Australian healthcare workers experiences of peer support during COVID-19: Hand-n-Hand peer support.

Introduction: Founded at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hand-n-Hand Peer Support (HnH) offers free, confidential peer support to healthcare workers (HCWs) across Australia and New Zealand. This survey aimed to evaluate HCWs experiences of peer support and collect demographic data about what groups of HCWs were seeking support.

Methods: An online survey was conducted in November 2021 of HCWs who were either active or past HnH participants ( = 158).

A longitudinal study of the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on frontline perioperative healthcare staff in an Australian tertiary public hospital.

Objective: This longitudinal study examined changes in psychological outcomes of perioperative frontline healthcare workers at one of Australia's most COVID-19 affected hospitals, following the surge and decline of a pandemic wave.

Method: A single-centred longitudinal online survey was conducted between 26 May and 17 November 2020. Recruitment was via poster advertisement and email invitation.

Measuring posttraumatic stress disorder following childbirth.

Purpose: This study aims to assess the reliability and construct validity of the City Birth Trauma Scale (BiTS) in Oceania and confirm the latent factor structure of postpartum posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Methods: Participants completed the City BiTS, demographic and obstetric information via an online survey. Psychometric properties of the City BiTS were investigated using confirmatory factor analyses (CFA).

Maximising Abilities, Negotiating and Generating Exercise options (MANAGE) in people with multiple sclerosis: A feasibility randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To investigate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a group self-management exercise and education program in people with multiple sclerosis.

Design: Feasibility randomised controlled trial.

Setting: Outpatient rehabilitation facility.

Assisting People With Their Living, Not Their Dying: Health Professionals' Perspectives of Palliative Care and Opioids in ILD.

Objectives: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a debilitating and life-limiting condition, requiring multi-disciplinary care. While guidelines recommend early specialist palliative care referral to improve symptoms and quality of life, few patients access such care towards the end-of-life. This study aimed to explore clinicians' perspectives regarding specialist palliative care and opioids to understand barriers to optimal care and guide clinical practice improvement initiatives.

Managing Severe Chronic Breathlessness in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Is Challenging for General Practitioners.

Context: Patients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can develop increasing breathlessness, which can persist despite optimal medical management-refractory breathlessness. Management can be challenging for all clinicians and requires a broad approach that includes optimization of disease directed therapies, non-pharmacological strategies to manage breathlessness and for some patients opioids.

Objectives: To explore the approaches to breathlessness management and palliative care undertaken by Australian General Practitioners (GP) for patients with severe COPD and refractory breathlessness.

Patients With Fibrotic Interstitial Lung Disease Receive Supportive and Palliative Care Just Prior to Death.

Background: Fibrotic interstitial lung diseases (f-ILDs) are often progressive and incurable. As patients experience significant symptoms and have a poor prognosis, early palliative care referral is recommended.

Objective: To examine the care delivered to patients with f-ILD during the terminal hospital admission and the past 2 years of life.

Economic evaluation of the Melbourne Mobile Stroke Unit.

Background: The Melbourne Mobile Stroke Unit (MSU) is the first Australian service to provide prehospital acute stroke treatment, including thrombolysis and facilitated triage for endovascular thrombectomy.

Aims: To estimate the cost-effectiveness of the MSU during the first full year of operation compared with standard ambulance and hospital stroke care pathways (standard care).

Methods: The costs and benefits of the Melbourne MSU were estimated using an economic simulation model.