The ABC has featured George Institute researchers Professor Cathie Sherrington and Dr Leanne Hassett and their innovative AMOUNT trial. 

The trial is using a range of technologies in rehabilitation programs for patients who have suffered stroke, heart attack and brain injury, and aims to see how modern technology can be used to improve independence and speed of recovery for patients.

"There's quite a lot of diversity in the range of problems that people experience after a stroke or a brain injury," Professor Sherrington said.

"So it's likely that different technologies will be more suited to different individuals."

Dr Leanne Hassett, a Research Fellow at the George Institute, said the games include some that are available on the commercial market which are used on the Xbox and Nintendo Wii.

"Then we have some that have been developed specifically for rehabilitation that are a similar sort of 'exer-gaming' type technologies," she said.

"And then we have a stepping tile system which was developed specifically for the trial."

Dr Hassett said rehabilitation is an arduous task, but the more practice patients do, the better the outcomes.

"It's really difficult for patients to do lots of practice and to keep standing up and sitting down ... doing multiple repetitions."

For the full article click here.

The Asia Pacific Cardio Renal Forum was held in Sydney on the 8^th and 9^th of May, and was a chance for cardio-renal professionals and experts in the Asia-Pacific region to address management methods and the association between, chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.                                                

Professor Vlado Perkovic, Executive Director of The George Institute for Global Health Australia, gave the commencement address at the world first forum, using the opportunity to discuss rising numbers of mortality in low income countries.

The forum included local and international speakers including The George Institute for Global Health’s Professor Vlado Perkovic and Associate Professor Clara Chow.

Professor Perkovic said that awareness of the relationship between kidney diseases and cardiovascular disease has become more apparent over recent years, and that awareness of this link is essential to management of these chronic diseases.

“Cardio-metabolic causes lead to 60% of global deaths annually and 80% these deaths occur in low income countries – a large number in the Asia-Pacific region.

“In low income countries cardiovascular deaths are expected to rise up to 2020, while remaining stable in high income countries due to improved prevention strategies.  

“The risk factors for renal and cardiovascular diseases are shared and the effects of cardiovascular treatments may be impaired by the presence of CKD.”

International speakers at the forum included Professor Per-Henrik Groop, Professor of Nephrology at the University of Helsinki, who presented potential new treatment options for diabetic kidney disease, Professor Xueqing Yu, Chairperson of the China CKD Alliance and the President-elect of the Chinese Society of Nephrology, who discussed how cardio-vascular disease has become a major public health issue in China and Dr Orson Moe, Professor of Internal Medicine and Physiology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, who addressed mechanisms of vascular calcification.

PEDro, the world-leading Physiotherapy Evidence Database, was featured at the World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) Congress in Singapore.

PEDro recently celebrated 15 years of being the largest physiotherapy specific evidence resource, containing 30,000+ reports of guidelines, reviews and trials.

PEDro Manager Anne Moseley of The George Institute for Global Health and the University of Sydney said “The Congress was a great way to share PEDro with physiotherapists world-wide.

“We are proud to say that PEDro is used in over 200 countries and has answered 13-million clinical questions in the last 15 years.

PEDro is used in physiotherapy practice, education and research.

To give rapid access to high-quality clinical research about the effects of physiotherapy interventions, PEDro only indexes research reports which use the best methods for evaluating intervention, specifically evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, systematic reviews, and randomised controlled trials.

“This is really useful for clinicians, as guidelines synthesise the evidence for the management of a health condition and provide clear recommendations to guide decisions about appropriate health care” Anne Moseley said.

PEDro is a WCPT partner and is kept up-to-date because of the generosity of WCPT Member Organisations. PEDro is supported by the Australian Physiotherapy Association (Foundation Partner), the American Physical Therapy Association (Major Partner), the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (Partner), and the WCPT Member Organisation from 37 other countries (Association Partners).

PEDro (http://www.pedro.org.au/) is:

• Free to anyone with internet access
• Indexes reports of > 30,000 guidelines, trials and reviews
• All trial reports are rated for quality using the PEDro scale to quickly guide users to trials which are more likely to be valid and contain sufficient information to guide clinical practice
• Home-page available in 11 languages in order to breakdown barriers to accessing evidence
• Monthly updates provide rapid access to high-quality evidence in each area of physiotherapy

The George Institute for Global Health welcomes the Federal Government’s commitment to the Medical Research Future Fund that was announced in the Budget.

Executive Director of the Institute for Australia and Professor at the University of Sydney, Vlado Perkovic, said the initial funding was a welcome start.

“Medical research is the key to future health and happiness for families around the world,” Prof Perkovic said.

“It is pleasing to see the Federal Government re-commit to the fund announced last year by promising $1 billion, including $10 million in the next year and $400 million over the next four years.

“Medical research can in return have a positive impact on the budget, by identifying areas where treatment can be improved and lives saved, thereby reducing the burden on the health system.”

Professor Perkovic said research at the George Institute for Global Health had already changed lives across the world.

“Whether it is the best treatment for back pain, or analysis on saving lives through salt reduction in food, people and governments are benefiting from our research,” he said.

“We have a global network of medical and health experts working together and it’s great to see government getting behind us, with announcements such as those in the budget.

“We welcome the commitment to introduce the legislation and look forward to the exciting breakthroughs the fund will help to produce in the years to come.”

13 May 2015

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

Aaron Wakeley, Senior Media Advisor, Australia
The George Institute for Global Health
P: 0417 249 295 E: awakeley@georgeinstitute.org.au

“My PhD means a significant achievement not only for me, but for my family and the many Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander communities that I interviewed and who were involved in my PhD research. To them all, I am indebted.”

New research uncovering ways to improve the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians has been released by Dr Chris Lawrence, who has become the first Aboriginal student from The George Institute for Global Health to be awarded a PhD.

Lawrence’s PhD, presented by the University of Sydney, titled 'Influences on food and lifestyle choices for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians; an Aboriginal perspective', reported findings from research he conducted as an Indigenous Research Fellow working as a member of the Kanyini Vascular Collaboration.

Dr Lawrence said the main outcome showed an association between distress and diet among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

“This research will guide health practitioners as they consider the social factors of health, when diagnosing and providing treatment, care and support,” Dr Lawrence said.

“The information will hopefully improve the lives of many people in communities across Australia.

“On a personal level my PhD means a significant achievement not only for me, but for my family and the many Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander communities that I interviewed and who were involved in my PhD research.

“To them all I am indebted.”

Lawrence’s PhD reported on a combination of research projects that focused on diet, nutrition and lifestyle choices among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

“My research methods included focus groups, surveys, clinical audits and data analyses,” he said.

“I can now apply my research skills and experience and use these to make a difference to improving Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander health and well-being outcomes.
 
“I am also thankful to The George Institute for Global Health for their support and guidance during my PhD research particularly Professor Alan Cass, now Director of the Menzies School of Health Research, and Professor Sandra Eades, Head of Aboriginal health, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, who were my PhD supervisors.”

Co-chairs of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Committee at the George Institute, Gamilaraay woman Julieann Coombes and Professor Rebecca Ivers, said that Lawrence’s achievement was a significant outcome for the research program in Aboriginal Health at the George Institute.

“Training the next generation of Aboriginal health researchers is a critical aspect of our research program as this is essential to improving health of Aboriginal people.”

MEDIA ENQUIRIES
Aaron Wakeley, Senior Media Advisor, Australia
The George Institute for Global Health
P: 0417 249 295
E: awakeley@georgeinstitute.org.au