The Beyondblue Schools Research Initiative: A Two-year Follow-up.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$827,285.00
Summary
The prevalence of Depressive Disorders among children and adolescents was estimated in the Australian National Child and Adolescent Mental Health Survey to be 3.7%. This means that at any single point of time, approximately 138,000 Australian children and adolescents are experiencing a Depressive Disorder. Furthermore, the National Survey found that less than half (46%) of those with a Depressive Disorder received any help over a 6 month period prior to the survey, with only 8% attending a menta ....The prevalence of Depressive Disorders among children and adolescents was estimated in the Australian National Child and Adolescent Mental Health Survey to be 3.7%. This means that at any single point of time, approximately 138,000 Australian children and adolescents are experiencing a Depressive Disorder. Furthermore, the National Survey found that less than half (46%) of those with a Depressive Disorder received any help over a 6 month period prior to the survey, with only 8% attending a mental health clinic, and only 4% attending a hospital-based Department of Psychiatry. These findings emphasise the importance of finding alternative approaches to help the large number of young people with depression who do not receive help from professional services. This application seeks funding to evaluate the beyondblue Schools Research Initiative. The key features of the initiative are the development of a strong partnership between the health and education sectors and a focus on both individual-level and school-level risk factors. This has enabled us to provide a much longer duration of intervention than previous studies, to test the intervention in several different Australian States, and to utilise a broadly based intervention that includes a range of approaches, each of which have the potential to help reduce adolescent depression. The significance of the project lies in its potential to identify effective interventions which can reduce rates of depression experienced by adolescents, and the quality of the ongoing research partnership we have established across the education and health sectors. We anticipate that this partnership will be utilised for ongoing research in this area.Read moreRead less
Improving Outcomes For Children With Common Developmental Conditions: Identifying Risk And Protective Factors And Developing Targeted Interventions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$307,946.00
Summary
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and language impairment (LI) are both highly prevalent and associated with mental health difficulties. This research will investigate 1) risk factors for poor versus better mental health, academic and social outcomes in children with ADHD and LI and 2) the development and piloting of interventions targeting these factors. This research will indicate avenues for new methods of intervention and prevention for children with ADHD and LI.
A Randomised Controlled Trial Of A Mindfulness Intervention For Men With Advanced Prostate Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$729,841.00
Summary
Approximately 22,000 Australian men alive today have advanced prostate cancer. By comparison to men with localised prostate cancer, men with advanced disease report higher levels of psychological distress and poorer quality of life, and have an increased risk of suicide. This study will trial a remote access mindfulness-based cognitive therapy intervention aimed at improving mental health outcomes and wellbeing for men with advanced prostate cancer.
Understanding Women’s Experiences Of Endometriosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$83,595.00
Summary
Endometriosis is a chronic condition affecting one in 10 women in Australia. It is associated with many debilitating symptoms including pelvic pain and infertility; which contribute substantial economic burden. It cannot be cured. Very little is known about how women experience this disease. The current study will invite women with endometriosis to participate in interviews about their experience. The findings of this research will contribute to improved health care for the management of endomet ....Endometriosis is a chronic condition affecting one in 10 women in Australia. It is associated with many debilitating symptoms including pelvic pain and infertility; which contribute substantial economic burden. It cannot be cured. Very little is known about how women experience this disease. The current study will invite women with endometriosis to participate in interviews about their experience. The findings of this research will contribute to improved health care for the management of endometriosis.Read moreRead less
Risk Factors For The Development Of Eating Disorder Phenotypes And Endophenotypes In Adolescent Twins
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$266,500.00
Summary
The overall aim of the project is to develop a better understanding of how environment, temperament and genes work together to cause disordered eating and eating disorders. Eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, are an extremely difficult and costly condition to treat, and are associated with high mortality. Eating disorders in adolescence lead to increased risk for anxiety disorders, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, depressive disorders, infectious diseases, suicide att ....The overall aim of the project is to develop a better understanding of how environment, temperament and genes work together to cause disordered eating and eating disorders. Eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, are an extremely difficult and costly condition to treat, and are associated with high mortality. Eating disorders in adolescence lead to increased risk for anxiety disorders, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, depressive disorders, infectious diseases, suicide attempts, and limitation in activities due to poor health in adulthood. Full- and partial-syndrome eating disorders affect around 10% of adolescent girls. Given the seriousness of the consequences of eating disorders, and the large number of Australians affected, a better understanding of what causes the development of eating disorders is required. The current research investigates identical and non-identical adolescent female twins aged 13-15 years. As well as examining their eating, this study will look at the sort of environments and temperaments that may increase genetic susceptibility to develop eating problems. The types of environment to be examined include media influence, weight related peer teasing, parental dieting, and pre- and pernatal complications. Twin temperament will also be examined, including perfectionism, sense of ineffectiveness, body dissatisfaction and depression. Parental anxiety and novelty seeking will also be examined for impact on the development of disordered eating in their children. The twins will be followed up over a 2-year period, the peak risk age for onset of eating problems. By comparing the identical and non-identical twins, we can define the characteristics of those most at risk of developing eating problems. The results of this project can be used to formulate specific prevention strategies.Read moreRead less
Childhood Cognitive Antecedents Of Adult Psychopathology: Follow-up Of The Port Pirie Lead Cohort Into Adulthood
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$587,263.00
Summary
The role of childhood factors in the development of adult psychiatric disorder is an important public health concern. Indvividuals identified before birth and followed across the life course offer the most powerful means of establishing predictors for particular types of psychiatric disorder. Not only do these studies enable researchers to more clearly determine the exact age of onset of disorder but they also give us insight into the background and hence possible risk factors that may have lead ....The role of childhood factors in the development of adult psychiatric disorder is an important public health concern. Indvividuals identified before birth and followed across the life course offer the most powerful means of establishing predictors for particular types of psychiatric disorder. Not only do these studies enable researchers to more clearly determine the exact age of onset of disorder but they also give us insight into the background and hence possible risk factors that may have lead to the development of that disorder. Early identification of disorder can significantly reduce public health cost and reduce the burden on the community by enabling individuals to get help before their symptoms become too severe and unmanageable. Few long-term studies have investigated the combined role of pre-natal, developmental, parental characteristics, biological and childhood cognitive risk factors in the development of adult psychiatric dysfunction. Even fewer studies have examinined this interrelationship in a group of individuals who have been exposed to an environmental toxin such as lead. This study will follow-up 723 adults from the lead smelting city of Port Pirie who were originally recruited between 1979 and 1982. All adults were exposed to lead to some degree in childhood and have been followed over various time points over the course their lives. This project will be conducted 27 years since they were first involved, and will hence be one of the longest studies to be conducted in this field. The extensive information already collected on this group of individuals will enable us to create a very comprehensive picture of risk and protective factors for various types of adult disorder.Read moreRead less
Identifying New Targets For Primary School Mental Health Interventions Using Population Data
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$798,882.00
Summary
This project assesses the mental health and well-being of ~87,000 children aged 10 years in New South Wales, and links this information (anonymously) with data on school-based mental health interventions, and data on health, education, and welfare collected from birth. We will identify factors that promote mental health and reduce ill-health. We hope to improve child health by developing new ways to detect early vulnerability for ill-health, and by identifying new health promotion opportunities.
Evaluation of the relative efficacy and mechanisms of a couple-based intervention for Premenstrual Syndrome through a randomised control trial using mixed methods. Of 9,689 Australian women recently surveyed nationally, 33% reported moderate or severe premenstrual symptoms (PMS). Whilst relationships have been identified as a significant factor in the experience of premenstrual distress, to date there has been no systematic description or evaluation of couple-based PMS interventions. This resear ....Evaluation of the relative efficacy and mechanisms of a couple-based intervention for Premenstrual Syndrome through a randomised control trial using mixed methods. Of 9,689 Australian women recently surveyed nationally, 33% reported moderate or severe premenstrual symptoms (PMS). Whilst relationships have been identified as a significant factor in the experience of premenstrual distress, to date there has been no systematic description or evaluation of couple-based PMS interventions. This research study will do this, helping health-care providers understand the experience and treatment of PMS in the context of family relationships, thereby reducing PMS, and the physical and psychological distress associated with it. This will lead to improved psychological wellbeing and quality of life for women and their families.Read moreRead less
Promoting Healthy Ageing Of Brain And Mind Through Epidemiology And Intervention Research
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$664,584.00
Summary
This project focuses on identifying ways that individuals and societies can promote healthy ageing to prevent dementia and mental health problems in later life. Large-scale longitudinal studies and intervention studies will be evaluated to identify factors that lead to healthy and unhealthy ageing.