Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) - Project Options

About Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours)

Honours Projects 

Revolutionize healthcare through research…

The Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) Program is an opportunity to explore and impact the Health Industry. The Health Industry is vast and possible research topics are endless. Below is a list of research projects past students of the Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) program have investigated.
 

 

 

Investigating referral pathways from primary care to consumer health organisations

Abstract:
While chronic disease places an increasing burden on Australia’s primary care system it is unrealistic to expect GPs to meet the range of support needs experienced by patients managing chronic conditions. Consumer health organisations (CHO) have the potential to augment clinical care by providing a variety of supportive services; however, they are underutilised by patients and GPs. This qualitative study investigates GPs’ knowledge and perceptions of CHO and their contributions to chronic disease care. The study involved semi-structured interviews with 10 GPs. Overall, participants demonstrated clear understanding of the role of CHO in chronic disease management, but a critical finding was the way GPs’ view of their own chronic care role appears to influence referral practices. GPs operating in a traditional role were less likely to refer to CHO than those who had adopted a chronic care approach. A second key finding related to GPs’ views of Diabetes Australia. All GPs identified this organisation as an important referral point, providing some reassurance that CHO can be integrated into the primary care sector. Further research is needed to determine how the ‘definite advantages’ associated with Diabetes Australia can be used to extend GP referral and enhance the health system’s integration of other CHO.

  • Link to Published document:
    Young C, Mutch A, Boyle F & Dean J (2010) Investigating referral pathways from primary care to consumer health organisations. Australian Journal of Primary Health 16, 260–67.

Ecosystem Health & Pathogen Regulation: Does Biodiversity Affect Leptospirosis Risk?

Abstract:
Well balanced ecosystems have an essential role in disease regulation, and consequently their correct functioning is increasingly recognised as imperative for maintaining human health. Disruptions to ecosystems have been found to increase the risk of several diseases, including Hantavirus, Lyme disease, Ross River Virus, malaria, and Ciguatera fish poisoning. Leptospirosis is a globally important emerging zoonosis, caused by spirochaete bacteria, borne by many mammalian hosts, and also transmitted environmentally. We propose that leptospirosis incidence in humans is also linked to ecosystem disruption, and that reduced biodiversity (the diversity of species within an ecological community) may be associated with increased leptospirosis incidence. To test this hypothesis, the relationship between biodiversity levels of island nations and their annual leptospirosis incidence rates (adjusted for GDP per capita) was examined by linear correlation and regression. Supportive, statistically significant negative associations between leptospirosis incidence and a) number of mammal species (R2= 0.79, p>0.001) and b) island area as an indirect measure of biodiversity (R2=0.56, p=0.002) were obtained. Similar analyses at regional and local scales did not show any association between leptospirosis incidence and total biodiversity. However, these latter studies were limited by less accurate biodiversity measures, and biases such as leptospirosis originating from domestic mammal reservoirs. An association between biodiversity and leptospirosis risk, if supported by further research, would emphasise the importance of managing leptospirosis emergence at a broader, ecosystem level.

 

Occupational Health and Safety: knowledge and attitudes amongst RAAF and non-RAAF personal

Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the occupational health and safety (OHS) knowledge and attitudes vary between Royal Australia Air Force (RAAF) and non RAAF groups at Amberley Air Base in south east Queensland. This was achieved by employing a mixture of quantitative and qualitative methods. A questionnaire was distributed to approximately 400 personnel on base, of which 118 valid responses were returned completed. In addition to this, 19 interviews were held with personnel who possessed some degree of responsibility for OHS management. The study was carried out between September and October 2009. The data from the questionnaires illustrated a difference in safety climate score of RAAF personnel was found to be significantly lower than the non-RAAF personnel. In particular, in the dimensions of Management Commitment, Work Environment, Supportive Environment and Priority of Safety, the RAAF were shown to have lower attitudes with statistical significance. Also the data from the questionnaires illustrated a significant difference between the age and education levels of the RAAF and non-RAAF groups. The information reported in the interviews identified the themes of training, safety as a secondary role, involuntary nature of many safety positions and poor safety attitudes. These findings provide some valuable insight into the safety attitudes and safety structure of the RAAF and non-RAAF groups on base. The results from this study indicate the RAAF needs to consider the training amongst those with OHS responsibilities, and the structure of their safety system. This study also suggests the need for further investigation into the role of age and education in the military culture of safety.

 

Analysis of Papua New Guinea's Health workforce Issues & Constraints

Abstract:
The health and wellbeing of children and mothers in Papua New Guinea (PNG) remains a key health dilemma that has been fuelled by a break down in health services as healthcare remains either unavailable of inaccessible to a majority of the population. As a result this paper aims to address these issues by identifying Millennium Development Goal (MDG) related gaps in children and maternal healthcare and systematically reviewing the potential for interprofessional collaboration (IPC) and interprofessional education (IPE) to improve healthcare delivery. The findings of this research paper showed that PNG has a child and maternal health related MDGs competencies gap and that the outcomes of IPE presents a solution to address these gaps by advocating IPC and multidisciplinary healthcare teams. Essentially IPC and IPE present an appropriate way to plan and develop the health workforce according to the clinical competency of each health worker and their capabilities to address the child and maternal health related MDGs. Hence, implementing IPE in the training and development of Papua New Guinea’s health workforce should allow low-level healthcare professionals to better understand and deliver their primary and front-line child and maternal healthcare roles and responsibilities. Additionally it should encourage high-level healthcare professionals to understand the roles of low-level healthcare professionals and to work with them and support them as a team.

 

Psychological distress is associated with tobacco smoking and quitting behaviour in the Australian population: evidence from national cross-sectional surveys

Abstract:
Objective: To investigate the association between levels of psychological distress and smoking and quitting behaviours. Method: Data were from two large Australian national household surveys of individuals over 20 years of age. Level of psychological distress was measured by the Kessler 10 scale. Tobacco smoking measures included current smoking status (never, former, current); ex-smokers ‘time since quitting; current smokers’ abstinent period in the last 12 months, cigarettes smoked per day, reasons for smoking, and self-report of factors that would motivate quitting; and self-report of factors that motivated smokers to quit in the last 12 months. Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the relationships between smoking behaviours and psychological distress, while controlling for socio-demographic factors. Results: Current smokers, especially those who smoke more cigarettes per day and those who report less success at quitting or reducing smoking, had higher levels of psychological distress. Ex-smokers were also more likely to experience psychological distress than those who never smoked, but the association weakened with more years since quitting. Current smokers with psychological distress were just as, or more likely, to report planning to quit as those without psychological distress. Smokers who did not plan to quit due to addiction, past failure at quitting, and using smoking for relaxation or to deal with stress were more likely to report psychological distress than those who did not report these reasons. Conclusions: Current smoking and unsuccessful quit attempts in the Australian community were strongly associated with symptoms of psychological distress. Quitting aspirations and influence from general public health interventions were not associated with the smokers’ level of psychological distress.

  • View Published paper:
    Leung J, Gartner C, Dobson A, Lucke J & Hall W (2011) Psychological distress is associated with tobacco smoking and quitting behaviour in the Australian population: evidence from national cross-sectional surveys. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 45, 170-178.

 

Posttraumatic stress but not perceived pain or disability is associated with autonomic nervous system dysfunction in acute whiplash injury.

Abstract:
Objectives: Widespread sensory disturbances, moderate posttraumatic stress and high levels of pain and disability are significant predictors of poor outcome in whiplash and are possibly related to autonomic nervous system (ANS) function. This study tested the hypothesis that autonomic dysfunction as measured by heart rate variability (HRV) occurs in some individuals with acute WAD and may be associated with features predictive of poor functional recovery. Methods: Forty-nine participants with acute neck pain subsequent to a motor vehicle accident were included. HRV was measured using an ambulatory device (Lifeshirt®, Vivometrics, USA) worn for a minimum of 6 hours on 2 consecutive days. Outcome measures assessed posttraumatic stress (PDS and IES–R), perceived pain and disability, fear of movement and cold hyperalgesia. Pearson’s correlations were used to determine existence of a relationship between these measures and HRV indices. Further statistical analyses were conducted on factors with significant correlations using univariate ANOVAs. Results: Significant weak–moderate negative correlations were found between HRV indices (both time and frequency domain) and posttraumatic stress (PDS and IES–R) as well as fear of movement and RMSSD (P < 0.05). No significant correlations were demonstrated between HRV, pain and disability. There were significant group differences found between participants with moderate–severe (PDS > 20) and mild–moderate posttraumatic stress and HRV indices including total power (P = 0.02). Discussion: These findings suggest that HRV may be associated with increased posttraumatic stress in the acute stage of whiplash injury. Relationships between autonomic dysfunction, pain and disability may develop in the chronic phase of whiplash.


 

Social support needs of long term caregivers at critical stages of the life course: a qualitative study

Abstract:
Carers are a prominent group in health policy who can bear principle responsibility for the long term needs of the elderly, disabled and sick living in the community. For some, these responsibilities can last a lifetime and take a significant toll on their health and wellbeing. Research also demonstrates an association between poorer health outcomes and high levels of unmet need, particularly in relation to social support. This paper reports on a study examining the social support needs of long term carers across the care recipient’s life course. It identifies carers social support needs at critical stages across the life course and outlines whether they were met and by whom. Seven informal caregivers living in Queensland, Australia, participated in qualitative in-depth interviews. Social support needs were identified at five critical life stages: birth of child; before school; primary school; secondary school; and after school. Four types of social support were investigated, including positive social interaction, emotional, informational and instrumental support. Ultimately, the need for emotional support was greatest across the life course, while the need for other forms of social support were linked to the care-recipients condition and differed across critical life stages. A critical finding related to the carer’s perception of their role: many did not see themselves as carers, but as parents. For many, this meant that they did not seek out or access carer support services. Many health professionals also saw carers in this way; consequently they did not refer them to relevant support services. The study demonstrates that understanding the changing nature of long term carers’ social support needs is critical to enhance access to support tailored to address need at critical periods across the life course. This understanding provides a solid foundation for future and is for informing the development of evidence based policy.

 

Australian Men’s Health Service Use across the Lifecourse

Abstract:
Despite Australian men’s higher premature mortality rates, lower life expectancy and higher illness burden from health risk factors such as hypertension, men use health services less than women (AIHW 2010, ABS 2010a). Current research suggests men’s health service use is influenced by a range of factors at a biological, individual, health system and societal level (Smith, Braunack-Mayer & Wittert 2006); however limited research has investigated how such factors change over time or with changing health status. To gain a more comprehensive picture, this study aimed to explore both men’s understanding of health and health service use across the life course. The research involved in-depth interviews guided by the life grid method with ten middle-aged Australian men. The findings illustrate the way in which men perceive the need for and use health service use is complex and dependent on a range of key influences.


 

The Current Level of Physical Activity and Activity Preferences in Paediatric Cancer Patients

Abstract:
Previous research has shown that childhood cancer survivors suffer from side effects including; osteoporosis, altered cardiorespiratory functioning, diabetes, obesity, and psychosocial disturbances. Presently childhood cancer rehabilitation is an area in which further research is required, as the potential to prevent the short, medium, and long term adverse health effects resulting from cancer treatment is significant. Early interventions to increase physical activity and exercise can help to establish positive lifestyle habits from an early age, helping to prevent or, at least reduce, some of these adverse health effects or the degree to which they affect the patient.
Thus, this research aimed to gain an understanding of the impact that cancer diagnosis and its subsequent treatment have on physical activity, by determining the amount of activity, and types of activities currently being undertaken by children actively undergoing cancer treatment. It also aimed to determine the particular activities to include, and factors to consider, ensuring continual participation and adherence to any future physical activity programs, with the long term aim of prolonged participation for this population.
This particular study is a vital part of the Oncology Theme within the Children’s Nutrition Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. It complements other studies currently being completed in the paediatric oncology population. The long term goal from this study is to develop a program at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Brisbane, where the paediatric oncology patients can participate in various activities that they find enjoyable and beneficial, as a way of increasing their physical activity level and ultimately decreasing the short, medium, and long term health effects that a sedentary lifestyle can produce.
Please submit an enquiry form to enquire about available projects in any of these areas or to investigate the possibility of a project area not listed above.

 

 

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