Category Archives: News & Media

Introduction to Health Economics for Fall Prevention Researchers

Presented by the ANZFPS Early Career Researcher Sub-Committee

Presenters: Dr Alison Pearce & Daniel Treacy

Dr Pearce introduces how Health Economists think, and why that might be interesting and/or useful to fall prevention researchers. Alison gives practical guidance for how to find and work with a Health Economist. Daniel discusses the practical application of health economics using an example from hospital rehabilitation.

 To watch the webinar recorded on Thursday 26th of March 2020 click here.

After watching the webinar, please complete our evaluation survey by clicking here.

Dr Pearce has generously made her slides available. If you use or adapt the information contained, please acknowledge Dr Pearce and the event.

Dr Alison Pearce is a health economist interested in the various costs of cancer, and how people make choices about their health and healthcare. Alison’s research aims to use health services research and health economics to improve cancer care by providing relevant, reliable information for decision making. Currently based at the University of Sydney School of Public Health, Alison teaches introductory health economics and conducts research in the areas of oncology patient preferences and productivity loss. Alison’s research extends the work previously completed at the Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation (CHERE) at UTS, and as a postdoc at the National Cancer Registry in Ireland. Alison’s PhD investigated the costs of chemotherapy side effects at CHERE in 2013, after working in cancer clinical trials and health services research.

Alison’s original training was in occupational therapy, and she remains interested in rehabilitation research. Alison also has keen interests in early career researcher development, communicating research to the public, and the use of social media in academia. When not being an academic Alison enjoys putting economic theories into practice in her small business – Bean Bar You.

Daniel Treacy is the Physiotherapy Advisor for South Eastern Sydney Local Health District and a PhD student through the Institute for Musculoskeletal Health at the University of Sydney. Daniel has previously worked as a rehabilitation Physiotherapist and has a strong interest in improving the function of elderly people both within the hospital and community setting. Daniel’s PhD topic is “Increasing and measuring physical rehabilitation”

Presentations now available – Exercise for falls prevention: How can we have a greater impact on policy and practice?

On Thursday 28th November 2019, the Australia and New Zealand Fall Prevention Society in conjunction with the Institute for Musculoskeletal Health held the seminar – “Exercise for falls prevention: How can we have a greater impact on policy and practice?”

The seminar 85 attendees heard presentations overviewing the current evidence supporting exercise for fall prevention and learnt about systems approaches that acknowledge the complexity of influences on behaviour and outcomes and help us target aspects to change. We were then inspired by examples of policies and programs that have implemented evidence-based interventions in fall prevention and related fields. Three of the presenters even presented remotely without a hitch. All presenters have generously made their presentations available (click links below).

What is the current situation:
Understanding how things could change:
Related stories of policy influence:

Statistics webinar now online!

You can now view the recording from the webinar “Estimating the effect of treatment on people who comply with allocated treatment in randomised controlled trial using CACE (Complier Average Causal Effect)” here. The webinar was presented on the 25th of September 2019 by the ANZFPS Early Career Researcher Sub-Committee.

Prof Rob Herbert provides a brief background on what it means to be a complier, the complier average causal effect (CACE), assumptions needed to estimate the CACE, and approaches to estimating the CACE. Click here to download a pdf of his slides.

Dr. Nicola Fairhall discusses the practical application of CACE analysis using an example from one of her randomised controlled trials. Click here to download a pdf of her slides.

ANZFPS Seminar

You are invited to attend:

“Exercise for falls prevention: how can we have a greater impact on policy and practice?”

When: 28th of November
Time: 9.00am to 12.00pm AEDT
Where: Kerry Packer Education Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Missenden Road, Camperdown, Sydney.

This seminar is jointly hosted by the Australian and New Zealand Fall Prevention Society and the Institute for Musculoskeletal Health.

There is now strong evidence that exercise prevents falls in community-dwelling older adults. Yet a major evidence-practice gap exists.

This session is aimed at researchers, clinicians and policy makers interested in better implementation of exercise for fall prevention.

Please register at the link or by sending an email to imh.info@sydney.edu.au : https://www.eventbrite.com/e/australia-and-new-zealand-fall-prevention-society-seminar-tickets-77443129485

 

Call for bids to host ANZFPS 2022 conference

In accordance with bylaws of the Australian and New Zealand Falls Prevention Society (ANZFPS) https://www.anzfallsprevention.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/ANZFPS-Bylaws-18-Nov-2014.pdf, bids for hosting the 2022 ANZFPS biennial conference are now open. If you attended the ANZFPS conference in Hobart in 2018 you are deemed an ANZFPS member and are eligible to make a bid. If you wish to do so, send your bid to the ANZFPS Secretary Anna Hatton at a.hatton1@uq.edu.au.

For more information on the bid process, please email either the Secretary Anna Hatton a.hatton1@uq.edu.au or President Cathie Sherrington Cathie.sherrington@sydney.edu.au

Reminder: The 2020 ANZFPS conference will be held in Auckland, New Zealand.

Statistics Webinar

Estimating the effect of treatment on people who comply with allocated treatment in randomised controlled trial

Presented by the Australian and New Zealand Fall Prevention Society Early Career Researcher Sub-Committee

When: Wednesday 25th September

Time: 1230 – 1330

Where: Zoom webinar (registration details below or for local participants: Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Barker St, Randwick, NSW, John and Betty Lynch Seminar Room, Level 3; if you plan on attending at NeuRA please RSVP to m.taylor@neura.edu.au)

 

Register in advance for this webinar

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

 

Topic: Estimating the effect of treatment on people who comply with allocated treatment in randomised controlled trial using CACE (Complier Average Causal Effect)

Presenters: Professor Rob Herbert and Dr Nicola Fairhall. Prof Rob Herbert will provide a brief background on what it means to be a complier, the complier average causal effect (CACE), assumptions needed to estimate the CACE, and approaches to estimating the CACE. Dr Nicola Fairhall will discuss the practical application of CACE analysis using an example from one of her randomised controlled trials.

 

Prof Rob Herbert

Professor Rob Herbert is an NHMRC Principal Research Fellow at Neuroscience Research Australia. He initially trained as a physiotherapist and has an interest in clinical research, particularly randomised trials of physical interventions for motor impairment. He is a Director of the Centre for Evidence-Based Physiotherapy which maintains the PEDro database (www.pedro.org.au), a unique database of randomised trials, systematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines in physiotherapy.

 

Dr Nicola Fairhall

Nicola is a Post Doctoral Research Associate in the Institute for Musculoskeletal Health research theme within the School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney. Nicola worked as physiotherapist for twelve years before completing her PhD in 2013. Her research currently focuses on improving functioning in older people, particularly those who are frail.

 

 

 

Travel Fellowship – Applications Open

Deadline extended until 29 July

The ANZFPS has successfully run biennial conferences since 2004.  Over this time, a small profit has accrued from each conference such that the ANZFPS is able to re-invest some of these funds into promoting opportunities to grow fall prevention research and practice in Australia and New Zealand.  The ANZFPS has allocated $5,000 in 2019 to support a travel fellowship for one of its members.  We welcome applications for the travel fellowship for the purpose of supporting fall prevention research and practice capacity in Australia and / or New Zealand, and build career opportunities in fall prevention of the successful applicant(s).  The outcome of the travel fellowship will be presented back to the ANZFPS at the subsequent biennial conference, and through the Society’s online newsletter.

Application Guidelines Applications are now open to members of the ANZFPS who are at the time of application enrolled in research higher degrees (Research Masters or PhD) or less than four years following completion of a research higher degree. Career interruptions will be considered pending the scope of this interruption. Applicants are encouraged to identify a host institution (which may be located in Australia, New Zealand, or overseas), organize their own research activities to be conducted at the host institution, and make their own travel and accommodation plans. Applications must be submitted on the template provided (2 page maximum) and also include: a CV (2 pages maximum); host letter of support; and contact details for a referee who is happy to be contacted about your application. Maximum budget for any one application is $5,000.  Research, travel and accommodation costs can be included. Research infrastructure costs (eg. purchase of computers) cannot be included. Costs for provision of child-care services from registered child-care providers can be included.

Application assessment criteria Potential impact on building fall prevention research and practice capacity in Australia and/or New Zealand – 10 points Potential impact on the career development of successful applicant – 10 points Value for money – 10 points

Condition of the award Successful applicants will be required to submit a report at the completion of the fellowship (including an abbreviated version to appear in the Society’s online newsletter) and present their work at the following ANZFPS conference.

Submission: Applications should be submitted to Anna Hatton, Secretary, Australian & New Zealand Falls Prevention Society: a.hatton1@uq.edu.au

Closing date and notification Applications close 5:00 PM Australian Eastern Standard Time 29 July 2019. Successful applicants will be notified 6-8 weeks after the closing date.
Application checklist

  • Application form and proposal (2 page max)
  • CV (2 page max including any career disruptions)
  • Evidence of Research Higher Degree completion as applicable
  • Referee contact details
  • Letter of support from host

Australian Clinical Trials Alliance

 

 

 

 

 

The ANZFPS is now an Affiliate Member of the Australian Clinical Trials Alliance, joining the collective voice in Australia for investigator initiated clinical trials and the clinical registries sector. Member benefits include:

  • Have an active role in helping to ensure that the public good trials and registries sector has a strong and effective ‘collective voice’ at the national level.
  • Help to shape healthcare and research policy that directly impacts your research.
  • A ‘seat at the table’ to ensure that your group is well represented and has the opportunity to influence and help drive ACTA’s advocacy for the sector.
  • Ability to contribute to ACTA Roundtables/Working Groups/Standing Committees to ensure that issues impacting your field of research are communicated effectively to governments and key stakeholders.
  • Active promotion of the activities and achievements of your research group through ACTA publications, member profiles on the ACTA website and news listings on major publications and trial results.
  • Get connected: receive policy alerts & enewsletters, provide comments to inform ACTA submissions and rapid responses, and receive invitations to member forums/events.
  • Discounted registration to all ACTA conferences and events (for organisational members this is extended to all members of your organisation/group).