Snapshot of Australian primary health care research 2010 was released at the annual PHC Research Conference in Darwin last month by the Hon Warren Snowden MP, Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health and Regional Services Delivery.

Snapshot 2010 is the third in a series of national publications showcasing outstanding primary health care (PHC) research. It builds on the success of previous Snapshot publications and exhibits some of the outstanding Australian PHC research continually undertaken within the Primary Health Care Research, Evaluation and Development (PHCRED) Strategy.

The focus of Snapshot 2010 is to showcase projects with specific relevance to the national health reform agenda. It highlights projects that focus on the work intentions of GPs, improving health literacy, developing health indicators, the expanding role of practice nurses, up-skilling social workers, identifying social determinants of health, assessing the needs of specific populations, chronic disease management and preventive health.

These diverse projects were selected for publication in Snapshot 2010 because they have produced policy and/or practice relevant findings congruent with health reform efforts and to Australia’s First National PHC Strategy. Importantly, they demonstrate the potential for PHC research to improve the health of Australians.

Snapshot 2010 opens with Dr Faline Howes’ research completed as part of a PHCRED Researcher Development Program Fellowship, which endeavoured to understand barriers to hypertension treatment. This important chronic disease study provided significant new knowledge that has led to a new project to improve implementation of national hypertension guidelines.

Malinda Steenkamp’s work on developing indicators to evaluate the impact and performance of health services and policies for remote Aboriginal mothers and infants in the Northern Territory demonstrates the practical impact of PHC research on improving health outcomes. The new indicators will be used to monitor health service performance in remote areas and will inform future maternal and infant health initiatives.

You can download an electronic version of Snapshot 2010 from: <www.phcris.org.au/snapshot/2010> or contact PHC RIS Assist to request a FREE hard copy.