ANZCTR search results

Smoking remains a major preventable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. This research proposal builds on 2 observations; firstly, experiencing a heart attack is a teachable moment that enables up to 60% smokers to abruptly quit once they have experienced a heart attack; and secondly, we have demonstrated in a pilot study that it is feasible to induce smoking cessation through subjects watching a DVD containing images of him/herself, his/her partner and family digitally superimposed into a scenario depicting the person having a heart attack as a result of smoking, and the potential consequences to the partner and family. Using this novel approach, which we describe as a personalized simulated teachable moment, 7 of 13 smokers (53%) were abstinent at 6 months (published in Am J Cardiol 2010). We have since completed 20 subjects of whom 12 (60%) were abstinent at 12 months. In the current proposal, we will evaluate the simulated teachable moment hypothesis in a prospective randomized controlled study. We will compare smoking cessation rates using the personalized DVD with the same video using actors. In addition, we will evaluate the psychological impact of the personalized video. If this study demonstrates an additive effect of the personalized simulated teachable moment in smoking cessation, its use would be supported as an adjunct to smoking cessation, which in turn would have major health benefits in our society. We will conduct the study in selected General Practices and Pharmacies to investigate its broad applicability and ability to be disseminated widely.

Supporting childcare services to implement policies and practices which encourage children to eat healthily and be physically active has the capacity to make an important contribution in reducing the health burden of excessive weight gain in childhood. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of an intensive, population-based intervention in increasing the physical activity and healthy eating policies and practices of childcare services. The intervention will be the first of its kind internationally and will provide valuable information for health promotion policy makers and practitioners on ways to support services create environments more supportive of child obesity prevention.

This study aims to test the feasibility and effectiveness of a multi-component non-pharmacological intervention in improving breathlessness management for lung cancer patients. Who is it for? You may be eligible to join this study if you are aged 18 years or above, and have been diagnosed with a primary or secondary lung cancer with a life expectancy of at least 3 months. You should have completed first line therapy, and have an average breathlessness rating of >2 on an 11 point scale in the past week. Trial details Participants in this trial will be randomly (by chance) allocated to one of two groups. Participants in one group will receive a multi-component intervention that incorporates a range of strategies to manage breathlessness and related symptoms (e.g. breathing retraining, psychosocial support and management of other co-occurring symptoms) at one face-to-face instructional session of about 60 minutes, followed up by weekly calls to reinforce the interventions for 3 weeks. It will be delivered by experienced registered nurses trained in these techniques who will facilitate follow-up with relevant primary care/community supports. Participants in the other group will receive standard non-pharmacological interventions to manage breathlessness. Participants will be assessed at recruitment and at 4 weeks and 8 weeks post treatment in order to determine the feasibility and efficacy of the intervention in improving breathlessness, anxiety, depression and co-occurring symptoms (cough, pain fatigue, anorexia).

Despite concerted efforts at local, state and national levels to arrest increasing rates of obesity, young adults have largely been neglected. Our published research has shown young adults are more likely to face an obese future than their parents - potentially leading to an increased risk of chronic illness for the individual and increased health care costs to the nation. An important opportunity to prevent further increases in obesity prevalence is to reduce weight gain in young adults. We have identified four key behaviours to improve diet quality and promote energy balance in young adults: reduce consumption of energy-dense take-away foods; increase fruit and vegetables; increase physical activity and decrease sedentary time; and reduce sugar sweetened drinks. We know that young adults are difficult to reach with health messages which is partly due the lack of a clear setting for intervention with this group. Our focus group research and others have found that young adults prefer electronic dissemination including SMS messages, email, smartphone applications, websites and chat forums. Mobile phones are the most common medium for young adults to use to communicate with friends and family. Published studies assessing SMS for changing health behaviors have indicated their success in the short term for smoking cessation, increasing physical activity and weight loss. The primary aim of this study is to compare changes in weight and discrete nutrition, physical activity and sedentary behaviours in a population of young adults after receiving a nine-month mobile phone delivered intervention with changes in a control group. We hypothesize that our tailored intervention, including educational and motivational messages to improve lifestyle and attain/maintain a healthy weight, delivered using SMS, email, smartphone applications and a custom-designed website, will be more effective in improving young adults’ diets and physical activity, to manage their weight over nine months when compared with controls.

This is a crossover dose ranging study to assess and compare the PK/PD, immunogenicity and safety profiles of two preparations of Pegfilgrastim.

There is little evidence on how to care for patients with alcohol dependence who are not seeking treatment for their drinking. Research has shown that only a small proportion of such patients take up a referral for specialist care. This pilot study, utilising the NHMRC funded "Hospital Outpatients Alcohol Project" framework, will determine the feasibility of conducting a large trial designed to establish whether e-SBI can increase uptake of specialist care in this group of patients.

One major problem for those afflicted with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is the breakdown of the gut wall lining due to inflammation. This breakdown is best described as an open wound allowing bacteria and toxic substances to enter the body through the gut which prolongs and worsens the existing inflammation. In severe IBD, these wounds may prevent immediate application of certain treatments and require steroids to permit wound healing. This route of therapy often comes with many unwanted side effects for the patient. There is currently very little known about how wound healing is initiated or how it progresses in the gut. Understanding of how the wound healing process is regulated may allow us to improve the treatment of IBD wounding and allow the design of new therapies to control the disease. This project examines the roles and interactions of HIF, a protein that regulates a cells response to lack of oxygen, and of a cell membrane linker protein, Beta1 integrin, which allows cells to interact and form the gut lining that protects the body from the intestinal contents. We will test the importance of this protein in the repair of intestinal wounds and the factors which drive its role in wound repair. To achieve this, we will use reductionist models of the intestine that mimic the wound healing process and animal models of IBD. These models will allow us to manipulate Beta1 integrin in the hope of understanding the role it plays in wound healing. We will then use the knowledge gained from these studies, to examine human tissue from IBD patients, in the hope of identifying a trend in how Beta1 integrin contributes to the severity of IBD disease

This study investigated the effect of Aromatherapy (3% lavender angustifolia mist) with or without hand massage (five minutes with aqua cream) on disruptive behaviour in people with dementia living in residential aged care facilities (RACF).

Malnutrition is a critical issue affecting the quality of life of patients with end-stage kidney failure on dialysis, and is associated with chronic inflammation, adverse patient outcomes and increased death. Nutritional support is highly important in this patient group, but often oral supplements are insufficient to correct the malnourished state. Intradialytic parenteral nutrition (IDPN) is intravenous nutrition supplementation which is given during dialysis treatments. IDPN has had some promising effects on appetite, food intake, body weight and other markers of nutritional health, but needs to be studied more closely particularly before patients develop severe malnutrition. This multidisciplinary, collaborative project aims to compare IDPN versus standard dietetic input (control group) in malnourished dialysis patients, and look at the effect on a comprehensive range of key markers of nutrition and patient quality of life. We aim to address this important clinical problem, to obtain evidence for new therapeutic approaches to improve patient outcomes.

This trial will examine the effect of a novel multipurpose contact lens solution on subjective response and the ocular surface. The hypotheses are these outcomes will be similar for control solutions.