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Following changes in the structure and funding of the Australian medical system, patients have become 'consumers' or 'clients'. Family and friends have become 'carers' or 'caregivers', signifying their increased responsibilities as patients move from hospitals to communities. While policy makers embrace the term 'carer', some argue that the title is not widely recognised and has disempowering connotations. This paper examines spouses' reflections on the term 'carer' based on qualitative interviews with 32 Australians caring for a spouse with cancer from a study conducted between 2006 and 2009. Recruitment involved survey and snowball sampling. Following a grounded theory approach, data collection and analysis were performed simultaneously. Using Holland and colleagues' sociocultural 'identity as practice' theory and a thematic approach to analysis, findings depict identification with the 'spouse' and 'carer' label as relationally situated and dependent on meaningful interaction. Although others argue that the term 'carer' is a 'failure', these findings depict identification with the label as contextual, positional and enacted, not fixed. Furthermore, and of most significance to practitioners and policy makers, the title has value, providing carers with an opportunity to position themselves as entitled to inclusion and support, and providing health professionals with a potential indicator of a spouse's increased burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health issues such as depression or anxiety and alcohol or other drug (AOD) problems often remain undiagnosed and untreated despite their prevalence in the community. This paper reports on the implementation and evaluation of an AOD and depression/anxiety screening programme within two Community Health Services (CHS) in Australia. Study 1 examined results from 5 weeks of screening (March-April 2008) using the Patient Health Questionnaire (two- and nine-item, Kroenke et al. 2001, 2003), the Conjoint Screen for Alcohol and other Drug Problems (Brown et al. 2001) and the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (Humeniuk & Ali 2006). Of the 55 clients screened, 33% were at risk of depression or anxiety, 22% reporting moderate-severe depression. Thirteen per cent were at risk of substance use disorders. A substantial proportion of at-risk clients were not currently accessing help for these issues from the CHS and therefore screening can facilitate identification and treatment referral. However, the majority of eligible clients were not screened, limiting screening reach. A second study evaluated the screening implementation from a process perspective via thematic analysis of focus group data from six managers and 14 intake/assessment workers (April 2008). This showed that when screening occurred, it facilitated opportunities for education and intervention with at-risk clients, although cultural mores, privacy concerns and shame/stigma could affect accuracy of screen scores at times. Importantly, the evaluation revealed that most decisions not to screen were made by workers, not by clients. Reasons for non-screening related to worker discomfort in asking sensitive questions and/or managing client distress, and a reluctance to spend long periods of time screening in time-pressured environments. The evaluation suggested that these problems could be resolved by splitting screening responsibilities, enhancing worker training and expanding follow-up screening. Findings will inform any community-based health system considering introducing screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the expectations of older people who chose to participate in a self‐management trial of home aged care packages conducted by COTA Australia. Empowerment theory is used to interpret the findings. All Australian home aged care support packages are delivered using a consumer directed care (CDC) model, and most are managed by an aged care provider. The COTA Australia trial gave older people the opportunity to self‐manage their package and have more control over spending and less constraints on its use. This study examined three questions: (a) what motivated the older person, or an informal carer acting on their behalf, to participate in the self‐managing trial; (b) what outcomes they expected (c) and what was their attitude towards risk. The trial was conducted over 9 months in 2018–2019. Seven registered home aged care providers from six Australian states and territories recruited 103 consumers to the trial, with having an informal carer act on their behalf. Online questionnaires with consumers (n = 103) and informal carers (n = 66), and 18 semi‐structured interviews showed that older consumers and their informal carers had high expectations that self‐management would result in: increased choice and control and more flexible use of funds; lower administration fees and more money to spend on services and supports; improved relations with service providers and the opportunity to select support staff. Participants wanted clear information and guidelines and support from their provider. While wanting to have more control and be empowered, few respondents noted concerns about possible risks. This finding raises questions about consumers' awareness of risks that are documented in the literature, and it challenges providers to balance risk management with facilitating independence and autonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]