Socioeconomic status and health in Australia: An econometric investigation into causality and pathways. This project aims to provide new policy-relevant research focusing on the role of socioeconomic status (SES) in determining health outcomes for children and adults in Australia, and in reducing health-related inequalities. This project will use high-quality Australian longitudinal data and the most advanced econometric models to provide new insights into the pathways underlying the SES gradien ....Socioeconomic status and health in Australia: An econometric investigation into causality and pathways. This project aims to provide new policy-relevant research focusing on the role of socioeconomic status (SES) in determining health outcomes for children and adults in Australia, and in reducing health-related inequalities. This project will use high-quality Australian longitudinal data and the most advanced econometric models to provide new insights into the pathways underlying the SES gradient. The project will also use similar data for Britain as a valuable comparison point. The research will contribute to a better understanding of health outcomes relating to a healthy start to life and strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric.Read moreRead less
New Econometric Evidence on the Roles of Socio-Economic Characteristics and Lifestyle Choices in Determining Child and Adult Health Outcomes. This research is directly relevant to the National Research Priority 'Promoting and Maintaining Good Health'. It will provide detailed information on issues such as the extent of socio-economic differentials in child and adult health, the role of income redistribution in reducing health inequalities, the effectiveness of the national health system in prote ....New Econometric Evidence on the Roles of Socio-Economic Characteristics and Lifestyle Choices in Determining Child and Adult Health Outcomes. This research is directly relevant to the National Research Priority 'Promoting and Maintaining Good Health'. It will provide detailed information on issues such as the extent of socio-economic differentials in child and adult health, the role of income redistribution in reducing health inequalities, the effectiveness of the national health system in protecting the health of children from the poorest families, and the role of lifestyle choices in determining health outcomes. Attention will be paid to the effects of alcohol consumption, smoking, exercise and diet in the context of adult and childhood obesity. There will also be new insights on the relative importance of 'nature' versus 'nurture' in determining child health.Read moreRead less
Economic analysis of inter-relationships between private health insurance and health expenditures. Health care services involve a complex mix of private and public funding and provision. The links between policy initiatives, such as private health insurance incentives, and outcomes are often unclear. This project involves a detailed economic and econometric investigation of individual health insurance and health care consumption decisions and their interaction, and the resulting impact on health ....Economic analysis of inter-relationships between private health insurance and health expenditures. Health care services involve a complex mix of private and public funding and provision. The links between policy initiatives, such as private health insurance incentives, and outcomes are often unclear. This project involves a detailed economic and econometric investigation of individual health insurance and health care consumption decisions and their interaction, and the resulting impact on health care utilisation and expenditure across public and private sectors. The significance of the project lies in its use of innovative methods to combine several data sources, and in the potential for the resulting models to predict the impact of future health policy initiatives.
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Bayesian choice modelling. Discrete choice models are important as they provide tools to help understand choice processes of decision makers. It remains a challenge to specify models with covariance structures flexible enough to capture complex patterns of cross-substitution between choices while being able to capture heterogeneity present in individual behaviour. We will develop a Bayesian approach to choice modelling that uses covariance selection to overcome these problems. This will train re ....Bayesian choice modelling. Discrete choice models are important as they provide tools to help understand choice processes of decision makers. It remains a challenge to specify models with covariance structures flexible enough to capture complex patterns of cross-substitution between choices while being able to capture heterogeneity present in individual behaviour. We will develop a Bayesian approach to choice modelling that uses covariance selection to overcome these problems. This will train researchers and raise the profile of Australia in an active research area that is important in the social sciences; substantive applications will be in health economics, but developments will also be relevant to cognate areas of biostatistics, epidemiology, and ecology.Read moreRead less
Factors which influence the preferences of GPs and women for contraceptive products. This research will provide valuable information to manufacturers, providers and consumers of contraceptive products, that will assist consumers in making the best choice of contraception given the complex array of alternatives available. Manufactuers will be able to use the information to advise their clients about the risks and benefits of various products. Consumers will be able to use this enhanced knowledge ....Factors which influence the preferences of GPs and women for contraceptive products. This research will provide valuable information to manufacturers, providers and consumers of contraceptive products, that will assist consumers in making the best choice of contraception given the complex array of alternatives available. Manufactuers will be able to use the information to advise their clients about the risks and benefits of various products. Consumers will be able to use this enhanced knowledge for better family planning, thus improving the health of parents and children.Read moreRead less
Effects of Private Health Insurance on Health Care Usage and Health Outcomes in Australia. Australians spend more than $7 billion each year on private health insurance (PHI), of which government subsidies amount to more than $2 billion. There is, however, little understanding of how PHI affects health care usage and health outcomes. Having PHI is likely to result in better health for the insured, but more health resources are also likely to be used. Moreover, the health of the uninsured could b ....Effects of Private Health Insurance on Health Care Usage and Health Outcomes in Australia. Australians spend more than $7 billion each year on private health insurance (PHI), of which government subsidies amount to more than $2 billion. There is, however, little understanding of how PHI affects health care usage and health outcomes. Having PHI is likely to result in better health for the insured, but more health resources are also likely to be used. Moreover, the health of the uninsured could be adversely affected if health resources available to the public hospital sector are reduced. This research will inform health policymaking on the effects of subsidising PHI on health care usage and health outcomes.Read moreRead less
An investigation of illicit tobacco use - its prevalence, economic impact and the motivations and perceptions of consumers. Black market tobacco costs the Australian government at least $450 million in lost taxes per annum. Little is known about the prevalence and economics of illicit tobacco use, or the motivations, attitudes and perceptions of consumers. Using a national telephone survey of licit and illicit tobacco consumers, we will investigate their economic thresholds, decision-making pr ....An investigation of illicit tobacco use - its prevalence, economic impact and the motivations and perceptions of consumers. Black market tobacco costs the Australian government at least $450 million in lost taxes per annum. Little is known about the prevalence and economics of illicit tobacco use, or the motivations, attitudes and perceptions of consumers. Using a national telephone survey of licit and illicit tobacco consumers, we will investigate their economic thresholds, decision-making processes, and perceptions of health effects. Our work will lead to improved supply and demand reduction measures for illicit tobacco, and enable development of appropriately targeted health promotion strategies, generating enduring benefit to Australia's economy and public health. Read moreRead less