Sociodemographic factors associated with self-reported exercise and physical activity behaviors and attitudes of South Australians: results of a population-based survey.

Objective: To determine self-reported physical activity barriers, behaviors, and beliefs about exercise of a representative sample and to identify associated sociodemographic factors.

Method: Face-to-face interviews conducted between September and December 2008, using a random stratified sampling technique.

Results: Barriers injury and illness were associated with being older, single, and not engaged in full-time work; lack of time was associated with being married, younger, female, and working full-time; and lack of motivation and cost were associated with being younger than 65 years.

Determining current physical therapist management of hip fracture in an acute care hospital and physical therapists' rationale for this management.

Background: Physical therapy has an important role in hip fracture rehabilitation to address issues of mobility and function, yet current best practice guidelines fail to make recommendations for specific physical therapy interventions beyond the first 24 hours postsurgery.

Objectives: The aims of this study were: (1) to gain an understanding of current physical therapist practice in an Australian acute care setting and (2) to determine what physical therapists consider to be best practice physical therapist management and their rationale for their assessment and treatment techniques.

Design And Methods: Three focus group interviews were conducted with physical therapists and physical therapist students, as well as a retrospective case note audit of 51 patients who had undergone surgery for hip fracture.

Patient readiness and ability to set recovery goals during the first 6 months after stroke.

Unlabelled: Goal setting is recommended both in the acute and rehabilitation phases after stroke, yet this presents multiple challenges for patients and clinicians. The aim of this study was to describe the participants' readiness and ability to set goals over time.

Methods: Fifteen stroke survivors aged 18-70 yrs were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide at three time points: on the acute stroke unit, while participating in a subacute rehabilitation program, and 6 mos after the stroke.

Development and testing of a questionnaire to measure older people's experience of the Transition Care Program in Australia.

Aim:   Transition Care (TC) is a new program for older adults in Australia. At present, program quality is assessed using provider reports of compliance with key requirements established by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. As part of the National Evaluation of the Transition Care Program, the authors developed a questionnaire to measure recipient experience of TC.

Walking aid use after discharge following hip fracture is rarely reviewed and often inappropriate: an observational study.

Questions: What walking aid prescription occurs at discharge after hip fracture? What changes in walking aid use occur in the following six months? Who initiates changes in walking aids and why?

Design: Prospective longitudinal observational study.

Participants: 95 community-dwelling older adults who had undergone surgical treatment of a hip fracture.

Outcome Measures: Range of walking aids prescribed at discharge and participants' recall of advice about progression were recorded.

Does the 'Otago exercise programme' reduce mortality and falls in older adults?: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: the 'Otago exercise programme' (OEP) is a strength and balance retraining programme designed to prevent falls in older people living in the community. The aim of this review was to evaluate the effect of the OEP on the risk of death and fall rates and to explore levels of compliance with the OEP in older adults.

Methods: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

The distribution of health services for older people in Australia: where does transition care fit?

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to describe the distribution of hospital and aged care services for older people, with a particular focus on transition care places, across Australia and to determine the relationships between the provision of these services.

Methods: Aggregation of health and aged care service indicators by Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) region including: public and private acute and subacute (rehabilitation and geriatric evaluation and management) hospital beds, flexible and mainstream aged care places as at 30 June 2006.

Results: There was marked variation in the distribution of acute and subacute hospital beds among the 79 ACAT regions.

Motor function in 5-year-old children with cerebral palsy in the South Australian population.

The aim of this study was to describe the motor function of a population of children at age 5 years enrolled on the South Australian Cerebral Palsy Register. Among children born between 1993 and 1998, there were 333 with confirmed cerebral palsy (prevalence rate 2.2 per 1000 live births), in whom 247 assessments (56.

Bioelectrical phase angle values in a clinical sample of ambulatory rehabilitation patients.

Background: Phase angle (PhA) is derived from the resistance and reactance measurements obtained from bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) and is considered indicative of cellular health and membrane integrity. This study measured PhA values of rehabilitation patients and compared them to reference values, measures of functional ability and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels to explore their utility as a clinical tool to monitor disease progression and treatment efficacy.

Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted on 215 ambulatory rehabilitation patients aged 20 - 94 years.

Home versus day rehabilitation: a randomised controlled trial.

Objective: to assess the effect of home versus day rehabilitation on patient outcomes.

Design: randomised controlled trial.

Setting: post-hospital rehabilitation.

What are the first quality reports from the Transition Care Program in Australia telling us?

Transition Care is a new program in Australia, jointly funded by the Commonwealth and State/Territory Governments. Implementation is undertaken by state health departments, in some cases through aged care organisations, against a set of key requirements. This paper examines reports from providers to reveal enablers and barriers to compliance with the requirements and to highlight emerging patterns of practice.

Nutritional status of adults participating in ambulatory rehabilitation.

Aims: To assess the overall nutritional status of older adults participating in ambulatory rehabilitation and determine its association with relevant outcomes including physical function and quality of life.

Design: Cross-sectional.

Setting: Ambulatory rehabilitation service in the Southern region of Adelaide, Australia.

Multi-disciplinary rehabilitation after hip fracture is associated with improved outcome: A systematic review.

Background: While hip fractures are an important cause of disability, dependency and death in older adults, the benefit of multi-disciplinary rehabilitation for people who have sustained hip fracture has not been demonstrated.

Methods: Systematic review of randomized controlled trials which compare co-ordinated multi-disciplinary rehabilitation with usual orthopaedic care in older people who had sustained a hip fracture. Outcome measures included: mortality, return home, "poor outcome", total length of hospital stay, readmissions and level of function.

An outreach geriatric medication advisory service in residential aged care: a randomised controlled trial of case conferencing.

Background: efficient strategies are needed to provide specialist advice in nursing homes to ensure quality medical care. We describe a case conference intervention involving a multidisciplinary team of health professionals.

Objectives: to evaluate the impact of multidisciplinary case conferences on the appropriateness of medications and on patient behaviours in high-level residential aged care facilities.

An outreach intervention to implement evidence based practice in residential care: a randomized controlled trial [ISRCTN67855475].

Background: The aim of this project was to assess whether outreach visits would improve the implementation of evidence based clinical practice in the area of falls reduction and stroke prevention in a residential care setting.

Methods: Twenty facilities took part in a randomized controlled trial with a seven month follow-up period. Two outreach visits were delivered by a pharmacist.

Evidence for the optimal management of acute and chronic phantom pain: a systematic review.

Objectives: The objective was to examine the evidence to determine the optimal management of phantom limb pain in the preoperative and postoperative phase of amputations.

Methods: Trials were identified by a systematic search of MEDLINE, review articles, and references of relevant trials from the period 1966-1999, including only English-language articles. Included trials involved a control group, any intervention, and reported phantom pain as an outcome.