ANZCTR search results

Efforts to correct the physical inactivity pandemic have focused on leisure-time physical activity (PA) with limited impact. Public transport (PT) users accumulate more PA than motor vehicle users, yet intervention studies to increase PA through transported-related behaviour are sparse. Further, incentive-based strategies have demonstrated some promise for increasing leisure-time PA, but their impact on other types of PA, such as transport-related PA, is unclear. This study aims to fill a knowledge gap by determining the impact of an incentive-based strategy to increase transport-related PA by increasing PT use in a regional Australian setting. It is hypothesised that incentivising bus use will increase bus use and reduce motor vehicle use leading to PA gain.

WalkBack is a pragmatic randomised controlled trial comparing a walking and education program prescribed over 6 session by a physiotherapist, with a usual care control group. 698 participants, who have recently recovered from an episode of non-specific low back pain, will be recruited through the community and primary care clinicians (GPs, physiotherapists and chiropractors). Participants will be followed up for a minimum of 12 months. The primary outcome will be days from randomisation to first self-reported recurrence of an episode of activity-limiting LBP (somewhat or greater activity limitation measured using an adaptation of item PI9 of the PROMIS item bank to measure pain interference). The secondary outcomes will be days from randomisation to first self-reported recurrence of (i) an episode of non-specific LBP (intensity equal or greater than 3/10 on the numeric pain rating scale, lasting at least 24 hours), (ii) an episode of care seeking (with consultation to a health care provider) LBP and back pain related-disability measured by the 24-points Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ). An assessment of effectiveness and cost effectiveness of the walking and education program compared to usual care will then occur.

Low back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Most current treatments are only moderately effective at improving this condition and optimal ways to target factors linked to persistent low back pain are poorly understood. Despite the widespread belief of a relationship between movement, posture and low back pain, evidence of this relationship, and the influence of psychological factors on this relationship is sparse. This study aims to investigate this in 12 people with persistent, disabling low back pain using wearable motion sensors over a 22-week study period (5-week baseline, 12-week intervention, and 5-week follow-up). This will lead to a greater understanding of the factors related to an improvement in low back pain, leading to the generation of hypotheses and the refinement of approaches in the management of this burdensome condition.

This study attempts to validate or invalidate the consensus clinical scoring system for preoperative hypersensitivity reactions, comparing the results of the score to an expert clinician panel, and to the subsequent results of skin tests and in-vitro results.

This research project is being conducted to look at the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics (PK, how the human body processes a substance) of XG005 when given to healthy volunteers orally as a single dose, and when given as multiple oral doses for up to 7 consecutive days.

The Koori Active and Healthy Ageing Project aims to develop new, effective, culturally appropriate healthy ageing approaches in collaboration with older Aboriginal people and partner communities in regional and urban NSW. A balance-based exercise mobile application developed at NeuRA was the preferred option selected by partnering communities and has been redeveloped to provide a culturally appropriate interface, incorporating cognitive activities to boost the potential benefits for healthy brain ageing and maintaining functional independence. To evaluate the feasibility of this program, a pilot randomised control trial, developed in collaboration with Aboriginal health workers, will be conducted, with key outcomes including improvements in dual task walking speed, physical activity, balance and fall risk, cognitive function, and social and emotional well-being. By implementing a technological platform, this program has the potential to improve access to dementia prevention, enable low-cost individualised program tailoring and facilitate transferability across diverse community settings.

COPD is commonly managed in general practice but there is growing evidence that diagnosis and management can be improved. This project aims to look at how a novel model of care in which physiotherapists and GP’s work in partnership can improve the identification and management of people with COPD. The physiotherapists will work in partnership with the general practice to case-find people with a new diagnosis of COPD, assess people with a known diagnosis of COPD and provide evidence based physiotherapy management and referral to appropriate services. The INTEGRATED study hypothesises that this GP-physiotherapist model of care will improve the diagnosis and management of people with COPD through more accurate spirometry interpretation, an increase in referrals to pulmonary rehabilitation in those who meet the guidelines criteria for referral, an increase in physical activity levels by people with COPD and an increase in smoking cessation in those who are smokers at baseline. It is also hypothesised that both GPs and physiotherapists will find this integrated partnership a feasible and acceptable way to work together to manage people with COPD within the primary care setting.

The purpose of this study is to see if symptom monitoring can improve quality of life in people with upper gastrointestinal cancer (stomach, pancreas and oesophagus cancer). Who is it for? You may be eligible for this study if you have been diagnosed with pancreatic, oesophageal or gastric cancer, and are participating in the Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer Registry. Study details Participants in this study will be randomised by chance (like flipping a coin) into two groups. One group will participate in the PROpatient intervention, where they complete a symptom monitoring tool (an electronic questionnaire) using a phone, tablet or computer approximately every two weeks (or a often as required). Their answers to the questions will be used to send them self-management guides or to refer them to supportive health services if required. The other group (control group) will not use the PROpatient intervention. Both groups will complete additional questionnaires about their quality of life, and patient information needs, after recruitment, at 3 months, 6 months and 12 months. It is hoped this research will show that the collection and integration of patient-reported symptoms into clinical practice will improve communication with health care professionals and improve cancer management.

A Qualtrics-based survey will be accessed Australia wide by physiotherapists working in Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) who fit the inclusion and exclusion criteria. It is anticipated that this survey will answer important questions related to the type, scope and funding of physiotherapy services in Australian RACFs, how current practice aligns with evidence-based practice guidelines, and the physiotherapist-perceived barriers and facilitators to the receipt of physiotherapy services in RACFs. It is hypothesised that majority of current physiotherapy services do not utilise evidence-based practice, due to barriers such as funding and staff availability not being equitable across RACFs.

This is a two-stage clinical investigation. Stage 1, an open label safety run-in investigation of the first three participants, who received open-label TetraMax in combination with BioOss (TMB) has been successfully completed. The first nine participants of stage 2 (randomisation) have received the IP/control product and are currently undergoing follow-up.