ANZCTR search results

Households are selected at random from the New South Wales Electronic White Pages. Each household is contacted by telephone to establish if there is an adult daily smoker resident. If more then one daily smoker lives in the household one smoker is selected at random. Consenting smokers are randomly allocated to receive either proactive telephone counselling calls or a one-off mail-out of written self-help materials. The assessor (ie, telephone interviewer) is unaware of group assignment as computer software allocates participants to conditions. Participants complete telephone interviews at 4, 7 and 13 months post-recruitment to examine quitting behaviours. It is hypothesised that compared to the written self-help group, significantly more participants in the telephone counselling group will have quit smoking at 4, 7 and 13 months post-recruitment.

It is proposed to test the refinement and dissemination of the C-CARE model of psychosocial assessment more broadly across the tumour streams at Peter Mac in the first instance and then to further refine the model in the Western and Central ICS (W&CICS) and in two Regional Integrated Cancer Services. The impetus for this project is two fold: the publication of the NHMRC Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Psychosocial Care of Adults with Cancer (NBCC & NCCI 2003) and the prioritization of psychosocial assessment within the Victorian Cancer Services Improvement Program. Funding for this project has been provided by the Department of Human Services.

With a clinically suspected scaphoid fracture, initial x-rays are unreliable. Current local practice is immobilization in plaster for 10 days with repeat x-rays, in order to not miss fractures. In retrospect, up to 90% of patients do not need the plaster. Advanced imaging (early MRI and Day 4 Bone scans) are proven as an alternate best practice, but are expensive and difficult to access, and thus not often used. A research project at BHS has demonstrated that early CT scans are a reliable, accessible, cost effective alternative. Our aim is to confirm the use of early CT and to implement early CT scans into a “best practice” clinical pathway for suspected scaphoid fractures.

To assess the role and effectiveness of the family meeting in the spiritual care of palliative patients and their families. The study looks at spirituality and spiritual care in a very broad way. This includes such things as attitude to life, reviewing life, bringing closure to things that have happened, foregiveness of self and others, having hope, finding meaning and purpose in the things that have happened in your life. For some people it will also include religious practices and beliefs.

The primary objective of this project is to demonstrate that the provision of information about chemotherapy and management of chemotherapy side effects 1.is perceived by GPs to be useful and, 2.when compared to usual care, results in (a)improved knowledge; (b)enhanced confidence regarding the management of patients having chemotherapy and (c)higher satisfaction with shared care with Peter Mac

Provision and use of a question prompt list by patients during a consultation increases question asking, reduces anxiety and improves recall. Previous work on question prompt sheets has found that when patients ask more questions, they gain a better understanding of the topic and satisfied with their treatment decisions. Medical staff also tend to be more satisfied with the consent process when patient’s display a better understanding of the discussion. A Question Prompt List has been developed for patients to facilitate patient participation in clinical trial consent discussions. This project aims to examine patient attitudes to clinical trials and to investigate the effects of promoting question asking when people with cancer are asked to consider entering a randomised clinical trial. The question prompt list will be evaluated by comparing results for the control and intervention groups on understanding of clinical trial information, satisfaction with the consent process and decision-making about trial participation and achievement of their information and involvement preference. It is expected that those patients receiving the question prompt list will have a higher mean knowledge score in the informed consent questionnaire, have enhanced achievement of their information and involvement preference and be more satisfied with the informed consent and the decision making process.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of a randomised controlled trial comparing two types of pre-discharge occupational therapy consultations for older adults: home-based versus hospital-based consultations. In particular the study will test the feasability of trial procedures consent rates, and the acceptability of both forms of consultation. Individuals who are aged over 65 years and living in the community prior to admission will be asked to participate. Study participants (n=10) will be randomly assigned to receive either a hospital-based or a home-based pre-discharge occupational therapy assessment and education. The home-based consultations are more time-consuming and costly than hospital-based consultations, however it is unknown if patient outcomes differ. Participants will be tested before and during the study using standardised outcome measures by a qualified occupational therapist who is blind to group allocation.

Chest physiotherapy (CPT) is a standard component of multidisciplinary care of preterm infants receiving artificial ventilation for respiratory failure. Despite this, there is limited evidence concerning its effectiveness. This study aims to quantify the effects of the physiotherapy techniques of percussion and vibration on respiratory function in the preterm infant. Data from the electrical impedance tomography (EIT) and the multiple breath washout (MBW) will be downloaded directly onto a computer. The data analyst will be blinded as to the intervention.

Preterm infants are moved throughout different positions while nursed in the neonatal nursery. The aim of this study is to determine the effects of 3 commonly used positions on lung function in those infants requiring ventilatory support. The positions to be used include prone (lying on the stomach), supine (lying on the back), and ¼ turn from prone (lying on stomach with one side up). By looking at the ventilation distribution during positioning, this study will give clinicians an idea of how to optimise ventilation non-invasively using positioning. Factors we are investigating that are important in making this decision are optimal lung aeration and oxygenation. This trial will use recently developed scientific technology including lung scanning (EIT) and a new form of breath washout (MBW using sulphur hexafluoride) to give us a better understanding of the effectiveness of positioning. Data on EIT and MBW will be downloaded directly onto a computer and the data analyst will be blinded to the positions.

Nasal hyper reactivity is characterised by a reflex mediated increased sensitivity to inhaled unspecific irritants such as cold air, perfumes and smoke. Patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) are treated with a “continuous positive air way pressure” (CPAP) device that relies upon a good nasal patency during sleep. The present study aims at evaluating a new non-invasive device, the Rhinolux, to identify patients with an increased risk of having nasal hyper reactivity during CPAP treatment. The Rhinolux is an oximetry device that measures changes in nasal blood flow by light absorption in haemoglobin. The majority of the patients in this study will not have tested CPAP before eventhough they have been given a description of the treatment procedure. To control for the bias that having prongs in the nose could effect the nasal blood flow, all subjects will initially wear the prongs for 10 minutes before the CPAP pressure is applied. In this sence the study could be considered to be single blind because only the examiner will be fully aware at what time the CPAP pressure is turned on.