Protecting the health of the public, during a crisis or otherwise, is almost always considered the responsibility of governments. Analyses of institutional responses to the COVID-19 pandemic illustrate that governments play a central role in the suppression and control of public infection through measures that [...]
The ability to efficiently identify patients at higher risk of poor outcomes after joint replacement would enable limited resources for post-operative follow-up to be directed to those with the greatest clinical need. This is particularly important as joint replacement rates continue to grow internationally, stretching [...]
This study established a hierarchy of the goals most important to patients, identifying key goals as improving mobility, reducing pain, and improving daily tasks. Health professionals involved in the recommendation of knee arthroplasty were generally found to be able to identify what patients wanted to [...]
Deprescribing is the process of a healthcare professional reducing or stopping an inappropriate medication. Statins, commonly prescribed to prevent cardiovascular events, pose uncertain benefits and potential harms for older adults, making deprescribing a preference-sensitive decision. Deprescribing studies typically ask general questions about deprescribing preferences; however, [...]
This study aimed to evaluate whether voluntary and mandatory prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) use in Victoria, Australia, had an impact on prescribing behaviour, focusing on individual patients' prescribed opioid doses and transition to prescribing of nonmonitored medications.
Guidelines for prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing in Australia recommend that men at average risk of prostate cancer who have been informed of the benefits and harms, and who decide to undergo regular testing, should be offered testing every 2 years from 50 to 69 years. This [...]
This study aimed to test different SMS messages inviting patients for a Heart Health Check with their GP. We also assessed how health literacy moderated these effects, to inform an Australian CVD risk screening program. Specifically, we tested a control message used in a previous [...]
Newborn bloodspot screening is a well-established population health initiative that detects serious, childhood-onset, treatable conditions to improve health outcomes. With genomic technologies advancing rapidly, many countries are actively discussing the introduction of genomic assays into newborn screening programs. While adding genomic testing to Australia’s newborn [...]
Our population-based analysis of linked administrative data found that the annual number of first insertions of ICDs steadily increased in NSW during 2005–2016. Most ICD recipients were men, especially in older age groups, and the rise in annual number was most marked for men aged [...]
Australian cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention guidelines recommend absolute CVD risk assessment, but less than half of eligible patients have the required risk factors recorded due to fragmented implementation over the last decade. Co-designed decision aids for general practitioners (GPs) and consumers have been developed that [...]