Psychiatry (NWAMHS - Coburg)

Unit Code

01185

Department/Institution Offering Unit

The University of Melbourne Department of Psychiatry
Psychosocial Research Centre
130 Bell Street
Coburg
Victoria 3058 Australia

tel: +61 3 9355 9825
fax: +61 3 9355 9855

Unit Points

Research Points: 87.5

Coursework Points: 12.5

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Contacts

Unit Coordinator/s:

Dr Carol Harvey
Psychosocial Research Centre
130 Bell Street
Coburg
Victoria 3058 Australia

tel: +61 3 9355 9825
pager: +61 3 9483 4556
fax: +61 3 9355 9855
email: c.harvey@unimelb.edu.au

Alternative Contact:

Catherine Bressanutti
Psychosocial Research Centre
130 Bell Street
Coburg
Victoria 3058 Australia

tel: +61 3 9355 9826
fax: +61 3 9355 9855
email: cbress@unimelb.edu.au

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Overall Objectives

• To provide experience in applied psychiatric research and clinical issues in community mental health
• To provide an introduction to the process and practice of research in psychiatry
• To develop an understanding of how research informs clinical practice (and vice versa)
• To teach students how to examine critically the psychiatric and general medical scientific literature both in evaluating the evidence base for current clinical practices and in developing and conducting research

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Content

Coursework: Intermediate Epidemiology and Biostatistics or Qualitative Health Research.

Research: The major component of this course will be a clinical research project performed under supervision of members of the Department of Psychiatry at the Psychosocial Research Centre , 130 Bell Street, Coburg, in such areas as:

• Community psychiatry, including effectiveness of community treatments
• Primary care psychiatry, including patterns of psychiatric presentation in general practice
• The impact of mental illness on people's everyday functioning
• Psychiatric epidemiology and public health

Opportunities may also be available to work on a research project in collaboration with another AMS student across two units, reflecting existing research collaborations between the Psychosocial Research Centre, Coburg and other units or in collaboration with students from other disciplines who are also based at the Coburg site from time to time.

Sample Research Topics:

1. Patterns of GP presentation for high prevalence mental health disorders amongst culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) communities
   
   Symptoms at first psychiatric presentation have evolved to a great extent during the past century. They are known to vary across age, sex, culture and nature of underlying illness. Another important confounding variable has been the mode of service delivery at the time of such a presentation. An understanding of the patterns of such psychiatric presentations within a culturally diverse population at the local GP practices is very important in order to organise the most appropriate service delivery.
   
   The student will have the opportunity to assist clinicians in developing and using tools designed to identify such presentations and also to map out the pathway of access to mental health services for persons from CLD communities. Structured and semi-structured interview schedules will be used and the student will be working with the GPs and the wider patient population.
   
   Project Supervisors: Dr C Harvey, Dr C Prasanna and Dr T Fong
   
2. Evaluating community mental health programs
   
   Evaluation of the effectiveness of community mental health programs is critical to improving modern psychiatric practice. A broad range of instruments are available for this purpose, including assessments of: the symptomatology, functioning and behaviour of patients; the general and psychological well-being and burden experienced by carers; and characteristics of the mental health program and the patient's environment .
   
   The student will be able to learn about some of these assessments, and to be involved in projects with the researchers to describe and evaluate the activity of a specific community mental health program. An example of an existing opportunity for AMS research is an evidence-based service initiative providing training for mental health clinicians in how to work with patients and their families to improve their skills to cope with the impact of serious mental illness. The process and outcomes of this clinical work with patients and their relatives are currently being researched.
   
   Project Supervisor: Dr C Harvey
   
3. Improving the participation of persons with serious mental illness in recreation and employment
   
   Most Australian adults experiencing schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses are unemployed, and many also lack other meaningful occupation. However, higher rates of employment for people with schizophrenia are observed in some other industrialised countries. The wide variation between industrialised countries lies in the opportunities for and obstacles to employment in the different settings, as much as the disability experienced by the individual as a result of their mental illness.
   
   The student will be able to be involved in existing research that contributes to the design and evaluation of programs to increase the number of persons with schizophrenia who are working or engaged in recreation. Examples include: a survey of the employment, education and recreation needs of such persons; assessing the clinical, social and functional outcomes of adults with schizophrenia who participate in pilot recreational or employment programs.
   
   Project Supervisors: Dr C Harvey and Ms E Fossey

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Assessment Breakdown

Research Component: 87.5 points
Research Report (up to 9,000 words): 85%
Supervisor's Evaluation: 15%

Coursework Component: 12.5 points
Intermediate Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Qualitative Health Research will be assessed as per the subject description.

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Student Numbers

Number of places available:
2