Gudaga Project: Understanding The Health, Development, And Service Use Of Aboriginal Children In An Urban Environment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,424,845.00
Summary
The Gudaga project is a birth cohort of Aboriginal children that will be followed from 18 months to 5 years and describe their health, development and service (health and children's) use. This is the first study of its kind in Eastern Australia. The research team are working closely with stakeholders in Aboriginal health care including the Aboriginal community to implement the research. The research will contribute to services for Aboriginal children in the local and wider community.
An Experimental Trial Of A Supplementary Food Program In A Regional Aboriginal Health Service In New South Wales.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$142,857.00
Summary
The aims of this research project are to investigate the health effects, sustainability and acceptability of a supplementary food program in an Indigenous community in regional New South Wales. The research project will examine the health effects of a subsidised box of fruit and vegetables to Aboriginal families whose children have experienced frequent health problems.
Analysis Of Perinatal Influences On Aboriginal Child Health And Potential Markers Of Chronic Adult Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$151,130.00
Summary
Aboriginal babies in the Northern Territory have a low birth rate about twice that for non-Aboriginal Australians. Most of these babies are small because of poor intrauterine growth. At the same time Aboriginal children have high rates of infectious diseases and malnutrition and adults have high rates of obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, renal and chronic lung diseases with a life expectancy 20 years lower than non-Aboriginal Australians. An Aboriginal birth cohort of 686 with detailed ....Aboriginal babies in the Northern Territory have a low birth rate about twice that for non-Aboriginal Australians. Most of these babies are small because of poor intrauterine growth. At the same time Aboriginal children have high rates of infectious diseases and malnutrition and adults have high rates of obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, renal and chronic lung diseases with a life expectancy 20 years lower than non-Aboriginal Australians. An Aboriginal birth cohort of 686 with detailed information on maternal medical and obstetric health and birth size and gestation as well as childhood growth has been reexamined in detail at 10 -12 years of age. Information about current nutrition, health and social environment has been collected. Analysis linking all this information will contribute to an understanding of the factors which predict illness in childhood and influence the development of chronic respiratory, renal, metabolic and cardiovascular diseases in Aboriginal adults. The findings will have important implications for the prevention and early intervention of the excess childhood and adult illnesses in the Aboriginal community.Read moreRead less
Judicious Use Of Antibiotics For Acute Otitis Media In Aboriginal Children: A Multi-centre Clinical Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$614,840.00
Summary
Aboriginal children living in remote communities have the highest rates of severe ear infections and associated hearing loss currently reported in the medical literature. In some rural and remote Aboriginal communities, all infants have their first infection by 3 months of age and up to 60% develop chronic suppurative otitis media (pus draining from the ears) in the first year of life. By the time they reach school-age more than 50% of children have a significant hearing loss. This has important ....Aboriginal children living in remote communities have the highest rates of severe ear infections and associated hearing loss currently reported in the medical literature. In some rural and remote Aboriginal communities, all infants have their first infection by 3 months of age and up to 60% develop chronic suppurative otitis media (pus draining from the ears) in the first year of life. By the time they reach school-age more than 50% of children have a significant hearing loss. This has important implications for their education. The aim of this study is to determine whether a new longer-acting antibiotic will be more effective in treating young Aboriginal children with new ear infections and therefore prevent the progression to chronic suppurative otitis media. The involvement of up to 20 Aboriginal communities in this well-designed clinical trial represents a major advance in the methods used to evaluate interventions in Aboriginal health. The project will also provide training in ear examination and appropriate medical management. Swabs from the nose will be taken to monitor the effect of antibiotics on the rates of antibiotic resistance. The results from this study will be directly relevant to evidence-based guidelines on the management of otitis media in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations.Read moreRead less
Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Mobile Preschool For Child Health And Development In Remote Aboriginal Communities
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$456,369.00
Summary
This project is a retrospective study of the effectiveness of the NT Mobile Preschool Program using assessment data for children's emergent literacy, social and emotional competencies and health status. Effectiveness will be established by comparison with achievement and health status data for children not attending preschool and those in communities with no preschool service. The study will identify and describe the key factors influencing the health and learning outcomes of the three groups.
A mortality profile of Victoria's Aboriginal (and non-Aboriginal) children 1998-2008 using an innovative method and research process. The development of a population mortality profile of Victoria's children that includes accurate Indigenous identification will provide robust information to assess the effectiveness of programs interventions and policies aimed at reducing preventable deaths in children. This research will contribute to state, national and international imperative to improve the co ....A mortality profile of Victoria's Aboriginal (and non-Aboriginal) children 1998-2008 using an innovative method and research process. The development of a population mortality profile of Victoria's children that includes accurate Indigenous identification will provide robust information to assess the effectiveness of programs interventions and policies aimed at reducing preventable deaths in children. This research will contribute to state, national and international imperative to improve the collection of Aboriginal death information in order to allow meaningful comparisons between Australian jurisdictions and Aboriginal people globally. The consistent imput of the Aboriginal community and relevant experts in all phases of the project will enable and strengthen links with those who can influence government and policy makers to effect change.Read moreRead less
Fluoridation Of Water Supplies In Remote Indigenous Communities In The NT: Requirements, Feasibility & Cost Effectivenes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$72,559.00
Summary
The project has two major objectives: 1) to identify Indigenous communities that are likely to benefit most from fluoridation of the water supply, and 2) to examine the feasibility and impact of introducing a small scale fluoridation plant into at least one community. The first will be achieved through accurately mapping natural levels of fluoride in the water supply of Indigenous communities across the Northern Territory, and examining the oral health status of children in these communities. Th ....The project has two major objectives: 1) to identify Indigenous communities that are likely to benefit most from fluoridation of the water supply, and 2) to examine the feasibility and impact of introducing a small scale fluoridation plant into at least one community. The first will be achieved through accurately mapping natural levels of fluoride in the water supply of Indigenous communities across the Northern Territory, and examining the oral health status of children in these communities. The second will be achieved by installing a fluoridation plant in one or more communities that have been lobbying for fluoridation of their water supplies, and monitoring the maintenance requirements and costs of the plant, and the changes in dental health status in school children over a period of two to three years.Read moreRead less
Discovery Indigenous Researchers Development - Grant ID: DI0775808
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$165,240.00
Summary
Preventative health interventions for Indigenous children less than six years of age. It is well established that poor early childhood health has affects into adult life, for example, the relationship between child growth and development and likelihood of developing adult chronic disease. Some information is available about Victorian Indigenous children's health status; however little is known about effectiveness of preventative health interventions. This research proposes to work with Aborigina ....Preventative health interventions for Indigenous children less than six years of age. It is well established that poor early childhood health has affects into adult life, for example, the relationship between child growth and development and likelihood of developing adult chronic disease. Some information is available about Victorian Indigenous children's health status; however little is known about effectiveness of preventative health interventions. This research proposes to work with Aboriginal community controlled services to develop preventative interventions and measure consequent changes to child health outcomes. This will be achieved through building an initial evidence base from available data and service audits. This information will be used to develop interventions and identify measurable variables.Read moreRead less