Research
Digital Health
The Digital Health RET is an interdisciplinary group of clinical, research, and education pioneers of technology-enabled health delivery.
We represent all SHRS disciplines: audiology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech pathology. Our collaborative work aims to remove barriers to accessing healthcare and to optimise models of care for people with challenges affecting communication, movement and participation. Our research establishes the technical efficacy, diagnostic accuracy, therapeutic outcomes and societal impact of technology-enabled rehabilitation. We support and promote strategic initiatives in Teaching and Learning through the translation of our research, in order to ensure a technology-enabled health workforce.
Impact
- Our group is nationally and internationally recognised for its impact through its technology development, research publications, policy influence, research translation, workforce training and teaching.
- Research has demonstrated the many benefits of technology-enabled rehabilitation including improved and timely access to rehabilitation services; access to more specialised services close to home; cost savings for both clients and service providers; and a reduced carbon footprint associated with travel to health services.
- Our research has directly translated into clinical practice through the establishment of Telerehabilitation technology enabled rehabilitation services like the University of Queensland’s Telerehabilitation Clinic, as well as services in external organisations such as Queensland Health.
- Our research has also translated into workforce training programs for current and future health professionals, such as the University of Queensland’s Telerehabilitation Clinic and new Digital Health Curriculum.
TeleCHAT
TeleCHAT is a comprehensive high-dose aphasia therapy program delivered straight to a person’s home via telerehabilitation/over the internet. TeleCHAT has been translated from the in-person CHAT program developed by The University of Queensland. The in-person CHAT program is currently being delivered at the Surgical, Treatment and Rehabilitation Service (STARS), Herston, Brisbane as part of the clinical speech pathology service.
Learn more about the TeleCHAT program
Telerehabilitation
Telerehabilitation can employ video conferencing technology to provide therapy sessions, allowing patients to receive care from the comfort of their homes. This method has become increasingly relevant, particularly when accessing in-person care is challenging.
Virtual Reality
Physical exercise is an important management strategy for people with chronic low back pain, however post-exercise flare-ups are common and can impact on engagement with this treatment. This project will evaluate the efficacy of a Virtual Reality based mindfulness application delivered following group based exercises classes. We hypothesis that post exercise pain and flare-ups will be reduced in the intervention group. Mitigating pain flare-ups following physical exercise could facilitate greater participation and engagement in therapeutic exercise.
Virtual Reality-Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (VR-CBT)
VR-CBT combines physiotherapist-led pain education with virtual reality-based exposure therapy using a cognitive behavioural therapy-informed approach for individuals with persistent low back pain. Participants undertake a structured education session followed by VR gameplay, before participating in a semi-structured interview that invites reflection on the gameplay experience and facilitates consolidation of pain education principles. The VR-CBT feasibility RCT is a collaborative project between University of Queensland, Metro North Health, Griffith University and University of South Australia. It will include 4 weeks of home-based VR gameplay and mindfulness compared to a wait list control prior to commencing multidisciplinary treatment at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital or Surgical, Treatment and Rehabilitation Serice (STARS), Herston, Brisbane, and will inform the feasibility of an adequately powered RCT.
AI in Healthcare Navigation
This research study compares an advanced AI chatbot with a traditional internet search engine in assisting users with navigating the Queensland healthcare system. The study will evaluate responses to a series of questions focused on identifying suitable healthcare services, with an emphasis on both rural and regional health services and also injury rehabilitation after motor vehicle crashes. We aim to determine which tool provides more accurate answers and is more user-friendly, helping to identify how AI can more effectively connect users with appropriate healthcare services.
Bridging the Digital Divide
Aphasia is a communication disability that can affect speaking, reading, writing, and/or understanding. It affects approximately one third of stroke survivors. Increasingly, the Internet is needed to access information and essential services such as healthcare and support. Using the Internet requires skills in reading, writing, and understanding. This can be difficult for people with aphasia.
Building Health Self-Efficacy through Communication-Accessible Online Environments
The Communication Café
The Communication Café is an immersive virtual reality (VR) coffee shop developed to support people with communication difficulties to translate the skills and strategies learnt in therapy to everyday environments, supported by their speech pathologist. Incorporating telehealth capability, this VR program can also be accessed by the person at home. Across the next two years, this program will undergo clinical evaluation supported by a Queensland Health Clinical Research Fellowship awarded to Dr Clare Burns in partnership with the RECOVER Injury Research Centre, UQ.
Chair
Trevor Russell, Professor, Physiotherapy, Centre Director, RECOVER Injury Research Centre
Deputy Chair
Megan Ross, Research fellow, Physiotherapy
Academic staff
- Alice Jones
- Andrea Burgess
- Asaduzzaman Khan
- Barbra Timmer
- Bridget Burton
- Chloe-Emily Eather
- Danielle Aldridge
- David Copland
- Felipe Retamal Walter
- Genevieve Vuong
- Helen Wallace
- Jen Lee
- Jessica Thackeray
- Joseph Kei
- Joshua Simmich
- Katrina Williams
- Lauren Jeffery
- Lisa Anemaat
- Liz Ward
- Lucy Thomas
- Mansoureh Nickbakht
- Manuela Besomi
- Megan Ross
- Mehwish Nisar
- Melissa Kelly
- Monique Waite
- Najwan El-Saifi
- Nerina Scarinci
- Nicole Andrews
- Nigel Armfield
- Patrick Swete Kelly
- Paul Hodges
- Piers Dawes
- Raimundo Sanchez
- Raphael Ohms
- Riley Brown
- Robert Cuthbert
- Robyn Lamont
- Rod Zhang
- Sam Harvey
- Sarah Kopeshke
- Sarah Wallace
- Sebastian Gallegos-Berrios
- Sjaan Gomersall
- Tasriva Sikandar
- Thomas Harris
- Tomomi McAuliffe
- Tony Angwin
- Trevor Russell
- Viana Vuvan
- Wayne Wilson
- Wei Qi Koh
- Yudi Cui
- Zhiqi Liang
Conjoint staff
- Elizabeth Ward, Conjoint Professor in Speech Pathology
- Shaun O'Leary, Associate Professor, Physiotherapy and Senior Research Fellow
- Hannah Gullo, Conjoint Research Fellow in Occupational Therapy
- Peter Window, Associate Lecturer
Clinic staff
Andrea Abel, Clinical Manager Telerehabilitation Clinic
HDR students
Candidate | Degree | Supervision | Project title/Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Chloe-Emily Eather | PhD | Dr Rachel Elphinston, Professor Michele Sterling and Associate Professor Clair Sullivan | Enhancing engagement in digital psychological therapies for patients with chronic non-cancer pain. |
Raphael Dominik Ohms | PhD | Primary Advisor - Professor Trevor Russell | Development of guidelines for the effective design and implementation of digital mental health interventions. |
Giovanna tornatore | PhD | Primary advisor: Dr Hannah Gullo Associate advisor: Professor Jenny Fleming | Rehabilitation intensity for patients with upper limb impairment - what is the impact on occupational performance. |
Perrin Moss | PhD | Professor Trevor Russell, Associate Professor Nicole Hartley, Emeritus Professor Jenny Ziviani | Building the case for Project ECHO: From inception to implementation success factors for adopting new innovation |
Ben Glenwright | PhD | Primary advisors: Associate Professor Shaun O’Leary | Implementation of a self-directed model of care for physiotherapy rehabilitation post primary total hip replacement |
| Nabil Anan Orka | PhD | Dr Mohammad Ali Moni, Associate Professor Asaduzzaman Khan | Enhancing Point-of-Care Cardiovascular Disease Detection for Clinically Aligned Solutions in Urban, Semi-Urban, and Rural Healthcare Settings |
News
A new publication in The Lancet shows that video consultations for chronic knee pain are as effective as in-person care
Australians experiencing chronic knee pain achieve similar pain reduction whether they consult with physiotherapists via video or attend in-person physiotherapy sessions, new research has found.
Evaluating smartphone GPS for the standardised assessment of 6-minute walking distance in persistent pain conditions
Between October 2021 and August 2022, we recruited 36 individuals who experience persistent pain to participate in two versions of a 6-minute walk test: the conventional test conducted on a 30m shuttle track and another test using a GPS-based smartphone app while walking a circuit outdoors at a local park.
A scoping review of how chatbots are evaluated in health research
Our study reviewed the methods used for evaluating chatbots (also known as conversational agents) in health research. It can be challenging to evaluate chatbots, as they’re often quite complex and unpredictable.
Events
To see our digital health related events, please visit the events page on the RECOVER centre website.
Enquiries
For all enquiries related to research in the School, contact the Senior Administration Officer (Research): research.shrs@uq.edu.au
For all enquiries related to joining the Digital Health theme contact the chairs Professor Trevor Russell and Dr Megan Ross.
For all general current HDR student queries and enquiries related to applications contact the HDR Liaison Officer: hdr.shrs@enquire.uq.edu.au
