The Medical journal of Australia
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Multicenter Study
The role of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression in predicting disability after injury.
To examine the relationship between psychological response to injury at 1 week and 3 months, and disability at 12 months. ⋯ PTSD and depression at 1 week and at 3 months after injury significantly increased the risk of disability at 12 months. Routine assessment of symptoms of depression and PTSD in patients who have been physically injured may facilitate triage to evidence-based treatments, leading to improvement in both physical and psychological outcomes.
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To assess the prevalence and predictors of anxiety and depression among a heterogeneous sample of long-term adult cancer survivors. ⋯ By 5 years after diagnosis, most survivors had adjusted well to their cancer experience, with levels of anxiety and depression similar to those of the general population. Nevertheless, a small and important group of long-term survivors continue to experience adverse psychological effects and need assistance. Monitoring of psychological wellbeing and referring patients when appropriate need to be integrated into routine care for cancer survivors.
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Multicenter Study
Interventions to circumvent intensive care access block: a retrospective 2-year study across metropolitan Melbourne.
To measure the prevalence of interventions used to circumvent intensive care access block and to estimate the attributable mortality and additional hospital bed-days associated with them. ⋯ Intensive care access block is frequent, and measures to circumvent it increase mortality and length of stay. Further study of the health and financial implications of access block are warranted.
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To investigate the incidence of bicycling injuries and bicycle injury characteristics in the Victorian population. ⋯ The incidence of serious bicycling injury has risen over recent years, highlighting the need for targeted prevention programs. Accurate data on cycling participation, use of injury prevention strategies, and injury profiles would assist in reducing bicycle-related injury.
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Hospitals cannot manage their emergency patients when there is significant access block. There are solutions that should be implemented but require national leadership to be effective. These solutions include an immediate increase in the number of acute hospital beds, improved coordination and increased community capacity to manage medical patients with complex conditions outside acute public hospitals, improved hospital processes, and better standardisation of treatment within emergency departments. There is little evidence that telephone triage, ambulatory care clinics or disaster management techniques, including ambulance diversion, reduce access block.