Adolescent Alcohol And Tobacco Use/abuse: The Efficacy Of A Brief Motivational Interviewing And Skills Training Program
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$153,610.00
Summary
Alcohol abuse (regular and episodic heavy drinking) and tobacco use are common and increasing amongst young Australians. Around 49% of adolescents are regular drinkers, and 15.5% of females and 33% of males are occasional binge drinkers. Between 17.5% and 35.5% of adolescents smoke and this has increased from 1987. While the majority of young Australians moderate their drinking and smoking over time, about 5% will become heavy drinkers and 20% will become regular smokers. The public health conse ....Alcohol abuse (regular and episodic heavy drinking) and tobacco use are common and increasing amongst young Australians. Around 49% of adolescents are regular drinkers, and 15.5% of females and 33% of males are occasional binge drinkers. Between 17.5% and 35.5% of adolescents smoke and this has increased from 1987. While the majority of young Australians moderate their drinking and smoking over time, about 5% will become heavy drinkers and 20% will become regular smokers. The public health consequences of heavy drinking and smoking are now well documented. There are many studies exploring the effectiveness of universal prevention programs designed to reduce the chance of alcohol and tobacco problems in high school students. These are associated with short term reductions in the chance of smoking and heavy drinking, however it is unclear whether these programs work for adolescents who are at high risk of alcohol problems and sustained smoking. We know a lot about the sorts of risk factors associated with these problems. They include early onset of use, parental involvement and use, particular personality traits, poor marks, peer use, and poor social skills. There is no research that clearly evaluates prevention programs for adolescents who show these risk factors. In this research, a program tailored for high-risk adolescents will be compared to an educational program similar to what is often received in Australian high schools. It is expected that high-risk students will not show changes in the educational program, but will show long-term improvements after completing the enhanced program. If these results hold, the research will have very important implications for detecting high-risk students and modifying the ways in which these adolescents are treated so that we minimise the chance of further development of alcohol and tobacco problems. This could result in large health cost savings in the future.Read moreRead less
Predicting And Promoting Improved Long Term Adjustment For Men With Localised Prostate Cancer: ProsCan
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$307,407.00
Summary
In the western world prostate cancer is the most common male cancer and the second most common cause of cancer death. Currently, the most contentious public health issue regarding prostate cancer is uncertainty about the benefits of diagnosing and treating prostate cancer at a localised stage. Prostate cancer is heterogeneous and the risk of morbidity and mortality from localised disease is difficult to quantify owing to the cancer's relatively slow growth rate. Thus, after the diagnosis of loca ....In the western world prostate cancer is the most common male cancer and the second most common cause of cancer death. Currently, the most contentious public health issue regarding prostate cancer is uncertainty about the benefits of diagnosing and treating prostate cancer at a localised stage. Prostate cancer is heterogeneous and the risk of morbidity and mortality from localised disease is difficult to quantify owing to the cancer's relatively slow growth rate. Thus, after the diagnosis of localised prostate cancer it is recommended that all men be advised of three possible treatment options at a minimum: watchful waiting, radiation therapy, or radical prostatectomy. Most men prefer active involvement in the treatment decision, however many find this difficult due to uncertainty about the likely survival gain; significant treatment side effects and ambiguous risk probabilities for these effects. While prostate cancer is common, mortality is low with most men surviving 10 years. This means quality of life after prostate cancer is a critical issue. Survivorship concerns for this patient group include fears about cancer recurrence; managing physical effects of treatments; and social effects such as disruption to daily living. Men seek help less for psychological difficulties than do women. Accessible and well targeted support services for men are critical. This project aims to identify men who after the diagnosis of localised prostate cancer are at risk of poorer psychosocial adjustment over the long term and to assess the effectiveness of a psychosocial and decision support intervention in improving their long term outcomes. Identification of predictors of men's adjustment over time and of effective ways to promote optimal long term outcomes are important research questions that are as yet unanswered. The present research will be the first of its kind internationally to address these questions.Read moreRead less
Randomised Controlled Trial Of Early Intervention To Improve Sexual And Couple Functioning After Prostate Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$601,330.00
Summary
Treatment for localised prostate cancer has a long term negative impact on the sexuality and quality of life of Australian men and their intimate partners. This study will trial a remote access couples based sexuality intervention for this patient and carer group that has potential for broader translation.
Reducing Cancer Patients Psychosocial Needs. A Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$452,025.00
Summary
With 345,000 cases of cancer diagnosed each year, cancer is one of the nation's health priority areas. Although significant improvements in the early detection and treatment of cancer have increased survival, these advancements may have added to the psychological, physical and resource burdens placed on patients by increasing the time between diagnosis and definitive outcome. Addressing the physical and psychological needs of cancer patients throughout the course of their illness has become an i ....With 345,000 cases of cancer diagnosed each year, cancer is one of the nation's health priority areas. Although significant improvements in the early detection and treatment of cancer have increased survival, these advancements may have added to the psychological, physical and resource burdens placed on patients by increasing the time between diagnosis and definitive outcome. Addressing the physical and psychological needs of cancer patients throughout the course of their illness has become an important component care. A potential mechanism for reducing the psychological morbidity associated with cancer is to intervene to reduce a patient's level of unmet needs. This proposal intends to test the cost-effectiveness of an innovative intervention to reduce the level of unmet needs among colorectal patients. The study involves recruiting patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer within the past 3 months through the cancer registry and assessing their level of unmet needs at four points-at entry into the study: 6-, 12- and 18- months post diagnosis. Experimental subjects will be assigned a specially trained volunteer worker attached to the cancer council to aid the patient in identifying resources to address their unmet needs. The volunteer will act as an information resource and emotional support person. The volunteer will access information about the patients unmet needs from study questionnaires, and work with patients to devise a plan for addressing their unmet needs. The study will determine whether the level of unmet needs among cancer patients can be reduced in this manner and whether this strategy also reduces psychological distress. The proposed research is unique as it could highlight mechanisms that could be utilised by all cancer councils in Australia. The intervention has the additional benefit of being able to reach all cancer patients in a particular state regardless of their geographic location or where they receive treatment.Read moreRead less