Prevention Of Multi-drug Resistant Tuberculosis In A High Prevalence Setting: ‘Connecting The DOTS’ In Vietnam
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,382,020.00
Summary
The close contacts of people with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) have a high risk of developing the disease. The V-QUIN MDR-TB Trial will evaluate the effectiveness of an oral antibiotic (levofloxacin) in preventing drug resistant TB among infected household contacts of TB patients. Household contacts from 10 Provinces in Vietnam will be randomly allocated to receive six-months of either levofloxacin or a placebo, and then followed for two years to see if they develop tuberculosis.
Associations Between Urban Nature And Cardiovascular Disease Risk
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in Australia. Urban nature (e.g. greenness, water, species diversity) is likely to protect against CVD, yet researchers lack knowledge about how this occurs. This project will develop new methods to measure urban nature and examine the relationships with different CVD risk factors (e.g. physical activity, air quality). The results of this project will inform urban planning policy, and help to create healthy cities that reduce CVD.
A study of the provision of the emergency contraceptive pill over-the-counter in Australia. Australian abortion rates, especially among young women, are a major concern. The emergency contraceptive pill (ECP) is an effective method for the prevention of unwanted and unplanned pregnancy, with the potential to reduce abortions. The study aims to provide evidence of whether the rescheduling of ECP in Australia so that pharmacists as well as doctors can dispense it, has improved its accessibility ....A study of the provision of the emergency contraceptive pill over-the-counter in Australia. Australian abortion rates, especially among young women, are a major concern. The emergency contraceptive pill (ECP) is an effective method for the prevention of unwanted and unplanned pregnancy, with the potential to reduce abortions. The study aims to provide evidence of whether the rescheduling of ECP in Australia so that pharmacists as well as doctors can dispense it, has improved its accessibility and use by women at risk of abortion. It will also assess whether pharmacists feel confident, well-trained and supported to provide it and whether abortion rates have reduced. The study will provide policymakers with the evidence to assess whether this important initiative is effective and what is needed to improve its effectiveness.Read moreRead less
An evaluation of the environmental health risk of heatwaves associated with global warming. Global warming is associated with an increased frequency of severe weather events including frequent and severe heatwaves. Previous studies have demonstrated that heatwaves are amongst the most deadly disasters to affect the community. This study will identify those members of the community who are most at risk from heatwaves so that strategies may be identified and implemented by governments to protect t ....An evaluation of the environmental health risk of heatwaves associated with global warming. Global warming is associated with an increased frequency of severe weather events including frequent and severe heatwaves. Previous studies have demonstrated that heatwaves are amongst the most deadly disasters to affect the community. This study will identify those members of the community who are most at risk from heatwaves so that strategies may be identified and implemented by governments to protect those people during severe heatwave conditions. The direct benefit to the community will be reduced mortality and morbidity and the consequential reductions in the cost of community and health support services.Read moreRead less
This project will investigate the causes of respiratory disease and poor lung function across the life course. Using existing lung health data from Australia and Europe, we will determine which behavioral, environmental, occupational, nutritional, other modifiable lifestyle, or genetic factors play a role in lung health. This research will enable the development of a personalised risk predictor application for implementation with patients and health care providers as well as the general public.
Pathways, policies and prevention: better outcomes for western Australian children. This project will provide new knowledge to inform and enable future policy and prevention strategies for improving child health and wellbeing. The collaboration between researchers and policy makers across 11 government departments will deliver a new evidence base for understanding child, family and community level factors that increase or reduce vulnerability to poor outcomes through the utilisation of cross-sec ....Pathways, policies and prevention: better outcomes for western Australian children. This project will provide new knowledge to inform and enable future policy and prevention strategies for improving child health and wellbeing. The collaboration between researchers and policy makers across 11 government departments will deliver a new evidence base for understanding child, family and community level factors that increase or reduce vulnerability to poor outcomes through the utilisation of cross-sectoral population data. This collaboration will inform whole of government intervention and prevention strategies to improve outcomes, as well as evaluate and monitor existing initiatives. This project will provide a model for population-based research and policy development both nationally and internationally.Read moreRead less
20 Year Study Of Skin Cancer In A Queensland Community
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$396,415.00
Summary
Skin cancers are by far the commonest cancers diagnosed in Australia. Even though it is known that sun exposure in excess causes skin cancers there are complexities about the causes, especially of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) -the major type of skin cancer- that are still not understood. Relative intensity of sun exposure and perhaps its timing with respect to age in life may well be critical factors. We aim to study these causes in very great detail by collating information that has been gathered ....Skin cancers are by far the commonest cancers diagnosed in Australia. Even though it is known that sun exposure in excess causes skin cancers there are complexities about the causes, especially of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) -the major type of skin cancer- that are still not understood. Relative intensity of sun exposure and perhaps its timing with respect to age in life may well be critical factors. We aim to study these causes in very great detail by collating information that has been gathered over a 20 year period in a community-based skin cancer study in Nambour, Qld as well as performing some laboratory tests on skin cancer tissue collected from participants. This 3-year project will enable the full realisation of the potential of this esource-20 years in the making- with its wealth of information for answering questions about skin cancer decelopment and preventability. It should finally provide us with a clearer rationale for 'prevention of skin cancer' than is currently available. In addition we shall assess the costs of treatment of skin cancer in general and for the individual, and how much preventive practices for skin cancer might save the health budget, by using the releavnt data collected from this community sample.Read moreRead less
Integrated and precautionary approach for assessing complex environmental health impacts. It is important to develop an innovative and systematic approach to the improvement of environmental health impact assessment for emerging complex environmental hazards. It has become increasingly apparent that traditional risk assessment methods are no longer suitable for assessing the health impact of emerging global environmental issues such as climate change and ecosystem degradation. The novelty of thi ....Integrated and precautionary approach for assessing complex environmental health impacts. It is important to develop an innovative and systematic approach to the improvement of environmental health impact assessment for emerging complex environmental hazards. It has become increasingly apparent that traditional risk assessment methods are no longer suitable for assessing the health impact of emerging global environmental issues such as climate change and ecosystem degradation. The novelty of this proposal lies in its intention to create fundamental knowledge on an integrated and precautionary approach for assessing complex and emerging environmental health risks by development of a conceptual framework for integrated environmental health impact assessment.Read moreRead less
Toward the effective surveillance of environmental health hazards for a sustainable society. It is important to maintain and enhance environmental health and community well-being from a sustainable development perspective. There has been an increasing realisation that an effective surveillance system needs to be developed to identify and manage environmental health hazards. The expected research outcomes of this project provide significant social benefits by contributing to the development of an ....Toward the effective surveillance of environmental health hazards for a sustainable society. It is important to maintain and enhance environmental health and community well-being from a sustainable development perspective. There has been an increasing realisation that an effective surveillance system needs to be developed to identify and manage environmental health hazards. The expected research outcomes of this project provide significant social benefits by contributing to the development of an effective surveillance system of emerging environmental health hazards for a sustainable society. The results of this project will also assist governments to formulate policies, guide actions and assess progress in the direction toward sustainable development.Read moreRead less
A Survey Of The Sexual Behaviour And Sexual Health Of Australian Prisoners
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$591,000.00
Summary
The Australian Study of Health and Relationships telephone survey recently reported on the sexual attitudes, knowledge, health and behaviour of over 19,000 Australians. One of the groups that was omitted from that survey was prisoners. Yet prisoners are a high-risk group for sexual ill health. Prisoners are mostly drawn from the most disadvantaged groups in society: they are more likely to be unemployed, they have less education and lower incomes than other Australians, and many suffer from mino ....The Australian Study of Health and Relationships telephone survey recently reported on the sexual attitudes, knowledge, health and behaviour of over 19,000 Australians. One of the groups that was omitted from that survey was prisoners. Yet prisoners are a high-risk group for sexual ill health. Prisoners are mostly drawn from the most disadvantaged groups in society: they are more likely to be unemployed, they have less education and lower incomes than other Australians, and many suffer from minor intellectual disabilities and-or mental illness. This proposed survey of inmates in Australian prisons will fill in this missing data. Prisoners are the forgotten population in many countries. Only a few surveys of prisoners' health have been performed. There are some surveys of sexual behaviour in particular prisons overseas, though most of them concentrate on HIV risks and do not explore the sexual lives of prisoners in the same way as the major national sex surveys in the US, the UK and France did for people living outside prison. Prison is itself a dangerous place for people's sexual health. In prison, much of the sex that occurs is not voluntary. Sexual assault in prisons can lead to serious physical injury as well as risk of sexually transmitted diseases including HIV-AIDS. Although some of these injuries can be sufficiently serious to require surgery, only a small proportion are reported to the authorities. Younger prisoners (aged 18-25) and those who are small, slightly built or gay, are at higher risk of being assaulted. This study will explore the factors surrounding sexual assault in prison and make recommendations for preventing it.Read moreRead less