PENINSULA ONLINE

Issue 15
Monday, 20 November 2006 

Ambulances for Asthma

Asthma suffers in regional Victoria are set to receive a boost with the launch of an educational package aimed at improving patient outcomes when suffering from an attack.

The ‘Ambulances for Asthma’ project has been developed by researchers at the Department of Community Emergency Health and Paramedic Practice with funding from The Asthma Foundations of Australia to help people with asthma better assess when to call ‘000’ when they are having an attack.

While asthma related deaths in Australia have dropped from 969 in 1989 to 314 in 2003, Monash University project coordinator Ms Lee Boyd said that this number was still unacceptable as most of these deaths were preventable. Delays in accessing medical assistance and underestimating asthma severity have been linked to many of these cases.

“A key element of the ‘Ambulances for Asthma’ project is the development of an interactive website which aims to provide timely information to help people assess the seriousness of their situation and whether to call an ambulance,” Ms Boyd explained.

The site also encourages people in rural and remote areas to have an active asthma plan and walks them through the ‘000’ process including an audio recording of an actual emergency call.

The program has been developed following outcomes from two previous studies into the use of ambulances for asthma cases in rural areas, conducted by Monash University and funded by the Department of Health and Ageing. The studies revealed that there were several barriers to ambulance use at a community level. People in rural areas tended to drive themselves or family members to hospital during severe asthma incidents instead of using the ambulance service.

“Some of the reasons for this included concerns that the paramedics would be unable to locate their rural property, a distrust of the ‘000’ process, underestimating asthma severity and not appreciating how well ambulance paramedics are trained or how the drugs they carry can treat asthma,” she explained.

In addition, an investigation into patients who did call ‘000’ for asthma during the study period found that paramedic care was excellent and improved patient outcomes.

The Ambulances for Asthma project has been launched in Gippsland, the Ottway Ranges and Mildura.

Peninsula student on track for a challenge of a life time

Bachelor of Sport and Outdoor Recreation student Sid Rajan is preparing for the challenge of life time involving sub zero temperatures, gale force winds and an adventure like no other - the Pole To Pole Expedition.

The Pole to Pole Leadership Institute is undertaking a global project centering around an expedition from the North Pole to the South Pole under human power. Along the way the expedition members will be a part of various humanitarian and environmental projects.

Sid's first time skiing at Mt Baw Baw in August.

Sid is currently on the short list to participate in the challenge, which will see 24 young people embark on a journey that will take18 months to complete and  cover 35,000 kilometres through ice, tundra, sand, rain, extreme cold and heat.

Not most people's idea of fun but for Sid this is an opportunity of a life time. Sid, an international student, explained that the main reason he came to study in Australia was to support his dream of one day being a high altitude and polar adventurer.

"Why is this my dream? I have no idea. I did catch a glimpse of Everest when I was 10 and I guess since then the idea has been on my mind," he said.

"I finally decided to do something about achieving this goal and applied to come to Monash and get a bit of experience in the outdoors. It was only after I came here that I heard about the Pole to Pole expedition, which is exactly what I wanted to do. I not only want to be an adventurer but also use my adventures to help with humanitarian, environmental and peace causes."

The expedition has two legs consisting of two international teams made up of 12 youth. The first team will leave the North Pole in April 2007 and work their way down to Mt. Kilimanjaro where they will then pass the responsibility on to the second team who will continue on to the Antarctica.

Along the way the Expedition Teams will unite with the ten Advance Teams who will be working on charitable programs for six to eight months.

Sid has a one in ten chance of being selected for the expedition and will be competing for a place in the challenge with youth from around the world. He is currently in training, which involves running, swimming, walking with a backpack full of phone books, uni-cycling, climbing and lifting weights. Sid also ran the Melbourne half-marathon and uni-cycled 100km in the 'Round the Bay in a Day' as part of Team Monash. All of this from someone who admits that he had little outdoor experience 12 months ago!

Sid will be heading to Canada in January for the selection camp. To find out more about Sid and his amazing efforts, visit www.supportsid.com 

Research supports council's health and wellbeing planning

The Department of Health Science at the Peninsula campus has undertaken community research, which will provide a framework for the Frankston City Council's Health and Wellbeing Plan.

Conducted by Professor Helen Keleher and research fellow, Jackie Doyle, the project was commissioned by the Social Strategy and Planning Unit of the council to inform the redevelopment of their Municipal Public Health Plan for the period 2006 - 2010.

The research included a public opinion survey, interviews and focus groups with stakeholders and a review of secondary data relevant to the Frankston LGA. The project was completed in September with a report of the findings presented to the Frankston Health and Wellbeing Plan Steering Committee.

Recommendations from the research have recently been workshopped through the Steering Committee, facilitated by Professor Helen Keleher and Christine Burrows, Community Wellbeing Coordinator Frankston City Council, and health issue priority areas have been identified with key actions to address these currently being developed.

International visitors get taste of Peninsula life

A delegation of government officials from the Shanghai Academy of Education and Sciences (SEAS) visited the Peninsula campus recently to look at the campus's facilities and explore the recruitment potential of the campus.

The group of 10 was hosted by Campus Manager Sue Webb and Peninsula campus Student Recruitment Coordinator Britta Morrison.

OSSEcho launched

The first issue of a magazine dedicated to international student issues at Peninsula has recently been launched.

OSSEcho was created by international students at Monash Peninsula highlighting the range of events, activities and issues relevant to international students. However, while the motto of the magazine is 'by internationals, for internationals' the diverse content is an excellent read for any staff or students on campus.

Copies of OSSEcho can be obtained from the Student Union.