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SISTAQUIT Scale-up In Indigenous Populations In Australia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,800,000.00
Summary
SISTAQUIT®(Supporting Indigenous Smokers to Assist Quitting) is a research backed training program that provides free, online training in quit smoking methods to health providers. This study aims to expand the SISTAQUIT intervention to all Australian health services that cater to Indigenous women during pregnancy. This research will test numerous methods to implement SISTAQUIT to identify the most effective and economical strategy suitable for roll-out, and build Indigenous workforce capacity.
Improving Strategies To Support Pregnant Aboriginal Women To Quit Smoking
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$380,891.00
Summary
The overall objective of this project is to produce new knowledge about effective strategies for decreasing the smoking rates in pregnant Aboriginal women. The studies aim to: 1. Understand pregnant Aboriginal smokers attitudes to and experiences of using quit smoking methods 2. Understand what behaviour change techniques may be useful for pregnant Aboriginal women who smoke 3. Explore clinicians’ knowledge, attitudes and practices of providing behavioural counselling and nicotine replacemen
The Effect Of Exogenous Hormones, Smoking And HPV On The Incidence Of Screen Detected Pre-invasive Cervical Cancer.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,201,168.00
Summary
Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death in women internationally. About 15,000 women are detected in NSW annually as having pre-invasive cervical cancer (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade I, II or III). Infection with certain high risk human papillomaviruses is known to be necessary for the development of cervical cancer. In addition, recent long term exposure to smoking and to hormonal contraception are two new factors considered as independent risk factors for ....Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death in women internationally. About 15,000 women are detected in NSW annually as having pre-invasive cervical cancer (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade I, II or III). Infection with certain high risk human papillomaviruses is known to be necessary for the development of cervical cancer. In addition, recent long term exposure to smoking and to hormonal contraception are two new factors considered as independent risk factors for the disease. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) preparations taken around the menopause are a similar composition to hormonal contraceptives, (oestrogen and progestogen), therefore women on HRT may also be at increased risk. No comprehensive study exists internationally to measure the relative importance of these exogenous hormones on the development of pre-invasive cervical cancer in a way that is of public health relevance (e.g. recent long-term use of oral contraceptives and time since stopped, and among smokers and non-smokers). No Australian data are available on the proportion of women who are current users of hormonal contraceptives or HRT. No local prevalence data on the major high risk HPV subtypes (e.g. 16, 18, 33, 45) are available for Australia to describe its distribution and to inform the cervical screening program and future vaccine initiatives. The NSW Pap Test Register holds the screening history of all women on the cervical screening program, hence this is an ideal source for recruiting a representative sample into a study. We wish to conduct a large study of ~2600 NSW women using the NSW Pap Test Register to measure the relative importance of hormones, smoking and HPV infection on the development of CIN II or III.Read moreRead less
Epigenetic Regulation Of Inflammatory Genes In The Fetal Membranes: Role In Term And Preterm Birth
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$468,534.00
Summary
Preterm birth is the leading cause of death among newborns and the biggest contributor to disability among infants. Here we propose research to define the mechanism that controls the length of pregnancy and is disrupted in preterm birth. Specifically, we will determine what causes the repression of the labour-promoting inflammatory genes in the uterus during pregnancy and what activates them at labour. We will identify new targets for interventions to block or prevent preterm birth.
Infectious And Lifestyle Determinants Of Non-melanoma Skin Cancer.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$983,711.00
Summary
Basal and squamous cell skin cancers are the leading cancers in Australia, with about 2% of the population developing them each year. As well as sun exposure, a number of other factors have been thought to effect these cancers. This study will examine if factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption and infection with certain skin related human papillomaviruses also increase their risk. Even a small effect may make a big difference when it comes to preventing these common cancers.
Role Of Placental Retroviral Protein Syncytin Carried On Exosomes In Mediating Vulnerability Of Pregnant Women To Influenza
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$645,145.00
Summary
50% of the women who died due to swine flu were pregnant. This project will examine if factors produced by the placenta make the pregnant woman more susceptible to influenza.
How The Placental Protein Syncytin Impairs Maternal Immune Responses To Influenza
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$609,862.00
Summary
Pregnant women are known to be highly susceptible to certain viral infections, especially influenza, which results in severe illness and even death. The reason for this transitory susceptibility are unknown. We have found that a protein, Syncytin, has the ability to impair maternal immune responses to influenza We now will determine how it does this and discover potential interventions to reverse these effects.
Perinatal Stress Leads To Neurosteroid Deficits And Adverse Behavioural Outcomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,198,042.00
Summary
This grant will examine the effect of psychosocial stress experienced after birth on the production and regulation of steroid hormones in the brain of newborn animals. The work will investigate how stress changes the levels these brain steroids and sensitivity to them and if these effects are remain into adulthood. The studies will then determine if these changes lead to adolescent behaviour disorders. The effectiveness of steroid therapies in treating these disorders will also be determined.
Training Health Professionals In Tobacco Cessation And Evidence Translation For Aboriginal Australians
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$832,723.00
Summary
Our published pilot investigations have shown that smoking cessation programs among Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Australians are profoundly lacking, with current tobacco prevalence estimates still at 45%. Through a cluster randomised delayed intervention controlled trial design, our proposal includes a opportunistic approach to training existing health professionals in tobacco cessation with a number of methods to reduce tobacco prevalence amongst Indigenous Australians.
Title: ‘Indigenous Counselling And Nicotine (ICAN) QUIT In Pregnancy’ - A Cluster Randomised Trial To Implement Culturally Competent Evidence-based Smoking Cessation For Pregnant Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Smokers
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,259,016.00
Summary
‘ICAN QUIT in Pregnancy’ tackles smoking through training health providers caring for expectant mothers of Indigenous babies in real-world primary care settings. The intervention was co-developed with Aboriginal communities. We will assess how many Indigenous women, cared for by the trained services, quit smoking, compared to the women that receive usual care. We anticipate that babies born to mothers in the intervention group will have less respiratory illness in their first six months.