Research Involvement & Training Opportunities

Each year under the PHCRED program, the University Department of Rural Health (UDRH) offers a small number of project-based research training opportunities attached to research projects operating within the Department. We are now seeking expressions of interest from primary health care professionals for these short term, part-time casual placements.

These placements provide an opportunity for primary health care professionals with an interest in research to build their research skills, experience and track record through hands-on involvement in an existing research project under the guidance of an experienced researcher. While the mix of duties are broadly those of a research assistant, there will be a strong emphasis on mentoring, training and capacity building - in essence, a short-term research apprenticeship. Many previous participants in this program have moved on to study for higher degrees or have found positions involving a research component.

The total hours available in each project will vary considerably depending on the demands of projects, applicant availability and the number of appointments but are likely to be capped at 135 hours total per placement, to be worked between August and December 2010 at a casual hourly rate of $34.61 per hour (CRA Level 2). Exact conditions of involvement will be negotiated at the time of appointment depending on the needs of the individual project and the availability and preferences of the successful applicant(s). The exact scope of the training will also depend on the particular project but will likely cover many of the basic skills required to undertake research and/or evaluation within primary health care such as research design, data collection methodologies, data analysis and reporting

We presently have research projects underway or planned for this year in the following areas:

• Stroke Home Follow up program: Client perceptions of services forstroke patients. Stroke is a major health issue in Tasmaniaand requires substantial support and aftercare. In some research up to 95%of patients report they have yet to make a full recovery after stroke.However, it is also known that the quality of life and independence ofstroke patients is improved by comprehensive aftercare services. TheNational Stroke Foundation (TAS) has a major role providing support andfollow up for stroke patients in Tasmania. Subject to ethics approval, the project will aim to find out about howwell the Stroke Foundation (TAS) follow-up services have worked for strokepatients in a selected sample of those who have participated in the StrokeFoundation's intervention. A broader question about primary healthcareservices will also be included to explore stroke survivor experiences inthe wider healthcare system, consistent with the objectives of the PrimaryHealthcare Research and Evaluation Development (PHCRED). Subject to ethicsapproval, the project would involve the research assistant conductingsemi-structured telephone interviews with 30 Stroke Foundation clients,asking questions like: 1. Did the follow up service provided by the StrokeFoundation (TAS) meet your needs?; 2. How could the service be improved ?;3. How are you managing now? ; 4. What is your view of how well primaryhealthcare services (first-point-of-contact health services such as GPs,dentists, pharmacists) in Tasmania work for stroke patients both beforeand after a stroke? What practical improvements can you suggest fordeveloping these services as well? The research assistant would also workwith the project chief investigator Dr Erica Bell to develop a briefreport for The Stroke Foundation and publish the findings in an academicjournal paper. This 'mini apprenticeship' offers key skills ininterviewing and research writing in a critical health issue. Dr Erica Bell, DeputyDirector UDRH, Ph: 03 6226 7377, Mobile: 043 939 4141, Email: Erica.Bell@utas.edu.au Hobartbased

• Climate change andhealth: If Tasmania leads the nation in loss of farming income due todrying conditions how has this impacted on primary healthcare? Over 850 papers have beenwritten about the health effects of climate change which is acknowledgedto be one of the greatest health threats of the 21st Century. Australia isone of the world's most climate-vulnerable countries. Tasmania leads thenation in loss of farm income due to drying conditions. However, little isknown about the perceptions of primary healthcare practitioners inaffected rural communities, their experiences and views about climatechange. This 'mini apprenticeship' will involve surveying Tasmanianprimary healthcare practitioners in affected regions to better understand:1. What health effects of climate change have primary healthcarepractitioners observed in Tasmania, among which groups?; 2. How has thisaffected the way they practice, clinically and non clinically?; 3. Whatservices do they think are needed i.e. health, allied health and otherservices? As this study would be the first of its kind, it will aim tomodel internationally relevant methods for examining relationships betweenclimate change and health and their implications for the 'frontline' ofprimary healthcare. The research data collected will be collated into ashort report that will be presented to policy-makers at the state,national and international levels. Project findings will also be publishedin an academic journal paper. The research assistant would learn about theglobal literature on climate change and health, how to conduct aninterview project, and how to disseminate the results to policy-makers andin academic forums in a way that helps make a difference. Dr Erica Bell, Deputy Director UDRH, Ph: 03 6226 7377, Mobile: 043 939 4141, Email: Erica.Bell@utas.edu.au Hobartbased

• Translationalresearch for primary healthcare: This 'miniapprenticeship' will involve working on a book project, supporting thebook's Tasmanian editor Dr Erica Bell who is collaborating with some ofthe world's leading researchers in primary healthcare, as well as those inthe Faculty of Health Science who are leading the faculty's translationalresearch agenda. The book aims to showcase practical (translational)research methods for making research evidence more useful and relevant toprimary healthcare policy, services and practice. This is important in a context in which too manyhealth system problems arise from poor translation of evidence andill-fitting research methods. Many different areas of primaryhealthcare services are covered by the book, and chapters are united by ashared emphasis on practical applied methods for working withpolicy-makers, service administrators, and primary healthcarepractitioners. Thebook is being designed to work as a resource for graduate healthprofessionals wanting to build their research skills in ways that can makea difference to primary healthcare. More generally, it should also beuseful for readers wanting an introduction to translational researchmethods in health. The book will need to be finalised by the end of theyear. 'Mini-apprentices' working on the project will learn many researchpublication skills: how a book proposal is produced, how it is sold to apublisher, how to recruit leading researchers as contributors, how toorganize a peer review process for research quality, and how to prepareand finalise book copy. They will also build many useful contacts inprimary healthcare research. Dr Erica Bell, Deputy Director UDRH, Ph: 036226 7377, Mobile: 043 9394141, Email: Erica.Bell@utas.edu.au Hobart based

• AsianMigrants' health risks in the Tasmanian rural context: Directions forprimary healthcare development: Thisstudy aims to examine the health risks experienced by Asian migrantsliving in rural Tasmania. It attempts to understand their views andexperiences about health risk factors relevant to non communicablediseases (i.e., smoking, alcohol, food and vegetable consumption, physicalactivities). The project will use currently available statistical dataabout Tasmania social demographics and health risk factors (i.e., NationalHealth Survey, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare). Qualitativedata will be collected from interviews with Asian migrants of differentcultural backgrounds in rural Tasmania about health risks, reflecting ontheir experiences in their homelands and now in Tasmania. The projectfindings will offer directions for developing primary healthcare for Asianmigrants in rural Tasmania, in ways that address the identified healthrisks. Dr Quynh Le (Quynh.Le@utas.edu.au Tel. 63244053. Launceston based

• Socialnorms and adolescent substance use: How can we make a difference toprimary healthcare? Manyyoung people present to primary healthcare services who are at risk of, orare engaging in, substance abuse. It is known that young people'sbehaviour is influenced by their perceptions of 'what everyone else isdoing' and also that they overestimate the prevalence of youth substance use/misuse.Yet the material available in primary healthcare services waiting roomsdoes not always effectively address young people's assumptions aboutsubstance use, and some material erroneously implies that 'all youngpeople take drugs'. This project will involve developing and helpingimplement a strategy for disseminating the results of the UniversityDepartment of Rural Health's flagship program in substance abuseprevention: the innovative Social Norms Analysis Project (SNAP) led by DrClarissa Hughes. It will involve examining the results and publications ofthe project since its inception in 2006, and developing a strategy incollaboration with stakeholders for translating the project findings andwider research evidence into primary healthcare service settings. The 'miniapprenticeship' will involve learning about the research evidence for thesocial norms approach, and how SNAP developed, as well as key techniquesfor translating the findings of research projects into primary healthcaresettings. Dr Clarissa HughesTelephone: +61 3 6226 7797, Fax: +61 3 6226 1952 Email:Clarissa.Hughes@utas.edu.au Hobart based

Selection Criteria for all mini-apprenticeships

• A University degree in an area related to primary health care.
• An understanding of, and experience in, primary health care.
• A demonstrated interest in research.
• The degree of fit between the applicant's skills and interests and the nature and needs of available projects.

Expressions of Interest: Expressions of Interest including a current CV and a covering letter briefly addressing the selection criteria and any other supporting material should reach

Dr Erica Bell at

Email: erica.bell@utas.edu.au

Phone 6226 7377

Post: University Department of Rural Health, Private Bag 103 Hobart 7001

by the close of business on 5th August 2010

Please indicate which project(s) are of primary interest to you.

Any enquires about specific projects should be directed initially to the individual named for that project.