Technology is changing the lives of Australians. We need to understand the impact on health to gain the benefits with minimal harm. This fellowship will support a program of internationally leading research drawing together ergonomics, physiotherapy and physical activity expertise. Example projects include the impact of electronic games on children’s activity, walking workstations to increase physical activity of office workers and a family-based program for overweight adolescents.
Links2HealthierBubs: Influenza And Pertussis Vaccine Effectiveness And Safety In Pregnancy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$676,333.00
Summary
Vaccination during pregnancy can offer protection against severe respiratory disease for infants in the first six months of life. For this reason, influenza and pertussis vaccines are routinely recommended during each pregnancy. Unfortunately, little is known about the ‘real world’ effect of both vaccines. We plan to conduct the largest and most comprehensive study to date to evaluate all vaccines routinely recommended in pregnancy in Australia.
Investigating older Australians' beliefs about and understanding of mental health and their practice of relevant protective behaviours. Healthy ageing and mental health are acknowledged national priorities. This project will generate new knowledge relating to older Australians' mental health literacy and the motivators and barriers influencing their engagement in protective behaviours. The resulting communications strategy will provide tangible outcomes for the industry partners to utilise. The ....Investigating older Australians' beliefs about and understanding of mental health and their practice of relevant protective behaviours. Healthy ageing and mental health are acknowledged national priorities. This project will generate new knowledge relating to older Australians' mental health literacy and the motivators and barriers influencing their engagement in protective behaviours. The resulting communications strategy will provide tangible outcomes for the industry partners to utilise. The project will thus produce knowledge advancement and tools for practitioners, both of which will enhance public welfare and reduce long-term healthcare costs. While this project focuses on older Australians, those of all ages will benefit from a communications campaign that provides individuals with knowledge to protect and strengthen their mental health.Read moreRead less
Excessive sitting and population health: strengthening the science and the relevance to policy and practice. The majority of Australian adults spend most of their waking hours sitting; this increases the likelihood of developing diseases of inactivity, including diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. New research will investigate what factors encourage excessive sitting and what the health benefits are for people who deliberately do less sitting.
Centre Of Research Excellence On Sitting Time And Chronic Disease Prevention – Mechanisms, Measurement And Interventions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,657,874.00
Summary
Australian research has identified serious health consequences arising from the 7 to 10 hours of daily sitting that most people do, especially in relation to ‘diseases of inactivity’ – type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and breast and colon cancer – that are an unwelcome burden on individuals, families and health systems. This new research examines the practical feasibility and the preventive-health benefits of changing children’s and adults’ sitting time in schools, workplaces and the home ....Australian research has identified serious health consequences arising from the 7 to 10 hours of daily sitting that most people do, especially in relation to ‘diseases of inactivity’ – type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and breast and colon cancer – that are an unwelcome burden on individuals, families and health systems. This new research examines the practical feasibility and the preventive-health benefits of changing children’s and adults’ sitting time in schools, workplaces and the home environment.Read moreRead less
Development and evaluation of morality curriculum intervention for children in Year 7 to reduce uptake of alcohol and tobacco in high school use. This project builds on previous research that supports the notion that a moral stance against alcohol and tobacco use has a protective effect on uptake of these substances. This study aims to develop morality curriculum components on alcohol and tobacco use for children in Year 7, and to determine the effectiveness of these morality components on preve ....Development and evaluation of morality curriculum intervention for children in Year 7 to reduce uptake of alcohol and tobacco in high school use. This project builds on previous research that supports the notion that a moral stance against alcohol and tobacco use has a protective effect on uptake of these substances. This study aims to develop morality curriculum components on alcohol and tobacco use for children in Year 7, and to determine the effectiveness of these morality components on preventing uptake of alcohol and tobacco use in early secondary school (Years 8 and 9). School-based interventions to date have ignored morality issues in their alcohol and tobacco control interventions. The output of this study will be the development of evidence-based morality curriculum components to enhance the effect of existing school-based interventions on alcohol and tobacco use.Read moreRead less
The weighty issue of childhood obesity: an investigation of the role of junk food advertising. Australian children have been getting continuously fatter since the 1970s. The direct health cost implications amount to $830 million annually. Most fat kids also become fat adults, suggesting a future health crisis in Australia. Junk food advertising is extremely heavy during children's television and is thought to contribute greatly to childhood obesity because children are highly susceptible to t ....The weighty issue of childhood obesity: an investigation of the role of junk food advertising. Australian children have been getting continuously fatter since the 1970s. The direct health cost implications amount to $830 million annually. Most fat kids also become fat adults, suggesting a future health crisis in Australia. Junk food advertising is extremely heavy during children's television and is thought to contribute greatly to childhood obesity because children are highly susceptible to the suggestions of ads. The present research will help policy makers decide the most appropriate regulation of food advertising to children, and has the potential to reduce the proportion of Australian kids who are fat, thereby saving billions of dollars in health costs.Read moreRead less
The feasibility, acceptability and cost-effectiveness of nurse-led models of chronic disease management in general practice. This study directly relates to the National Research Priority of 'promoting and maintaining good health' through our approach to trial a new and innovative model of chronic disease management specifically for CVD and Type II diabetes in general practice. This project aims to test a new model of health service delivery - that is, the use of a practice nurse to provide chro ....The feasibility, acceptability and cost-effectiveness of nurse-led models of chronic disease management in general practice. This study directly relates to the National Research Priority of 'promoting and maintaining good health' through our approach to trial a new and innovative model of chronic disease management specifically for CVD and Type II diabetes in general practice. This project aims to test a new model of health service delivery - that is, the use of a practice nurse to provide chronic disease care rather than a general practitioner. Our strategy involves collaboration with health providers, stakeholders and consumers to help achieve this by providing patient education and disease management through a registered nurse in general practice.Read moreRead less
Do perceptions of morality of alcohol, tobacco & cannabis use influence uptake in high school? In Australia, the cost of drug use was estimated at $34.4 billion in 1998-89. Preventing or delaying alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug use among adolescents is a way of reducing substance use among adults, and therefore, reduces the health, social and economic costs associated with substance use. This study will assess the protective/vulnerability effect of a range of variables on youth substance use i ....Do perceptions of morality of alcohol, tobacco & cannabis use influence uptake in high school? In Australia, the cost of drug use was estimated at $34.4 billion in 1998-89. Preventing or delaying alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug use among adolescents is a way of reducing substance use among adults, and therefore, reduces the health, social and economic costs associated with substance use. This study will assess the protective/vulnerability effect of a range of variables on youth substance use including morality and legitimacy concepts. These data will guide the development of curriculum components to enhance the effect of school-based interventions with respect to substance use, and provide practical recommendations for community interventions targeted at substance use.Read moreRead less
What works best for youth smoking prevention messages? In Australia, tobacco smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease, resulting in over 19,000 deaths annually. The morbidity and mortality associated with smoking costs the community over $21 billion a year. People who start smoking when they are young are more likely to smoke heavily as adults, to become more dependent on nicotine and to be at increased risk of smoking-related illness or death. This research study will provi ....What works best for youth smoking prevention messages? In Australia, tobacco smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease, resulting in over 19,000 deaths annually. The morbidity and mortality associated with smoking costs the community over $21 billion a year. People who start smoking when they are young are more likely to smoke heavily as adults, to become more dependent on nicotine and to be at increased risk of smoking-related illness or death. This research study will provide practical recommendations for future tobacco control television advertising targeted at youth in terms of the elements featured in tobacco control advertisements that increase advertising effectiveness. Read moreRead less