In this Issue March 2005

Asthma Information Papers and Brochures

Reminder Asthma and Combination Therapy:
Getting the Balance Right 

The Australian Asthma and Respiratory Educators
Association Symposium

Managing Pain Using Self-Management Approaches:
Evidence and implementation

Research Funding Opportunities 

Conference Diary 2005

Asthma Information Papers and Brochures

Health professionals and people with asthma will shortly have access to a range of the latest evidence-based information on the problems associated with asthma, including allergies, pain relief, diet in early childhood and many other issues.

The National Asthma Council, the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy and the National Asthma Reference Group have developed a series of information papers and brochures to assist people with asthma, their carers and health professionals, to better manage the condition and enjoy improved quality of life. 

The topics in the series include:

1 Asthma and Allergy
2 Asthma and Lung Function Tests
3 Asthma and Pain Relievers
4 Asthma and Air Pollution
5 Asthma and Complementary Therapies
6 Asthma and Infant Bedding
7 Asthma and Diet in Early Childhood
8 Asthma and Wheezing in the First Years of Life   

for consumers and health professionals.

Online versions of the health professional series will have a full list of references and some extra material on air pollution not able to be included in the print versions for practical reasons.

The asthma information papers and brochures will be available after 5 April at:

Consumers  

Health Professionals
(http://www.nationalasthma.org.au/HTML/management/infopapers/index.asp)

Reminder - Asthma and Combination Therapy: Getting the Balance Right

Satellite Broadcast, March 30 and April 1 2005 and then online streaming

Following the original broadcast dates, “Asthma and Combination Therapy: Getting the Balance Right” will be available for viewing online from the Rural Health Education Foundation website.

The National Asthma Council (NAC) is examining the clinical indications for prescribing combination therapy, starting dose, adherence and quality of life issues in this program to be chaired by:

• Dr Norman Swan, Presenter of the Health Report on ABC Radio National.

along with the panel of presenters for the NAC including:

• Dr Kerry Hancock, General Practitioner, Member of the NAC GP Asthma Group, Happy Valley SA.

• Associate Professor Peter van Asperen, Paediatric Respiratory Physician, Dept of Respiratory Medicine, The Children's Hospital, Westmead NSW.

• Associate Professor Jo Douglass, Clinical Allergist, Immunologist and Adult Respiratory Physician, Dept of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, The Alfred Hospital, Prahran VIC.

• Mr Peter Holder, Community Pharmacist, Hughes ACT, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia representative on NAC Board of Directors and member of the NAC Pharmacists' Asthma Group.

Previous NAC asthma programs produced with the Rural Health Education Foundation include:

• Asthma 3+ Visit Plan: A New Initiative 

• One year on: The Asthma 3+ Visit Plan

• New Directions in Paediatric Asthma Management

Videos of the NAC programs are also available for sale from the Rural Health Education Foundation.

Audiovisual Resources NAC Asthma Programs with Rural Health Education Foundation
(http://www.nationalasthma.org.au/resources/video/video_rhef.html)

The Australian Asthma and Respiratory Educators Association Symposium

The Australian Asthma and Respiratory Educators Association Symposium will be held on August 4 and 5, 2005 at University House, Canberra.

Workshops will take place on August 6 in the following areas:

• smoking cessation,

• spirometry, and

• pulmonary rehabilitation)

For further information please contact:

Ken Langbridge:	Adult Asthma Educator Central Coast Health Conjoint Lecturer The University of Newcastle
Phone: Email: Post:	(02) 4320 3410 / 0414 192 240 klangbridge@doh.health.nsw.gov.au Ward 23, Gosford Hospital PO Box 361 Gosford 2250

Managing Pain Using Self-Management Approaches:
Evidence and implementation

A half-day workshop to take place on August 19, coordinated by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, aims to provide the latest research and evidence for Chronic Condition Self-Management (CCSM) in Australia and internationally.

Keynote speakers include:

• Professor Kate Lorig, Director, Stanford Patient Research Centre, California,

• Dr Malcolm Battersby, Director, Flinders University Human Behaviour and Health Research Unit Adelaide, SA,

• Mr John Belfrage, North Richmond Community Health Centre, Melbourne, VIC,

• Dr Margarite Vale, Director, The COACH Program, Department of Cardiology and the University of Melbourne Department of Medicine, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, VIC,

• Dr Anne-Marie Feyer, Partner, Price Waterhouse Cooper, Sydney, NSW

There will be a series of four case studies covering CCSM from the perspective of:

• a Division of General Practice

• a State Health Authority

• a Non-government Organisation

• an Indigenous Health Service

and a panel session: Implementing self-management programs and their impact on pain.

The workshop begins at 12 noon and the cost is $100.

For information / registration contact:
DC Conferences, Phone: 02 9954 4400.
Website: www.dcconferences.com.au/pinp2005.

Research Funding Opportunities

The National Asthma Council would be pleased to list funding opportunities that may be available for asthma research. Submit brief details for consideration by email to editor@nationalasthma.com.au.

 

Conference Diary 2005

Submit brief conference/meeting details to the National Asthma Council for possible posting in our Conference Diary by email to editor@nationalasthma.com.au.

 

The American Thoracic Society San Diego Convention Center San Diego, USA 20 - 25 May, 2005 ATS 2005 (http://conference.thoracic.org/ic/ic2005/welcomeletter.jsp)
16th Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) Annual Scientific Meeting Queenstown, New Zealand 31 August - 4 September 2005 ASCIA Annual Scientific Meeting (http://www.allergy.org.au)