Major international health conference to be held next week in Singapore

The world is rapidly shrinking at the same time that medical collaborations are expanding - for the benefit of patient care right across the globe, a major international health conference in Singapore will hear next week.

The conference, to be held from 10-12 November, will bring together almost 500 medical practitioners and researchers from more than 80 collaborating centres around the world, who are working with the University of Adelaide's Joanna Briggs Institute.

The Institute, which includes three collaborating centres based in Singapore, is a world leader in improving clinical practice by translating the best possible evidence to healthcare.

The Director of Medical Services for Singapore's Ministry of Health, Associate Professor Benjamin Ong, will be guest of honour of the 9th Biennial Joanna Briggs Institute International Colloquium, and will deliver the event's opening address.

"Major health crises such as the recent spread of the Ebola virus help to illustrate just how much the world is shrinking," says Professor Lyle Palmer, Executive Director of the University's Joanna Briggs Institute.

"At the same time, we are continuing to expand the uptake of best evidence in practice thanks to a growing network of collaborators around the world - evidence that will be instrumental in helping to treat and prevent some of the most common conditions affecting millions of people across the globe."

The conference is attracting presenters from South-East Asia, Australia, China, Europe, the UK, and North and South America, and Africa.

"Our conference will hear about issues such as the benefits of E-Health, how to use social media to support large numbers of patients, how to maximise the best evidence at the point of care, and exploring new frontiers for healthcare in an incredibly diverse world," says Professor Palmer, who is also a keynote speaker at the event.

Sessions will also cover the latest research into specific health conditions and practices, including: helping children with cancer to find a sense of self through expressive art; the experiences of teenagers with type 1 diabetes; the effects of vegetarian diets on diabetes control; enhancing stroke recovery through self-management; health effects associated with working in the wind power generation industry; and many more topics.

The colloquium will be held at the Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium.