 Investigation of the experience of people living with a chronic disease
The aim of this project is to interview a wide range of people with a variety of chronic illnesses to explore their views concerning living with a chronic illness, medication taking and the role of the pharmacist.
Dr Jennifer Marriott, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Pharmacy Practice at Monash University is currently seeking participants for this research project to be carried out over summer. Participation involves a 1-2 hour interview in metropolitan Melbourne in a public place convenient to the participant. Participants will be offered $20 to cover travel expenses to the interview location.
The research project will explore how having a chronic disease affects patients and their ability to undertake the activities of daily living. It will particularly explore attitudes to having to take medication on a regular and ongoing basis. This will include the impact of the cost of medicines, the adverse effects of medication and how this affects their attitude to medicines and medication adherence. It will explore the relationship with the pharmacist and what services they receive from the pharmacy and how these services could be improved.
What is required of participants?
The research involves a semi-structured interview that will be recorded so that it can be later transcribed and analysed. The interview will be conducted by Sadegh Zargar a student at the university currently undertaking a summer vacation scholarship. It is expected that the interview will take about 1 hour, but may take a little longer in some circumstances, but will not exceed 2 hours.
There are unlikely to be any difficulties with this interview as it is not expected to involve sensitive issues other than what it is like to live with a chronic illness and to need to take medication on a regular basis to treat that illness. Neither the participant's medical practitioner nor regular pharmacist will be involved, or informed, of participation in this research nor will it affect the current disease management.
Strict confidentiality will apply; the audio recording of the interview will be stored in a secure location, such as a locked cupboard or filing cabinet. The recordings will only be identified by an interview number and not by participant name or the support group to which they belong.
How do participants benefit?
There will be no direct benefit to participants. However it is anticipated that improving the understanding of pharmacists as to how chronic disease affects people’s lives and their attitude to medicine taking will ultimately improve the ability of pharmacists to interact with sufferers of chronic disease and provide better services for them.
Contact information
If you are kindly willing to support this research project would you please contact either of the following persons as soon as possible, so that we may forward you an explanatory statement:
Study to help people with tinnitus
The Eye and Ear Hospital has commenced a study that aims to improve the quality of life of people living with Tinnitus. The Hospital’s study involves holding information sessions for sufferers once a month where people with tinnitus can meet and discuss what helps them to reduce the impact of the condition.
Tinnitus is a condition where people experience noises or ringing in the ears or head, when no such external physical noise is present. It is usually caused by a change in the hearing system. Hospital audiologist Brooke Paisley said tinnitus can interfere with a person’s ability to sleep or enjoy quiet activities. There is evidence to suggest, however, that through sharing information and experiences with fellow sufferers, people living with tinnitus can improve their quality of life.
If you would like to be included in this study, ask your doctor to refer you for a hearing test at either the Audiology Department at the Eye and Ear, or the University of Melbourne’s School of Audiology.
For more information about the information sessions phone (03) 9929 8270.
New Ménière’s diagnostic tool
20 more volunteers needed - Monash University
Monash University (Australia) researchers believe they have developed a new diagnostic tool for measuring the effectiveness of drug therapies applied to Ménière’s patients and for assisting in the early detection of Ménière’s disease.
Research has progressed well (see progress report below). To complete the first stage of the project the team are now looking for a final 20 volunteers with Ménière’s or BPPV or non specific Vertigo to participate. The test involves placing a cotton bud like electrode in the ear and voluntarily tilting the head forward and back. The test lasts about 1-1.5 hours. MSGV Secretary Lynn Polson recently participated and found it to be a very interesting experience.
For more information contact Brian Lithgow (Director of Teaching, Monash University Centre for Biomedical Engineering) or Mehrnaz Shoushtarian (Researcher) on 03 9905 1893. Or you can email:
Brian.Lithgow@eng.monash.edu.au
mehrnaz.shoustarian@eng.monash.edu.au
Progress report - December 2006
Brian Lithgow reported:
The research into the uses of ElectroVesibulography (EVestG) as a tool for detecting and monitoring Vestibular disorders is progressing well thanks to the volunters who have participated in the study.
There is a video about our research at the following web site: http://www.iet.tv/search/index.html (enter medsip lithgow in the search box at top right). The video shows a presentation we gave in Glasgow titled “Electrovestibulogram (EVestG): The Separation of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo and Ménière’s Disease” by Brian Lithgow et al .
We gave another presentation in Glasgow on our related research into using EVestG with other neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. A video of this presentation is also available at: http://www.iet.tv/search/index.html (enter medsip shoushtarian in the search box at top right). The title is “The Relationship Between Electrovestibulography and Parkinson’s Disease” by Mehrnaz Shoushtarian et al.
Top
Australian Meniere's Research Fund (MRF)
Australian Daniel Brown MSc (Hons) has been awarded the first MRF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for research into Ménière’s disease. Daniel will work with Professor Alec N Salt at the University of Washington USA. The research will involve studies of the activity of hair cells within the inner ear that could reveal new insights into Ménière’s disease.
Funds for the Fellowship were donated by members of the Ménière’s Support Groups of Victoria and NSW, Australian corporations and individuals.
Top
Complementary and alternative medicine therapies (CAM)
This project has now been completed. See the Papers section for more information and to view the report (summary and full report available).
Top
Last reviewed March 2008
|
