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In Australia it is estimated that over 68,000 people are still living with hepatitis C, despite the introduction of highly effective direct acting antiviral (DAA) treatment for hepatitis C in 2016 and improved access via primary care. The number of treatments annually decreased from 2016 – 2022. People with serious mental illness are at higher risk of hepatitis C infection than the general population. Although the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists recommends that psychiatrists encourage people to engage in hepatitis C testing on entry to the mental health service, uptake of this practice is unclear. Reaching people with SMI to offer hepatitis C virus testing may help achieve World Health Organization elimination targets by 2030 and enable this population to realise the benefits of hepatitis C cure. The Reach Out program will offer point of care HCV antibody testing on a finger prick of blood, to community outpatients with SMI. The Reach In inpatient quality improvement activity will offer standard of care HCV antibody testing on a routine blood test, to hospital inpatients with SMI.

The Deadly Fit Mums (DFM) is an Aboriginal community-led program delivered in greater Brisbane. It is an exercise and nutrition education program offered perinatally to women birthing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander baby through the Birthing into Our Community program. DFM is led by an accredited exercise physiologist and delivered in partnership with a multidisciplinary team of allied health professionals. We anticipate that participation in the DFM program will lead to an improvement in Maternal and Infant health outcomes.

Honey bee venom immunotherapy (VIT) is an incredibly effective treatment with efficacy reported to be around 95% at preventing severe allergic reactions. This translates not only to a mortality benefit in those with severe allergy, but also obviating the downstream quality of life morbidity of living with the potential for such a reaction and restrictions to participation thereof. Despite the clear benefits, conventional initiation/build-up strategies can be time-consuming. Ultrarush protocols deliver multiple escalating doses within a single day to reach higher doses quickly, while a “100-µg maintenance-dose initiation” strategy may simplify scheduling and patient participation by starting directly at the target dose. This pilot randomised study compares the safety of these two induction strategies in adults with confirmed honey bee venom allergy, focusing on systemic reactions graded by the “Brown” method and early immunologic changes (e.g. sIgE/sIgG4).

This study is comparing two different ways to prevent cystoid macular oedema at the back of the eye after cataract surgery. One group will receive a single injection of a steroid (triamcinolone) under the white of the eye during the operation, while the other group will use steroid eye drops (Prednefrin Forte) four times a day for four weeks. The main question is whether the single injection is as good as the eye drops at preventing an increase in macular thickness three weeks after surgery. Researchers will also check effects on eye pressure, inflammation inside the eye, vision, and any side effects. The study hopes to show that the injection method (a “dropless” approach) works just as well as the standard eye drops, which may be more convenient for patients.

The primary aim of this study is to investigate if a co-designed communication training resource for health consumers (Check-BackV2) improves patient activation levels in rural patients with chronic disease 12 weeks after a planned appointment with a health professional. The intervention is the Check-BackV2 package which has been developed to help rural patients build their skills and confidence to engage in active, two-way discussions with clinicians. The Check-BackV2 package comprises a 6-page pamphlet, a wallet card and postcard with reminders to use check-back and a link to the revised check-back website (the latter for optional viewing). Participants in the intervention group will also be sent two SMS reminders to use check-back during their next planned health appointment. The usual care group will receive no intervention during the study period. Expected outcomes are that the intervention group will have a greater improvement in patient activation, health literacy, medication adherance, and lower emergency department presentations and hospital admissions compared to the control group at follow-up time-points.

This is a prospective, real-world proof of concept study evaluating the performance of a continuously deployed machine learning (ML) forecasting system that generates hourly, ED-cohort–level admission and length of stay (LOS) prediction. It is set within a Paediatric Hospital, with data from the Emergency Department (ED) triage comprising the model’s features. The model will predict expected inpatient ward admissions (including surgical vs medical if possible), expected ED Short Stay Unit (ESSU) admissions, and the expected mean inpatient LOS among those expected to be admitted to the ward. The system operates in parallel to usual operations, without significant system demands and is not planned to alter clinical decision-making during the evaluation period. The outcomes for this modelling are intended for the patient flow team and bed managers only, with outputs only occurring on an ED cohort level, not on an individual patient level.

There is a high prevalence of undiagnosed and untreated hearing loss among older adults. To improve access to hearing health care, the SOUND-BITES program will pilot a novel method of delivering hearing health assessments with MoW Clients. Master of Clinical Audiology students partnered with MoW Volunteers will complete hearing health checks of MoW Clients in their own homes. The hearing health checks include otoscopic examination of the ear using the Arclight otoscope and hearing loss screening using the Sound Scouts hearing screening app. MoW clients will be referred for further assessment where indicated. Education will be provided on the importance of looking after hearing health by the Audiology Students and MoW Volunteers.

What is the purpose of this study? This study is aiming to evaluate whether risk-adapted brachytherapy to the prostate, as opposed to standard brachytherapy, improves prostate cancer outcomes and reduces side effects for patients. Who is it for? Patients with localised prostate cancer, who have higher risk disease, where a combination of external beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy is recommended, are eligible to enroll onto this study. What are the details? All participants enrolled onto the study will receive the investigative treatment (risk-adapted brachytherapy) and have regular follow-up after treatment completion to assess treatment outcomes and side effects. Follow-up after treatment completion is similar to what you would have if you were not on this study and includes regular visits with your treating oncologist and regular PSA blood tests. If results from this study are favourable, it is hoped that future patients with prostate cancer will be able to have more effective radiation treatment with less side effects.

Diabetes-related foot ulceration is a debilitating condition that arises in part due to high mechanical pressures acting on the underside of the foot. Preventative offloading treatments including medical grade footwear and personalised insoles are often used to reduce these pressures in an effort to prevent ulceration in people who are determined to be high risk. The research team have developed an approach to 3D print accessible and low-cost personalised metamaterial insoles with functionally graded stiffness that varies across the device. These insoles could potentially be used to enhance the effectiveness of pressure redistribution and prevention of diabetes related foot ulceration. This within-subjects repeated-measures crossover study in people at risk of diabetes related foot ulceration will compare the immediate effects on plantar pressures in medical grade footwear with personalised 3D printed metamaterial offloading insoles produced using automated design algorithms compared to medical grade footwear with the current standard of care personalised foam insoles. The results of this study will provide insight to the most suitable design algorithms for functionally graded insoles as part of preventative treatment. The findings of this study in people at risk of diabetes related foot ulceration will inform larger future studies evaluating the longer-term effects of the insoles in people at risk of diabetes-related foot ulceration.

This study aims to test whether a short, supervised exercise program called integrative neuromuscular training (INT) is safe, achievable, and enjoyable for children, and whether it may improve strength, movement skills, and overall physical and mental wellbeing. Who is it for? You may be eligible if you are aged 6–12 years who were diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, have been in remission for at least 6 months, and are within 5 years of completing treatment. Study details All participants who are eligible will take part in an individualised, supervised integrative neuromuscular training (INT) exercise program. The program involves 16 one on one exercise sessions delivered over about 8 weeks (two sessions per week), with each session lasting around 60 minutes. Sessions include a warm-up, strength and movement skill exercises, fun circuit-based activities targeting speed, balance, and core strength, and a cool down with stretching. Exercise sessions are led by a qualified exercise professional experienced in working with children and can be delivered in person or via telehealth if needed. The program is tailored to each child and adjusted over time based on their ability and comfort level, with exercise intensity monitored throughout. Participants will complete physical assessments to measure muscle strength, physical function, body composition, as well as questionnaires about physical activity and wellbeing. It is hoped that the results from this study will help develop safe and effective exercise programs that support long term health, physical function, and quality of life for children who have survived leukaemia.