Prevention Of Multi-drug Resistant Tuberculosis In A High Prevalence Setting: ‘Connecting The DOTS’ In Vietnam
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,382,020.00
Summary
The close contacts of people with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) have a high risk of developing the disease. The V-QUIN MDR-TB Trial will evaluate the effectiveness of an oral antibiotic (levofloxacin) in preventing drug resistant TB among infected household contacts of TB patients. Household contacts from 10 Provinces in Vietnam will be randomly allocated to receive six-months of either levofloxacin or a placebo, and then followed for two years to see if they develop tuberculosis.
Mortality Among Injecting Drugs Users - A Follow-up Study Of Injecting Drug User Cohorts.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$47,500.00
Summary
This study will follow-up injecting drug users that participated in research in the 1990s and 2000s to examine mortality rates in these groups over time. Identifying information from these studies will be cross-referenced with National Death Index data to determine participants that died and the dates of their death. This study will be the first in Australia to determine mortality rates over time in a defined cohort of injecting drug users outside drug treatment settings. Studying a defined grou ....This study will follow-up injecting drug users that participated in research in the 1990s and 2000s to examine mortality rates in these groups over time. Identifying information from these studies will be cross-referenced with National Death Index data to determine participants that died and the dates of their death. This study will be the first in Australia to determine mortality rates over time in a defined cohort of injecting drug users outside drug treatment settings. Studying a defined group overcomes some of the problems associated with mortality rate estimates based simply on the number of injecting drug-related deaths. Although the number of deaths can be found, the number of people at risk of injecting drug-related death is unclear because of the hidden nature of drug use and the dynamic characteristics of drug use and drug markets. The examination of mortality trends among injecting drug users over time can provide insights regarding changes in drug use patterns and markets. For example, this study will examine changes in injecting drug use mortality across periods of high heroin availability in the late '90s and periods of interrupted heroin supply - the heroin 'drought' - from 2000 onwards. In addition, factors related to injecting drug-related mortality can be explored by comparing the characteristics of injecting drug users that died and those that survived, such as drug use and drug treatment histories, co-morbidities such as mental illness and socio-demographic backgrounds. This information can inform overdose prevention and harm reduction strategies by identifying individuals most at risk of injecting drug-related mortality. This study will also draw attention to the significant public health burden of injecting drug use. In addition, by comparing the results from this study with other similar studies from overseas, we can more reliably compare mortality among groups of Australian injecting drug users with their peers in other countries.Read moreRead less
Investigating The Relationships Between Cannabis And Other Drug Use, Mental Health, Early-life Factors And Life-course Outcomes: Integrative Analyses Of Data From Four Australasian Cohort Studies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$292,097.00
Summary
The current study will be the first of its kind to use integrative data analyses _ a highly innovative approach _ to pool data from four large and long-running Australasian cohort studies to better understand the link between cannabis use and later-life outcomes. Dramatically improved knowledge of these relationships will create a clearer picture of the interventions required to reduce the harms associated with cannabis use.
Explaining The Causal Effect Of Obesity On Colorectal And Postmenopausal Breast Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$51,834.00
Summary
With rising rates in Australia and globally, obesity is fast surpassing smoking to become the biggest preventable cause of cancer. While losing weight might reduce the risk of cancer, most people find this hard to do. In this project, possible mechanisms linking obesity to bowel and postmenopausal breast cancer will be studied to work out how important they are for each cancer. Ultimately, the goal is to help design strategies for prevention and early detection of cancers caused by obesity.
Injecting Drug Use, Incarceration, Infection: Investigating Opportunities For Public Health Interventions In Disadvantaged Populations
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$329,564.00
Summary
New knowledge required to address infectious diseases and mental illness among two disadvantaged and overlapping groups -people who inject drugs (PWID) and prisoners – will be produced: Cross sectional and longitudinal studies will examine HIV risk in specific populations; A system to track the emergence of injecting will be developed; The global scale of mental illness and TB among PWID will be determined; and how to improve coverage and delivery of TB prevention and treatment will be explored.
Use Of Statistical And Mathematical Models To Investigate Infectious Disease Transmission Dynamics To Better Inform Control Measures In Hospitals And The Community
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$408,388.00
Summary
Globally tuberculosis infects over 9 million people yearly. In low incidence countries TB is re-emerging, with HIV, drug resistance and migration driving this. Australia needs to examine the transmission of TB within our country and The Asia-Pacific region. This proposal will quantify the risk for importation of highly drug resistant TB into Australia and assess the factors that lead to outbreaks. Models will be informative for Australian TB policy development and contribute to regional and glob ....Globally tuberculosis infects over 9 million people yearly. In low incidence countries TB is re-emerging, with HIV, drug resistance and migration driving this. Australia needs to examine the transmission of TB within our country and The Asia-Pacific region. This proposal will quantify the risk for importation of highly drug resistant TB into Australia and assess the factors that lead to outbreaks. Models will be informative for Australian TB policy development and contribute to regional and global efforts for TB control.Read moreRead less
Reducing The Burden Of Alcohol And Other Drug Use In Australia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$250,805.00
Summary
Innovative research undertaken during the Fellowship program will provide new evidence of how best to respond to alcohol and other drug use. Partnerships with policymakers will ensure this evidence underpins Australian alcohol and other drug policy.