Media Release

Students seek help from those with chronic disease

James Cook University is seeking volunteers who have been diagnosed with a chronic disease to participate in a project to help Exercise Physiology students develop their clinical skills.

Lisa Simmons, a Clinical Educator in Clinical Exercise Physiology at JCU’s Institute of Sport and Exercise Science in Townsville is conducting the project.

It involves student-led exercise screening and assessment, student-led exercise prescription and programming, and educating students on the participants’ unique perspective about their chronic condition or disease management.

Ms Simmons said there would be two opportunities for local residents to participate.

“One opportunity will be to participate in a Client Folio, which is an assessment piece for 4th year Exercise Physiology students,” she said.

“They will participate in an interview and an assessment based on exercise and health components.

“The second opportunity will be to participate as a ‘Volunteer Tutor’, who will provide education to students about their medical conditions.”

Ms Simmons said it was not a research project, but more about proving hands-on experience to students.

“This is about providing quality educational experiences for our students, as well as allowing us to develop meaningful assessment pieces,” she said.

“In opportunity one, the participants will gain information about their medical condition and provide participants with evidence-based recommendations about how exercise can assist in the management of their medical conditions.

“For the Client Tutor opportunity, it will allow the volunteer to provide budding allied health professionals with a unique insight into the complexity of their medical conditions and assist in developing quality practices.”

Anyone with the following chronic diseases is encouraged to participate:

- Metabolic conditions including Type 2 diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia or Metabolic Syndrome

- Cardiovascular disease including hypertension, coronary heart disease, post cardiac events or Peripheral Vascular Disease

- Respiratory conditions including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma or cystic fibrosis.

People with the following neurological and/or musculoskeletal impairments are also encouraged to participate:

- Neurological conditions including stroke, acquired brain injury, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis.

- Musculoskeletal conditions including back pain, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis or soft tissue injury.

The JCU Institute of Sport and Exercise Science is holding a free morning tea event for any interested participants with these diagnosed chronic or complex medical conditions to meet with facilitators and obtain further information about this opportunity.

“The morning tea is intended to give them the above information and register to which opportunity suits them and their availability,” Ms Simmons said.

Ms Simmons said there was no cost to participate in the project, and no registration is required to attend the morning tea.

Date: Wednesday 12 ^th of March, 2014, 10am to 11am

Location: JCU health – Exercise Physiology Clinic

Floor 1/1 James Cook Drive, James Cook University

Tel: 07 4781 3200 or 07 4781 3884

Emails: lisa.simmons2@jcu.edu.au

JCU Media Liaison: Caroline Kaurila tel: (07) 4781 4586 or 0437 028 175

First published March 11, 2014