The NSW child development study. Research shows that a child's development predicts health and social outcomes later in life. This Australian project will be the first to identify risk and protective factors associated with these outcomes in 87,000 children from birth to 10 years. The results will help inform governments to improve our children's health and educational achievements.
Understanding individual, workplace and system level influences on return to work in a changing Australian labour market. This project will identify where challenges arise in return to work after a work-related injury or illness for older workers and people with mental stress claims. The results of this project will help form the basis of policy and program changes to address these issues and enable these groups of workers to have better health and economic outcomes.
Influences on farmer suicide in Queensland and New South Wales. Australian farmers have been identified as being at high-risk of suicide. This project will provide direction for targeted suicide prevention strategies by quantifying the individual and environmental factors that place farmers at higher risk of suicide, as well as the protective factors that may buffer against suicide and suicidal behaviours.
Time scarcity in Australian families: another inequity? The globalising economy, financial uncertainties and major democratic changes are all affecting family time. Parent's time is a resource on which children depend, but time scarcity has become a widespread problem for families. Our study helps focus policy attention on this problem. We deliver new methods to assess the experience of time scarcity in families, identifying those who are most likely to experience it, where they live, and how ti ....Time scarcity in Australian families: another inequity? The globalising economy, financial uncertainties and major democratic changes are all affecting family time. Parent's time is a resource on which children depend, but time scarcity has become a widespread problem for families. Our study helps focus policy attention on this problem. We deliver new methods to assess the experience of time scarcity in families, identifying those who are most likely to experience it, where they live, and how time scarcity affects them. This evidence can help support policy approaches to time, benefiting the twin economic and social policy goals of encouraging workforce participation while supporting the health and wellbeing of families.Read moreRead less
Drivers of ageing and adaptive ageing in middle-aged and older adults. This project aims to answer crucial questions about how our early years influence our health and wellbeing in middle and later life. Drawing on one of Australia’s longest running studies of social and emotional development, we link decades of developmental data collected since 1983 to social, emotional, cognitive and physical wellbeing in participants turning 40 (midlife) and 70 (later life). It will provide insight into impo ....Drivers of ageing and adaptive ageing in middle-aged and older adults. This project aims to answer crucial questions about how our early years influence our health and wellbeing in middle and later life. Drawing on one of Australia’s longest running studies of social and emotional development, we link decades of developmental data collected since 1983 to social, emotional, cognitive and physical wellbeing in participants turning 40 (midlife) and 70 (later life). It will provide insight into important and largely unanswered questions about the way social factors in the first half of life shape our later selves. This study will inform government and health policy targeting ageing populations.
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Mental health, job quality and workforce participation: evidence from population health research to address complex problems and conflicting policies. Mental disorders such as depression are a major cause of disability. Improving mental health can increase productivity and workforce participation. However, the psychosocial quality of work is a factor that overlays the relationship between work and health. Poor quality work (for example, unreasonable time pressure, insecurity) increases the risk ....Mental health, job quality and workforce participation: evidence from population health research to address complex problems and conflicting policies. Mental disorders such as depression are a major cause of disability. Improving mental health can increase productivity and workforce participation. However, the psychosocial quality of work is a factor that overlays the relationship between work and health. Poor quality work (for example, unreasonable time pressure, insecurity) increases the risk of poor mental health, absenteeism, and exit from the workforce. This project will analyse data following people over time to investigate the long-term health and employment consequences of poor psychosocial job quality, and consider the special case of mature age workers. It will identify those individuals at greatest risk, and factors that can buffer against the adverse effects of poor quality work.Read moreRead less
Healthy and working life expectancies in an ageing Australia. This project aims to identify social circumstances that optimise healthy and working life years in Australia. The project draws on international multidisciplinary expertise to critically evaluate social variation and inequalities in the years older adults live in good health and are engaged in work. Expected outcomes include the generation of new policy-relevant knowledge on older workers, active retirement, and healthy ageing which w ....Healthy and working life expectancies in an ageing Australia. This project aims to identify social circumstances that optimise healthy and working life years in Australia. The project draws on international multidisciplinary expertise to critically evaluate social variation and inequalities in the years older adults live in good health and are engaged in work. Expected outcomes include the generation of new policy-relevant knowledge on older workers, active retirement, and healthy ageing which will advance the field of life course epidemiology and inform the debate about Australia’s future ageing. This project should provide benefits for individual wellbeing, and provide evidence that can inform long-term public policy on health, work, welfare, and retirement.Read moreRead less
The RADAR Project: Identifying Early Warning Signals On The Pathways To Alcohol Use Disorder
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$884,321.00
Summary
The transition from alcohol initiation to an alcohol use disorder is a crucial yet under-studied research area. The current project will characterise the natural history of alcohol use disorder and identify modifiable factors that increase or decrease the likelihood of developing an alcohol use disorder once alcohol use begins. This information will guide prevention of, and early intervention for, this disabling disorder.
The unfolding story of the 2009 Adelaide heatwave: risk factors for mortality and morbidity. This project will conduct a case control study in Adelaide to explore the risk factors of extra health burden related to the 2009 heatwave. Given the prediction of more extreme heat events, this study will provide important information for policy makers and service providers to assist in the development of more resilient communities to climate change.
Improving The Identification, Management And Outcome Of People With Depression And Other Chronic Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$476,728.00
Summary
My research is designed to reduce depression and help people with chronic disease have a better quality of life. I will work with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities to improve how depression is identified, prevented and treated. I will work with the general community who have major depression, depression that is difficult to treat and people with depression and chronic disease to improve their outcomes. I will also aim to improve the recovery of people who have had a stroke.