Allostatic Mediators Of Socioeconomic Inequalities In Periodontitis Among Australian Adults
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$368,000.00
Summary
Periodontal (gum) disease is a significant cause of tooth loss among adults in Australia. Bacteria (germs) that stick to teeth in dental plaque are the primary cause of gum disease. However, the amount of damage caused to the gums depends heavily on the body's immune system which fights infection throughout the body. Like many other health conditions, gum disease occurs at a higher rate in people in a relatively low socioeconomic-position (SEP) compared to people from high SEP. Studies of other ....Periodontal (gum) disease is a significant cause of tooth loss among adults in Australia. Bacteria (germs) that stick to teeth in dental plaque are the primary cause of gum disease. However, the amount of damage caused to the gums depends heavily on the body's immune system which fights infection throughout the body. Like many other health conditions, gum disease occurs at a higher rate in people in a relatively low socioeconomic-position (SEP) compared to people from high SEP. Studies of other health conditions have shown that psychosocial stress (eg. job strain, financial stress) disproportionately affects people in low SEP groups. Stress, in turn, is known to alter the body's defense mechanisms, including the immune system, contributing to higher rates of conditions such as heart disease. Researchers have used the term allostatic load to describe this failure of the body's defense system under stress. Stress has also been suggested as a contributing factor in gum disease. This study will investigate whether this sequence of events producing allostatic load also plays a role in gum disease. We will study a random sample of 610 Australian adults from the full range of SEP backgrounds. We will ask them about their experience of daily stress, and measure their levels of gum disease and dental plaque. We will also collect samples of fluid from around their gums to measure quantities of two chemicals that indicate the activity of immune defense mechanisms in the gums. We will analyze these results to determine whether stress affects the body's responses to dental plaque, and whether that response accounts for differences in levels of gum disease between SEP groups. Results from this study will pinpoint the role of common bodily defense mechanisms in the development of gum disease. These results may help to identify sources of stress that, if controlled, could reduce rates of gum disease and other conditions affected by allostatic load.Read moreRead less
Large-scale Data To Understand Person-centred Outcomes In Cancer Survivors
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,163,471.00
Summary
Although the majority of people with cancer in Australia now survive long-term, little is known about long-term “person-centred outcomes” for cancer survivors - including mental health, disability, pain and quality of life. This project will use data from >70,000 cancer survivors and >190,000 people without cancer from the general population to generate new knowledge on person-centred outcomes, for different cancer types and over time, to inform and improve health and healthcare.
An Individual-level Study Of Suicide Method Substitution Over Time
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$218,122.00
Summary
This study will explore patterns of suicide methods _ e.g., whether people who attempt suicide by hanging make subsequent attempts in the following month, and, if so, whether they use the same or different methods. It will track anonymised patients who have been hospitalised for a suicide attempt in 3 Australian states to determine the extent, method and outcome of any subsequent attempts. The study will inform questions about ïbest betsÍ in terms of restricting access to means of suicide.
Graves’ disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. It leads to long-term impairments in quality of life and has a 40% higher mortality rate compared with the general population. We know surprisingly little about the causes of Graves’ disease. One possible trigger is stressful life events; however, the relationship is yet to be proven. This study will assess whether stressful life events, specifically military deployment, are associated with Graves’ disease.
Biological, Phenotypic And Public Health Costs Of Risk And Protective Pathways To Non-communicable Disease In Children And Adults: The National Longitudinal Study Of Australian Children
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,521,590.00
Summary
Although a late event for most Australians, chronic diseases present a crippling burden for Australia. This project explores their early roots, before overt disease emerges, in 3500 parents and their children in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. We will measure how accumulated stress and buffering characteristics play out in the biology of cell ageing and inflammation, in developing heart, lung, kidney and bone health, and in quality of life and health costs to the population.
The structure and dynamics of social contact for human disease transmission models. The methodological advances of this project will enable new insights in important social research. They will not only add significantly to national capacity in the modelling of complex social systems but they will also yield practical scientific outcomes in a significant policy domain in Australia and overseas. In Australia, response to diseases such as HIV, HCV and TB need new approaches, and the threat of pan ....The structure and dynamics of social contact for human disease transmission models. The methodological advances of this project will enable new insights in important social research. They will not only add significantly to national capacity in the modelling of complex social systems but they will also yield practical scientific outcomes in a significant policy domain in Australia and overseas. In Australia, response to diseases such as HIV, HCV and TB need new approaches, and the threat of pandemic influenza is significant. Read moreRead less