Suzanne Lazaroo
9 September 2019: The 25th annual Canberra Health Annual Research Meeting (CHARM) was a meeting of the minds and a celebration of and springboard for collaboration.
Hosted by the Centre of Health and Medical Research, ACT Health and Canberra Health Services, in collaboration with the University of Canberra, the Australian National University, UNSW Canberra, Australian Catholic University and Australian Institute of Sport, it brought together health researchers, students, policy makers, carers, consumers, industry and clinicians in a bid to promote, enable and inspire multi-disciplinary health research.
Several University of Canberra academics and higher degree by research students received awards for their presentations delivered throughout the four-day meeting.
Catherine Galvin received the ACT Health Directorate Chief Allied Health Office and University of Canberra Award for the Best Allied Health Oral Presentation, for her work on the prediction of the Kellgren-Lawrence Knee Osteoarthritis Severity Grade, a predictive data model using the kinematics of kneeling.
The Canberra Hospital Private Practice Fund Award for the Best Clinical Research Oral Presentation went to Adjunct Professor Diana Perriman for her presentation entitled “Shape is only a weak predictor of deep knee flexion kinematics in healthy and osteoarthritic knees”.
Professor Karen Strickland, the Head of School for Nursing, Midwifery and Public Health at the Faculty of Health, received the Australian Catholic University Award for the Best Nursing or Midwifery Research Oral Presentation. She presented on her systematic review of supported decision-making to assist older persons experiencing elder abuse.
“Presenting at conferences, such as CHARM, is important to be able to raise the profile of the issue and raise awareness for older people,” Professor Strickland said.
The 3 Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition was held on the first day of the meeting. It saw student researchers delivering brief, compelling summaries of their research projects.
The CHARM 3 Minute Thesis Winner was the University of Canberra’s Nathan De Meillon, who is studying for a Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours). His study investigated the correlation between strength and walking ability in people with Parkinson’s disease, and will inform clinical decisions regarding the assessment and treatment of strength in the disorder.
Ashleigh d’Arx, who is also pursuing a Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) took home the Smartleasing Award for CHARM 3 Minute Thesis Third Place for her investigation of how breathing muscle weakness can contribute to lung complications after cardiac surgery.
At the CHARM dinner, Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) student Luke Bickett was presented with a prize from the Australian Association of Gerontology for the best 3MT presentation on ageing and gerontology.
Mr Bickett’s study explored the long-term outcomes of greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS), focusing on the condition’s possible relationship to decreased bone mineral density and possible link to hip osteoarthritis.
