Spinal complaints present the greatest social and economic burden of musculoskeletal conditions in Australia. This reflects current realities: the cause remains unknown; 80% of the population is affected; and isolated professions perform a staggering array of interventions. The CCRE aims to target these realities and improve Australia's capacity to prevent and manage spinal disorders by supporting innovative interdisciplinary research and training. This community- and university-based centre wil ....Spinal complaints present the greatest social and economic burden of musculoskeletal conditions in Australia. This reflects current realities: the cause remains unknown; 80% of the population is affected; and isolated professions perform a staggering array of interventions. The CCRE aims to target these realities and improve Australia's capacity to prevent and manage spinal disorders by supporting innovative interdisciplinary research and training. This community- and university-based centre will align highly successful clinical and basic researchers in collaboration with a national network of spine scientists to foster interdisciplinary clinical researcher training, develop new diagnostics and therapeutics, and translate findings to the community. Through clinical research the centre aims to: (i) Advance understanding of physiology and pathophysiology of spinal pain (ii) Translate findings from basic research to clinical practice (iii) Establish coordinated multidisciplinary research to reduce the burden of spinal pain (iv) Predict and prevent the transition from acute to chronic states (v) Train a new generation of transdisciplinary clinical scientists (vi) Rapidly assess new treatment possibilities in pre-clinical studies (vii) Develop innovative technologies for diagnostics and therapeutics (viii) Encourage Australian commercialisation opportunities for new discoveries (ix) Encourage community-user participation in direction of research programs (x) Disseminate new findings and information of evidence-based practice to patients, clinicians, insurers, government and the scientific and wider communityRead moreRead less
Sleep Health And Sleep Problems In Early Childhood: What Role Does Childcare Play?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$314,644.00
Summary
Sleep is significant for young children’s health and development and impacts on family functioning. Increasingly childcare is part of the young child’s sleep environment. This study focuses on the role of childcare in supporting sleep health and identifying sleep, and associated behavioural problems, in the early years of life. The study responds to the policy, practice and legislative demand for evidence to guide appropriate provision for sleep and rest in the childcare context.
Managing the social, environmental & economic impacts of high density-living within inner-urban sub-tropical environments. Higher-density (HD) living is a popular strategy for managing urban growth (i.e., reducing greenhouse gas emissions). In sub-tropical environments, it represents a significant change from the traditional suburb, but provides a potential solution to the impacts of population growth on resources/infrastructure. By identifying the impacts associated with HD living & developing ....Managing the social, environmental & economic impacts of high density-living within inner-urban sub-tropical environments. Higher-density (HD) living is a popular strategy for managing urban growth (i.e., reducing greenhouse gas emissions). In sub-tropical environments, it represents a significant change from the traditional suburb, but provides a potential solution to the impacts of population growth on resources/infrastructure. By identifying the impacts associated with HD living & developing strategies (including design solutions & impact management strategies) to enhance the sustainability of HD, this research will have immediate and long-term triple bottom line benefits for Australia - encouraging the uptake of HD living achieving an environmentally sustainable Australia (Research Priority 1). Read moreRead less
The development and application of a conceptual and statistical framework for the measurement of non-market factors affecting social inequality and social wellbeing. In response to global and national forces, a new social and economic policy framework has promoted multiple impacts on families, communities and regions in Australia. This project will respond to an increasingly important research and policy question concerning the development of alternative measures of social wellbeing and social i ....The development and application of a conceptual and statistical framework for the measurement of non-market factors affecting social inequality and social wellbeing. In response to global and national forces, a new social and economic policy framework has promoted multiple impacts on families, communities and regions in Australia. This project will respond to an increasingly important research and policy question concerning the development of alternative measures of social wellbeing and social inequality to the conventional measures of economic resources within households that are currently employed. This research will provide a nationally and internationally recognized evidence base on which to develop policies of importance to the quality of life in Australia's urban and regional communities.Read moreRead less
Unions and Regional Regeneration. Unions face many challenges in older industrial regions, where they previously have had a strong presence. Successful regeneration of such regions depends on the active involvement of unions and their members as well as business. In some places, however, unions have remained marginal to these processes. Not only does this project extend theory on union purpose, capacities and organisation in support of economic, political and environmental change towards sustain ....Unions and Regional Regeneration. Unions face many challenges in older industrial regions, where they previously have had a strong presence. Successful regeneration of such regions depends on the active involvement of unions and their members as well as business. In some places, however, unions have remained marginal to these processes. Not only does this project extend theory on union purpose, capacities and organisation in support of economic, political and environmental change towards sustainable futures, it applies a novel combination of methods. This application examines the consequences of involvement and non-involvement in these processes. The project seeks to extend theories of social change and social mobilisation.Read moreRead less
Newcomer socialisation: Examining the processes predicting changes in organisational identification over time. The project examines factors that maximise the retention of new employees and optimise their well-being. It seeks to understand factors in the organisational socialisation process that lead to an increase in organisational identification and an optimal utilisation of employees' skills and capacities. The project contributes to efforts designed to promote and maintain good health and str ....Newcomer socialisation: Examining the processes predicting changes in organisational identification over time. The project examines factors that maximise the retention of new employees and optimise their well-being. It seeks to understand factors in the organisational socialisation process that lead to an increase in organisational identification and an optimal utilisation of employees' skills and capacities. The project contributes to efforts designed to promote and maintain good health and strenghten Australia's social and economic fabric. Read moreRead less
Intergenerational differences in numeracy practices: A study of contemporary practice. Young Australians have grown up in a technology-rich world where they are differently numerate. In this context, it is important to capitalize on the strengths that young Australians bring to work and education while ensuring quality outcomes for stakeholders in all sectors. This project will develop numeracy interventions that embody post-industrial times and evaluate their impact on numeracy learning for you ....Intergenerational differences in numeracy practices: A study of contemporary practice. Young Australians have grown up in a technology-rich world where they are differently numerate. In this context, it is important to capitalize on the strengths that young Australians bring to work and education while ensuring quality outcomes for stakeholders in all sectors. This project will develop numeracy interventions that embody post-industrial times and evaluate their impact on numeracy learning for young Australians; and the impact on reforming institutions such as schools, job selection agencies and workplaces. Expected outcomes include the development of numeracy interventions for key stakeholders that better prepare Australians for the changing labour markets and their inherent numeracy demands.Read moreRead less
Enhancing services to Australian children and families: linking workforce characteristics, job quality, and quality and outcomes in social services. This project aims to promote best practice in child and family welfare services, and to improve the industrial and social recognition of child and family welfare work in Australia. The CIs will construct an analytical framework for explaining the links between the nature and deployment of the child and family services workforce, service delivery sys ....Enhancing services to Australian children and families: linking workforce characteristics, job quality, and quality and outcomes in social services. This project aims to promote best practice in child and family welfare services, and to improve the industrial and social recognition of child and family welfare work in Australia. The CIs will construct an analytical framework for explaining the links between the nature and deployment of the child and family services workforce, service delivery systems and outcomes, and social policy regimes, with wider application to other personal social services. Judicious use of international comparison will assist identification of best practice. The project will inform policy and research in social service provision to vulnerable families, and the aged and disabled.Read moreRead less
May the Force Be With You: Furthering Fresh Futures for NSW Police Psychological Strengths, Wellbeing and Retention. There is international emphasis on cultivating the well-being of police but there is little research explicating key psychosocial drivers. Fresh solutions are urgently needed to address complex issues underpinning unsustainable rates of New South Wales Police medical leave, retirement and psychological stress that adversely impact on well-being and capacity to safeguard Australian ....May the Force Be With You: Furthering Fresh Futures for NSW Police Psychological Strengths, Wellbeing and Retention. There is international emphasis on cultivating the well-being of police but there is little research explicating key psychosocial drivers. Fresh solutions are urgently needed to address complex issues underpinning unsustainable rates of New South Wales Police medical leave, retirement and psychological stress that adversely impact on well-being and capacity to safeguard Australians. Capitalising on powerful longitudinal design, gold standard statistics and cutting-edge interdisciplinary and multi-method theory/research, the project aims to explicate psychosocial drivers of New South Wales Police well-being, commitment, resilience and retention and critical characteristics of effective police command units to further fresh futures and enrich the international research agenda.Read moreRead less
Harnessing Neuroplasticity To Improve Motor Performance In Infants With Cerebral Palsy: A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,736,349.00
Summary
Every 15 hours an Australian baby is born with cerebral palsy. Despite confidence in early intervention, 50% don't receive intervention before their first birthday while awaiting diagnosis, and 8 of 10 previous trials have not produced any physical gains over and above natural development. We have promising data about a new brain training intervention that harnesses neuroplasticity and improves movement. Our trial will treat 300 infants with early training comparing results to Standard Care.