Aims
MAINSTREAM is building systems to assess health system performance, design and evaluate scalable and effective models of care, prevent spiralling health care costs, and integrate the voice of lived experience in health system research. The project operates across four key strategies: health system data, health system economics, lived experience, as well as translation and implementation. It has established the first national population-based surveillance system of individuals with eating disorders using a data linkage approach. It is informing decision-making around comparative value for money by evaluating evidence-based pathways, policy changes, and socioeconomic inequalities. Using genuine co-design principles and digital innovation, research and evaluation procedures are being implemented in state-based translation hubs (which include health serve providers and consumer organisations) to bridge the research-implementation gap.

Background
We know that those with an eating disorder can make a full recovery if given the right treatment at the right time. However, the Australian health system has a late-stage intervention approach, primarily focusing on treating acute illness in hospital, rather than early identification and intervention. The MAINSTREAM centre is a multi-site, multi-disciplinary research and translation team from across Australia uniting to better understand eating disorders and improve treatments for people with a lived and living experience of eating disorders, their families, carers and supports.

For more, visit www.mainstreamresearch.org.au

For a list of publications, visit: https://www.mainstreamresearch.org.au/publications-presentations