Enabling people with acute and/or chronic respiratory, cardiac or cardiometabolic conditions to stay active, healthy and engaged with family and the community.
The Respiratory and Cardiac Rehabilitation and Management (ResCaRM) Research Group conducts multi-disciplinary research into physical interventions and therapies for acute and chronic respiratory, cardiac and cardiometabolic conditions that influence healthy aging.
Our focus is on chronic conditions that affect the lungs, heart and/or metabolic system as well as the management of acute conditions such as pre- and post-operative management of major thoracic, cardiac or abdominal surgery, and the management of acute and chronic respiratory failure.
Our team has expertise in both quantitative and qualitative research methods.
Our research aims to evaluate how the lives of people with acute or chronic respiratory, cardiac or cardiometabolic conditions can be improved to enable healthy active aging. Our research also focusses on prevention of these conditions in primary care.
Our group has 5 major research themes focused on improving outcomes for people with acute or chronic respiratory and cardiac conditions or the primary prevention of these.
Our team currently consists of experts in the prevention and management of acute or chronic respiratory and cardiac conditions and have backgrounds in allied health, public health, epidemiology and information technology.
Our team has expertise in large randomised-controlled clinical trials of exercise training for people with chronic lung disease or heart failure including: centre-based pulmonary rehabilitation programs; alternatives to centre-based pulmonary rehabilitation such as telerehabilitation, mobile apps, Tai Chi, water-based training, minimal equipment programs that include ground-based walking training; as well as maintenance of benefits after a pulmonary rehabilitation program.
The team also has expertise in adjuncts to support exercise training such as non-invasive ventilation, supplemental oxygen therapy, and types of exercise prescription such as high intensity interval training.
We have partnered with organisations such as the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) to trial the implementation of pulmonary rehabilitation within their services and Perx Health to trial increased access to a pulmonary rehabilitation app (mPR) developed by the team.
The team has expertise in qualitative research related to patient and clinician experiences of rehabilitation.
Contact: Dr Marita Dale
This theme examines physical activity and sedentary behaviour in people with chronic diseases to develop and optimise interventions to increase engagement with physical activity.
Research includes: observational studies of people with chronic disease to determine associations between physical activity and health outcomes; and clinical trials of interventions to examine ways to improve physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour in people with a variety of chronic diseases; as well as qualitative studies to better understand the responses of patients to behaviour change interventions.
Contact: Dr Sonia Cheng
This theme incorporates research of interventions to improve management of people with chronic suppurative lung conditions, in particular, research of interventions to improve secretion clearance in people with excessive secretions such as those with bronchiectasis or cystic fibrosis; and modes of care to optimise physiotherapy management of these conditions.
The team has expertise in quantitative and qualitative methods to examine patient and clinician experiences of these interventions.
Contact: Associate Professor Tiffany Dwyer
This theme addresses interventions needed in management of acute conditions such as non-invasive ventilation in acute/chronic respiratory failure; physiotherapy management of patients after major cardiac, thoracic or abdominal surgery; and management of patients in intensive care units.
The researchers in this team also have expertise in qualitative methods to examine patient experiences of these interventions.
Contact: Associate Professor Maree Milross
This theme examines how allied health can be better integrated primary care multidisciplinary teams to enable increased access to effective evidence-based allied health interventions.
The group is a key member of the PROACT - Promoting Responsive and Optimal Approaches for Collaborative Team-Based Care in the Prevention and Management of Chronic Conditions which is one of five pillars funded through the MRFF Primary Care Consortium.
The team currently consists of allied health experts in chronic diseases and expertise in quantitative and qualitative research methods. The group has strong links with academic departments of general practice, nursing and pharmacy at the University of Sydney and other universities.
Contact: Professor Sarah Dennis
Please see our current projects on the respective team member's academic profile listed below.
