Background Most people in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as India cannot access quality healthcare. A paucity of healthcare workers, particularly specialist physicians, is one of the main reasons. Task-sharing approaches in LMICs were recently reviewed and found to be a viable option to improve disease outcomes while also leading to capacity building and cost savings. Epilepsy, one of the commonest neurological disorders, affects 50 million people worldwide, of whom, a fifth live in India. It accounts for 14 million disability-adjusted life years and 1,26,000 deaths worldwide each year. The treatment gap is high, almost 50-80% in India. A professional resource gap is one of the important reasons for the treatment gap. There is a lack of specialists to manage epilepsy across the country. Our previous study points towards an unmet need for a comprehensive approach towards epilepsy care in the community, which should essentially include capacity building among care providers, raising commu

BackgroundThe Scheduled Tribe (ST) population is a marginalised community in India and has greater vulnerability to mental health issues for multiple reasons, including the impact of rapid social changes altering their lifestyles, beliefs and community living; the strain of acculturation when moving to urban spaces; and the use of alcohol and other substances.Our pilot study among ST communities in Andra Pradesh, where they constitute about 7% of the population, found a lack of mental health awareness and limited mental health care facilities.A more sustainable model involving the community and empowering members to act as change agents to enhance mental health facilities is needed to bring about sustainable improvements in mental health and wellbeing. AimsTo address selected social determinants of mental health to promote mental health and well-being among ST communities over three years by building the capacities of community members to act as lay counsellors and strengthening the capacity of the publi

Background Racism has been clearly identified as a determinant of health and wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to experience racism and discrimination within the Australian healthcare system. Racism is causing dire health consequences and inhibiting access to quality and safe healthcare services.  Aims To comprehensively understand and address the complex dynamics of racism, bias and colonisation in reforming hospital care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and families. Methods Decolonise existing tools such as the Readiness to Change Assessment (RCTA) and Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (i-PARIHS) framework. Evaluate health organisations’ readiness to change beliefs, attitudes and processes that maintain inequity. Undertake Aboriginal patient journey mapping and review governance structures, workforce development, current quality indicators and processes f

Every year, an estimated 350,000 children and adolescents are killed in road traffic crashes (RTCs) or by the effects of urban outdoor air pollution, to which road traffic is a significant contributor. RTCs are the leading cause of death for children and adolescents worldwide but those in resource-limited settings are disproportionately affected with 93% of child road traffic deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. In addition to the deaths, injuries and disabilities caused by road collisions, children in urban areas often also sustain insidious damage to their developing lungs and brains by breathing traffic-related air pollutants (TRAP). TRAP exposure can result in growth stunting, delays in cognitive development  and chronic respiratory problems. Due to the many overlapping causal factors linking road safety and personal air pollution exposure, there are significant opportunities for complementary mitigation measures to drive improvements in child health, safety, and wellbeing. In

Background Evidence-based medicine is informed by randomised control trials (RCT) and systematic reviews. Outcomes chosen in these research methods are important in determining if interventions are effective and safe. Research outcomes chosen based on previous research or stakeholder opinions tend to be inconsistent across studies. This variability and lack in consistency makes it difficult to pool data to inform healthcare practice and policy. Core outcome sets (COS) are consensus-derived, standardised sets of outcomes that should be minimally measured in trials on a specific health condition or disease. Using COS enhances the ability to identify meaningful comparisons across research and examine the benefits or harms of interventions. However, COS usage still varies widely across areas of healthcare research. Only 2% of reviewed late-phase clinical trials published 2019-2020 reported using a COS, and just 65% of trialists surveyed in 2021 were familiar with COS. Understanding the current awareness

BackgroundUncontrolled high blood pressure (BP) or hypertension is the leading cause of death in Australia. However, only one-third of Australians with hypertension achieve optimal BP control. The key barrier is treatment inertia - hesitancy of health-care providers to initiate or intensify treatment after high BP readings. This is frequently driven by uncertainty around “true” BP due to problematic assessment of office BP readings, high variability of BP and a low number of BP measurements taken in primary care to guide decision-making.High blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke, cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease and presents a considerable health burden. One in three Australians suffer from high blood pressure and only 32% have effectively controlled blood pressure.If all Australians currently living with high blood pressure were properly treated, as many as 83,000 lives could be saved resulting in a $91.6 billion return. However, GPs are hesitant to start or intensify blood pr

This project is a co-produced study of the experiences of people with chronic kidney disease and multiple other long-term conditions when navigating the health and care system. It stems from a series of discussions among a group of patients, brought together through kidney patient networks, and academic researchers, to identify their priorities in patient-driven kidney research. Through their own lived experience, the group members recognised the significant challenges that patients face when navigating the intricacies of the health and social care system to receive appropriate holistic care. This can, in turn, negatively influence their wellbeing and quality of life. The group concluded that this was a priority theme for research, with this project seeking to identify opportunities for improvement, through patient education and empowerment, or systems changes.   Aim: The project has four core objectives: To collect, review and understand the experiences of people living with chronic