Australian Family Physician January/February 2005 - Innovations and Inspirations
Vol 34 (1/2):1-96
Our January/February issue includes articles on teen
pregnancy, Clockwork Young People's Health Service, men's health and the
Good Life Club project - as well as tips for managing childhood food
allergies and how to use a case manager.
Editorial: Being a specialist GP
Steve Trumble
As you read this editorial, I will be enjoying the challenges that rural general practice brings. Like many general practitioners who practise in a metropolitan area, I'm choosing to spend my vacation time undertaking a rural locum in north Queensland.
The treatment of adolescents in Australian general practice
AIHW General Practice Statistics and Classification Unit
The BEACH program, a continuous national study of general practice activity in Australia, gives us an overview of general practice consultations with adolescent patients.
This summer, start a small social revolution
Leanne Rowe
It is 10 years since the inception of 'Clockwork', a youth specific health service in Geelong (Victoria), and despite national recognition and awards for success, the service, like many other youth health programs, is still struggling for funding.
Clockwork Young Peoples Health Service
Chris Gore, Leanne Rowe
Clockwork Young People's Health Service is a youth specific health service set up in 1994 by general practitioners. It is run from a youth art and culture venue in central Geelong, a large regional city in Victoria.
Teen pregnancy - a program for awareness and health education
Brandi McCormack, Moira G Sim
Baby Think It Over is a health program that provides Perth adolescents in metropolitan schools with a 'virtual' parenting experience using an infant simulation program.
Mens health, GPs, and GPs4Men
Greg Malcher
Men have poorer health outcomes than women in many areas, particularly cardiovascular health, workplace health and safety, and mental health.
The Yarning for better health program
Louisa Begley, Patrice Harald
For over 2 years - as part of a broader strategy to address the health disadvantages in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population - Brisbane South Division of General Practice (BSDGP) has been involved in providing community health education to the local indigenous community.
The Good Life Club project
Jill Kelly, Pat Crowe, Marianne Shearer
The Good Life Club project was a 3 year demonstration project funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing (DOHA). The project utilised a number of interventions to support people with diabetes to improve self management of their condition and more effectively utilise existing local health services.
Managing childhood food allergies and anaphylaxis
Wendy Hu, Andrew Kemp
The Food allergies in children are becoming more common causing concern for parents, child carers, teachers and school principals.
Cancer in Australia - up-to-date information for GPs
Brian McAvoy, Mark Elwood, Margaret Staples
General practitioners have a critical role to play in cancer control in Australia. Their work spans the full spectrum of cancer care - prevention, detection, treatment and palliation, and includes psychosocial support of patients and carers. The general practitioner practises clinical medicine in a very different setting and context from those of the hospital specialist. Problems are often undifferentiated, and illness is more common than disease.
Multiple SBCCs - topical imiquimod versus curette and cryotherapy
Anthony J Dixon
Superficial basal cell carcinoma can be successfully managed by means other than surgical excision. Nonexcisional approaches include topical imiquimod, and curette and cryotherapy (C&C).
The NSW & ACT Hereditary Cancer Registers
Libby Weir, Allan Spigelman, Rodney Scott, Judy Kirk, Sue Zeckendorf, Freddy Sitas
The NSW & ACT Hereditary Cancer Registers (HCR) offer registration to people from families at risk for hereditary cancer.
Clinical challenge
Jenni Parsons
Questions for this month's clinical challenge are based on theme articles in this issue.
Brain teaser: Knee discomfort
Jerzy K Pawlak
A woman aged 25 years, presents with bilateral anterior knee discomfort and swelling. When she was younger the pain was much worse.
Quality, innovation, and leadership in general practice - what do they have in common?
Karda Cavanagh
General practice has been hit with waves of reform of increasing amplitude over the past 10 years. 'Quality' could be seen as the next wave or rising tide, and in this issue of AFP, several articles focus on aspects of quality in general practice.
Divisions of general practice, capacity building and health reform
Cathy Hutton
The development of the divisions of general practice network has been one of the major health innovations of the past decade. Its establishment was an innovative plan to build capacity in general practice to respond to health needs in the community and develop good quality health services.
Why we need to learn standardisation
Roger Resar
I have learned several important lessons including the importance of standardisation in which the 'what' is driven by evidence based medicine, the 'how' is customised but specified by small tests of change, and the way the two are linked.
How to use a case manager - a partnership approach
Adam McLeod, Marianne Shearer, Mandy Taylor
There is great scope for general practitioners and case managers to work together. An agreement regarding roles and responsibilities negotiated between GPs and service providers assists in the resource efficient provision of care and can result in positive outcomes for patients.
Anaphylaxis - a patient perspective
Ella Warmington
In order to help us better understand our patients' experiences, Australian Family Physician is pleased to introduce the first in a series of articles written by people who are willing to share their stories.
Can children and adolescents consent to their own medical treatment?
Sara Bird
This article examines the legal obligations of general practitioners when obtaining consent to medical treatment from patients who are under the age of 18 years.
Clinical diagnosis and management of suspicious pigmented skin lesions - a survey of GPs
Peter D Baade, Chris B Del Mar, John B Lowe, Warren R Stanton, Kevin P Balanda
The ability of general practitioners to make important clinical decisions about the diagnosis and management of skin lesions is poorly understood.
Improving the learning needs survey by using four approaches
James A Allan, Di Schaefer, Nigel Stocks
Learning needs analyses are often undertaken to plan continuing education programs. They usually use questionnaires that have shortcomings regarding validity, relevance, breadth and detail.
The use of therapeutic flags to assist GPs prescribing for older persons
Chris J Bonner
Prescribing for older persons can present challenges for general practitioners.
After hours care - a qualitative study of GPs perceptions of risk of violence and effect on service provision
PJ Magin, J Adams, M Ireland, S Heaney, S Darab
Workplace violence in general practice has been found to be an important problem in the United Kingdom. No research has been undertaken in this area in Australian urban practice.
People aged to 18 years per metropolitan and rural GP
David Petchell, Justin J Beilby, Don M Roberton
Children and adolescents aged up to 18 years are an important section of our community. This is the age range managed by South Australian paediatric health services. Provision and planning of health care services for this age group requires current population data and general practitioner workforce numbers.
Does legislation reduce harm to doctors who prescribe for themselves?
Margaret Kay, Chris B Del Mar, Geoffrey Mitchell
To consider the issue of legislation restricting self prescribing by doctors.