Settlement service literacy among migrants in two states: Victoria and New South Wales. This project aims to assess the level of and need for settlement service literacy (SSL) among newly-arrived migrants. The project will explore and transform understandings of the relationship between migrants’ SSL and cultural integration. This will provide significant benefits, such as producing a theory-driven model to better address migrants’ needs and thus contribute to conceptual advances in theory, res ....Settlement service literacy among migrants in two states: Victoria and New South Wales. This project aims to assess the level of and need for settlement service literacy (SSL) among newly-arrived migrants. The project will explore and transform understandings of the relationship between migrants’ SSL and cultural integration. This will provide significant benefits, such as producing a theory-driven model to better address migrants’ needs and thus contribute to conceptual advances in theory, research and practice in relation to resettlement in Australia.Read moreRead less
Assessing risk in aged mental health care. This study will explore practices and developments in relation to the assessment of risk in aged persons mental health from the perspective of multiple stakeholders. The aims are to gain a thorough understanding of existing practices with a view to developing and evaluating a comprehensive risk assessment model. The outcomes will enhance the provision of mental health services within aged mental health services.
Reducing the social, economic and health burden associated with obesity-related chronic diseases among socio-economically disadvantaged populations. This project will develop new methods and approaches for reducing obesity-related chronic diseases (OCDs) among socially disadvantaged populations in Australia, using prevention models. These prevention models will improve the evidence base in this field as well as inform public health policy and practice in Australia (and other industrialised count ....Reducing the social, economic and health burden associated with obesity-related chronic diseases among socio-economically disadvantaged populations. This project will develop new methods and approaches for reducing obesity-related chronic diseases (OCDs) among socially disadvantaged populations in Australia, using prevention models. These prevention models will improve the evidence base in this field as well as inform public health policy and practice in Australia (and other industrialised countries).Read moreRead less
Personal experiences of depression and recovery; an Internet resource for the public and policy makers. The economic, health, a social and personal cost to the Australian community of depression constitutes a public health concern of undoubted significance. Debates in both policy and public arenas are hampered by a lack of comprehensive reliable evidence about factors underlying depression and more importantly recovery from depression. The data gathered from this project will establish an evide ....Personal experiences of depression and recovery; an Internet resource for the public and policy makers. The economic, health, a social and personal cost to the Australian community of depression constitutes a public health concern of undoubted significance. Debates in both policy and public arenas are hampered by a lack of comprehensive reliable evidence about factors underlying depression and more importantly recovery from depression. The data gathered from this project will establish an evidence base and a platform for incorporating lay perspectives on depression and recovery into the currently existing discourses on depression into web based resources providing information to people searching information about depression, its treatments and recovery pathways.Read moreRead less
Teeth tales: A culturally competent community intervention for child oral health in low SES area of urban Melbourne. Dental caries represent the highest burden of disease for pre-school children. Disadvantaged, refugee and migrant communities face an estimated increased prevalence of 60%. Community-based health solutions that are evidence based and cross-sectoral are urgently needed. The potential impact of improved child oral health on social, emotional and learning outcomes is compelling. The ....Teeth tales: A culturally competent community intervention for child oral health in low SES area of urban Melbourne. Dental caries represent the highest burden of disease for pre-school children. Disadvantaged, refugee and migrant communities face an estimated increased prevalence of 60%. Community-based health solutions that are evidence based and cross-sectoral are urgently needed. The potential impact of improved child oral health on social, emotional and learning outcomes is compelling. The child health and service change outcomes of this study will be of direct benefit to the community and will have clear applications for other culturally diverse local government areas in Australia and other developed countries. The findings will directly inform policy/funding decision making by Dental Health Services Victoria for Victorian families and services.Read moreRead less
African youth and obesity: The role of the intergenerational acculturation gap. The financial cost of obesity to the Australian community is estimated to be $21.9 billion when the costs borne by individuals are taken into account. Understanding and addressing factors that extenuate health inequalities and reduce obesity will lead to a reduction in the burden of diseases and healthier ageing population. Our study will be the first to apply acculturation theories to examine the family environment ....African youth and obesity: The role of the intergenerational acculturation gap. The financial cost of obesity to the Australian community is estimated to be $21.9 billion when the costs borne by individuals are taken into account. Understanding and addressing factors that extenuate health inequalities and reduce obesity will lead to a reduction in the burden of diseases and healthier ageing population. Our study will be the first to apply acculturation theories to examine the family environment and family dynamics that predispose adolescents from one of the fastest growing immigrant populations, Africans, to obesity, and to produce culturally competent and tested models to inform large scale, population-level obesity prevention programs and policies.Read moreRead less
Being 'fat' in today's world: A socio-cultural investigation of overweight and obesity. What does it feel like to constantly struggle with your weight? Over 60% of Australians are overweight or obese, and many of these have battled with their weight for most of their adult lives. In an innovative approach to obesity, researchers at Monash University, the University of Melbourne, the University of Canberra and Deakin University are investigating the poignancy of experience of living with obesity ....Being 'fat' in today's world: A socio-cultural investigation of overweight and obesity. What does it feel like to constantly struggle with your weight? Over 60% of Australians are overweight or obese, and many of these have battled with their weight for most of their adult lives. In an innovative approach to obesity, researchers at Monash University, the University of Melbourne, the University of Canberra and Deakin University are investigating the poignancy of experience of living with obesity in Australia. The aim of the study, which also includes a review of how obesity is represented by Australian newspapers, will use narratives to provide public health, health promotion and media strategies which resonate with the lived reality of obese and overweight people.Read moreRead less
Sexual health promotion in Papua New Guinea: a community capacity-building approach using drama-based experiential learning methods. The Australian government is committed to developing a secure and prosperous Papua New Guinea. A major constraint to PNG's prosperity is the HIV/AIDS epidemic, fuelled by a generalised Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) epidemic. This project will build the capacity of local PNG personnel to implement, evaluate, and further develop, effective interventions based ....Sexual health promotion in Papua New Guinea: a community capacity-building approach using drama-based experiential learning methods. The Australian government is committed to developing a secure and prosperous Papua New Guinea. A major constraint to PNG's prosperity is the HIV/AIDS epidemic, fuelled by a generalised Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) epidemic. This project will build the capacity of local PNG personnel to implement, evaluate, and further develop, effective interventions based on established experiential learning modalities. Learnings from this landmark study will also provide vital information for policy makers and funding bodies in Australia and other nations, to establish more effective strategies for improving the health and wellbeing of young people and preventing the spread of STIs and HIV/AIDS.Read moreRead less