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Serious and Continuing Illness Policy and Practice Study

The Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute ( APHCRI) has a major focus on the nexus between research evidence and health policy. The challenge presented by the increasing burden of chronic disease on the health system requires new policy responses.

The Serious and Continuing Illness Policy Practice Study (SCIPPS) is a five year project (2006-11), funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), and takes place in two large geographical regions (Australian Capital Territory and Sydney West). It focuses on Chronic Heart Failure (CHF), diabetes and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) because they are common, costly and continuing illnesses for which follow up care and preventive measures are known to be effective. SCIPPS investigates issues, interventions and outcomes related to the three prototype conditions. The goal of SCIPPS is to develop policy and health systems solutions that result in improved quality of life of people with serious and continuing illness and see a reduction in avoidable hospital admissions.

 SCIPPS Research Activities

A variety of research activities take place over the life of the SCIPPS program. In the first year the focus of these activities is the collection of data to develop interventions. Each activity involves members of both research sites.

Qualitative Study: This aspect of SCIPPS is informed by the interpretive paradigm and involves interviews and focus groups with patients, carers and healthcare professionals across both the ACT and Sydney West sites. The patient centred or consumer oriented approach to the SCIPPS project is fundamental to informing possible interventions. Qualitative data collection and analysis are currently underway, due to be completed by 2007.

Health Service Data: The intention is to gather and link epidemiological data on the three index conditions from a variety of existing health related databases that can improve our overall understanding of factors influencing the management of the index conditions across both the ACT and Sydney West sites.

Literature Reviews: The group will conduct several systematic literature reviews throughout the course of SCIPPS. Current reviews underway address: 1) theoretical underpinnings of self management programs; 2) evaluation of chronic disease programs; 3) implications of policy development in the area of chronic disease management; and 4) the nature of the experience of people affected by the three index conditions.

Policy Analyses: Analysis of both State and Commonwealth policy that addresses or impacts management of the index conditions (dating back to 2000).

More information about this project can be found at: http://www.ahpi.health.usyd.edu.au/scipps/index.php

The Serious and Continuing Illness Study (SCIPPS) is an NHMRC funded program conducted at
The Australian National University and University of Sydney and administered by The Menzies Centre for Health Policy.

Some of the members of the ANU (ACT) SCIPPS Team:

From left to right: Dr.Yun-Hee Jeon, Prof. Nicholas Glasgow, Ms. Tanisha Jowsey,
Mr. Stefan Kraus, Ms Carmen Pearce, Mr. Robert Wells and Dr. Paul Dugdale.
Absent: Mr Richard Bialkowski, Ms Kelly Gourlay, Ms Linda Halliday, A. Prof. Chris
Kelman, Prof. Marjan Kljakovic, Mr. Ross O'Donoughue, Mr Philip Robson,
Prof. Judith Whitworth.

Contact in the ACT is Mr Phil Robson:

P: (02) 61250782
F: (02) 61252254
E: scipps@anu.edu.au