Reducing health disparities for older LGBTI Australians. Reducing health disparities for older LGBTI Australians. This project aims to optimise health and aged care services throughout Australia, by bringing together researchers and key organisations in the health, aged, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) sectors to build a much-needed evidence base. Older LGBTI Australians have vastly poorer health outcomes than the broader population. This project will provide detaile ....Reducing health disparities for older LGBTI Australians. Reducing health disparities for older LGBTI Australians. This project aims to optimise health and aged care services throughout Australia, by bringing together researchers and key organisations in the health, aged, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) sectors to build a much-needed evidence base. Older LGBTI Australians have vastly poorer health outcomes than the broader population. This project will provide detailed quantitative and qualitative data on the challenges and needs of older LGBTI Australians and service providers, and develop essential resources so policymakers and service providers can reduce older LGBTI Australians’ health disparities.Read moreRead less
Towards safe care and consumer engagement: addressing the complexities of communication processes for managing medications in hospitals. Ineffective communication is the most common cause of medication problems in Australia. This study focuses on how health professionals of various disciplines including medicine, pharmacy and nursing communicate with each other about medications. Integral involvement of consumers and family members will ensure that health and social outcomes are considered from ....Towards safe care and consumer engagement: addressing the complexities of communication processes for managing medications in hospitals. Ineffective communication is the most common cause of medication problems in Australia. This study focuses on how health professionals of various disciplines including medicine, pharmacy and nursing communicate with each other about medications. Integral involvement of consumers and family members will ensure that health and social outcomes are considered from different perspectives, which are therefore likely to be successful. Examination of communication processes will help lead to safe care and consumer involvement. The unique knowledge obtained will inform policies in various clinical settings and identify strategies for better communication. Health professionals and consumers can adopt these strategies to improve medication safety. Read moreRead less
Taking a stand: a case study of culture change addressing violence against women in a major sporting organisation in Australia. This project will provide a focused investigation of settings-based primary prevention of violence against women, a contribution which has been absent thus far in Australian and international scholarship. This project will potentially contribute to improving women's health and wellbeing, and preventing crimes associated with violence against women. It will do this by in ....Taking a stand: a case study of culture change addressing violence against women in a major sporting organisation in Australia. This project will provide a focused investigation of settings-based primary prevention of violence against women, a contribution which has been absent thus far in Australian and international scholarship. This project will potentially contribute to improving women's health and wellbeing, and preventing crimes associated with violence against women. It will do this by informing policy development and identifying principles for good practice in institutional settings. It will also generate knowledge regarding the processes involved in changing attitudes and behaviours to achieve culture change within organisations and the wider community.Read moreRead less
Effective communication and improved patient safety: Addressing the complexities of managing high risk medications in metropolitan and regional hospitals. Current costs of hospital-related incidents are around AU$2 billion per year, and the most common cause of these incidents is ineffective communication. Medication incidents relating to use of high risk medications are particularly critical because of the increased severity of patient outcomes. High risk medications are administered in busy en ....Effective communication and improved patient safety: Addressing the complexities of managing high risk medications in metropolitan and regional hospitals. Current costs of hospital-related incidents are around AU$2 billion per year, and the most common cause of these incidents is ineffective communication. Medication incidents relating to use of high risk medications are particularly critical because of the increased severity of patient outcomes. High risk medications are administered in busy environments, and involve patients who are cared for by many different health professionals in technologically complex settings. These factors increase the likelihood of more medication incidents. The unique knowledge obtained will inform policies and identify strategies for better communication. Health professionals and patients can adopt these strategies to improve medication safety.Read moreRead less
Developing an Integrative Active Ageing Model for Policy Makers and Service Providers to Support Older People with Lifelong Intellectual Disability. 'Active ageing' is increasingly gaining international currency and it underpins Australia's national focus on healthy ageing. However, its meaning for older people with intellectual disability, who represent about 0.13% of Australia's older population, is unclear, as little is known about the impact of ageing upon this group. This exciting resear ....Developing an Integrative Active Ageing Model for Policy Makers and Service Providers to Support Older People with Lifelong Intellectual Disability. 'Active ageing' is increasingly gaining international currency and it underpins Australia's national focus on healthy ageing. However, its meaning for older people with intellectual disability, who represent about 0.13% of Australia's older population, is unclear, as little is known about the impact of ageing upon this group. This exciting research project aims to address these knowledge gaps through a series of case studies comprising key stakeholder groups in rural and urban Victoria and Queensland. An Integrative Model of Active Ageing for policy makers and service providers will be developed to facilitate the planning and appropriate distribution of resources for this population. Read moreRead less
Self Advocacy and Inclusion: What Can be Learned from Speaking Up. Despite substantial effort and the closure of large institutions, research shows that people with intellectual disabilities in Australia remain marginalised in the community. Developments internationally indicate that much can be learned about the links between self advocacy and accomplishing national policy priorities for social inclusion. An independent voice, developing confidence and securing rights, all features of self advo ....Self Advocacy and Inclusion: What Can be Learned from Speaking Up. Despite substantial effort and the closure of large institutions, research shows that people with intellectual disabilities in Australia remain marginalised in the community. Developments internationally indicate that much can be learned about the links between self advocacy and accomplishing national policy priorities for social inclusion. An independent voice, developing confidence and securing rights, all features of self advocacy, have proven potential in securing policy that is 'fit-for-purpose' and building social capital, thus strengthening the social and economic fabric of our communities. Additionally, this project tests the benefit of inclusive research, placing Australia at the forefront of innovative research approaches.Read moreRead less
Children as health advocates in families: assessing the consequences. This project intends to examine how health knowledge taken home by primary-aged children affects children’s wellbeing, family food practices and family relationships. Widespread public concern with obesity means children can be seen as advocates for change in family health practices. The project plans to investigate the consequences for children and families of primary school healthy eating programs, with particular attention ....Children as health advocates in families: assessing the consequences. This project intends to examine how health knowledge taken home by primary-aged children affects children’s wellbeing, family food practices and family relationships. Widespread public concern with obesity means children can be seen as advocates for change in family health practices. The project plans to investigate the consequences for children and families of primary school healthy eating programs, with particular attention to diverse family groups. It plans to use a multimethod qualitative approach including video diaries and interviews with children and parents within families. Results are expected to inform school health and education policy practices and provide resources for those working on health issues with primary-school-aged children and families, to facilitate child and family wellbeing.Read moreRead less
Living Alone in Australia Project (LAAP). This study investigates one aspect of the changing nature of Australia's social fabric. It asks whether the sharp rise in living alone reflects a breakdown in Australia's social fabric or simply marks a change in the way in which the fabric is woven. Living alone has important implications for social policy, service provision and housing. But before these implications are identified we need a much better understanding of who lives alone and what living ....Living Alone in Australia Project (LAAP). This study investigates one aspect of the changing nature of Australia's social fabric. It asks whether the sharp rise in living alone reflects a breakdown in Australia's social fabric or simply marks a change in the way in which the fabric is woven. Living alone has important implications for social policy, service provision and housing. But before these implications are identified we need a much better understanding of who lives alone and what living alone means for people in terms of their social ties. By understanding the causes and consequences of the increasing popularity of living alone the study will help identify those who are at ?risk? and thus assist with effective targeting of supports and interventions.Read moreRead less
The Wellbeing of Communities: Cultural Activities, Social Health and Community Sustainability. This project will examine the full impact of cultural activities such as arts events, festivals and commemorations on the sustainability of communities. Most contemporary evaluation of community activities tends to assess single events out of context. By contrast, this project will comparatively examine specific communities in depth, and across multiple activities. The project will generate a broad emp ....The Wellbeing of Communities: Cultural Activities, Social Health and Community Sustainability. This project will examine the full impact of cultural activities such as arts events, festivals and commemorations on the sustainability of communities. Most contemporary evaluation of community activities tends to assess single events out of context. By contrast, this project will comparatively examine specific communities in depth, and across multiple activities. The project will generate a broad empirical foundation, hitherto unavailable, for developing an analytical understanding of the relationship between community building and individual wellbeing. It will develop a model for understanding the real effects of cultural practices, enabling governments and funding bodies to assess how best to support communities.Read moreRead less
Young injecting drug users, embodied identities and social worlds: an ethnographic study. This research explores the social experience of young injecting drug users, mapping processes of initiation, the hidden drug experience, and modes of maturing out of drug use. It analyses and compares the trajectories of young drug users in both rural and urban contexts, focusing on the experience of embodied selfhood, social worlds and identities, exploring injecting use as a medium of relationship with t ....Young injecting drug users, embodied identities and social worlds: an ethnographic study. This research explores the social experience of young injecting drug users, mapping processes of initiation, the hidden drug experience, and modes of maturing out of drug use. It analyses and compares the trajectories of young drug users in both rural and urban contexts, focusing on the experience of embodied selfhood, social worlds and identities, exploring injecting use as a medium of relationship with the self and the other, and mapping social networks and cultures of risk. It will develop key implications for national and local drug policy in three critical areas: prevention, harm minimisation and withdrawal.Read moreRead less