Dean of Health Sciences

Professor Hal Swerissen

Out and About

The Faculty will hold its annual planning day in November and this, plus the budget process, will set the framework for next year. I will report back to you on the outcomes of the planning day in December.

The main priority for this month has been developing the Faculty budget for 2010. I would like to thank all Associate Deans and Tony Chrystie for this work.

I have also been a keynote speaker at the National Allied Health Conference in Canberra on workforce challenges and the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association Congress in Hobart on Governance models for Australia’s future.

It is great to see some many staff and student publications and conference presentations as well as research grant success.

Alternate format

Dean's Report October 2009 (PDF 789KB)

Staff Publications

Congratulations to the staff who have published the following articles, book chapters and given conference presentations.

Talbot, L., Verrinder, G.K. (2009) Promoting Health. The Primary Health Care Approach 4th edition Sydney: Elsevier.

For the Time Being: Understanding the Temporality of Cancer Survival, Jan Pascal, Dr., Ruth Endacott, Prof., Jennifer Lehmann, Dr., Austral-Asian Journal of Cancer, Vol 8 No 3 2009

Stocks, R., Dacakis, G., Phyland, D. and Rose, M. (2009).The effect of smooth speech on the speech production of an individual with ataxic dysarthria. Brain Injury, 23 (10): 820-829

Mok, Z & Kipka, P.F., (in press), Lexical-semantic immaturities manifesting as grammatical disorders: evidence from a child language sample. Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics

Frowen J., Cotton, SM, Corry, J and Perry, A. (2009) The impact of demographics, tumor characteristics and treatment factors on swallowing function after chemo- radiotherapy for Head and Neck cancer. Head & Neck (accepted: 24 June 2009) JIF: 2.6

Pascal, J., Endacott, R., & Lehmann, J. (2009). For the time being: Understanding the temporality of cancer survival. Austral - Asian Journal of Cancer, 8(3), 143-151.

Baker, S. & Lehmann, J. (2009). Developing Social Work Practice in a ‘Peak Oil’ Scenario with Forward by Dr. Jennifer Lehmann, Developing Practice,Issue 23, November.

McCann, T., Moxham, L., Farrell, G., Usher, K., Crookes, P. (2009) Mental Health content of pre-registration nursing curricula: Summary report and critical commentary. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing. Vol 18 (1), A14.

Edward, K. Page, K., Hamilton, B., Gilbert, M., Davidson, P., Salzberg, M., Wilson, A., Castle, D., Worrall-Carter, L. (2009) Screening for depression and anxiety – Physical and mental health considerations. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing. Vol 18 (1), A6.

Prestage, G. (2009). Using drugs for sex: playing with risk? Sexual Health, 6(3), 175-177.

Pitts, M., Smith, A., Croy, S., Lyons, A., Ryall, R., Garland, S., et al. (2009). Singaporean women’s knowledge of human papillomavirus (HPV) and attitudes towards HPV vaccination. [Refereed Journal Article]. Women and Health, 49(4), 334-351.

Postgraduate student Tiffany Jones has had an article accepted by Sex Education journal.

Hobbs M, Taft AJ, Amir LH. The emergency contraceptive pill rescheduled: a focus group study of women's knowledge, attitudes and experiences. Journal Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care 2009;35:87-91.

McLachlan H, Forster D. The safety of home birth: Is the evidence good enough? CMAJ 2009 181(67):359-60. [Invited commentary]

Gagnon AJ, Zimbeck M, Zeitlin J and ROAM Collaboration: Alexander S, Blondel B, Buitendijk S, Desmeules M, Di Lallo D, Gagnon A, Gissler M, Glazier R, Heaman M, Korfker D, Macfarlane A, Ng E, Roth C, Small R, Stewart D, Stray-Pederson B, Urquia M, Vangen S, Zeitlin J, Zimbeck M. Migration to western industrialised countries and perinatal health: a systematic review. Soc Sci Med 2009;69:934-46.

Barton CJ, Levinger P, Menz HB, Webster KE. Gait Posture. 2009 Nov;30(4):405-16, Kinematic gait characteristics associated with patellofemoral pain syndrome: a systematic review.

McClelland JA, Webster KE, Feller JA. Gait Posture. 2009 Oct;30(3):288-95, Variability of walking and other daily activities in patients with total knee replacement.

Lind M, Feller J, Webster KE. Knee. 2009 Dec;16(6):447-51, Tibial bone tunnel widening is reduced by polylactate/hydroxyapatite interference screws compared to metal screws after ACL reconstruction with hamstring grafts.

Book Chapters

Edward, K., Welch, A & Elsom, S (in press). Chapter 7- Resilience, recovery and reconnection in Edward, K., Munro, I., Robins, A., & Welch, A. (Eds.) (in press). Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing- Theory and practice. Oxford University Press. Melbourne

Maude, P. & Edward, K. (in press). Chapter 18 - Psychopharmacology in Edward, K., Munro, I., Robins, A., & Welch, A. (Eds.) (in press). Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing- Theory and practice. Oxford University Press. Melbourne.

Welch, A & Edward, K. (in press) Chapter 19 - Evidenced-based practice in Edward, K., Munro, I., Robins, A., & Welch, A. (Eds.) (in press). Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing- Theory and practice. Oxford University Press. Melbourne.

Munro, I., Robins, A., & Logan, G (in press) Chapter 6 - Substance use/co-morbidity in Edward, K., Munro, I., Robins, A., & Welch, A. (Eds.) (in press). Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing- Theory and practice. Oxford University Press. Melbourne.

Welch, A., Robins, A., & Edgecombe, G (in press) Chapter 15 - Creative therapeutic interventions in Edward, K., Munro, I., Robins, A., & Welch, A. (Eds.) (in press). Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing-Theory and practice. Oxford University Press. Melbourne.

Fairest, K., Terriere, G., Robins, A & Edward, K (in press). Chapter 21- Case-management and community care in Edward, K., Munro, I., Robins, A., & Welch, A. (Eds.) (in press). Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing- Theory and practice. Oxford University Press. Melbourne.

Conference Presentations

Dacakis, G. and Block, S. The LaTrobe Stuttering Program. July, 2009. Presentation to the Department of Speech and Language Therapy, TEI of Patras, Greece.

Dacakis, G. Speech Therapy: An Australian Perspective. The World Professional Association for transgender Health (WPATH) 2009 XXI Biennial Symposium, Oslo, June 17-20, 2009. (Founding Member Australasian Professional Association of Transgender Health)

O’Halloran, R, Presented Communication disability in acute stroke setting to the DHS Stroke coordinators meeting 21/7 and at the Southern Health SPA week forum 27/8.

Rose, M, Presentation on Evidence-Based Practice for speech pathologists and other allied health staff at Eastern Health, July 17th.

Kipka, P, Conference/Presentations - Invited paper: Australian National Conference of Teachers of Polish (28 June)

Joffe, B, Benefits of music and movement for speech, language, learning and psychosocial functioning: Research findings(2-8years). Paper accepted for presentation to the Early Childhood Conference of Performing Arts (ECCPA), 23rd August, Melbourne.

Joffe, B, Rationale & Processes for the Use of Music in Speech Pathology Intervention. Invited presentation in TCV (Teleconference with Video Format) for the Speech Pathology Association of Australia Sponsored Professional Development Programme for Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia to run 10th September 2009.

Lehmann, J. (2009, October 9). Learning from stories. Workshop presented at 2009 Conference: Celebrating Story: Approaching change one story at a time. Melbourne.

Rayner J. Building collaborative relationships with CAM practitioners and public health researchers – the case of women’s use of CAM for fertility treatment. NORPHCAN Inaugural Conference, University of Queensland, Brisbane, 17-18 October 2009.

Amir LH. Socioeconomic status and rates of breastfeeding in Australia: a public health perspective” (Plenary). ALCA National Conference, Canberra, September 2009.

Amir LH, Jayawickrama H, Pirotta M, Wong S, Daly J. GPs’ decision making when prescribing medicines for breastfeeding women: Content analysis of a survey. ALCA National Conference, Canberra, September 2009.

Amir LH, Forster D, McDonald K, Rayner JA, Stern K. Women’s attitudes and experiences of breastfeeding – does maternal weight make a difference?. ALCA National Conference, Canberra, September 2009.

Hobbs M, Taft AJ, Amir LH, Chapman C, Hussainy S, Shelley J, Smith A, Stewart K, Lumley J. ECP over-the-counter: the Australian experience. Combined annual meetings of ICEC (International Consortium for Emergency Contraception) and ASEC (American Society for Emergency Contraception), New York USA, September 2009.

Kelso G, Amir LH, James JJ, Moorhead A. Accreditation of midwife lactation consultants to perform tongue-tie release. ALCA National Conference, Canberra, September 2009.

McLachlan HL, Forster DA, Amir L, Pemo K, Moorhead A, McEgan K, Johns H, Ford R. An exploration of current breast expressing practices in the early postpartum period using an audit and focus groups in three Melbourne hospitals. Australian Lactation Consultants’ Association National Conference, Canberra, September 2009.

Moorhead A, Amir LH, Wong S, O’Brien P. A prospective study of fluconazole treatment for breast and nipple thrush. ALCA National Conference, Canberra, September 2009.

Small R. Variations in caesarean section by maternal country of birth: another cause for concern? 39th Public Health Association of Australia Annual Conference, Canberra, 28-30 September 2009, p39.

Dr Karl Landorf was recently an invited speaker at the 2009 Australian Conference of Science and Medicine in Sport in Brisbane. He was asked to speak on foot orthoses (orthotics) and plantar heel pain, a common condition affecting middle aged and older people. The Australian Conference of Science and Medicine in Sport is as annual multidisciplinary conference relating to exercise and sports science.

Landorf KB. How do foot orthoses work? 2009 Australian Conference of Science and Medicine in Sport, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia (14-17 October 2009).

Landorf KB. What do we really know about plantar heel pain/plantar fasciitis? 2009 Australian Conference of Science and Medicine in Sport, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia (14-17 October 2009).

Landorf KB. Do foot orthoses prevent injury? A systematic review. 2009 Australian Conference of Science and Medicine in Sport, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia (14-17 October 2009).

Research

Nick Taylor (through La Trobe Uni with Eastern health) has been awarded an NHMRC partnership grant in the area of allied health. The project was titled: 'Do additional allied health service for rehabilitation reduce length of stay without compromising patient outcomes? The amount of funding was: $233,079.

Keith Hill has also received one through Monash led by Lesley Day in the falls prevention area. Again a great achievement.

I am particularly happy about Nick's success because it is I think precisely the sort of activities we wanted to encourage and facilitate through collaborative research between ourselves and our clinical partners as envisioned for the clinical schools in allied health.

Professor Christine Bigby has been awarded a grant with Monash staff: Carling- Jenkins, R., Icono, T, Torr, J, Bigby, C. Alzheimer’s Disease in People with Down Syndrome: Developing a Model of Care. Alzheimer's Dementia Research Program.$20.000. 2009

Alison Perry and Kim Matthews have received a donation of $3,000 for their current research on the use of E-Stim to improve swallowing function in people with Parkinson's Disease

Congratulations to Daniel Adrian Newnham BSW year 3 who won the 2009 Disability Tertiary Scholarship, offered by the Department of Human Services. Daniel had to submit an essay for the scholarship. The scholarship is to support his studies in 4th year and the grant is $3,282. Daniel was supported by Professor Christine Bigby in his application.

Linda Bennett was successful in the inaugural round of ARC Future Fellowship funding.

Project “Monogamy as an HIV and STI prevention strategy for gay men” has been funded by the NHMRC for $394,250.00 over three years. The investigators are Anthony Smith, Jeffrey Grierson, Garrett Prestage.

Project “Sexuality education programs and resource development” has been funded by Department of Education and Training, Victoria, for $190,000.00 over three years. The Chief Investigator is Anne Mitchell.

Gilead has funded an ARCSHS project on HIV treatment combinations, “Treatment experience among HIV-positive people”, for $99,836.00. The investigators on this project are Marian Pitts and Jeffrey Grierson.

Dr Angela Taft, Senior Research Fellow at MCHR is currently a visiting fellow at the University of Bristol in the UK, working with Prof Gene Feder and others in the Department of Primary Care on a Cochrane systematic review of advocacy interventions to reduce partner violence. Whilst overseas Angela has also presented the findings of our MOSAIC primary care trial of social support to mothers experiencing partner violence at the WONCAEurope (World organisation of family physicians) conference in Basel and at the Family Violence Prevention Fund's Domestic Violence and Health conference in New Orleans. She has also visited the Departments of Primary Care at the Universities of Nijmegen and East Anglia.

Dr Kate Webster was awarded a grant from the Australian Orthopaedic Association Research Foundation Grant for the project titled “Three dimensional biomechanical assessment of rotational stability following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction”.

Funding applications

ARCSHS submitted an NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence funding application in September 2009.

Gary Dowsett, Larissa Sandy and Emma Miller have submitted La Trobe University Faculty Research Grant applications.

Sue Dyson and Michael Flood are submitting an ARC Linkage application, in partnership with VicHealth and the AFL.

Anne Mitchell has applied to the Federal Government for $400,000 for a project on the subject of violence against women.

Awards

Dr Suzane Vassallo from the Department of Clinical Vision Sciences has been awarded a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education. Her thesis was entitled: Approaches to teaching: Narratives from early-career research academics in the Health Sciences.

Congratulations to Professor Anthony Smith who was awarded the research prize at the Victorian AIDS Council Annual General Meeting of 25 October 2009, for the ‘Mapping Gay Communities’ project.

ARCSHS Adjunct visiting research fellow Garrett Prestage has been appointed as Associate Professor, Level D, by the University of New South Wales. This appointment recognises the consistent and sustained research Garrett has done in the area of HIV prevention and sexual health.

Recent Awards at 2009 Sports Medicine Australia Conference

Asics Award for Best New Investigator - Lower Limb (Presentation package at ACSM) , Ms Clare Ardern, Musculoskeletal Research Centre La Trobe University, Hamstring strength recovery is similar regardless of which hamstring tendons are harvested for ACL reconstruction, Co-authors - K. Webster, N. Taylor & J. Feller

Ken Maguire Award for Best New Investigator - Clinically Relevant Conditions (Presentation package at ACSM), Ms Carolyn Taylor, La Trobe University & Deakin University, Groin pain and hip range of motion is different in Indigenous compared to non-Indigenous young Australian football players, Co-authors - J. Cook, T. Pizzari, N. Ames, T. Wood, B. Gabbe, M. Makdissi, E. Scase, J. McNeil & J. Orchard

Teaching

Professor Bigby is Editor of Australian Social Work. Under her editorship the journal has been accepted into the ISI ranking process and will receive its first impact Factor in 2011. This is a major achievement, a first for a social work journal in Australia and is recognised as a testament to the work of Chris as editor and her standing in research.

Professor Christine Bigby has been appointed Visiting Professor in the Tizard Centre, University of Kent from November 2009 - September 2014. This is one of the leading research centres on intellectual disability in the UK,

Hilary Johnson and Karen Bloomberg , Successful completion of the Elective Teaching for Higher Learning program.

Negotiations have progressed well between La Trobe University Division of Nursing and Midwifery, and the Singapore Nurses Association (SNA) in relation to the degree of Master of Nursing (Professional and Research methods stream). SNA have identified La Trobe as being its preferred University to conduct this program in Singapore.

The Division of Nursing and Midwifery recently had its 13th intake of bachelor of nursing students in Singapore. This intake commenced in July with the highest intake of students to date (168 students).

Sharon Gan recently attended the Australia China Business Council forum in Sydney to continue enhancing the Division of Nursing and Midwifery's profile within the Chinese community in Australia and China.

News from Regional Campuses

Mildura

¾ Re placements - 2 students on placement in Darwin, one working with the aboriginal community and the second in schools working with the aboriginal community .

¾ 2 Social work students who are also completing subjects in the BA will participate in the History excursion to Turkey in November- December2009.

¾ Several students on placement are initiating projects for the inaugural human rights festival

December 7-12th . Projects will include a mayoral reception, the Department of Justice conducting lectures, workshops, photographic exhibition & showing films to the public, Social Work Students are organising in conjunction with the Sunraysia ethnic Community Council and Oxfam the two day iterative project ' Refugee Realities" which will involve 200 secondary school students . This human rights week was initiated by Social Work students on placement and includes participation by many local NGOs and social workers.

Bendigo

La Trobe partnerships with Bendigo Health & LTU Bendigo campus:

Professor Helen McBurney and Associate Professor Mandy Kenny been successful in gaining a clinical supervision grant in conjunction with Bendigo Health.

Media

An excellent article had appeared in the Bendigo Advertiser regarding the Bendigo Occupational Therapy program on Wednesday 21st October. The article was compiled with significant involvement from students.

The Bendigo Podiatry and Speech courses had featured in the ‘My Career’ section of the Age newspaper on 10 October.

Mr Byron Perrin, Podiatry, appeared in an extensive article in the Bendigo Advertiser on 9 October.

Staff News

Sue Block has been appointed as an Honorary Fellow of the Murdoch Children's Research Institute.

Sally Squire, Lecturer in Nursing, Albury-Wodonga

Joanna Lee, Research Officer, Div of Nursing & Midwifery, Bundoora Kathy Tori, Lecturer in Nursing, Bendigo

Ms Lisa Hooker commences a Level A position in nursing on 9th November, Bendigo. Mr Bruce Baehnisch commenced on 12 October as the LRHS School Manager, Bendigo.

Resignations

Dr Adrian Verrinder, Human Biosciences, has tendered his resignation from 4 February 2010. Assoc Professor Helen McBurney has tendered her resignation and leaves mid December. Sean Houston, has resigned as Faculty Registrar effective from January 2010.

Institute for Social Participation

• The establishment of ISP was approved by Council in May 2009.


• The appointment of the Director was approved by VC on June 30 2009.


• The Executive Committee has been established and consists of Heads of participating Centre’s and two other staff (Prof Chris Bigby and Assoc Prof Leanne Basser).


• The Executive Committee meets twice monthly.


• Dr Paul Jacobs and Dr Tenzin Bathgate have commenced work as RAs.
  The web site is close to ‘going live’ http://wwwdev.latrobe.edu.au/isp/index.html

Research Developments

• The Director has met with DHS and La Trobe LifeSkills to discuss possible funding in relation to intellectual disability, social participation and specifically employment. The response was encouraging and a more detailed proposal is being prepared.


• The Unit for Studies in Biography and Autobiography (USBA) has joined ISP as a participating Centre. ISP has partnered with USBA to run a conference on ageing, illness and renewal in October.


• ISP is supporting the 2009 National Intellectual Disability Roundtable


• Monthly seminars have been agreed. An open invitation strategic planning workshop is being organized.


• Prof Graeme Clarke is discussing with the Australian Government possibilities for education approaches that increase social participation for deaf children


• An expression of interest has been submitted through the Dementia CRC to evaluate consumer directed care.


• 2 PhD scholarships have been advertised (1 of which is ½ funded by Latrobe Lifeskills)


• Negotiations are in train for partnerships with Australian Unity (ageing) and also MIND (mental health).