Mental Health Across Generations: Pre-and Post Conception Predicators Of Early Life Risks
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$666,231.00
Summary
In 2003, mental illnesses were among the ten leading causes of disease burden in Australia, accounting for 13% of the total burden of disease, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Mental health problems and mental illness are among the greatest causes of disability, diminished quality of life, and reduced productivity. People affected by mental health problems often have high levels of morbidity and mortality, experiencing poorer general health and higher rates of death f ....In 2003, mental illnesses were among the ten leading causes of disease burden in Australia, accounting for 13% of the total burden of disease, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Mental health problems and mental illness are among the greatest causes of disability, diminished quality of life, and reduced productivity. People affected by mental health problems often have high levels of morbidity and mortality, experiencing poorer general health and higher rates of death from a range of causes, including suicide. These conditions are significant in terms of prevalence and disease burden, and have far-reaching impacts for families, carers and others in the community. Mental health problems commonly cluster in families. However, few studies have previously been able to investigate the range of ways in which mental disorders may pass from one generation to another. Further, evidence suggests that influences that arise prior to conception may have major effects on early life risks such as development in utero, birth outcomes and early maternal infant bonding. Mental Health across Generations: Pre- and post-conception predictors of early life risks is a unique study that will examine antenatal maternal mental health and risk behaviours during pregnancy. The study will also examine the links between prior maternal mental health and later birth outcomes, and post natal maternal infant bonding. The risk processes to be tested will include genetic, epigenetic (changes in gene expression), physiological and psycho-social parameters.Read moreRead less
Estimating And Alleviating The Impacts Of Age-Related Sensory Decline
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$323,767.00
Summary
Sensory loss and dementia disproportionately affect older adults, often co-occur, and are the two leading contributors to disability burden among older Australians. This research will investigate the consequences that hearing and vision loss have for older adult health and wellbeing, informing strategies to reduce the disability burden of age-related sensory loss. These impacts include cognitive decline and dementia, mental health, quality of life, disability and independent living.
Clinical Review Of A Cohort Aged 22-33 Years Conceived Using Assisted Reproductive Technologies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$946,454.00
Summary
In a recent study, using telephone-interviews, we compared the health and wellbeing of 547 singleton young adults born following assisted reproductive technologies (ART), with 549 matched controls. Reviewing their health when they are 22-33 years is possible because of their ongoing interest. We have a protocol in place to measure their cardiac and respiratory function and other aspects of growth and development. Our findings will fill a major knowledge gap about the longer term safety of ART.
Authenticity: Globalisation and Indigenous Culture. Who speaks for the Fourth World? Why is there an obsession with 'authenticity' whenever Indigenous people are being discussed? This study explores those questions by examining a combination of sources, ranging from international museum collections to the advertising campaigns of multinational companies; from literature to the cultural festivals of the Olympic Games. The research is original, comparative, empirical. It explores the intersectio ....Authenticity: Globalisation and Indigenous Culture. Who speaks for the Fourth World? Why is there an obsession with 'authenticity' whenever Indigenous people are being discussed? This study explores those questions by examining a combination of sources, ranging from international museum collections to the advertising campaigns of multinational companies; from literature to the cultural festivals of the Olympic Games. The research is original, comparative, empirical. It explores the intersections between postcolonial and cultural studies to speak -- not for Indigenous peoples -- but to the non-Indigenous representation of First Nations. Why? Because this provides key insights into the future of race relations in western democracies.Read moreRead less
Wild Man from Borneo: species, race, representation. This project addresses the representation of species boundaries in Western accounts of the orangutan in the 19th and 20th centuries. Darwinian theory raised the possibility that animals could ?evolve?. Orangutans seemed ?closest? to humans and therefore raised key questions about the border between humans and animals. These questions were addressed in a vast range of scientific, popular, imaginative and juvenile literature. Even when ecolo ....Wild Man from Borneo: species, race, representation. This project addresses the representation of species boundaries in Western accounts of the orangutan in the 19th and 20th centuries. Darwinian theory raised the possibility that animals could ?evolve?. Orangutans seemed ?closest? to humans and therefore raised key questions about the border between humans and animals. These questions were addressed in a vast range of scientific, popular, imaginative and juvenile literature. Even when ecological models of the environment shifted attention from evolutionary potential to ecological role, orangutans retained a special status as ?sentinel? species. This project will produce a monograph examining the construction, maintenance and erosion of ideas of species boundaries.Read moreRead less
Mobile Indonesians: social differentiation and digital literacies in the twenty first century. This is the first dedicated study of the social implications of mobile telephony's recent and rapid popularisation throughout the country. This project will study metropolitan, urban and rural users to understand how mobile phones create the new and unexpected social networks which will shape tomorrow's Indonesians.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE140100148
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$460,000.00
Summary
TrISMA - Tracking Infrastructure for Social Media Analysis. Tracking infrastructure for social media analysis: The tracking infrastructure for social media analysis (TrISMA) project establishes state-of-the-art technical and organisational infrastructure for the tracking of public communication by Australian users of social media, at large scale, in real time, and for the long term, addressing a significant gap in national research infrastructure. Social media are increasingly embedded in the Au ....TrISMA - Tracking Infrastructure for Social Media Analysis. Tracking infrastructure for social media analysis: The tracking infrastructure for social media analysis (TrISMA) project establishes state-of-the-art technical and organisational infrastructure for the tracking of public communication by Australian users of social media, at large scale, in real time, and for the long term, addressing a significant gap in national research infrastructure. Social media are increasingly embedded in the Australian media ecology, and systematic analyses of how public communication takes place via social media provide rich insights into a range of issues and debates of high importance to our society.Read moreRead less
Anglos Abroad: Memoirs of Immersion in a Foreign Language and Culture. A study of Anglophone narratives of language immersion offers a significant intellectual resource for thinking about ways in which Australian non-immigrant selves are shaped by culture and language: an issue with important implications for just practises within a wide range of national institutions and agencies, including education, immigration and social work. It thus contributes to the priority goal of strengthening Austral ....Anglos Abroad: Memoirs of Immersion in a Foreign Language and Culture. A study of Anglophone narratives of language immersion offers a significant intellectual resource for thinking about ways in which Australian non-immigrant selves are shaped by culture and language: an issue with important implications for just practises within a wide range of national institutions and agencies, including education, immigration and social work. It thus contributes to the priority goal of strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric (Research Priority 2). It also contributes to enhancing our capacity to interpret and engage with our region and the world through a greater understanding of other languages and cultures (Research Priority 4).Read moreRead less
The sexual cultures of Thai men; implications for Australia's international HIV/AIDS strategy. This project contributes to safeguarding Australia's national interests by supporting the implementation of AusAID's international HIV/AIDS strategy laid out in the policy document 'Meeting the Challenge: Australia's International HIV/AIDS Strategy' (2004). This project directly addresses research priorities identified in the analytical report for the White Paper on Australia's AID program, 'HIV/AIDS i ....The sexual cultures of Thai men; implications for Australia's international HIV/AIDS strategy. This project contributes to safeguarding Australia's national interests by supporting the implementation of AusAID's international HIV/AIDS strategy laid out in the policy document 'Meeting the Challenge: Australia's International HIV/AIDS Strategy' (2004). This project directly addresses research priorities identified in the analytical report for the White Paper on Australia's AID program, 'HIV/AIDS in the Asia Pacific Region' (AusAID 2005): (1) the cultural, economic, and political dynamics driving the HIV epidemic in Asia; (2) the nexus between HIV/AIDS, economic activity, and development; and (3) the Asian experience of feminisation and gender impacts as factors in the epidemic HIV in the region.Read moreRead less
Reforming the Male: Masculinity, Medicalisation and Men's Health. Men's health is an issue of significant national importance and community concern. This project will contribute to knowledge of the social and cultural determinants of men's health and health practices in Australia. It is at the forefront of new approaches to men's health which emphasise the impact of norms and practices of masculinity on wellbeing. As well as providing specific insight into problems such as attention deficit di ....Reforming the Male: Masculinity, Medicalisation and Men's Health. Men's health is an issue of significant national importance and community concern. This project will contribute to knowledge of the social and cultural determinants of men's health and health practices in Australia. It is at the forefront of new approaches to men's health which emphasise the impact of norms and practices of masculinity on wellbeing. As well as providing specific insight into problems such as attention deficit disorder and depression in men, the project will also contribute to international debate about medicalisation, the rise of pharmacological treatments for problems of living and the existence of a crisis in masculinity.
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