Research Strength: Primary Health Care

Primary Health Care research at the School of Public Health and Community Medicine

See also:

Staff involved in primary health care research Primary health care research - Management of chronic disease Primary health care research - Prevention including intervention of risk factors for chronic disease	Primary health care research - Primary health care policy Primary health care research - Further information and opportunities for Independent Learning Project, Masters and PhD students

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Introduction

Primary Health Care research is a major strength of the School through staff located at the School’s affiliated Research Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity (CPHCE) and through researchers located within the School. The Primary Health Care Group has research under the following four themes:

1. Behavioural risk factor management and chronic disease prevention
2. Understanding and intervening to address health inequalities
3. Management of chronic disease
4. Primary health care policy

Much of the work on these themes takes place within the UNSW Research Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity. Details of this work and project descriptions are available at the CPHCE website.

Within the School itself the researchers working on Primary Health Care Research are closely linked to CPHCE and are also involved in collaborations with other members of the School, with others in the Faculty of Medicine and with other Universities. The focus of the work in on: management of chronic disease; and prevention, including intervention of risk factors for chronic illness such as tobacco smoking.

Management of chronic disease

Staff within the School are leading or involved in projects on improved care of COPD, early diagnosis of COPD, systematic review of interventions for care of chronic disease in primary health care, teamwork for chronic disease in general practice, advance care planning, improved care of atrial fibrillation to prevent stroke.
All of these projects address health conditions of high prevalence and impact where improved care in the community has the potential for important health benefit for the population.

Prevention including intervention of risk factors for chronic disease

Nicholas Zwar and Robyn Richmond are leading a project to develop and test the role of general practice nurse to provide smoking cessation advice. Primary Care group staff are also involved in projects on absolute cardiovascular risk assessment in general practice, vascular disease prevention and lifestyle risk factor management in the 45-49 year old health check in general practice.

Primary health care policy

Nick Zwar has led a team to perform a systematic review on optimising skill-mix in the primary health care workforce for care of older Australians. The issue of distribution of roles and responsibilities is an important policy and practice questions given the major problems with health workforce.

Further information and opportunities for Independent Learning Project, Masters and PhD students

For more detailed information about the streams of prevention management of chronic disease, primary health care policy and health equity see the CPHCE website or contact one of the members of the group. For further information about projects in tobacco control contact Professor Robyn Richmond (r.richmond@unsw.edu.au).