Review Lifescripts Demonstration Divisions Program

Project Coordinator

Anna Williams

Chief Investigators

Gawaine Powell Davies, Anna Williams

Associate Investigators

Mark Harris

Rationale

Smoking, Nutrition, Alcohol and Physical Activity (SNAP) risk factors have been identified as major contributors to the increasing Australian prevalence of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 Diabetes and associated physiological risk factors such as hypertension, obesity and high cholesterol. General Practice has been found to be well placed to offer interventions especially for higher risk patients. In 2004 the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing (AGDHA) commissioned a consortium to produce a range of Lifestyle Prescription (Lifescripts) resources including waiting room materials, assessment guidelines, assessment tools, prescription pads. Currently generic and pregnancy “Lifescript” resources are available. During the course of the Review it is anticipated that additional resources will become available including an electronic version and resources for culturally and linguistically diverse groups (CALD) and Indigenous (ATSI) resources.

During 2007-2008, AGDHA has funded ten Divisions of General Practice to participate in the Lifescripts Demonstration Divisions project. The participating Divisions will each implement different models of Lifescripts with a minimum of five practices. All Divisions will utilise the generic paper based resources. A small number of the Divisions aim to also implement additional resources (breast feeding, electronic, CALD & ATSI) as they become available

Aims

1. To describe the processes (strategies, models and activities) used by Divisions and practices to implement Lifescripts.
2. To develop typologies which can be used to summarise the different approaches and present coherent options for other Divisions to follow.
3. Identify factors which acted as facilitators and barriers to the successful implementation of Lifescripts and the sustainability and transferability of the models.

Design and Method

Mixed Methods using a modified version of the Donabedian Framework and an action research approach.