Planning female and male vaccination and cervical screening strategies to achieve optimal prevention of HPV-related disease. The findings from this research will inform the development of public health policy on the most cost-effective utilisation of resources for preventing cervical, anogenital and head/neck cancers, and genital warts, in women and men, due to human papillomavirus (HPV). We will evaluate strategies for using emerging screening and vaccine technologies to prevent HPV-related dis ....Planning female and male vaccination and cervical screening strategies to achieve optimal prevention of HPV-related disease. The findings from this research will inform the development of public health policy on the most cost-effective utilisation of resources for preventing cervical, anogenital and head/neck cancers, and genital warts, in women and men, due to human papillomavirus (HPV). We will evaluate strategies for using emerging screening and vaccine technologies to prevent HPV-related disease, and assess potential adverse outcomes of vaccination. Men are currently not covered by routine vaccination or screening programs; this research will assess the benefit to men of vaccinating women only, and will consider the impact of vaccination and other interventions targeted towards men.Read moreRead less
Economic, social and cross cultural issues in non-pharmaceutical protection of front line responders to pandemic influenza and emerging infections. The protection of front line responders in a pandemic is essential to underpin an effective response. This research is the only work internationally which will address a key gap in evidence. This research has major implications for the national stockpile and for management of front line responders in a pandemic. These data are urgently needed, not ju ....Economic, social and cross cultural issues in non-pharmaceutical protection of front line responders to pandemic influenza and emerging infections. The protection of front line responders in a pandemic is essential to underpin an effective response. This research is the only work internationally which will address a key gap in evidence. This research has major implications for the national stockpile and for management of front line responders in a pandemic. These data are urgently needed, not just in Australia, but globally to inform pandemic planning and disease control policy around emerging infections and bioterrorism.Read moreRead less
Short sleep as a cause of obesity: a longitudinal examination of Australian children and adults. This project will examine whether short sleep durations predict weight gain and obesity in Australian children and adults. The findings will have potentially important implications for how obesity is treated and prevented in Australia.
Effectiveness and appropriateness of child restraints. This project aims to provide a definitive picture of the use, misuse and inappropriate use of child restraints in motor vehicles. It will evaluate the biomechanical and size deficiencies of current child restraints for the current population of children, and the implications for increased injury associated with these factors. This will provide a solid evidence base for improved child restraint design, education, and legislative changes.
Post-implementation economic evaluation of childhood vaccination programs. This project will develop a novel framework for assessing the value for money achieved by childhood vaccination programs. This will provide decision makers with methodologically sound economic assessments that incorporate real world program outcomes.
Modelling and estimation techniques for the transmission and control of Tuberculosis with new and existing vaccines. Most Tuberculosis in Australia is seen in foreign-born people. Australia has an important role in providing leadership in the Asia-Pacific region in Tuberculosis control, which will have flow-on benefits to TB control in this country. Using mathematical models, this project will assess the use of vaccines for Tuberculosis in the developing world. Rising levels of extremely drug r ....Modelling and estimation techniques for the transmission and control of Tuberculosis with new and existing vaccines. Most Tuberculosis in Australia is seen in foreign-born people. Australia has an important role in providing leadership in the Asia-Pacific region in Tuberculosis control, which will have flow-on benefits to TB control in this country. Using mathematical models, this project will assess the use of vaccines for Tuberculosis in the developing world. Rising levels of extremely drug resistant infections make this a timely and important study with significant policy implications, both externally and in the Australian context. Read moreRead less
Travellers visiting friends and relatives: new approaches to understanding and reducing infectious disease risks. Travel is the single most important factor in the spread of infections globally and travellers who visit friends and relatives in their country of birth are at increased risk of infections. This project will provide necessary evidence to guide an effective response to reducing travel-associated infectious disease in this target at-risk group.
Who acquires infection from whom across international borders? New approaches for control of emerging infections through understanding travel patterns. Mathematical modelling of data on travellers traversing Australia's borders and their contact patterns can be used to understand the pathways by which infectious diseases enter and spread in Australia. Currently available social contact data which informs models are inadequate and outdated. Gathering new data relevant to modern society will help ....Who acquires infection from whom across international borders? New approaches for control of emerging infections through understanding travel patterns. Mathematical modelling of data on travellers traversing Australia's borders and their contact patterns can be used to understand the pathways by which infectious diseases enter and spread in Australia. Currently available social contact data which informs models are inadequate and outdated. Gathering new data relevant to modern society will help control future infectious disease threats to our society. Our aim is to collect detailed, unique data on demography, behavioural and social patterns of travellers and residents, and use this to develop mathematical models to evaluate effective control measures for emerging infections in Australia. This study will make a unique contribution to national disease control policy.Read moreRead less
Evaluating the impact of new interdisciplinary interventions to enhance dog health to benefit community health outcomes in remote Indigenous communities. Indigenous health and welfare is of major concern for Australians. This project, which focuses on the dog, also recognises that the dog harbours a number of diseases that can infect humans. To maintain sustainable dog health programs to reduce disease in dogs, and, as a corollary, have positive impact on human health and welfare, culturally-rel ....Evaluating the impact of new interdisciplinary interventions to enhance dog health to benefit community health outcomes in remote Indigenous communities. Indigenous health and welfare is of major concern for Australians. This project, which focuses on the dog, also recognises that the dog harbours a number of diseases that can infect humans. To maintain sustainable dog health programs to reduce disease in dogs, and, as a corollary, have positive impact on human health and welfare, culturally-relevant, evidence-based education programs are critical. Dog health programs will indirectly improve the expectations, standards and self-worth of many Indigenous Australians. As a consequence, the national benefits include the development of environmentally sustainable Indigenous communities, and the strengthening of Australia's social and economic fabric especially in rural and remote areas.
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The Norfolk Island Carbon and Health Evaluation Program: a case study of personal carbon trading for reducing obesity and greenhouse gas emissions. This project tests a system of Personal Carbon Trading for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving health. Carbon credit cards given to everyone on Norfolk Island are designed to financially reward people for reducing energy use (fuel and fatty food mainly) by increasing walking/cycling and improving nutrition to improve health