Understanding how local and regional accessibility are associated with active travel, and related health and economic impacts. Exercise and walking are vital for a healthy lifestyle and wellbeing. The accessibility and ’walkability’ of where one lives and works is key to supporting physical activity. Consequently, public health practitioners, urban planners and the transport sector face a common strategic challenge; shifting people from private vehicles to active forms of transport. This project ....Understanding how local and regional accessibility are associated with active travel, and related health and economic impacts. Exercise and walking are vital for a healthy lifestyle and wellbeing. The accessibility and ’walkability’ of where one lives and works is key to supporting physical activity. Consequently, public health practitioners, urban planners and the transport sector face a common strategic challenge; shifting people from private vehicles to active forms of transport. This project aims to model the health and economic impacts of the ease of: walking and cycling within neighbourhoods; and travelling across wider geographical areas on time spent walking and cycling for transport among both adults and children. This project aims to enable the research team to maximise the opportunities the environment provides for both positive health and well-being in Australia.Read moreRead less
Urban spaces and active ageing: understanding person-environment interactions to inform activity-friendly community design. The proportion of older adults in urban areas is rapidly growing, leading to increases in health-care costs that are associated with chronic diseases. This can be offset by creating urban environments that support an active lifestyle across mid-to-late adulthood. How urban community designs shape the physical activity of this understudied age group is unclear. Using a suite ....Urban spaces and active ageing: understanding person-environment interactions to inform activity-friendly community design. The proportion of older adults in urban areas is rapidly growing, leading to increases in health-care costs that are associated with chronic diseases. This can be offset by creating urban environments that support an active lifestyle across mid-to-late adulthood. How urban community designs shape the physical activity of this understudied age group is unclear. Using a suite of national and international epidemiological studies, This project aims to identify the optimal mix and spatial distribution of destinations (facilities and places to visit) for active ageing, while taking into account factors that define one’s ability and willingness to visit these destinations. This will inform public policy and activity-friendly community design.Read moreRead less
Antisocial behaviour in young Australian adults: Social and economic influences. Antisocial behaviour is prevalent in Australia and imposes large social and economic costs. Currently, much of the crime prevention research has been conducted overseas. The findings of this study will provide important insights into the development of antisocial behaviour from childhood and adolescence through into young adulthood in the Australian context. By better understanding how factors such as unemployment, ....Antisocial behaviour in young Australian adults: Social and economic influences. Antisocial behaviour is prevalent in Australia and imposes large social and economic costs. Currently, much of the crime prevention research has been conducted overseas. The findings of this study will provide important insights into the development of antisocial behaviour from childhood and adolescence through into young adulthood in the Australian context. By better understanding how factors such as unemployment, alcohol-related entertainment, and sporting participation influence antisocial behaviour in young adulthood, prevention and early intervention programs can be developed to target specific subgroups. In this way spending on criminal justice systems can be reduced and a safer, more harmonious community can be fostered.Read moreRead less
Mental health, job quality and workforce participation: evidence from population health research to address complex problems and conflicting policies. Mental disorders such as depression are a major cause of disability. Improving mental health can increase productivity and workforce participation. However, the psychosocial quality of work is a factor that overlays the relationship between work and health. Poor quality work (for example, unreasonable time pressure, insecurity) increases the risk ....Mental health, job quality and workforce participation: evidence from population health research to address complex problems and conflicting policies. Mental disorders such as depression are a major cause of disability. Improving mental health can increase productivity and workforce participation. However, the psychosocial quality of work is a factor that overlays the relationship between work and health. Poor quality work (for example, unreasonable time pressure, insecurity) increases the risk of poor mental health, absenteeism, and exit from the workforce. This project will analyse data following people over time to investigate the long-term health and employment consequences of poor psychosocial job quality, and consider the special case of mature age workers. It will identify those individuals at greatest risk, and factors that can buffer against the adverse effects of poor quality work.Read moreRead less
Occupational injury prevention in high temperature environments. This project aims to explore the contribution of heat as a risk factor in work-related illness and injury. Approximately 600 000 Australians experience a work-related illness or injury each year. Hot weather may directly or indirectly lead to accidents, but heat as a risk factor has not been systematically explored, and is particularly relevant in a warming climate. This project aims to improve safety and productivity in Australian ....Occupational injury prevention in high temperature environments. This project aims to explore the contribution of heat as a risk factor in work-related illness and injury. Approximately 600 000 Australians experience a work-related illness or injury each year. Hot weather may directly or indirectly lead to accidents, but heat as a risk factor has not been systematically explored, and is particularly relevant in a warming climate. This project aims to improve safety and productivity in Australian industry by generating new evidence and predictive models to inform injury prevention policy and guidance, and facilitating the development of practical, targeted resources. This project expects to add to the body of knowledge regarding workers’ health and safety and to be of benefit to industry and subpopulations at risk.Read moreRead less
Development of a heatwave definition using the health risk-based metrics. Climate change is increasingly recognised as this century's biggest global health threat, but the health consequences of climate change remain to be quantified. A typical example is health risks from heatwaves which kill more people than any other natural hazard in Australia, but few comprehensive datasets are available on what affects heatwaves can have on population health and well-being, and how such evidence can be tra ....Development of a heatwave definition using the health risk-based metrics. Climate change is increasingly recognised as this century's biggest global health threat, but the health consequences of climate change remain to be quantified. A typical example is health risks from heatwaves which kill more people than any other natural hazard in Australia, but few comprehensive datasets are available on what affects heatwaves can have on population health and well-being, and how such evidence can be translated into policy. This project aims to understand the health risks associated with heatwaves, to develop health risk-based metrics to define a heatwave across different areas, and to evaluate its implications for the development of social and health policies within an Australian context.Read moreRead less