Publications
Below is a selection of our publications.
COVID-19 challenges faced by general practitioners in Australia: a survey study conducted in March 2021 – Tessa Copp et al
Limited studies at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic found GPs have been negatively affected by increased workload, reduced income and major concerns about staff and patient safety. This study aimed to investigate the challenges of COVID-19 in general practice 1 year since it was [...]
Understanding women’s choices for management of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2 (CIN2): Qualitative analysis of a randomised experimental study – Gemma Keers…Kristen Pickles…Rachael Dodd et al
When presented with balanced information on the benefits and harms of different management options for CIN2 and given a choice, most women in this hypothetical situation chose active surveillance over surgery.
Perceptions of conflicting breast cancer screening recommendations among racially/ethnically diverse women: a multimethod study – Ashley Housten et al
Conflicting breast cancer screening recommendations have the potential to diminish informed decision making about screening. We examined the knowledge, attitudes, and intentions related to divergent recommendations for breast cancer screening among racially/ethnically diverse women.
Exploring the expectations, experiences and tensions of refugee patients and general practitioners in the quality of care in general practice – Pinika Patel et al
Refugees and asylum seekers arrive in the Australian community with complex health needs and expectations of healthcare systems formed from elsewhere. Navigating the primary healthcare system can be challenging with communication and language barriers. In multicultural societies, this obstacle may be removed by accessing language-concordant [...]
Testing behaviour may bias observational studies of vaccine effectiveness – Paul Glasziou et al (Preprint)
Recent observational studies have suggested that vaccines for the omicron variant of SARS-Cov2 may have little or no effect in preventing infection. However, the observed effects may be confounded by patient factors and preventive behaviours or vaccine-related differences in testing behaviour.
Assessing the Potential for Patient-led Surveillance After Treatment of Localized Melanoma (MEL-SELF): A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial – Deonna Ackermann,…Jolyn Hersch et al
This pilot randomized clinical trial including 100 patients found that patient-led surveillance was safe, feasible, and acceptable. Despite limited statistical power to detect effects on secondary outcomes, the intervention appears to improve skin self-examination practice and detection of subsequent new primary melanomas.
Can patient-led surveillance detect subsequent new primary or recurrent melanoma and reduce the need for routinely scheduled follow-up? A protocol for the MEL-SELF randomised controlled trial – Deonna Ackermann,…Jolyn Hersch et al
Most subsequent new primary or recurrent melanomas might be self-detected if patients are trained to systematically self-examine their skin and have access to timely medical review (patient-led surveillance). Routinely scheduled clinic visits (clinician-led surveillance) is resource-intensive and has not been shown to improve health outcomes; [...]
Factors involved in treatment decision making for women diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ: A qualitative study – Amy Hatton,…Jolyn Hersch et al
Whilst some of the diversity in management of women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) may be explained by tumour characteristics, the role of patient preference and the factors underlying those preferences have been less frequently examined. We have used a descriptive qualitative study to [...]
COVID-19 vaccine intentions in Australia – Kristen Pickles et al (Letter)
Prior to the availability of a COVID-19 vaccine and when case numbers were low, our longitudinal survey with Australian adults showed that 85·8% (3741 of 4362) were willing to be vaccinated in April, 2020, and 89·8% (1144 of 1274) in July, 2020. Younger adults perceived themselves [...]
Thematic analysis in qualitative research – Julie Ayre & Kirsten McCaffery (Research Note)
This research note discusses the value of qualitative research to applied health sciences. To make the most of qualitative studies, researchers must carefully consider which analytic approach will best achieve their research goals. We encourage researchers to make deliberate and reasoned decisions to balance the [...]