An analysis of news media coverage of complementary and alternative medicine.

Background: To examine the accuracy and adequacy of lay media news stories about complementary and alternative medicines and therapies.

Methodology/principal Findings: A descriptive analysis of news stories about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in the Australian media using a national medical news monitoring website, mediadoctor.org.

Limitations of the randomized controlled trial in evaluating population-based health interventions.

Population- and systems-based interventions need evaluation, but the randomized controlled trial (RCT) research design has significant limitations when applied to their complexity. After some years of being largely dismissed in the ranking of evidence in medicine, alternatives to the RCT have been debated recently in public health and related population and social service fields to identify the trade-offs in their use when randomization is impractical or unethical. This review summarizes recent debates and considers the pragmatic and economic issues associated with evaluating whole-population interventions while maintaining scientific validity and credibility.

A case study on determining and responding to health managers' priorities for research to assist health service decision making.

The Newcastle Institute of Public Health (NIPH) is a collaboration of health service and public health research groups in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia which aims to promote the use of evidence in decision making. However, use of research evidence in decision making is a complex process, with many barriers and enablers described in the literature. Informed by strategies described in the literature around developing priority-driven research, NIPH researchers undertook to determine whether asking local health decision-makers about their needs for research information might lead to greater use of the resulting research evidence to inform health service management decisions.

Barriers to the provision of evidence-based psychosocial care in oncology.

Meeting the psychological, social and physical needs of people with cancer is a challenge for individual health practitioners, health administrators and health policy makers. However, there is a considerable gap between recommended best-evidence psychosocial and supportive care and actual practice. This paper provides a discussion of the reasons for this gap using the precede-proceed model as a theoretical framework.

Self-reported cervical screening practices and beliefs of women from urban, rural and remote regions.

This survey aimed to explore women's perceptions of a number of issues relating to the availability and utilisation of cervical cancer screening services in the rural, remote and urban regions of New South Wales (NSW) Australia. The survey involved urban, rural and remote regions of NSW determined by the definition of the Department of Community Services and Health. This was a cross-sectional telephone survey.

Women's experiences of having a colposcopic examination: self-reported satisfaction with care, perceived needs and consequences.

This study was conducted in seven gynaecological clinics in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. The study aimed to assess the level of satisfaction with care, unmet needs and consequences following the procedure reported by women having a colposcopic examination. Of the 161 eligible women attending colposcopy clinics who were approached to take part, 156 (97%) gave written consent to participate and 138 (86%) completed interviews.

Description of an early discharge post-acute care program: length of hospital stay, patient and carer needs and cost.

The objective of the project was to evaluate a pilot Post Acute Community Care (PACC) program for orthopaedic patients. A series of cross-sectional surveys elicited responses of patient and home carer needs and GP and hospital staff acceptability while a cost-minimisation analysis compared the average cost of the PACC program with general orthopaedic hospital care. Patients were classified according to Australian National Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs).

The unmet supportive care needs of patients with cancer. Supportive Care Review Group.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and predictors of the perceived unmet needs of cancer patients undergoing treatment for their disease at public treatment centers.

Methods: A total of 1,492 consecutive patients attending the surgical, radiation, or medical oncology departments of 9 major public cancer treatment centers in New South Wales, Australia, were asked to participate. Of the 1,370 eligible patients, 1,354 (99%) consented to participate and 888 (65%) returned completed surveys.

Evaluation of an instrument to assess the needs of patients with cancer. Supportive Care Review Group.

Background: This study aimed to assess the face, content, and construct validity and the internal reliability of a tool for assessing the generic needs of patients with cancer (the Supportive Care Needs Survey).

Methods: A total of 1,492 consecutive patients attending the surgical, radiation, or medical oncology departments of 9 cancer treatment centers in New South Wales, Australia, were asked to participate. Of the 1,370 eligible patients, 1,354 (99%) consented to participate and 888 (65%) completed the survey.

Randomized controlled trial of a computer strategy to increase general practitioner preventive care.

Background: Previous interventions targeting primary care practitioners with the aim of increasing preventive care delivery have demonstrated limited effectiveness. The primary aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a computerized continuing medical education program to increase rates of three screening behaviors (cholesterol, blood pressure, and cervical screening) and to identify three risk behaviors (smoking, alcohol consumption, benzodiazepine use) in general practice.

Methods: Nineteen general practitioners were randomly allocated to intervention or control conditions.

Surgeons' opinions about the NHMRC clinical practice guidelines for the management of early breast cancer.

Objective: To explore the opinions of surgeons about the NHMRC clinical practice guidelines for the management of early breast cancer (the Guidelines) and their views about and use of the accompanying Consumer's guide.

Design: Cross-sectional telephone survey.

Participants And Setting: Surgeons throughout Australia who manage breast cancer, designated as "breast" or "general" (members or non-members of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons' Section of Breast Surgery) and "urban" or "rural".