ANZCTR search results

Alcohol misuse has significant impact on user's lives. This proposal refines and tests an innovative motivational treatment (‘Functional Imagery Training’), based on the applicants’ Elaborated Intrusion Theory of desire. A key focus is on individually tailored imagery to consolidate motivation, interfere with craving, rehearse coping strategies and enhance self-efficacy. The proposal develops a mobile phone app that cues commitment and coping when alcohol control is under threat, using pictures, icons and brief descriptions. This study is an uncontrolled pilot with 12 participants, following them over 6 months, and collecting alcohol-related outcomes and qualitative responses.

This study aims to determine whether zoledronic acid or denosumab are efficacious in reducing back pain and size of Modic lesions in persons with back pain and Modic changes. Primary hypothesis is that either drug will be different to placebo for pain and size of Modic lesion at 6 months. The design is a double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Participants will be randomised to receive zoledronic acid or denosumab or placebo, and will be observed for 6 months.

Alcohol misuse has significant impact on user's lives. This proposal refines and tests an innovative motivational treatment (‘Functional Imagery Training’), based on the applicants’ Elaborated Intrusion Theory of desire. A key focus is on individually tailored imagery to consolidate motivation, interfere with craving, rehearse coping strategies and enhance self-efficacy. This study is an uncontrolled pilot that tests a phone-delivered version of FIT with 30 participants, following them over a 6-month period, and collecting alcohol-related outcomes and qualitative responses. Results underpin a planned NHMRC Project Grant application for 2014.

The purpose of the study is to help determine whether, in high risk patients undergoing cardiac surgery, a device known as an intraaortic balloon pump placed prior to surgery to support the heart, reduces serious postoperative complications. The study will also help determine whether a large study to definitively answer this question is feasible.

This project will evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the “Toolbox” which consists of a website for young people to access a personalised, ongoing recommendation service for evidence based tools and applications (apps) to support their wellbeing and mental health. Our project will evaluate the Toolbox by assessing changes in the participant’s wellbeing levels before and after using the website and associated apps.

Preterm infants often need breathing support delivered through a mask placed on their faces (mask ventilation). Studies have shown that mask ventilation can be complicated by leak around the mask causing it to be less effective. Australian Resuscitation Council guidelines state ‘the appropriate size of face mask must seal around the mouth and nose but not cover the eyes or overlap the chin.’ A standard 50mm diameter soft round silicon mask (Laerdal 0/0) has been the mask of choice historically used at the Royal Women’s Hospital. However a recent study has shown that a smaller mask may comply better with guidelines. The aim of this study is to compare leak using a 50mm diameter mask compared to either 35mm (infants 26 weeks or less corrected gestational age) or 42mm ( 27 weeks or greater corrected gestational age) diameter masks (Fisher & Paykel neonatal resuscitation masks extra small or small). The study is a randomised controlled trial. The population is preterm infants less than 33 weeks gestation who require intubation while inpatient in the neonatal intensive care unit. The term intubation refers to the insertion of a breathing or endotracheal tube into the infant’s airway, so that they can be supported by a ventilator. Before the insertion of the tube, the infant receives premedication that sedates and gives pain relief but will cause the infant to stop breathing necessitating a predictable period of mask ventilation. The intervention group will receive either the 35 or 42mm mask to deliver mask ventilation, the control group the 50mm mask. The primary outcome is the difference in leak measured between the mask and the infant’s face between control and intervention groups.

Some sleep postures place rotation and extension loads on spinal tissues. If maintained for prolonged periods of time, they could potentially cause pain and stiffness. The hypothesis of this study is that prone and 3/4 prone postures will increase spine symptoms and that people sleeping in these positions will have more frequent symptoms and a poorer quality of sleep.

Spinal pain is associated with risk factors that commonly relate to daytime posture; sitting, bending and lifting. Nighttime is commonly associated with rest and recovery, yet a percentage of healthy adults wake in the morning with spinal symptoms. The hypothesis of this study is that sleep posture may be a contributing factor to morning spinal symptoms. The purpose of this study will be to explore the ability of a person to change their sleeping posture and determine if changing the sleep posture results in a change in spinal symptoms and quality of sleep.

This study will take 40 participants who have recently recovered from low back pain and randomly allocate them to either an 8 week comprehensive, supervised group exercise and education program or a minimal intervention consisting of one 30 minute education and advice session. Outcomes will be assessed at 10 weeks. The aims of the STOP Pilot are to: 1) Test feasibility of recruitment and enrolment procedures; 2) Test acceptability and adherence to the intervention; and 3) Test our processes and procedures for collecting outcome data.

This cross sectional project will involve 500 Indigenous primary care attendees in Australia’s States and Territories. We will validate (criterion validity) the aPHQ-9 as a screening tool, alone, and in combination with the additional seven questions, against a gold standard structured criterion interview for depression The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI ) 6.0.0 (criterion standard), in Indigenous men and women attending primary health care services across Australia. This will provide the evidence on whether to recommend use of the aPHQ-9 as a screening tool for depression in health services research, clinical care delivery and policy evaluation in Federal and State chronic diseases programmes.