Research Projects
MUDRIH staff are involved in the following projects in 2009;
Health & Social Care Interprofessional Network (HSIN) 2009: Building Local IPL capacity in Rural Victoria
Ms Mollie Burley
The aim of this project is to continue to build on the work commenced in 2008 by the Health and Social care Interprofessional Network that focused on raising awareness of Interprofessional Learning across the five rural regions of Victoria (Barwon South-West, Gippsland, Grampians, Hume and Loddon-Mallee).
The Development of Web-Based Resources for Rural and Remote Health Professionals to Support Chronic Disease Self-Management
Assoc Professor Janice Chesters, Assoc Professor Gary Misan, Assoc Professor Tony Smith
Funding is sought for a pilot project within the network of the University Departments of Rural Health (UDRH's). The project aims to demonstrate the use of web-based educational resources in developing interprofessional teamwork and patient collaboration in the management of diabetes, cardio-vascular disease and generic psychological outcomes in chronic disease self-management (CDSM). The research componenet of the project will investigate the participants knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviour in relation to CDSM before and after their involvement in a web-based educational program.
On Track Community Programs - Children and parents affected by mental illness and substance misuse
Dr Andrea Reupert, Dr Darryl Maybery, Dr Janice Chesters, Ms Melinda Goodyear
This project is an action research project aimed at identifying ‘good practice’ interventions for children living with parents affected by mental illness and substance misuse and addiction in the community. The On Track approach is based upon our recent work and publications involving family care planning. The family focused, strength based model involves family care plans, home visits and case management.
Enhancing Chronic Disease Self Management Skills via Interprofessional Learning and Practice
Assoc Prof Janice Chesters, Ms Mollie Burley, Ms Clare McHugh
Funding is sought to build the capacity of health professionals to facilitate effective patient self management of chronic disease across Gippsland, Victoria. The MUDRIH team will collaborate with South Coast Health Services Consortium Primary Care Partnership and Ramahyuck Improving Mainstream Diabetes Care for Urban Australians Improving Mainstream Diabetes Care for Urban Australians Aboriginal Corporation in this task. Participants will become more patient-centred and collaborative in supporting chronic disease patient self management programs. Improvements in the capabilities of practitioners are expected to lead to improved outcomes for patients.
Patient Centered Care for Older People
Ms Mollie Burley, Ms Marie Charleston
A collaborative research project with Ms Mollie Burley and Marie Charleston of Latrobe Regional Hospital, formally commenced with the conduct of six focus groups, four for clients or carers and two for staff from LRH and Latrobe Community Health Services.
Dietary iodine insufficiency among pregnant women in the Gippsland Region
Dr Gayle Savige, Assoc Prof Janice Chesters, Dr Nick Deacon, Dr Barbara Panther
Despite a history of iodine deficiency Gippsland was not included in the National Iodine Nutrition Study (NINS). NINS confirmed Australia as mildly iodine deficient and promoted a mandatory iodine bread fortification scheme due for implementation in 2008. Our research on the Gippsland geological and historical iodine record suggests that a more serious problem in Gippsland may be masked by the national data. To test our hypothesis we propose a study of the iodine status of 200 pregnant women across Gippsland. This urine data study and dietary questionnaire will aid in quantifying dietary iodine insufficiency in Gippsland, enhance the evidence for advocacy and provide important baseline data to monitor supplementation.
Physiotherapists teaching medical students: a pilot study of a mobility assessment teaching module for Monash University 2nd year medical students
Dr Natalie de Morton, Assoc Prof Janice Chesters, Dr Gayle Savige, Assoc Prof Teresa Iacono, Prof Collette Browning
Multidisciplinary intervention is a key feature of healthcare delivery. The physical ability of older people is an important indicator of their health status. However, comprehensive mobility assessment is not currently taught in medical undergraduate curricula. Just as a test for measuring blood pressure is important for detecting risk of ill health and prescription of effective prophylaxis, a mobility assessment is needed to identify early signs of declining health and prompt timely and appropriate intervention. This project seeks to develop and implement an education module to provide medical students with the skills to assess the physical ability of their older patients.
Implementing supportive care screening and referral in a rural area: Training Health professionals in the use of the Supportive Care Resource Kit
Dr Eli Ristevski, Ms Melanie Regan, Ms Rebecca Jones, Assoc Prof Janice Chesters
This study will investigate the implementation of supportive care screening and referral across eight treatment facilities (acute care and in the community) in Gippsland. This study is collaboration between Monash University Department of Rural and Indigenous Health (MUDRIH) and Gippsland Regional Integrated Cancer Services (GRICS). The Supportive Care Resource Kit (SCRK), developed between these two organisations, will be used to train 80 health professionals from cancer specialist and generalist backgrounds. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews will be conducted pre-training, and one and six months post training, to examine clinicians’ knowledge, attitudes and skills in implementing screening and undertaking evidence based referrals and actions.
If we can't access a doctor, what do we do? Rural access to conventional health care and its impact on the use of complementary and alternative medicine by older adults
Dr Anske Robinson
This project will explore the impact of difficulties in accessing conventional health care on the use of complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) by older adults in rural communities in Victoria, Australia. Access to conventional health care in rural areas is often limited, and people in rural areas are high users of CAM.
Making healthy choices for ourselves: partnerships for healthy eating in Aboriginal Communities
Ms Jill Gallagher, Assoc Prof Priscilla Pyett, Ms Sharon Laurence, Mr Peter Waples Crowe, Ms Jennifer Browne, Terry James, Ms Anke van der Sterren
This project aims to define key factors influencing Victorian Aboriginal Communities to better understand and participate in nutrition and healthy eating initiatives. Using participatory action research, the project team will work collaboratively with three Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations to develop, implement and evaluate local health promotion initiatives around nutrition through partnerships based on capacity exchange. This will contribute to the evidence base for collaborative nutrition promotion in urban and regional Aboriginal Communities.
Improving Mainstream Diabetes Care for Urban Indigenous Australians
Assoc Prof Siaw-Teng Liaw, Dr Kevin Rowley, Dr John Furler, Assoc Prof Priscilla Pyett, Assoc Prof Margaret Kelaher, Dr Phyllis Lau
This is a study to (in Phase 1) explore the enablers and barriers for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to access mainstream medical services in urban areas, and to (in Phase 2) develop or adapt a mainstream diabetes care/intervention model to be culturally appropriate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This study intends to engage and consult as widely as possible with Aboriginal people in Melbourne about what they see is needed for mainstream services to provide diabetes care for them. It is one of very few and rare studies that focuses on the Aboriginal population living in urban area.
Building Clinical Placement Capacity Through IPE
Brett Williams, Assoc Prof Janice Chesters, Dr Louise McCall ,Prof Tony Barnett
To increase the capacity of community health organisations; rural and metropolitan hospitals to accommodate medical, nursing and allied health students for clinical placements by facilitating clinical learning through Interprofessional Education (IPE).
MUDRIH staff were involved in the following projects during 2008;
Mollie Burley and Phillipa Greene
The TrUCs model developed initially following research into the Urgent Care needs of small rural communities. On completion of the research the team identified the need for a whole of community involvement when decisions surrounding urgent care were to be made. The TrUCs process is a five-stage community development approach to identify urgent health care needs for rural populations. The Victorian Department of Human Services provided funding for two pilot projects. The first project completed was in Mallacoota during 2003/2004 and the Community Ambulance Officer role was specifically developed to meet the identified needs.
Does Interpersonal Psychotherapy improve clinical care for adolescents with depression attending a rural child and adolescent mental health service? A feasibility study.
Dr C Bearsley Smith, Mark Oakley Browne, Janice Chesters, E. Villanueva, K. Selleck, K. Francis, P. Reddy.
The interpersonal and societal costs of depression are substantial. Up to one in five people will have suffered the effects of major depression before the age of 18 years. Despite being understudied, rural adolescents are commonly considered at increased risk for depression, with rural adolescent males in Australia having amongst the highest suicide rate in the world.
Recruitment, Retention and the Psychiatrists Training Initiative - an evaluation of a Workforce Program
Mrs Catherine Wilks, Mr Brian Jenner, Prof Mark Oakley Browne.
To identify what aspects of the recruitment and retention of consultant psychiatrists is undertaken well by LRH MHS, what was helpful and what could have been done better - or was missed out altogether. To review the support provided to consultant psychiatrists during their employment with LRH MHS and how beneficial this was to them.
Te Rau Hinengaro: the New Zealand Mental Health Survey
J Elisabeth Wells, Mark Oakley Browne, J. Baxter, A. L. Beautrais, K. M. Scott, R. Tapsell, M. Durie, D. Schaaf
This is the first national data set on the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in New Zealand. This will be new knowledge that health planners, Maori and Pacific health service providers and clinicians will use to develop, target and refine different types of mental health services so that they are more relevant and meet more needs.
Part of the WHO and Harvard University sponsored World Mental health Survey Initiative.
http://www.hcp.med.harvard.edu/wmh/
Primary preventions for Problem Gambling
Mark Oakley Browne, Katherine Gray, Radha Prabhu
A systematic review and meta-analysis of primary preventions for problem gambling
Interventions for Pathological Gambling
Mark Oakley Browne, Katherine Gray, Adeline Lee
A systematic review and meta-analysis of interventions for pathological gambling.
