Pathways To Mental Health And Obesity In Young Adults: A Longitudinal Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$698,510.00
Summary
While the health of the population has been gradually improving, there are some health problems which are increasing. The mental health of young people is one such area. Based on data relating to youth suicide, substance abuse, cigarette smoking by females and behavioural or mental health problems in the young, there has been evidence of a marked increase in some important health problems faced by the young. Little is known about the causes of these problems and even less is known about the reas ....While the health of the population has been gradually improving, there are some health problems which are increasing. The mental health of young people is one such area. Based on data relating to youth suicide, substance abuse, cigarette smoking by females and behavioural or mental health problems in the young, there has been evidence of a marked increase in some important health problems faced by the young. Little is known about the causes of these problems and even less is known about the reasons for the increase. Based on the available evidence, 20-25% of young persons manifest a mental health problem. A second area of marked health deterioration concerns youth (and adult) obesity. Existing research points to the accumulation of cardiovascular risk factors associated with obesity from a very early age. Over 10% of youth are obese and a substantially higher proportion are overweight. There is evidence that the rate of obesity has been substantially increasing. Again little is known about the factors that contribute to obesity or the causes of the increase in the rates of obesity in the population. This proposal is for a 21-year follow-up of a sample of youth first enrolled when their mothers attended for their first obstetrical visit. Using a substantial body of existing data, we propose to examine the changes in levels of mental health and obesity and to identify the factors which contribute to these changes. This study involves the largest Australian cohort ever assembled for such research. The main questions asked in this study concern the impact of the mother's social and economic circumstances, her physical health and well-being, her use of addictive substances (including alcohol, cigarettes, illicit drugs) on the youth's health. We will also examine the association between early indicators of mental health and well-being and subsequent youth health and development.Read moreRead less
Driving Change: Using Emergency Department Data To Reduce Alcohol-related Harm
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,468,026.00
Summary
The proposed project is a system change within partner emergency departments, providing them the information and tools to act on both risky alcohol consumption in individual patients and the sources of alcohol in the community which cause the harm they experience. Most importantly, the proposed public health interventions act as a tool for emergency departments to regularly raise awareness with the public and policymakers regarding the impact of alcohol on patients, clinicians and hospitals.
A New, Low-cost E-health Treatment For Alcohol Use Disorder Using Mental Imagery
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$895,032.00
Summary
This project offers the first large-scale test of phone-based Functional Imagery Training (FIT), a new, low-cost way to help people change behaviours using mental imagery, regardless of where they live. The trial addresses Alcohol Use Disorder—a common problem with substantial health and social impacts, comparing FIT with verbal motivational treatments, and testing effects on alcohol use and quality of life over 12 months. Cost-effectiveness and predictions of outcome are also examined.
The influence of parental alcohol expectancies on offsprings' alcohol expectancies and drinking: A longitudinal study. It has been shown that potentially modifiable alcohol related cognitions, such as alcohol expectancies (AE)and drinking refusal self-efficacy (DRSE) are formed in childhood are related to drinking in adolescents and adults. The question of how these beliefs are formed is still unanswered. This longitudinal study examines the influences of parental alcohol-related beliefs and ....The influence of parental alcohol expectancies on offsprings' alcohol expectancies and drinking: A longitudinal study. It has been shown that potentially modifiable alcohol related cognitions, such as alcohol expectancies (AE)and drinking refusal self-efficacy (DRSE) are formed in childhood are related to drinking in adolescents and adults. The question of how these beliefs are formed is still unanswered. This longitudinal study examines the influences of parental alcohol-related beliefs and drinking, on children's alcohol-related beliefs and drinking behaviour. Positive results of this study will improve primary prevention by identifying and changing modifiable variables for populations potentially at-risk of developing later alcohol-related. It will also help to reduce cost and suffering of a major problem in Ausstralia.
problems.
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Centre Of Research Excellence In Medicines Intelligence
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,500,000.00
Summary
The NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Medicines Intelligence is a co-ordinated research program that will accelerate the development and translation of evidence on prescribed medicines use and outcomes for regulators and payers. The CRE is perfectly placed to embrace the national ‘call to action’ from the Health Minister's recent announcement to establish Quality Use of Medicine Safety as a National Health Priority.
An Investigation Of The Involvement Of Clotting Factors In Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Progression Within A Mouse Model
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$189,401.00
Summary
Early stage weakening of the main abdominal artery is present in ~100,000 Australians and currently has no accepted therapy. Development of drug therapies which limit progression of the weakening process is urgently needed. In this study involvement of the clotting cascade in artery weakening will be investigated. The study have been planned in order to identify new strategies which can be developed as treatments for artery weakening in patients.
The initiation, development, and maintenance of alcohol/tobacco use in adolescents: The role of associative memory. Alcohol abuse and tobacco misuse are common in Australian adolescents and its long-term health consequences are well established. Models of drug-related memory association predict drug use in adults. However, memory association models have not been applied to smoking behaviour, or to understanding adolescent alcohol/tobacco use over time. It is expected that memory associations ....The initiation, development, and maintenance of alcohol/tobacco use in adolescents: The role of associative memory. Alcohol abuse and tobacco misuse are common in Australian adolescents and its long-term health consequences are well established. Models of drug-related memory association predict drug use in adults. However, memory association models have not been applied to smoking behaviour, or to understanding adolescent alcohol/tobacco use over time. It is expected that memory associations will predict the development of alcohol/tobacco use and misuse, after accounting for viable alternative explanations of the association. Understanding the role that memory associations have in the development of alcohol/tobacco use should inform prevention programs for at-risk adolescents.Read moreRead less
Reducing Alcohol Use And Related Harm In Young People
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$702,462.00
Summary
Nationally, 10,000 young Australians present to emergency departments with alcohol-related injuries and illnesses each month. Much of this adversity could be prevented if more young people had access to effective brief interventions (BIs) for alcohol use. Telephone-delivered BIs provide an innovative, youth friendly and accessible way of delivering treatment. This is the first clinical trial to compare the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of telephone-delivered BIs for reducing alcohol use and re ....Nationally, 10,000 young Australians present to emergency departments with alcohol-related injuries and illnesses each month. Much of this adversity could be prevented if more young people had access to effective brief interventions (BIs) for alcohol use. Telephone-delivered BIs provide an innovative, youth friendly and accessible way of delivering treatment. This is the first clinical trial to compare the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of telephone-delivered BIs for reducing alcohol use and related harm in young people.Read moreRead less
Alcohol advertising to women in Australia. Young Australian women are drinking more and drinking in more harmful ways. At the same time, advertisers are using new media (such as social network sites) and messages (such as empowerment) to advertise alcohol to women. Using a combination of quantitative, qualitative and experimental methods, this project will explore how alcohol is advertised to Australian women (in both traditional and new media), and how this influences their alcohol-related atti ....Alcohol advertising to women in Australia. Young Australian women are drinking more and drinking in more harmful ways. At the same time, advertisers are using new media (such as social network sites) and messages (such as empowerment) to advertise alcohol to women. Using a combination of quantitative, qualitative and experimental methods, this project will explore how alcohol is advertised to Australian women (in both traditional and new media), and how this influences their alcohol-related attitudes and behaviours. Answering these questions is expected to enable development of recommendations for regulation of alcohol advertising messages, creation of counter-advertising/social marketing messages, and production of alcohol advertising literacy programs for secondary and tertiary students.Read moreRead less
Drosophila Quantitative Genomics. This research proposal will be a key element in the emerging program in evolutionary and ecological functional genomics at the University of Queensland. Our studies utilize modern genomics approaches to address diverse national priorities from conservation of biological resources in the face of climate change, to understanding how genetic history contributes to drug susceptibility. The research will contribute to the intellectual foundation upon which rigorous ....Drosophila Quantitative Genomics. This research proposal will be a key element in the emerging program in evolutionary and ecological functional genomics at the University of Queensland. Our studies utilize modern genomics approaches to address diverse national priorities from conservation of biological resources in the face of climate change, to understanding how genetic history contributes to drug susceptibility. The research will contribute to the intellectual foundation upon which rigorous environmental and biomedical research is built. Social impact will be seen in the training of a new generation of integrative genome biologists, and the shaping of attitudes toward the role of genetics in human biology.Read moreRead less