A hub and spokes approach to building community capacity for eating disorders in rural Western Australia. (6th February 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McCormack, Julie; Watson, Hunna J.; Harris, Chris; Potts, Julie; Forbes, David
• Is Part Of: Australian journal of rural health. Volume 21:Number 1(2013:Feb.)
• Page Start: 8
• Page End: 12
• Publication Date: 2013-02-06
• Subjects: Rural health -- Periodicals; Rural health -- Australia -- Periodicals; 613
• DOI: 10.1111/ajr.12007
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1038-5282

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="ajr12007-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Objective</title> <p>To determine whether an outreach community‐based training program on eating disorders enhances perceived capacity of rural health and education professionals to respond to and manage eating disorders.</p> </sec> <sec id="ajr12007-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Design</title> <p>Survey conducted upon completion of outreach training.</p> </sec> <sec id="ajr12007-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Setting</title> <p>Rural Western Australia.</p> </sec> <sec id="ajr12007-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Participants</title> <p>Health and education professionals working in rural Western Australia.</p> </sec> <sec id="ajr12007-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Main outcome measures</title> <p>Questionnaire responses analysed via descriptive statistics and inferential tests.</p> </sec> <sec id="ajr12007-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>There was a significant increase in perceived ability to identify, support and/or treat people with eating disorders among health and education professionals.</p> </sec> <sec id="ajr12007-sec-0007" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>Outreach training up‐skilled rural gatekeepers and introduced systemic health system benefits of increased consultation and liaison, a fine‐tuning of referral processes, a reduction in hospital admissions and better uptake of local services by patients discharged from hospital.</p> </sec> </abstract>