How Do Lay People Understand The Risk Of Developing Cancer? A Qualitative Study Using Grounded Theory Procedures.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$282,118.00
Summary
This project is about cancer risk. New discoveries are regularly made about the contribution of genes, environmental exposures, and lifestyles to cancer risk. These findings are often reported in the mass media, or used in television advertising to encourage us to attend cancer screening or change our habits. Some cancers are said to be almost entirely preventable. In fact some experts argue that whether or not we get cancer is largely our own responsibility. This study doesn't ask what causes c ....This project is about cancer risk. New discoveries are regularly made about the contribution of genes, environmental exposures, and lifestyles to cancer risk. These findings are often reported in the mass media, or used in television advertising to encourage us to attend cancer screening or change our habits. Some cancers are said to be almost entirely preventable. In fact some experts argue that whether or not we get cancer is largely our own responsibility. This study doesn't ask what causes cancer. Instead it asks what the risk of developing cancer means to Australians and in Australian society. This question will be answered by conducting a rigorous analysis of healthy lay people's descriptions of their own and others' risk of developing cancer. The researchers will talk with a wide range of people about cancer risk. They will ask: how do we think about cancer risk for ourselves? how do we engage with information about cancer risk? Do we listen to it? Do we trust it? Does it make sense to us? What do we think should be done about it? The resulting findings will be compared with the assumptions that underlie cancer prevention activities. Finally, the discoveries made about similarities and differences will be actively translated for expert and lay audiences. There have been many studies of what it is like to be a cancer patient or to be screened for cancer. But there has been very little systematic study of the way in which healthy Australians make sense of cancer risk. This study will develop a detailed model of what cancer risk means to Australians. It will provide new knowledge to researchers and practitioners in public health, health psychology and sociology, and risk communication, guiding communication about cancer risk and research about cancer risk well into the future. It will help lay people and professionals to communicate more effectively about cancer risk, and thus support continuing improvement in cancer prevention in Australia.Read moreRead less
What Matters To Women Diagnosed With Breast Cancer During Their Reproductive Years? A Qualitative Investigation Of Fertility, Reproductive Health, Heritability, And Related Psychosocial Needs Using A Population-based Sample
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$363,158.00
Summary
Breast cancer in women of reproductive age is especially challenging because fertility can be reduced, pregnancy discouraged, and family formation compromised by the illness and its treatment. This research addresses major gaps in knowledge about the needs of young women with breast cancer. Interviews with 100 breast cancer survivors about fertility, family formation, experiences of health care, and ideas about approaches that may assist them will be used to improve fertility-related care.
Use Of An Online Canteen Ordering System To Implement Healthy Canteen Policies In NSW Primary Schools
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$175,303.00
Summary
Given evidence that school food policies can improve children’s dietary intake, Australian state governments have launched healthy canteen policies. However, these policies are poorly implemented. This research seeks to assess the effectiveness of an online classification tool in increasing policy compliance. The tool will be embedded in an online canteen system, and will automatically assess whether menu items are compliant as they are uploaded onto the online canteen system.
Reconceptualising Health Promotion: The Role Of Ethics, Values And Evidence In Obesity Interventions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$90,566.00
Summary
Overweight and obesity are public health priorities. Population-level programs, campaigns and regulations are required to prevent and reduce obesity. How should these interventions proceed? What is effective? What is ethical? How can we avoid doing harm? At present, we do not know. By studying current interventions, and working with experts and practitioners in health promotion and ethics, this project will develop a new framework to guide overweight and obesity intervention in the future.
National Implementation Trial Of An Evidence-informed Workplace Sitting Reduction Intervention
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$624,575.00
Summary
Long periods of sitting time are bad for health. We will conduct a three-year national trial with five workplace-health partner organizations testing a website-delivered program for reducing sitting time at work. It will be offered to over 10,000 desk-based employees. We will determine the impacts of the program as well as refinements needed for full-scale dissemination: uptake of the program, how well it can be delivered on a large scale, its impact on sitting time, and the costs involved.
Understandings Of Food And Weight Gain In Pregnant Women: A Qualitative Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$83,256.00
Summary
At a time when the incidence of obesity and associated chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes continues to rise and public health interventions are struggling to make an impact, this proposal has the potential to generate new insights. By using in-depth interviews to explore practices and understandings leading to excess weight gain during pregnancy this project addresses potential obesity in women and potential predisposition to obesity in their children.
A Randomised Trial Of An Intervention To Facilitate The Implementation Of A State-wide School Physical Activity Policy.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$586,396.00
Summary
This will be the first RCT of its kind. This study will test the effectiveness of an implementation support strategy in supporting schools to implement a physical activity policy mandated by the NSW Government. The trial could provide a model for supporting schools to implement school health or education policies, which seek to improve wellbeing of students.
Increasing The Implementation Of A Mandatory Primary School Physical Activity Policy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$177,197.00
Summary
This will be the first RCT of its kind. This study will test the effectiveness of an implementation support strategy in supporting schools to implement a physical activity policy mandated by the NSW Government. The trial could provide a model for supporting schools to implement school health or education policies, which seek to improve wellbeing of students.
Improving Cardiac Rehabilitation In Victoria, Australia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$107,204.00
Summary
This PhD project will identify the key mechanisms for successful scale-up and sustainability of a community based diabetes prevention program - the Kerala Diabetes Prevention Program (NHMRC Project ID 1005324). Based in India where diabetes is becoming increasingly common, these findings have global relevance. Findings will add to crucial evidence gaps in how to systematically scale-up effective prevention programs in order to maximise public health impact.