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Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder which is commonly treated with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP). Up to 50% of individuals either do not take their CPAP treatments home or are not using them at 6 months. Preliminary data from CPAP patients found significantly increased uptake and usage >4hours each night with a Cognitive behavioural therapy CBT) intervention. Our aim is to compare TAU with the addition of a CBT intervention to TAU with the addition of Social Reciprocity to determine the effectiveness of CBT in improving CPAP treatment acceptance and adherence in OSA sufferers

This study aims to evaluate the impact of recalling patients to general practice for a visit to assess their risk of chronic disease and to help them to lower their risk by changes to smoking, diet, alcohol consumption and physical activity behaviours as well as pharmacological management of their blood pressure and cholesterol. Practices in the intervention group will receive training, practice visits, resources, and referral pathways to enable them to invite eligible patients to attend the practice for an assessment and management of their risk factors. This will include provision of education materials, support for behaviour change, referral to diet education and physical activity program and follow up.

This is a 12 month study seeking to enroll patients with symptomatic knee pain caused by osteoarthritis, who are bowlegged (with varus malalignment). The study will evaluate the safety of a new implant designed to realign the lower leg. Realignment can prevent further progress of osteoarthritis, decrease pain and allow individuals to return to more normal activity. In order to evaluate the safety of the system the study will collect information on any problems patients may experience during the surgery and recovery (up to 12 months), X-rays of the leg to evaluate bone healing and stability of the implant, and answers to surveys with questions about how patients are feeling and what their activity level is. This information will then be compared to a matched group of patients who had a high tibial osteotomy performed with a currently available metal plate and screw system.

Fatigue is a common problem and in many cases its cause cannot be medically explained. An understanding of the biochemical processes humans use to generate energy within the cells leads to a hypothesis to explain the cause of some forms of fatigue based on defective cellular energy processes. The active substance used in this study, GliSODin contains Superoxide Dismutase, an enzyme which may assist in the normal biochemical production of energy in human cells.

The aims of the current investigation were to assess the outcomes of an intensive burst of in-patient rehabilitation in ambulant people with mild-moderate PD and to compare the effects of movement strategy training and exercise therapy. It was hypothesised that movement strategy training would reduce disability to a greater extent than exercise therapy.

The primary purpose of the study is to assess the efficacy of the drug in reducing viral load in patients with chronic HCV infection

The DIRECT study aims to determine if education of General Practitioners (GPs) and Residential Care Staff can improve the quality of life (QOL) of people with dementia living in Residential Care Facilities (RCF). Our hypothesis is that a systematic educational intervention delivered to GPs and RCF staff will improve care delivery, leading to measurable improvements in the quality of life of residential care recipients. We hypothesise that education delivered to GPs will have additive effects to education delivered to RCF staff. Dementia is the leading cause of non-fatal disease burden among older Australians. Of people with dementia, nearly half live in RCF. There appears to be much scope to improve care, and thus QOL, for people with dementia living in residential facilities. However, the most effective way to translate knowledge regarding the components of high quality care into practice is uncertain and there is a paucity of Australian data to guide practice. Education of RCF staff is likely to be the cornerstone of improved care for recipients of residential care who have dementia. GPs also play a key-role in the care of older people living in RCF, including collaboration in the development of management plans, prescription of medications and initiation of health referrals. A detailed action research process with data collected from surveys, focus groups and pilots will be used to develop educational programmes for delivery to GPs and RCF staff. The primary outcome of the study will be quality of life of the people with dementia, assessed by themselves, their family carers and the staff looking after them. Several tools incorporating different sources of information will be used to assess QOL in a comprehensive fashion. Secondary outcomes will include knowledge among GPs and RCF staff regarding dementia, markers of quality care, participants’ sleep quality, and carer satisfaction. It is anticipated that the results will fill this current gap in evidence and will be of value to policy makers and stakeholders from the Residential Care Industry and Peak Community and General Practice bodies. The study results will have tangible implications for proprietors, managers and staff from the residential care sector and policy makers. The results have potential to directly benefit the quality of life of both patients and carers.

To audit the results of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital with respect to weight loss and reduction of co-morbidities.

The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of an anti-inflammatory dose of fish oil in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis, both with regard to symptom control and progression of structural changes. These will be assessed using WOMAC questionnaire, analgesic use and knee magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).