine sections, and the boundary is readily identified by a negative carbon isotope excursion. It is now well understood from various locations around the world that the marine ecosystem collapse is accompanied by biomarker evidence for photic zone euxinia, including isorenieratane, crocetane and 2,3,6-aryl isoprenoids (e.g. Grice et al., 2005). Far fewer studies have been carried out on non-marine PTME sections, and in particular no biomarker studies have been carried out on Australian sections, despite there being extensive Permian and Triassic sequences in eastern Australia, notably in the …

Experience Of A Tutor Centric Model For Sonography Training Of Emergency Department Registrars In An Australian Urban Emergency Department 2009–2012, Greg Sweetman, Mark Fear, Kathryn Hird

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

Purpose: To assess the impact of a regular sonographer proctored training program for emergency medicine trainees in the use of Emergency Department bedside ultrasound

Methods: Emergency Department (ED) Registrars in the Swan District Hospital ED were provided with proctored instruction in bedside ultrasound in performance of extended focused assessment sonography in trauma (eFAST) and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) detection. Training was conducted by credentialed sonographers for individual trainees in a 1:1 or 1:2 setting for 1 hour on a weekly basis. Registrars who trained in the Department between Jan 2009 to Dec 2012 were invited to participate in a survey …

Implementing Innovative Farm Management Practices On Dairy Farms: A Review Of Feeding Systems, Şeyda Özkan, Julian Hill

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The Australian dairy industry relies primarily on pasture for its feed supply. However, the variability in rainfall negatively affects plant growth, leading to uncertainty in dryland feed supply, especially during periods of high milk price. New feeding (complementary) systems combining perennial ryegrass with another crop and/or pasture species may have the potential to mitigate this seasonal risk and improve productivity and profitability by providing off-season feed. To date, the majority of research studying the integration of alternative crops into pasture-based systems has focused on substitution and utilization of alternative feed sources. There has been little emphasis on the impacts of …

Adaptation Of International Guidelines On Assessment And Management Of Cancer Pain For The Australian Context, M Lovell, T Luckett, F Boyle, J Stubbs, J Phillips, P Davidson, I Olver, J Von Dincklage, M Agar

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

Aim: To develop clinical practice guidelines for screening, assessing and managing cancer pain in Australian adults.

Methods: This three phase project utilised the ADAPTE approach to adapt international cancer pain guidelines for the Australian setting. A Working Party was established to define scope, screen guidelines for adaptation, and develop recommendations to support better cancer pain control through screening, assessment, pharmacological and non-pharmacological management, and patient education. Recommendations with limited evidence were referred to Expert Panels for advice before the draft guidelines were opened for public consultation via the Cancer Council Australia Cancer Guidelines Wiki platform in late 2012. All comments …

Tracking Funded Health Intervention Research, Lesley A. King, Robyn S. Newson, Gillian E. Cohen, Jacqueline Schroeder, Selina Redman, Lucie Rychetnik, Andrew J. Milat, Adrian Bauman, Simon Chapman

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

Objective: To describe the research publication outputs from intervention research funded by Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

Design and setting: Analysis of descriptive data and data on publication outputs collected between 23 July 2012 and 10 December 2013 relating to health intervention research project grants funded between 1 January 2003 and 31 December 2007.

Main outcome measures: Stages of development of intervention studies (efficacy, effectiveness, replication, adaptation or dissemination of intervention); types of interventions studied; publication output per NHMRC grant; and whether interventions produced statistically significant changes in primary outcome variables.

Results: Most of the identified studies …

Should I Stay Or Should I Go? Exploring The Job Preferences Of Allied Health Professionals Working With People With Disability In Rural Australia, G Gallego, A Dew, M Lincoln, A Bundy, R Chedid, K Bulkeley, J Brentnall, C Veitch

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

Introduction: The uneven distribution of allied health professionals (AHPs) in rural and remote Australia and other countries is well documented. In Australia, like elsewhere, service delivery to rural and remote communities is complicated because relatively small numbers of clients are dispersed over large geographic areas. This uneven distribution of AHPs impacts significantly on the provision of services particularly in areas of special need such as mental health, aged care and disability services.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the relative importance that AHPs (physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists and psychologists – “therapists”) living in a rural area of Australia and …

Australian Fathers' Study: What Influences Paternal Engagement With Antenatal Care?, T Jeffrey, K Luo, B Kueh, R Petersen, J Quinlivan

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

This mixed-methods study explores factors associated with and levels of engagement of fathers in antenatal care. One hundred expectant fathers were recruited from antenatal clinics and community settings in Western Australia. They completed validated questionnaires. Eighty-three percent of expectant fathers reported a lack of engagement with antenatal care. Factors significantly associated with lack of engagement in multivariate analysis were working more than 40 hours a week and lack of adequate consultation by antenatal care staff. In qualitative analysis, 6 themes emerged in association with a lack of engagement. They were role in decision making, time pressures, the observer effect, lack …

Training Load Quantification In Professional Australian Basketball And The Use Of The Reactive Strength Index As A Monitoring Tool, William Markwick

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Study 1: The intraday reliability of the reactive strength index (RSI) calculated from a drop jump in professional men’s basketball.

Purpose: To evaluate the reliability of the reactive strength index (RSI) and jump height (JH) performance from multiple drop heights with elite basketball players. Methods: Thirteen professional basketball players (mean ±SD: age 25.8 ± 3.5 y, height 1.96 ± 0.07 m, mass 94.8 ± 8.2 kg) completed 3 maximal drop jump attempts on to a jump mat at 4 randomly assigned box heights and 3 counter movement jump (CMJ) trials. Results: No statistical difference was observed between …

Impact Of Geography On The Control Of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Review Of Geocoded Clinical Data From General Practice, Moyez Jiwa, Ori Gudes, Richard Varhol, Narelle Mullan

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

Objective: To review the clinical data for people with diabetes mellitus with reference to their location and clinical care in a general practice in Australia.

Materials and methods: Patient data were extracted from a general practice in Western Australia. Iterative data-cleansing steps were taken. Data were grouped into Statistical Area level 1 (SA1), designated as the smallest geographical area associated with the Census of Population and Housing. The data were analysed to identify if SA1s with people aged 70 years and older, and with relatively high glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) were significantly clustered, and whether this was associated with their medical …

Values In Breast Cancer Screening: An Empirical Study With Australian Experts, Lisa Parker, Lucie Rychetnik, Stacy Carter

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

Objective:

To explore what Australian experts value in breast screening, how these values are conceptualised and prioritised, and how they inform experts’ reasoning and judgement about the Australian breast-screening programme.

Design:

Qualitative study based on interviews with experts.

Participants:

33 experts, including clinicians, programme managers, policymakers, advocates and researchers selected for their recognisable influence in the Australian breast-screening setting.

Setting:

Australian breast-screening policy, practice and research settings.

Results:

Experts expressed 2 types of values: ethical values (about what was good, important or right) and epistemological values (about how evidence should be created and used). Ethical values included delivering benefit, avoiding …

Evaluation Of A Modified Food Frequency Questionnaire To Measure Lignans In Australian Men And Women, Ying Qi Winnie Li

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Phytoestrogens are plant compounds that possess estrogenic and biological properties that have been postulated to protect against chronic diseases. Isoflavonoids and lignans are two main classes of phytoestrogen that have been investigated for their estrogenic efficacy and occurrence in the human diet. Isoflavonoids are found in soy and related products, whereas lignans are found in a wider range of plant-based foods, such as cereals, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds; and in beverages such as tea, coffee and wine. In Western populations with low dietary intake of soy products, compared to the Asian counterparts, lignans could be a more important …

Genome-Wide Scans Detect Adaptation To Aridity In A Widespread Forest Tree Species [Dataset], Dorothy A. Steane, Brad M. Potts, Elizabeth Mcclean, Suzanne M. Prober, William D. Stock, René E. Vaillancourt, Margaret Byrne

Research Datasets

Patterns of adaptive variation within plant species are best studied through common garden experiments, but these are costly and time-consuming, especially for trees that have long generation times. We explored whether genome-wide scanning technology combined with outlier marker detection could be used to detect adaptation to climate and provide an alternative to common garden experiments. As a case study, we sampled nine provenances of the widespread forest tree species, Eucalyptus tricarpa, across an aridity gradient in southeastern Australia. Using a Bayesian analysis we identified a suite of 94 putatively adaptive (outlying) sequence-tagged markers across the genome. Population-level allele frequencies of …