10 May 2012, 4 pm
Canynge Hall, Room LG.08
Sharon is Senior Research Fellow and Associate Director of the South East Wales Trials Unit at Cardiff University. She is a psychologist with a particular interest in clinician and patient behaviour change. Her methodological interests include the design and conduct of randomised controlled trials and the development and evaluation of complex interventions, as well as mixed methods approaches. She is Chief Investigator of two large trials of behaviour change based in the UK. The WILMA trial funded by NIHR-HTA evaluates a motivational interviewing based intervention for maintenance of weight loss in adults. The HELP study which is funded by the National Prevention Research Initiative is an evaluation of a group based intervention for obese pregnant women. She has also recently completed two large trials exploring on-line training programs designed to change clinician behaviour. The STAR study which related to enhancing antibiotic prescribing in primary care and the the PreEmpt study which aimed to help clinicians address lifestyle issues with patients related to smoking, alcohol, diet and physical activity.
Synopsis
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and costs of a multifaceted flexible educational programme aimed at reducing antibiotic dispensing at the practice level in primary care. The study was a randomised controlled trial with general practices as the unit of randomisation and analysis. Clinicians and researchers were blinded to group allocation until after randomisation. The study took place in 68 general practices with about 480 000 patients in Wales, United Kingdom. 34 practices were randomised to receive the educational programme and 34 practices to be controls. 139 clinicians from the intervention practices and 124 from control practices had agreed to participate before randomisation. Practice level data covering all the clinicians in the 68 practices were analysed. Intervention practices followed the Stemming the Tide of Antibiotic Resistance (STAR) educational programme, which included a practice based seminar reflecting on the practices' own dispensing and resistance data, online educational elements, and practising consulting skills in routine care. Control practices provided usual care. The main outcome measure was the total numbers of oral antibiotic items dispensed for all causes per 1000 practice patients in the year after the intervention, adjusted for the previous year's dispensing. Secondary outcomes included reconsultations, admissions to hospital for selected causes, and costs. The STAR educational programme led to reductions in all cause oral antibiotic dispensing over the subsequent year with no significant change in admissions to hospital, reconsultations, or costs. The one year findings have been published in the BMJ and will be presented here alongside new data on longer term follow up.
Please contact Charlene for further information.
The seminar is free, and all are welcome without needing to book a place. If you have difficulties with stairs, we have a lift to provide access to the lower ground floor.