Rethinking health planning: a framework for organising information to underpin collaborative health planning.

The field of collaborative health planning faces significant challenges created by the narrow focus of the available information, the absence of a framework to organise that information and the lack of systems to make information accessible and guide decision-making. These challenges have been magnified by the rise of the 'healthy communities movement', resulting in more frequent calls for localised, collaborative and evidence-driven health related decision-making. This paper discusses the role of decision support systems as a mechanism to facilitate collaborative health decision-making.

Translating knowledge into practice and policy: the role of knowledge networks in primary health care.

The translation of information into practice is a well-recognised challenge for the health sector. In the primary healthcare sector, the last decade has seen an explosion of information generated by health systems, universities and a range of other sources. Without a system for translating that knowledge into practice and sharing it in a comprehensible form, it will remain meaningless to most practitioners.

Predictors of preventable hospitalization in chronic disease: priorities for change.

Research in the area of preventable hospitalization, hospital admissions that could otherwise be avoided, provides little guidance in terms of priority areas for change. This synthesis of multiple electronic databases searched systematically for studies related to preventable hospitalization identifies six priority areas for future action in three broad conceptual areas: person priorities (symptom management and supportive relationships), programme priorities (self-management supports and service delivery), and place priorities (local infrastructure and socio-economic opportunities). Attention to these priorities could help reduce preventable hospitalization while simultaneously improving health access and quality of care.

Leptospirosis as a cause of fever in urban Bangladesh.

We tested paired sera from 584 febrile persons in an low-income urban community in Bangladesh for evidence of Leptospira infection. A total of 8.4% of the persons met criteria for definite or probable infection.

When guidelines need guidance: considerations and strategies for improving the adoption of chronic disease evidence by general practitioners.

Objective: This paper provides a review of key issues affecting the uptake of clinical guidelines by general practitioners (GPs) in Australia and internationally. Attention is given to the barriers that affect guideline uptake, the quality of guidelines and the dissemination of guidelines to GPs in practice settings.

Method: A comprehensive cross-disciplinary literature review of peer-reviewed journals was conducted between January and April 2008.

Temperature-driven plasticity in growth cessation and dormancy development in deciduous woody plants: a working hypothesis suggesting how molecular and cellular function is affected by temperature during dormancy induction.

The role of temperature during dormancy development is being reconsidered as more research emerges demonstrating that temperature can significantly influence growth cessation and dormancy development in woody plants. However, there are seemingly contradictory responses to warm and low temperature in the literature. This research/review paper aims to address this contradiction.

Geographical information systems: an effective planning and decision-making platform for community health coalitions in Australia.

The development of locally-based healthcare initiatives, such as community health coalitions that focus on capacity building programs and multi-faceted responses to long-term health problems, have become an increasingly important part of the public health landscape. As a result of their complexity and the level of investment, it has become necessary to develop innovative ways to help manage these new healthcare approaches. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) have been suggested as one of the innovative approaches that will allow community health coalitions to better manage and plan their activities.

The move towards community-based rehabilitation in industrialised countries: are we equipped for the challenge?

Background: Recent challenges to health systems in industrialised countries (e.g., health trends, workforce shortages, geographical dispersion, changing demographics and the growing demand for hospital beds) have prompted a rise in popularity of services loosely labelled community-based rehabilitation (CBR).

Incidence of propofol-related infusion syndrome in critically ill adults: a prospective, multicenter study.

Introduction: While propofol is associated with an infusion syndrome (PRIS) that may cause death, the incidence of PRIS is unknown. Determining the incidence of PRIS and the frequency of PRIS-related clinical manifestations are key steps prior to the completion of any controlled studies investigating PRIS. This prospective, multicenter study sought to determine the incidence of PRIS and PRIS-related clinical manifestations in a large cohort of critically ill adults prescribed propofol.

Development of immunoglobulin M memory to both a T-cell-independent and a T-cell-dependent antigen following infection with Vibrio cholerae O1 in Bangladesh.

Vibrio cholerae O1 can cause severe watery diarrhea that can be life-threatening without treatment. Infection results in long-lasting protection against subsequent disease. Development of memory B cells of the immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA isotypes to V.

Memory T-cell responses to Vibrio cholerae O1 infection.

Vibrio cholerae O1 can cause diarrheal disease that may be life-threatening without treatment. Natural infection results in long-lasting protective immunity, but the role of T cells in this immune response has not been well characterized. In contrast, robust B-cell responses to V.

Magnetic resonance microimaging indicates water diffusion correlates with dormancy induction in cultured hybrid poplar (Populus spp.) buds.

Water content and mobility, which are factors known to be associated with dormancy induction in woody plants on a tissue level, were measured using non-destructive magnetic resonance microimaging (MRMI). Two cultured poplar clones ('Okanese' - temperature-insensitive dormancy and 'Walker' - temperature-sensitive dormancy) were subjected to dormancy differentiating temperature regimes, 18.5/3.

Early neurologic abnormalities associated with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 infection in a cohort of Peruvian children.

Objective: Because human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) may occur in some children infected with HTLV-1, we sought to determine the prevalence of neurologic abnormalities and any associations of neurologic abnormalities with infective dermatitis in these children.

Study Design: We enrolled 58 children infected with HTLV-1 and 42 uninfected children (ages 3 to 17) of mothers infected with HTLV-1 in a family study in Lima, Peru. We obtained medical and developmental histories, surveyed current neurologic symptoms, and conducted a standardized neurologic examination without prior knowledge of HTLV-1 status.

Predicting emotional well-being following traumatic brain injury: a test of mediated and moderated models.

This study examined two models for predicting emotional well-being following traumatic brain injury (TBI), namely the Lazarus and Folkman (1984) mediated model of stress and coping and the stress-buffer hypothesis (Cohen & Edwards, 1988). The mediated model suggests that antecedent variables (i.e.

Antigen-specific memory B-cell responses to Vibrio cholerae O1 infection in Bangladesh.

Cholera, caused by Vibrio cholerae, is a noninvasive dehydrating enteric disease with a high mortality rate if untreated. Infection with V. cholerae elicits long-term protection against subsequent disease in countries where the disease is endemic.

Coordinated care: what does that really mean?

The healthcare system in Australia is struggling to meet the healthcare needs of the ageing population. The pressure on health systems to solve these complex problems can create a sense of urgency to find a panacea in concepts such as coordinated care. A common understanding of coordinated care is often assumed when, in reality, the concept is neither clearly defined nor completely understood.

Neuroimaging assessment of memory-related brain structures in a rat model of acute space-like radiation.

Purpose: To investigate the acute effects on the central nervous system (CNS) of (56)Fe radiation, a component of high-energy charged particles (HZE) in space radiation, using quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) noninvasively.

Materials And Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to whole-brain (56)Fe (0, 1, 2, and 4 Gy). At 1 week postirradiation, MRI scans were made using T2-weighted (T2WI), diffusion-weighted (DWI), and contrast enhanced T1-(CET1) imaging.

Stressors and supports across work and non-work domains: the impact on mental health and the workplace.

The main aim of this research was to investigate the impact of stressors and supports present in both work and non-work domains on occupational health. Using a multi-dimensional survey (SWS-Survey of Occupational Health), the relationships between personal and environmental stress and support was determined for a sample of stress injury claimants (n = 60) and non-claimants (n = 570). A series of regression analyses found significant differences between claimants and non-claimants for both stressors and supports.

Stress at work: using a process model to assist employers to understand the trajectory.

Successful management of stress at the workplace has become a topic of great interest over the last decade. Motivated by escalating costs, associated workplace injuries and the increasing demands placed on workers in the work context, the need to effectively manage stress within acceptable timeframes and at minimal cost is paramount. According to contemporary models of rehabilitation, the maintenance of a strong and trusting 'bond' between the injured worker and the employer is essential in promoting an efficacious outcome for both parties.

The experiences of leaders of self-management courses in Queensland: exploring Health Professional and Peer Leaders' perceptions of working together.

This paper describes the experiences of volunteers who have been trained to deliver the Stanford Chronic Disease Self-Management Program course. In Queensland, Australia, Leaders usually work in pairs (a Health Professional Leader (HPL) and a Peer Leader (PL)). Qualitative data were collected to explore volunteers' experiences as Leaders and their opinions about working together to deliver self-management courses.

Identity transition following traumatic brain injury: a dynamic process of contraction, expansion and tentative balance.

Primary Objective: The study aimed to understand turning points and processes that define the experience of identity change for individuals with brain injury.

Research Design: The current study applied an interpretive qualitative research design using a phenomenological approach. Qualitative 'life-story' interviewing was undertaken to explore the natural course of identity following TBI and a critical incident technique was applied to systematically examine key milestones.

Understanding adjustment following traumatic brain injury: is the Goodness-of-Fit coping hypothesis useful?

Coping efforts have been recognised as an important aspect of resilience following traumatic brain injury, but little is known about what constitutes effective coping in this population. This longitudinal research examined the usefulness of the Goodness-of-Fit hypothesis, drawn from the Lazarus and Folkman [(1984). Stress, appraisal and coping.

Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy of the rat hippocampus 1 month after exposure to 56Fe-particle radiation.

The response of the central nervous system to space radiation is largely unknown. The hippocampus, which is known for its critical role in learning and memory, was evaluated for its response to heavy-ion radiation. At 1 month, animals exposed to brain-only 56Fe-particle irradiation (0-4 Gy) were examined using contrast-enhanced T1 imaging (CET1), T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), and (1)H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS).

The spaces between: partnerships between women researchers and Indigenous women with disabilities.

Purpose: To understand the experiences of Indigenous Australian women with chronic illnesses and disabilities and their views about a way forward in relation to partnerships in research and community-supported problem-solving.

Method: Using a participatory action research framework, five Indigenous women participated in a group meeting and interviews with academic women researchers to discuss their health and disabilities in order to generate solutions that could address health disparities among Indigenous women.

Results: Five themes describe the experiences of these Indigenous women when considering their personal histories, interactions with formal service systems, and their aspirations for the future: (i) Ongoing influence of history, (ii) systemic lack of respect, (iii) social context of health, (iv) moving forward in positive ways, and (v) research partnerships as a way forward.