Highlights

Date

Highlights 

South Asian Cochrane Network

During the recent meetings of the Cochrane Centre Directors and Cochrane Collaboration Steering Group in Vellore, the South Asian Cochrane Network (one our Branches) organised the 2nd South Asian Regional Symposium on Evidence-Informed Health Care. This was attended by over 500 people and featured presentations and workshops from many senior members of the Collaboration.

The finale to the Symposium was a presentation on the ‘Past, Present and Future of the South Asian Cochrane Network’ during which we paid tribute to the huge achievements of the Network and formally handed over the baton (in the form of a cricket ball) to symbolise the transition of the Network from a Branch to an independent Cochrane Centre.

Prof Chris Baggoley's Silagy Seminar presentation.

The Institute invited Professor Christopher Baggoley, the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) to deliver the annual Silagy Seminar on 15th April at Monash Medical Centre.   The Silagy Seminar was presented as a keynote address as part of Southern Health’s Research Week celebration acknowledging research conducted at Australian’s largest public hospital network.

Professor Baggoley’s presentation “Research to make our hospitals safer and better: the priorities of the Australian Commission in Safety and Quality in Health Care” highlighted the priorities of ASCQHC over the next 12 months and how the Commission plans to implement strategies to bring about quality care and safety in hospitals.

For a copy of the seminar, click here.

Professor Baggoley is a highly experienced clinician and has devoted much of his career to emergency medicine, becoming Professor of Emergency Medicine at Adelaide University in 2003.  His other medical positions were Director of Emergency Medicine at Royal Adelaide Hospital, Executive Director, Medical Services and Director of Emergency services at ACHA Health SA and Director of Emergency Medicine at Flinders Medical Centre in Adelaide.

Professor Baggoley’s other key roles in health have been President of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, Chair of the Committee of Presidents of Medical Colleges, and Chair of the Board of the National Institute of Clinical Studies.  His background as a veterinary surgeon and training as a social worker have been useful and steadying influences in his medical career!

MIHSR Silagy Seminar at inaugural Southern Health Research Week 2007

The Institute invited Professor Sally Redman, CEO of the SAX Institute, to deliver the annual Silagy Seminar at the inaugural Southern Health Research Week on 17 - 19 April 2007.  Professor Redman presented "How can we use evidence better to provide hospital care? which highlighted the need for increased engagement between researchers, health care providers and decision makers to significantly improve the impact of research on health and health care.  The seminar outlined ways to encourage engagement between researchers, health care providers and decision makers to increase the effective use of evidence in policy, practice and service delivery.  For a copy of the seminar, click here.

Professor Redman is a public health researcher with an interest in evaluation programs designed to improve health and health care.  Her current research focuses on models of cancer care, Aboriginal health and housing.  She has a strong commitment to increasing the impact of research on policy and practice and was the inaugural Director of the National Breast Cancer Centre.  She is currently a member of the NHMRC Research Committee and the research committees of the Cancer Council NSW, Cancer Australia and the National Heart Foundation.  She is also on the Board of the National Institute for Clinical Studies.

A team led by Professor Helena Teede, Director of Research at the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women’s Health, confirmed that lifestyle combined with the drug Metformin (commonly used to treat diabetes) is likely to be the best treatment to lower insulin resistance and potentially protect against Type-2 diabetes for women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).  PCOS is a hormone disorder with increases in the hormone insulin.  The elevated insulin causes symptoms including infertility, facial hair, diabetes and potentially and increased risk of heart disease. 

The team’s findings revealed that, for women with symptoms of PCOS, low-dose and high-dose contraceptives and metformin were all effective in treating symptoms.  However, the high-dose Pill increased insulin levels, increasing future diabetes risk.  The low-dose Pill had no effect on insulin and metformin considerably reduced insulin levels.

“It’s extremely important for women with PCOS to change their lifestyles by incorporating regular physical activity into their daily routine and eating a well-balanced, low-fat diet with plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit.  Lifestyle changes, as well as medication, are vital for a reduction in symptoms and insulin resistance,” Professor Teede said.

“This important study will help the medical profession and women choose the best clinical treatment for this common hormone disorder.”

• review different approaches used in integrating gender into curricula to identify strengths and weaknesses

• develop consensus on the most effective proposed strategies and modalities for implementation of these approaches

• identify existing materials that can be shared

• develop recommendations based on the findings, including how WHO can support the process of integrating gender into health curricula

Congratulations to Dr Jo Wainer for the publication of her book
"LOST: illegal abortion stories" 

Dr Jo Wainer's late husband, Dr Bertram Wainer, was a high profile abortion reform doctor and campaigner in the 60s and 70s and Jo has recently given evidence before the Senate Inquiry into the RU 486 bill.

The book is being released on 6th April, 2006 and will be launched by the Hon Joan Kirner at the Malthouse Theatre, 1:30pm on Sunday 9th April.  It will be followed by a 1hour demonstration of 6 of the stories in the book by the MAlthouse Theater Company. 

The book was the basis of a 5 page story in The Age Good Weekend on March 25th.