Psychosocial Disability And Return To Work In Younger Stroke Survivors
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$511,216.00
Summary
Each year about 12,000 Australians of working age survive a stroke. These younger survivors have responsibility for generating an income or providing care for families and state that their main objective is to return to work for financial reasons and to help rebuild confidence and independence. This observational 3 year study will determine thefactors are associated with returning to work, improving the wellbeing of thousands of stroke survivors and their families using multivariate regression.
A Population-based Longitudinal Study Of Cancer Survivors' Psychosocial And Physical Well Being
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$454,600.00
Summary
Cancer control is a National Health Priority Area. About 345,000 new cases of cancer are diagnosed in Australia each year. It is the second highest cause of death accounting for 27% of all deaths in Australia each year. Improvements in diagnosis and treatment have resulted in a growing number of people living with a history of cancer and for longer periods. Many cancer survivors report experiencing negative effects of cancer such as fatigue, anxiety, depression, and disrupted family and social r ....Cancer control is a National Health Priority Area. About 345,000 new cases of cancer are diagnosed in Australia each year. It is the second highest cause of death accounting for 27% of all deaths in Australia each year. Improvements in diagnosis and treatment have resulted in a growing number of people living with a history of cancer and for longer periods. Many cancer survivors report experiencing negative effects of cancer such as fatigue, anxiety, depression, and disrupted family and social relationships well after treatment has finished. Despite the large burden of this disease, little is known about the later effects that cancer and its treatment has on cancer survivors, their ongoing concerns, how the issues they face change over time and the type of support they need. This will be the first population-based longitudinal survey of the physical and psychosocial effects that cancer has on adult cancer survivors to be undertaken in Australia. It will follow cancer survivors for the first five years from diagnosis to provide data on important outcomes including anxiety, depression, quality of life and unmet needs. It will also provide the first population-based data on the predictors of these outcomes, including social support, coping style and patient demographic, treatment and disease characteristics. Given the large-scale cancer survivorship initiatives underway internationally, it is timely for high quality and comprehensive Australian data to be obtained. These data will provide new information on how the physical, social and emotional impact of cancer changes with time since diagnosis and a better understanding of the support desired by cancer survivors at various stages of recovery or disease progression. This information will help guide the development of policies and services that are tailored to the needs of Australian cancer survivors.Read moreRead less
Why Do Australian Teenagers Fall Pregnant? Exploring The Antecedents Of Teenage Pregnancy.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$542,100.00
Summary
Teenage pregnancy is a major health, social and economic issue for Australia. The teenage birth rate in Australia is higher than many other developed countries and of additional concern is the very high pregnancy and termination rate. Teenage pregnancy places the mother and child at greater risk of lifelong adverse outcomes. Despite research over more than 3 decades, we have only a simplistic understanding of what are likely complex mechanisms leading to early pregnancy. This is thought to be th ....Teenage pregnancy is a major health, social and economic issue for Australia. The teenage birth rate in Australia is higher than many other developed countries and of additional concern is the very high pregnancy and termination rate. Teenage pregnancy places the mother and child at greater risk of lifelong adverse outcomes. Despite research over more than 3 decades, we have only a simplistic understanding of what are likely complex mechanisms leading to early pregnancy. This is thought to be the reason for the failure of nearly all teenage pregnancy prevention efforts worldwide. In addition, there has been little study of this issue in Australian teenagers, and none in Aboriginal teenagers for whom pregnancy is more common and carries worse outcomes. This 2-stage project seeks to elucidate complex biological, psychological, and social pathways to unplanned pregnancy in the teenage years. In Phase 1, perceptions, values and beliefs will be explored in a qualitative study. Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal teenagers attending antenatal, termination and family planning clinics will be interviewed. Data from these interviews will generate new hypotheses regarding pregnancy risk in this age group. In Phase 2, 600 teenagers from schools, antenatal and termination clinics will be surveyed using computerised questionnaires. They will be asked about beliefs (identified in phase 1) and a range of other individual, family, and environmental factors identified in other studies to be risk factors for early pregnancy. Statistical analysis will be used to determine how multiple risk factors interact or combine to shape sexual and childbearing behaviour. This study will lead to new understandings of teenage pregnancy in Australia, and more effective teenage pregnancy intervention programs. Because few researchers in Australia, or elsewhere, have taken such a comprehensive approach to data collection and analysis, the results will be of international significance.Read moreRead less
Improving Neurobehavioural Development In Preterm Infants: A Randomised Controlled Trial Of A Neonatal Intervention
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$680,920.00
Summary
Up to 50% of preterm infants will have one or more developmental difficulties. While medical complications are implicated in these problems, recent evidence points to the added effect of the infant's early environment. Hospitalised premature infants experience stress from necessary but painful hospital procedures, overstimulation and maternal deprivation. Evidence, largely from animal studies, suggests stressful early experience negatively affects brain development. We also know that premature i ....Up to 50% of preterm infants will have one or more developmental difficulties. While medical complications are implicated in these problems, recent evidence points to the added effect of the infant's early environment. Hospitalised premature infants experience stress from necessary but painful hospital procedures, overstimulation and maternal deprivation. Evidence, largely from animal studies, suggests stressful early experience negatively affects brain development. We also know that premature infants find it difficult to handle stress as they are highly disorganised neurobehaviourally. The primary aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a parent-based intervention in enhancing neurobehavioural development at two years of age in very premature infants. It is predicted that this stress-reduction intervention will also enhance medical stability,normal brain development, parent-child interaction and parental mental health. The intervention to be trialled involves intensive training of parents of very premature infants, and in the 12 weeks following birth the parents will be the change agents. A randomised controlled trial comparing intervention and control groups will be undertaken to assess the effectiveness of this intervention. Assessments of early brain and 2 year intellectual, emotional and behavioural development will provide important outcome measures. A major strength of this study is the inclusion of advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technology as it enables differences in brain development between the intervention and control group to be assessed, the association between brain and neurobehavioural development to be explored, and the impact of stress on early brain development to be investigated. This intervention is relatively simple and inexpensive, and would be a valuable contribution to neonatal care if found to be effective in enhancing brain and neurobehavioural development.Read moreRead less
Case-control Studies Of Completed And Attempted Suicide In Young People In NSW
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$819,000.00
Summary
Youth suicide rates have been increasing dramatically over the last three to four decades. The causes and determinants of these suicide rate changes remain unclear, as do the causes and determinants of the suicides themselves. Despite a range of risk factors being identified by researchers, predicting an individual suicide is difficult due to the range of factors involved and the complex interactions between them. This study will investigate associations between individual and environmental fact ....Youth suicide rates have been increasing dramatically over the last three to four decades. The causes and determinants of these suicide rate changes remain unclear, as do the causes and determinants of the suicides themselves. Despite a range of risk factors being identified by researchers, predicting an individual suicide is difficult due to the range of factors involved and the complex interactions between them. This study will investigate associations between individual and environmental factors for both completed suicides and suicide attempts in young people aged 18-34 years living in NSW. The study will be undertaken in Sydney, Newcastle and in identified rural areas. The study is embedded in existing treatment, counselling and support services and will aid their improvement and augmentation. Cases of suicide and attempted suicide will be compared with community controls, and also completed suicides with attempted suicides, to identify potentially modifiable risk factors associated with suicidal behaviour. This will provide more comprehensive information relating to how various risk factors interact and influence suicidal behaviour, including in rural areas with significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Information from this study will improve prevention initiatives and assist with community strategic development and provide evidence to enhance current health service and coronial interventions.Read moreRead less