An Examination Of The Causes Of Mortality Following Imprisonment In New South Wales Using Data-linkage.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$205,500.00
Summary
Prisoner populations are characterised by poor health status including infectious diseases, injury, risk taking behaviours (eg. smoking and self-harm), mental illness, and substance abuse. Serosurveys of blood borne viruses such as hepatitis C and hepatitis B conducted in Australian and overseas prison settings have found that over one third of inmates have been exposed to these viruses with higher rates detected in injecting drug users and female inmates. Few attempts have been made to examine ....Prisoner populations are characterised by poor health status including infectious diseases, injury, risk taking behaviours (eg. smoking and self-harm), mental illness, and substance abuse. Serosurveys of blood borne viruses such as hepatitis C and hepatitis B conducted in Australian and overseas prison settings have found that over one third of inmates have been exposed to these viruses with higher rates detected in injecting drug users and female inmates. Few attempts have been made to examine the causes of mortality among prisoners following release from detention. Most interest has focused on overdoses in the period immediately following release; the aim of this study will examine all causes of death among individuals exposed to the correctional environment and compare these to death rates for NSW. Correctional centres house a largely male (94% in NSW) population with backgrounds of disadvantage in all areas, including Indigenous Australians, people of lower socio-economic status, those with a mental illness, and the intellectually disabled. There are currently over 21,000 (June 2001) prisoners detained in Australian correctional centres with approximately 39% housed in NSW. Fifteen percent of the NSW prisoners are Indigenous but comprise only 2% of the general population. The aims of this project will be to: (1) Identify all causes of death among ex-prisoners in NSW for the period 1985 to 2001; (2). Compare death rates in the study group with those in the NSW community; (3) Correlate pre-release health information contained in medical records with specific causes of death; (4) Compare causes of mortality among various sub-groups eg. injecting drug users, the mentally ill, violent offenders, and the intellectually disabled; (5) Examine causes of mortality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous inmates; and (6) use this information to develop pre-release programmes aimed at reducing excess mortality among this group.Read moreRead less
Sociocultural Determinants Of Childrens Oral Health From Refugee And Migrant Communities
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$57,342.00
Summary
Refugee and migrant children experience significantly poorer oral health than the non-migrant population. Factors that impact on poor oral health include perceptions of tap water safety, dietary changes, access to prevention and treatment health services, and language barriers. This study will explore reasons for these factors and potential solutions. Communities involved are those which have arrived the most recently and those with large numbers of young children.
Developmental Schizotypy In The General Population: Early Risk Factors And Predictive Utility.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$830,952.00
Summary
This study will determine early childhood risk factors for psychosis-proneness in children aged 11 years, and emerging signs and symptoms of mental health disorders of these children, using population data from the NSW Child Development Study. Determining risk for psychosis as early as possible in the life course will enable the provision of preventative interventions to children at critical points in development.
Trends, Determinants And Costs Of Infant Hospitalisations
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$66,376.00
Summary
Assessment of health care utilisation and associated costs are important for planning and allocation of health care resources. In Australia very little is known about the determinants and costs of infant hospitalisation in the first year of life. Through the use of linked population health datasets, this project will examine the patterns and trends of hospital readmissions and inter-hospital transfers, and calculate hospital costs for in-patient admissions during the first year of life.
A Study To Describe The Trends And Identify Modifiable Risk Factors Of Stillbirth : Using Population Health Data Sets
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$324,854.00
Summary
Few obstetric complications are as emotionally devastating for women and their care givers as stillbirth. Many of the underlying causes of stillbirth are unknown, and almost 25% of stillbirths are unexplained. By applying advanced analysis methods onto linked population health data, this study aims to investigate the trends of stillbirth. And importantly to determine the risk factors of stillbirth, and of further stillbirths in subsequent pregnancies following a stillbirth.
Is The Incidence Of Heart Attack Still Decreasing In Australia? Developing More Reliable Methods For Monitoring Trends In Myocardial Infarction And Coronary Heart Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$762,021.00
Summary
Our study is a collaboration between the University of WA and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare to investigate population trends in incidence and outcomes of heart disease and its major sub-groups including heart attack, angina and chest pain. Using linked data from WA, we will identify the sub-groups for which trends over time are a realistic estimate of the true population trends. These will be applied to national data to monitor heart disease more accurately in Australia.
Vaccination Timeliness In Aboriginal And Non-Aboriginal Infants: Risk Factors For Delayed Vaccination And Impact On Disease Burden—a Record Linkage Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$538,183.00
Summary
Vaccination has had a significant impact, but preventable infections continue to occur, perhaps due to delayed uptake of scheduled doses. For the first time, we will link vaccination and other health records to: provide accurate estimates of the impact of vaccination; identify reasons for delayed vaccination; and quantify the expected reduction in disease burden if vaccination timeliness was improved. The study will help determine who would benefit most from efforts to improve timeliness.
INVESTIGATING MORTALITY AMONG EX-PRISONERS IN QUEENSLAND: A DATA LINKAGE STUDY
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$716,801.00
Summary
NOTE: At the time of submitting the NOI for this project we had not yet received feedback from a submission to a parallel NHMRC funding round concerned with social disadvantage. We have since received very positive reviews for the trial foreshadowed in our NOI, and consistent with the recommendations of one reviewer, we have modified our application to complement the proposed trial by conducting a record linkage study. The content area and ethical issues associated with the proposed project rema ....NOTE: At the time of submitting the NOI for this project we had not yet received feedback from a submission to a parallel NHMRC funding round concerned with social disadvantage. We have since received very positive reviews for the trial foreshadowed in our NOI, and consistent with the recommendations of one reviewer, we have modified our application to complement the proposed trial by conducting a record linkage study. The content area and ethical issues associated with the proposed project remain largely unchanged. Studies in Australia and elsewhere have identified a heightened risk of death among ex-prisoners, with drug overdose, suicide and 'accidents' three major causes. Many deaths occur soon after release. Although the high incidence of 'overdose' among ex-prisoners is often attributed to reduced tolerance,most fatal drug overdoses are due to the combined effects of multiple drugs. A detailed understanding of deaths among ex-prisoners is a prerequisite for evidence-based preventive strategies. The proposed study will: (a) Link the identities of prisoners released from custody in QLD between 1994 and 2006, with the National Death Index (NDI). The linked database will permit exploration of the incidence, timing, causes and risk factors for death among ex-prisoners. (b) Compare correctional records of deceased ex-prisoners and a random sample of ex-prisoners known to be alive, focussing on suspected risk factors including criminal history, behaviour in custody, health status, psychosocial adjustment, socio-economic status, and history and treatment for drug use. This will allow more detailed analysis of risk factors for death post-release. (c) Conduct in-depth analysis of causes of death among ex-prisoners, using the National Coroners Information System (NCIS). Information regarding cause and context of death will be coded by a research assistant and analysed to identify group differences (e.g., between ATSI and non-ATSI ex-prisoners).Read moreRead less
Christine Roberts’ research program uses the most advanced research methods to address new challenges in maternal and child health in a portfolio that extends from bench-to-bedside-to-policy. Four interrelated themes target: accurate identification of at-risk pregnancies; maternity care requirements to improve outcomes in future pregnancies; clinical trials to provide best evidence for obstetric practice; and an improved ability to respond rapidly to emerging issues in policy and practice.