Past research studies

Research project consumer opportunity – pain management after knee replacement surgery

Have you recently had knee replacement surgery?

We are seeking a group of consumers for input on development of a program for psychoeducation about pain management after total knee replacement surgery. This will include providing feedback on scripts for videos and other messages to program participants via an online survey, and potentially one on one interviews via zoom to hear about your experience with pain after knee replacement surgery.

Participants will receive a $40 gift card for an hour of their time.

To find out more and register your interest, please email [email protected]

About the study

UniSA is seeking people to complete a survey online about their understanding of physical activity and movement.

The study aims to develop new tools to understand knee pain and improve treatments, and people with or without pain are eligible to participate.

The survey takes approximately 30 minutes to complete and includes an implicit association test (IAT).

Eligibility requirements:

• Gender: All
• Aged 18+
• Never diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia
• Location: Online

 Contact

Click here [https://unisahealth.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_erpqTTAUdTWEEjs] to start the survey

or

email [email protected] for more information

This project has been approved by the University of South Australia’s Human Research Ethics Committee Ethics Protocol 204069

About the study

The University of Queensland researchers are looking for volunteers with ongoing ankle pain or ankle osteoarthritis to complete an online survey about their experience with their ankle pain. The aim of this study is to understand people’s experiences with their ankle osteoarthritis and what matters they think are important to consider when managing or researching ankle osteoarthritis.

Eligibility requirements:

• Have ankle pain/symptoms on the most days of the last 3 months.
• Are over 18 years of age

Participant benefits:

• Tele-rehabilitation video assessment of your ankle
• Free x-ray of your ankle
• $20 Coles-Myer gift card

 Contact

If you would like to participate, please click on the link below:

https://uniofqueensland.syd1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6YHBzFhDYbI1cFw

OR for more information, please email Sultan Alanazi on [email protected]

This study has been approved by The University of Queensland Human Research Ethics Committee [Approval No. 2019002321​]

About the Study:

We are investigating eating behaviours and how they present in people who experience chronic pain.

If you decide to participate, you will complete an online survey that explores mood, pain and eating behaviours that should take approximately 20 minutes to complete in total.

 Eligibility Requirements:

• Have a diagnosis of Chronic Pain by a health professional
• Are over 18 years of age
• Are currently living in Australia

 Participant Benefits:

• Participants are eligible to go into the draw to win of three $50 Prezee e-gift cards.

 Contact:

 If you would like to participate, please click on the link below:

https://utsau.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5j0RzCkSwaFrg9M

 OR for more information, please email Claudia Roche on [email protected]

This study has been approved by The University of Technology Sydney Human Research Ethics Committee [Approval No. ETH22-7179]

What is the study about?
We would like to find out more about what independence means to people with rheumatoid arthritis in relation to periods in which disease activity is as good as gone.

Our previous work found that independence was one of the aspects rated as important for patients to consider themselves in a period of their disease activity being as good as gone.

However, we don’t currently have a way of measuring independence. We would like to understand what would be important to include in such a measure to help improve measuring absence of disease activity in a way that is meaningful to patients.

To do this we would like to understand all the different ways patients think about independence in relation to disease activity being as good as gone. We’re also interested in whether ‘Independence’ is the right word.

The study is suitable for people who:

• Are aged 18 or older
• Have rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
• Have experienced at least one period of disease activity being as good as gone since being diagnosed with RA
• Have internet access and access to or willing to download Zoom
• Are willing to attend an online focus group
• Able to speak and read English sufficiently to provide informed consent and take part in a focus group

 Study safety

This study has been approved by University of the West of England Health & Applied Sciences Faculty Ethics Committee and the Central Adelaide Local Health Network Human Research Ethics Committee.

Am I eligible?
If you have rheumatoid arthritis and have experienced at least one period of your disease activity being as good as gone, please read the participant information sheet for further information and to leave your contact details: http://go.uwe.ac.uk/Independence

 Contact us: If you have any questions please contact Dr Caroline Flurey via email: [email protected]

Have you called an ambulance in the last 5 years for chronic pain?

You may be eligible to participate in research examining the patient experience of chronic pain management by paramedics.

To be eligible:
• Be aged over 18
• Live in Australia
• Have a chronic pain diagnosis
• Called ambulance in last 5 years for chronic pain related complaint

Participation involves:
• One 30-minute interview with a research-student/ paramedic

Benefits:
• Help to improve the management of future chronic pain patients in ambulance settings

Find out more

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
https://monash.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3PKcNEMsGLpiQjs
Alternatively, contact Lucinda Marinelli via email
lmar0050@ student.monash.edu

Gait REtraining intervention for people with knee osteoArthritis Trial (The GREAT Study)

Do you have knee osteoarthritis pain?

You are invited to take part in a research study evaluating the effects of three novel interventions, which are walking (gait) strategies for people with knee osteoarthritis. These walking strategies may have the ability to reduce the loading forces and pain in the knee joint, however we do not know which one is most effective.

What will the study involve for me?

This study is a randomised controlled trial. This means you will be randomly assigned to one of three gait retraining groups. If you are interested in this study you will be screened to determine eligibility, then asked to visit The University of Sydney Camperdown campus for a total of 7-9 visits. This will include:

ü Detailed evaluations of your walking in our state-of-the-art biomechanics laboratory

ü Education about knee osteoarthritis

ü Physiotherapy or podiatry supervised gait retraining sessions

In addition, we ask you to practice your walking strategy for 30 minutes per day and complete three online questionnaires during the study period.

Who can take part in the study?

Adults with knee osteoarthritis or knee pain, aged 45 years or older who can walk unaided for 30 minutes.

Am I eligible?

If you are interested, please read our participant information statement and complete the eligibility screening survey here.

Study safety

This project has been approved by The University of Sydney Human Research Ethics Committee (2019/639) and Clinical Trials Governance.

Contact us

[email protected] +61 2 8627 0030

GREAT_recruitmentflyer_v2

Do you suffer from knee Osteoarthritis ?

You could be one of the first people in Australia to volunteer for a study that combines non-invasive brain stimulation and exercise therapy.

 We are looking for volunteers who are:

• over 60 years old
• have knee osteoarthritis
• reside in and around South East Sydney

 Led by scientists at Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), the BOOST trial will provide explore the use of brain stimulation and exercise therapy in people with knee osteoarthritis. We’d like to invite any volunteers who fit the above criteria to take part in this exciting trial.

As a thank you, participants will receive 12 one-to-one physiotherapy treatments regardless of which study group they are allocated to. Each session will include 15 minutes of brain stimulation plus 30 minutes of one-to-one exercise by a physiotherapist. This intervention is completely safe, painless and non-invasive, designed to target the part of the brain involved in pain processing and motor function to enhance the effects of exercise therapy.

To find out more about the trial, contact Wei-Ju Chang at [email protected] or sign up through this link https://www.neura.edu.au/project/boost/

hort-stay joint replacement programs

Have you received hip or knee replacement surgery in Australia within the last 12 months? Or are you a carer for someone who has received hip or knee replacement surgery in Australia within the last 12 months?

Monash University researchers are seeking your help with new research into short-stay joint replacement programs (also called ‘fast track’ or ‘enhanced recovery’ programs). This research is funded by a research grant from the HCF Research Foundation.

We are conducting a short online survey (10-15 minutes) to understand your views about short-stay joint replacement programs and help us understand any potential challenges that patients may face. The survey is anonymous.

This research has been approved by the Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee (ID 35300).

Please click on the link below to complete the survey:

https://monash.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0SvXPAtmE3LXz7MQualtrics survey link )

For more information, please contact Professor Ilana Ackerman ([email protected]) or Dr Danielle Berkovic ([email protected]) at the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine

Are you an Hospital Administrator, orthopaedic surgeon, anaesthetist, general practitioner, nurse or physiotherapist who currently provides care to patients undergoing hip or knee replacement surgery in Australia?

Monash University researchers are seeking your help with new research into short-stay joint replacement programs (also called ‘fast track’ or ‘enhanced recovery’ programs). This research is funded by a research grant from the HCF Research Foundation.

We are conducting a short online survey (10-15 minutes) to understand health professionals’ views about current practices, the perceived feasibility and acceptability of short-stay joint replacement programs, and barriers and enablers to the implementation and sustainability of these programs in Australia.  Health professionals working in public or private settings, including community-based settings, are invited to participate.

This research has been approved by the Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee (ID 35300).

Please click on the link below to complete the survey:

https://monash.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0SvXPAtmE3LXz7M

For more information, please contact Professor Ilana Ackerman ([email protected]) or Dr Danielle Berkovic ([email protected]) at the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine

EVER HAD LOW BACK PAIN?

We want to hear from you!

If you are over 18 years old and have or ever had low back pain, you may be able participate!

The purpose of this research is to gain insights into how to improve uncertainty management in low back pain care

For more information, please contact: [email protected]

ARE YOU A CLINICIAN WHO WORKS WITH PEOPLE WITH LOW BACK PAIN?

We want to hear from you!

We want to investigate your experiences of navigating uncertainty with patients.

The aim is to gain insights into how clinicians communicate with patients about uncertainty.

Please contact: [email protected]

This study is approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee from The University of Queensland, ethics ID: 001723.

What is this study about?
The SCUlpTOR trial is a research study aiming to see if stem cells injected into the knees of people with knee osteoarthritis (OA) can improve their symptoms compared with placebo. The medical opinion about stem cell therapy for treating osteoarthritis is mixed due to limited research evidence and considerable costs. So our aim is to find out whether or not stem cell injections into the knee improve symptoms and slow disease progression in people with mild to moderate knee OA. The stem cells we use originally came from a healthy donor/master cell bank and are made following standard manufacturing process to make sure they are safe and standardised.
If the study is suitable for you, you will have a 50% chance of being allocated to either group and receive:
Active group: three knee intra-articular injections of allogeneic MSCs (stem cells) performed at baseline, week 3 and 52.
Placebo group: three knee intra-articular injections of saline performed at baseline, week 3 and 52.
As a participant, you will be asked to attend seven study visits and complete online surveys regularly over 24 months.

The study is suitable for people who:
• Are aged 40 years or older and living in Australia (and have a Medicare number)
• Have knee OA and moderate pain assessed by the visual analogue pain intensity scale from 0 (no pain) to 100 (worst pain possible)
• Have internet access and an active email account
• Are willing to stop or maintain knee OA treatments (e.g. supplements, physiotherapy) for the duration of the study
• Are willing to stop or minimise the use of anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g. Aspirin, Nurofen, Ibuprofen, Mobic, Voltaren, etc.) and other analgesics (e.g. opioids), except for paracetamol (only for rescue pain relief) for the duration of the study. This includes stopping all pain medications for one week before each study assessment.
• Able to speak and read English sufficiently to understand study procedures, complete questionnaires and provide informed consent.
• Are willing and able to travel for the study required physical visits.

Study Safety
This study has been approved by the University of Sydney (2020/119) and the University of Tasmania’s (21868) Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC).

Am I eligible?
If you have knee pain due to osteoarthritis and live in Sydney or Hobart, please complete the online screening survey available at www.tinyurl.com/sculptor-trial to assess your eligibility.

Contact us:

If you have any further queries, please contact the SCUlptor team via email: [email protected]

Are you a person aged 50 years or older who has been diagnosed with hip or knee osteoarthritis? Do you know someone who is aged 50 years or older who has been diagnosed with hip or knee osteoarthritis?

Falls are a leading cause of injury and hospitalisation among older people. While effective falls prevention programs do exist, falls prevention has not traditionally been a common component of osteoarthritis care.

Monash University researchers are seeking your help with new research into osteoarthritis and falls prevention. This research is funded by Arthritis Australia.

The study is conducting telephone interviews (30 – 45 minutes) to better understand the falls risk and falls prevention beliefs and experiences of people with hip or knee osteoarthritis.

To express an interest in participating in this research, please contact Chief Investigator Dr Darshini Ayton, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine:

Phone: 03 9903 1660

Email: [email protected].

The IWK Health Centre wants to learn about your child’s arthritis pain and treatment experiences, from YOUR perspective.

Researchers are seeking parents of children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (between the ages of 0-17) to participate in a brief online survey led by researchers at the Centre for Paediatric Pain Research at the IWK Health Centre in Canada. The online survey will take about 20 minutes to complete and participants can enter a draw to win 1 of 5 $100 CAD online gift cards.

Participate at: bit.ly/JIASurvey

For more information, or to contact us, visit: ItDoesntHaveToHurt.ca/campaigns/jiasurvey

Recruitment will occur from October 25th 2018 – November 30th 2018

Nr-ax SpA is a type of arthritis usually diagnosed in early adulthood that involves pain and stiffness in the lower back, hip joints, and buttocks during the waking hours and after periods of inactivity.  Treatments may decrease pain and lessen symptoms.

If your nr-ax SpA symptoms persist despite current treatments, you may want to consider participating in a clinical research study with an investigational study medication.

You may be eligible to participate in this clinical study if you:

• Are 18 to 49 years of age;
• Currently take an anti-inflammatory drug for nr-ax SpA and continue to have back pain;
• Have had nr-ax SpA symptoms for at least 3 months or less than 5 years;
• Are willing to follow a study treatment plan, routinely scheduled study visits, and other study tests and procedures over an 21-month period.

Qualified participants will receive study-related medical care and investigational study medication at no cost while enrolled in the study.

Three study sites in Australia are currently looking for people to participate in this clinical study.  For more information about this study, please contact:

Maroochydore, Qld – Rheumatology Research Unit, Coast Joint Care
Ms. Dale Shergold | Email: [email protected] | Ph: 07 5443 1033

Newcastle, NSW – Genesis Research Services
Dominic Bailey | Email: [email protected] | Ph: 02 4985 1860

Perth, WA – R.K Will Pty Ltd, Colin Bayliss Teaching and Research Unit
Julie Uhlmann or Agatha Khow | Email: [email protected] | Ph: 08 9472 1904 (option 3)

Researchers at the University of Tasmania are conducting a brief online survey about the experiences of people who use prescription-only opioid medications to manage chronic non-cancer pain. Participants will be asked about medication use, pain, cognitive functioning, and physical and mental health.

Survey requirements:

• male or female participants aged 18 – 65 years
• currently using prescription opioids as treatment for chronic pain (lasting three months or more) that is not related to cancer.

Participants can enter the draw to win one of five $50 vouchers.

Details:

Access the survey click here

For more information contact Jane Akhurst: [email protected]

CMAX is an independent, clinical trial facility located at 18a North Terrace in Adelaide, that carries out research on a variety of investigational medicines for the pharmaceutical industry.

CMAX is conducting a study of an investigational medication for the treatment of pain associated with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee.

This trial has been approved by the Bellberry Human Research Ethics Committee.

We are seeking volunteers aged over 18 years that have osteoarthritis of the hip or knee. The trial involves 12 visits to the CMAX unit over a 21 month period.

For more information about the CMAX study click here.

If you are interested in participating, please phone CMAX on 1800 150 433.

For adults with chronic pain in Brisbane: Participants needed for QUT trial of a 3-week computer-based program.

This project aims to investigate whether a new psychological program, completed on a computer once a week for 3 consecutive weeks, can reduce chronic pain and associated health outcomes. Participation will include completing 3 short computer-based sessions (10-20 min each, over 3 weeks at one of the QUT Brisbane campuses) and some online surveys.

To find out more and enter the initial survey click here.

For any questions, please email [email protected].

The University of Sydney is looking for participants for an Australian Research Council-funded research project exploring the regulation of autologous adult stem cell (ASC) therapies in Australia.

The study seeks to explore the attitudes of major stakeholders regarding patient access to innovative ASC therapies. Despite limited evidence of their efficacy and safety, ASCs (stem cells derived from the patient’s own body) are increasingly being offered for the treatment of a wide range of conditions, including chronic diseases, asthma, dementia, motor neurone disease or arthritis.

We are looking for health professionals, patient representatives and patients, their carers and family members to take part in a workshop (Nov 21 in Sydney and Nov 28 in Melbourne) and/or a short interview exploring their views on ASC therapies in Australia. Workshop participants will be offered $50 reimbursement for travel to and from the workshop and a $50 supermarket voucher. The study is confidential and anonymity is guaranteed to participants.

If you would like to participate, please contact Dr Tereza Hendl at [email protected]. 

More information about the study can be found at: http://sydney.edu.au/law/health/stemcells/index.shtml

You are invited to take part in this research project if you have been diagnosed with a form of arthritis and are aged between 18 years and 65 years. This research project is testing the safety, tolerability and efficacy (how well the drug works in alleviating pain) of a new medication called AKP-11, which will be administered to participants with arthritis.

AKP-11 is an experimental topical, anti-inflammatory drug for the treatment of arthritis, including gout. This drug is believed to curb a variety of the pathological events associated with arthritis via a multi-modal mechanism of action. The study seeks to determine the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of topical doses of AKP-11 compared to matching placebo in participants with rheumatoid arthritis or gout.

For further information visit www.anzctr.org.au/ and enter the identifier ACTRN 12616000922471 in the search box and click on the link provided.

• Do you have an inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis?
• Are you a woman aged over 18?
• Are you on or have you been on an injection treatment for your arthritis?
• Have you had a pregnancy or are you currently pregnant?

Phone: 0452 423 970

Email:  [email protected]

A randomised clinical trial of a treatment for mild to moderate osteoarthritis of the knee.   

The study is looking for participants aged between 40 and 80 years of age, with mild OA in either or both knees to test a treatment for 8 weeks.

Trial volunteers would need to:

• Make 3 visits to the clinic – week 1, week 4 and week 8
• Have blood tests at a QML collection centre – week 1, week 4 and week 8
• Take the medication daily for 8 weeks

Clinic locations are in Brisbane and Redcliffe and Sunshine Coast

For further information please contact:

Phone: (07) 3162 0909 

Email:  [email protected]

Losing excess weight is scientifically proven to help reduce and prevent joint pain. One way to get support for weight loss is to participate in a clinical weight loss trial, where you get the support of a research team and others in the trial.

For many years health professionals have recommended ‘slow and steady’ weight losses of approximately 0.1 to 1 kilo per week. In recent years however, an increasing number of health professionals are prescribing meal replacement diets called very low calorie diets (VLCDs) because they can induce relatively fast weight losses of approximately 0.5 to 2 kilos per week, which some people find motivating, and because some people report not feeling hungry while following a VLCD.

While VLCDs are known to be safe and effective in the short-term (for up to one year), the long-term consequences are unknown. This study will demonstrate whether or not there is any difference between the effects of weight loss via VLCD or conventional diet on metabolic health, body fat content and distribution, muscle mass and strength, and bone density in post-menopausal women for 3 years after commencement of the diet.

• To watch Associate Professor Amanda Salis talking about the TEMPO Diet Trial click here.
• To watch Associate Professor Amanda Salis talking about A Day in the Life on a VLCD, click here.
• To read the Information for Participants click here (PDF file).

Recruitment for the TEMPO Diet Trial is currently underway. If you are interested in participating in this trial and are female, living in the Sydney metropolitan area, aged 45-65, postmenopausal for 5 years or more, are non-diabetic and you have a body mass index (BMI*) of 30 to 40 kg/m2, you may be eligible for this study.

*To calculate your BMI, divide your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in meters, or use this web-based BMI calculator: http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/healthy-eating/Pages/bmi-calculator.aspx.

For more information contact The TEMPO Team (Ms Michelle Hsu, Dr Radhika Seimon, Ms Alice Gibson and Associate Professor Amanda Salis) on [email protected]