A Case Control Study Of Hypertension In The Setting Of Poverty, Overcrowding And Infection.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$603,331.00
Summary
It is unclear why chronic diseases are emerging in regions of significant disadvantage, i.e. where people are not overweight, are physically active and relatively young. We aim to identify factors responsible for the development of high blood pressure in a region where there is overcrowding, poverty, and infection. Low cost strategies to modify risk and educate the community can then be developed to prevent the emergence of these diseases.
Investigating The Association Between Incarceration While Pregnant And Maternal And Infant Outcomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$307,500.00
Summary
The number of women incarcerated within Australian prisons has doubled over the last ten years. Prisons contain large numbers of women from Indigenous backgrounds, women with a mental illness, women with violent partners and women with substance abuse problems. As such they constitute one of the most disadvantaged groups within Australian society and their children are unlikely to experience a healthy start to life. At any one time around 5-10% of women inside Australian prisons are pregnant. Th ....The number of women incarcerated within Australian prisons has doubled over the last ten years. Prisons contain large numbers of women from Indigenous backgrounds, women with a mental illness, women with violent partners and women with substance abuse problems. As such they constitute one of the most disadvantaged groups within Australian society and their children are unlikely to experience a healthy start to life. At any one time around 5-10% of women inside Australian prisons are pregnant. There has been no Australian research into the effect incarceration has upon pregnant women or their babies. Some believe that women who are incarcerated during their pregnancy may have better outcomes as they are outside their normal milieu with restricted access to alcohol and illicit drugs and separated from abusive partners. Others argue that the stress of incarceration and separation from family and friends could result in poorer pregnancy outcomes. This study will investigate whether being imprisoned while pregnant results in better or worse pregnancy and birth outcomes for Australian women and their babies.Read moreRead less
Genetic And Environmental Risk Factors For Colorectal Cancer: Anatomic Site Specificity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$560,000.00
Summary
Cancer of the large bowel (colorectal cancer) is the second most common cancer in Australians and is becoming more common. Despite this, there is still much uncertainty about what causes some people to develop this cancer. We believe that some of this uncertainty arises because there are actually different causes of cancer for different sections of the colon and rectum. This study aims to collect information from 1000 people with colorectal cancer and 1000 people without colorectal cancer, and c ....Cancer of the large bowel (colorectal cancer) is the second most common cancer in Australians and is becoming more common. Despite this, there is still much uncertainty about what causes some people to develop this cancer. We believe that some of this uncertainty arises because there are actually different causes of cancer for different sections of the colon and rectum. This study aims to collect information from 1000 people with colorectal cancer and 1000 people without colorectal cancer, and compare various factors such as their genetic makeup, diet, AND lifestyle. We expect to find that some factors are more common in people with cancer in the upper parts of the bowel, while other factors are more common in people with cancer in the lower parts of the bowel. This kind of information can be used to design programs to prevent colorectal cancer. For example, we might advise people to exercise more or eat more fish in order to decrease their chances of developing this cancer.Read moreRead less
A Life Course Approach To Understanding Oral Health Inequalities
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$269,025.00
Summary
Preadolescent children in Australia have lower rates of dental decay than children in almost all other economically developed countries. This is not the case for Australian adults. In fact, Australian adults aged 35-44 years have higher rates of dental decay than adults of similar age in most other economically developed countries. Not only do Australian adults have comparatively poor oral health in the lead-up to midlife, but also socioeconomic inequalities in dental decay are more pronounced a ....Preadolescent children in Australia have lower rates of dental decay than children in almost all other economically developed countries. This is not the case for Australian adults. In fact, Australian adults aged 35-44 years have higher rates of dental decay than adults of similar age in most other economically developed countries. Not only do Australian adults have comparatively poor oral health in the lead-up to midlife, but also socioeconomic inequalities in dental decay are more pronounced at this stage of life than at any other stage before or after. This study proposes to look at how oral health in young adults in shaped by their experiences across childhood, adolescence and early adulthood. This approach is based on recent evidence that points to the importance to adult health of the early years of life. In this life course perspective, the poorer health of disadvantaged individuals is seen to result from ongoing and cumulative exposure to difficult and disadvantaged circumstances across their life course. This study will trace and follow up a cohort of almost 10, 000 South Australians for whom social, familial, economic and dental behavioural information was collected in 1991-92 when these individuals were aged from five to 15 years. Now aged from 19 to 29 years, these individuals will be invited to attend a dental examination and complete a survey that will provide information on health behaviours and life circumstances shown to be important determinants of general and oral health status. One purpose will be to explore reasons for the comparatively poorer oral health status of Australian adults. A second purpose will be to investigate the magnitude of socioeconomic inequalities in oral disease at different life stages. The findings will add to the knowledge of the etiology of oral disease and open up opportunities to develop new methods of oral health promotion based on the understanding of accumulated risk across the life course.Read moreRead less
Novel Genetic And Environmental Modifiers Of The Risk Of Iron Overload-related Disease In HFE-associated Hereditary Haemochromatosis In Cohort Of Middle-aged Australians
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$451,716.00
Summary
People who carry mutations in the HFE gene are pre-disposed to body iron overload but not all of them developed subsequent disease. According to the investigators of the “HealthIron” study in Melbourne, only 28% of men and 1% of women with faulty HFE genes go on to develop disease. This study has recruited more than 1,000 people from the community, and will determine which environmental and genetic risk factors stop people with iron overload from getting symptoms of disease.
Novel Molecular Markers Of Lung Cancer Risk And Survival
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$824,765.00
Summary
Lung cancer remains the most lethal cancer worldwide, yet little is known of the risk factors beyond that of tobacco smoking and certain occupational exposures. We have assembled a large international consortium comprising 24 cohort studies and over 10,000 to validate associations between B-vitamins and lung cancer risk particularly in never and former smokers. We propose to expand this study and use the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study and the rest of the consortium to identify novel biomar ....Lung cancer remains the most lethal cancer worldwide, yet little is known of the risk factors beyond that of tobacco smoking and certain occupational exposures. We have assembled a large international consortium comprising 24 cohort studies and over 10,000 to validate associations between B-vitamins and lung cancer risk particularly in never and former smokers. We propose to expand this study and use the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study and the rest of the consortium to identify novel biomarkers of risk and survival.Read moreRead less
Genetic Epidemiology Of Endometrial Cancer: Towards Understanding Aetiology And Improving Risk Prediction.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$353,573.00
Summary
Studies investigating thousands of genetic markers have revolutionised our understanding of genes involved in cancer, and shown that a single gene can be associated with multiple cancers. We will conduct the largest ever study to find new genes for endometrial cancer, the most common gynaecological cancer. Our unique approach will examine >11million markers across the genome, some specifically in regions known to be important for other cancers. Findings will be used for risk prediction models ....Studies investigating thousands of genetic markers have revolutionised our understanding of genes involved in cancer, and shown that a single gene can be associated with multiple cancers. We will conduct the largest ever study to find new genes for endometrial cancer, the most common gynaecological cancer. Our unique approach will examine >11million markers across the genome, some specifically in regions known to be important for other cancers. Findings will be used for risk prediction models.Read moreRead less
Clinical, Environmental And Genetic Factors And The Risk Of Oesophageal Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$145,685.00
Summary
Oesophageal cancer is a rapidly fatal disease which is becoming more common in Australia, the United States and other industrialised nations. This study will examine the mechanisms leading to the development of oesophageal cancer and aims to measure the effects of genes and environment on the burden of cancer. Ultimately, this research will help target persons at highest risk so that screening, prevention and surveillance efforts can be directed more effectively.
POPULATION-LEVEL RELEVANCE OF RISK FACTORS FOR CANCER
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$319,692.00
Summary
This research will provide novel up-to-date evidence-based information on the population-level relevance of lifestyle-related risk factors for cancer in Australia, by applying an advanced disease burden measure to established Australian cohort studies. This knowledge on the national cancer burden is essential for targeting cancer interventions for those at highest risk and evaluating their effectiveness.