Hasantha Gunasekera
Children's Hospital at Westmead
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Publication
Featured researches published by Hasantha Gunasekera.
Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health | 2009
Mohamud Sheikh; Abhijit Pal; Shu Wang; C. Raina MacIntyre; Nicholas Wood; David Isaacs; Hasantha Gunasekera; Shanti Raman; Katherine Hale; Alison J Howell
Aim: To determine the prevalence of common diseases in newly arrived refugee children, resettled in Sydney, by region of birth. To identify health needs of refugee children in Australia.
Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal | 2007
Hasantha Gunasekera; Stephanie Knox; Peter S. Morris; Helena Britt; Peter McIntyre; Jonathan C. Craig
Background: Indigenous children have the highest reported prevalence and severity of otitis media in the world, but whether their clinical management varies accordingly is unknown. Methods: Using a representative Australia-wide cluster survey of consecutive primary healthcare consultations, we compared practitioners’ investigation, treatment, and referral practices for otitis media in indigenous and nonindigenous children (0–18 years), after adjusting for clustering. Results: Over 8 years (1998–2006), 7991 practitioners managed 141,693 problems during 119,503 consultations with children, including 2856 (2%) with indigenous children. Ear problems were the fourth most common problems managed overall, with otitis media seen more commonly in indigenous than in nonindigenous children (10% versus 7% consultations, P < 0.001). Indigenous children were significantly more likely to have severe otitis media (chronic and/or suppurative and/or perforation, 8% versus 2%, P < 0.001); discharging ears (4% versus 0.1%, P < 0.001); ear swabs [4%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2%–6% versus 0.8%, 95% CI: 0.6%–0.9%]; and topical eardrops administered (11%, 95% CI: 7%–15% versus 5%, 95% CI: 4%–5%); but not more likely to receive oral antibiotics (72% versus 76%); have ear syringing (1% versus 0.2%); be referred to an otolaryngologist (6% versus 3%) or audiologist (2% versus 1%); all P > 0.05. Conclusions: In the Australian primary healthcare setting, indigenous children are 5 times more likely to be diagnosed with severe otitis media than nonindigenous children, but reported management is not substantially different, which is inconsistent with established national guidelines. This spectrum-management discordance may contribute to continued worse outcomes for indigenous children with otitis media.
Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal | 2012
Kara Gray; Nicholas Wood; Hasantha Gunasekera; Mohammad Sheikh; Briony Hazelton; Federica Barzi; David Isaacs
Vitamin D deficiency and tuberculosis (TB) are associated in adults, but data in children are scarce. We screened refugee children routinely for vitamin D status and TB. Vitamin D values were significantly lower in latent TB (n = 81) and TB infection (n = 11) than in children without TB (n = 236). We conclude that refugee children with TB have reduced vitamin D levels.
Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health | 2009
Hasantha Gunasekera; Peter S. Morris; Peter McIntyre; Jonathan C. Craig
Health‐care professionals who manage children are regularly confronted with clinical questions regarding the management of the full spectrum of otitis media: acute otitis media; otitis media with effusion; and chronic suppurative otitis media. Given the variety of potential therapies available, the wide spectrum of middle ear disorders, and the lack of consensus about management strategies, clinicians are in a difficult position when managing these children. In this review, we seek to summarise the current best evidence for answering otitis media management questions by collating existing systematic reviews.
Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health | 2004
Hasantha Gunasekera; A Buckmaster
Objective: To determine current Australian general paediatricians perceptions regarding the adequacy of their training particularly in the new morbidity (NM) area (developmental, behavioural and psychosocial). To ascertain if there is a perceived need to change training in this area, the level of support for change and to canvass opinion on how to achieve change.
Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health | 2009
Hasantha Gunasekera; Peter S. Morris; John Daniels; Sophie Couzos; Jonathan C. Craig
Objective: To compare the burden of otitis media (OM) managed by Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) practitioners and the availability of specialist ear health services in rural/remote versus urban Australian settings.
Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health | 2009
Hasantha Gunasekera; Peter S. Morris; John Daniels; Sophie Couzos; Jonathan C. Craig
Aim: To determine whether Australian Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) practitioners treat otitis media (OM) more aggressively in Aboriginal than non‐Aboriginal children and the factors influencing their management decisions.
Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health | 2006
Hasantha Gunasekera; Geoffrey Ambler
Aim: Camps are an important part of diabetic management in children yet data on the safety and efficacy of camps are limited. We assessed the safety and efficacy of blood glucose management guidelines at summer camps for diabetic children.
Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health | 2015
Georgia Paxton; Shidan Tosif; Hamish Graham; Andrea Smith; Colette Reveley; Jane Standish; Kate McCloskey; Grant Ferguson; David Isaacs; Hasantha Gunasekera; Ben J. Marais; Philip N Britton; Ameneh Khatami; Karen Zwi; Shanti Raman; Elizabeth Elliott; David Levitt; Joshua R. Francis; Paul Bauert; Peter S. Morris; Annie Whybourne; Sarah Cherian; Raewyn Mutch; David Forbes; David M Rutherford; Suzanne Packer
Perspective: ‘The forgotten children: National inquiry into children in immigration detention (2014)’ Georgia Paxton, Shidan Tosif, Hamish Graham, Andrea Smith, Colette Reveley, Jane Standish, Kate McCloskey, Grant Ferguson, David Isaacs, Hasantha Gunasekera, Ben Marais, Philip Britton, Ameneh Khatami, Karen Zwi, Shanti Raman, Elizabeth Elliott, David Levitt, Joshua Francis, Paul Bauert, Peter Morris, Annie Whybourne, Sarah Cherian, Raewyn Mutch, David Forbes, David Rutherford and Suzanne Packer
The Medical Journal of Australia | 2014
Elizabeth J. M. Corbett; Hasantha Gunasekera; Alanna Maycock; David Isaacs
Objective: Australias response to refugees and people seeking asylum is a matter of national debate. We sought to determine the knowledge and attitudes of paediatricians about refugee and asylum seeker issues (both onshore and offshore).