At the start of Phase Three of the Australian Government Primary Health Care Research, Evaluation and Development (PHCRED) Strategy, we are seeing the results of the research capacity being built in the earlier phases. This snapshot of primary health care research in 2010 puts forward the work of some of the people receiving funds through the many components of previous phases of the PHCRED Strategy. Some are senior fellows; some had National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) project grants, others received Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute (APHCRI) funding, and some are early career researchers with research development program funds, or completing their PhDs. Some illustrate the value of combining a PHCRED bursary with a larger NHMRC funded project, so that a PhD student can benefit from a substantial collaborative project.

These projects illustrate that primary health care research addresses diverse topics related to both practice and policy, and includes intervention and descriptive studies. The diversity of the primary health care research workforce is evident in the authors – seven general practitioner researchers, a podiatrist, a pharmacist, a psychologist and a medical scientist. They also illustrate how collaborations between disciplines and organisations produce results which are relevant to policy and practice. Their collaborations were many and various – general practice with social work, podiatry, physiotherapy; university departments of general practice with Divisions of General Practice Network, General Practice Education and Training and international research centres; university departments of rural health and local regional stakeholders.

Primary health care researchers do not expect their individual projects to change the world, but to contribute to our understanding of a topic. Some of these projects have already had an impact, while other recently completed studies are contributing to our knowledge base through peer reviewed publications, and form part of the understanding being gradually accrued by research teams who work in an area for many years. The systematic reviews of the literature funded through APHCRI are particularly important as a foundation for policy decisions, implementation and to identify gaps in current knowledge.

This collection of research studies is relevant to the key directions of primary health care reform in Australia. The studies focus on people and their families, prevention, chronic disease, multidisciplinary teams, quality improvement, workforce, and Indigenous and rural disadvantage. A robust research sector underpins thriving, adaptable primary health care practice and policy, by providing evidence about people and their families, workforce and characteristics of diverse primary health settings, and about effective responsive interventions.

Libby Kalucy
Director
PHC RIS

The Roadmap Of Australian primary health care Research ROAR) 'maps' on-line research for researchers, policy advisors, funding bodies and practitioners.

Want to know more about a Snapshot 2010 story?

All stories featured in Snapshot 2010 have up-to-date information publically available via ROAR – the Roadmap Of Australian primary health care Research. ROAR is an on-line research portal for researchers, policy advisors, funding bodies and practitioners. Visit ROAR at: www.phcris.org.au/roar ROAR contains records of current and recently completed primary health care research projects including those showcased in Snapshot 2010, and much more!

Each record contains details of the research project: the title, description, researcher/s, organisation, contact details plus publications and presentations arising from the project. ROAR provides information about people involved in primary health care research, their research interests, qualifications and research activities. All researchers with stories showcased in Snapshot 2010 have a ROAR profile – giving you access to their most recent information.

To find out who is doing what in primary health care research in Australia, search the ROAR records. You can search by location, organisation, topic and funding source.

To access ROAR or submit your own research profile or project details visit ROAR at: www.phcris.org.au/roar