Active Team – Examining An Online Social Networking Intervention To Increase Physical Activity In Controlled (RCT) And Ecological (ET) Settings
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$814,041.00
Summary
Lifestyle diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes, are key health problems facing Australia. Effective, low-cost, mass-reach physical activity interventions are urgently needed. This project uses online social networks to deliver an innovative physical activity intervention. This project will determine how effective the software is in changing people’s lifestyle over 12 months, and whether viral marketing techniques can be used to disseminate the program on a mass scale.
Social Media To Enhance Indigenous Tobacco Control
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$922,680.00
Summary
Smoking prevalence among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is more than twice as high as the overall Australian population, and smoking is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity of Indigenous Australians. Accelerating the decline in smoking prevalence is an urgent priority to Close The Gap in health outcomes. The aim of this project is to understand how social media can be harnessed to enhance the impact of proven tobacco control strategies among Indigenous Australians.
Drugs On The Darknet: Assessing The Global Health Risks Of A Rapidly Expanding Market
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$399,692.00
Summary
Cryptomarkets facilitate the trade of illicit drugs in online environments using anonymising networks and virtual currencies. This project will identify and characterise the net health outcomes of drug cryptomarkets, using anonymous self-report data, archival monitoring and forensic profiling. Without this kind of research, health services and policy makers will be ill-equipped to respond effectively to the expansion of drug cryptomarkets.
Suicide Prevention In Schools: A Social Connectedness Approach
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$825,989.00
Summary
Suicide is the leading cause of death in Australians aged 15-24 years. This project will investigate the effectiveness of an intervention to promote help-seeking for suicidal behaviours in adolescence. Taking a whole school approach, peer leaders in 16 Australian high schools will receive training in the Sources of Strength program. The primary aim of the project is to determine whether peer leadership training and messaging improves help-seeking attitudes, intentions and behaviour for suicide.
Using Collaboration Networks To Measure Bias And Inefficiency In The Production And Translation Of Evidence About Cardiovascular Risk
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$219,806.00
Summary
Doctors rely on clinical trials comparing the safety and efficacy of cardiovascular treatments but are often unable to find or trust the information they seek because of problems in evidence translation. This project will examine the networks of collaboration amongst researchers and their research to identify the source of these problems. The research will be used to identify where to intervene in the process, in turn helping doctors to make safe and cost-effective decisions for their patients.
Psychosocial Predictors Of Developing Breast Cancer In Women From High Risk Breast Cancer Families
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,109,214.00
Summary
Over the past 20 years, studies have highlighted the possible roles of stressful life events and distress, possibly mediated by social support and personality, in causing or speeding up the development of breast cancer. This possibility is of strong concern to consumers. To date, there have been few well designed, prospective studies of this issue. Furthermore, no previous studies have specifically targeted women at increased risk because of their family history. In recent years, it has become p ....Over the past 20 years, studies have highlighted the possible roles of stressful life events and distress, possibly mediated by social support and personality, in causing or speeding up the development of breast cancer. This possibility is of strong concern to consumers. To date, there have been few well designed, prospective studies of this issue. Furthermore, no previous studies have specifically targeted women at increased risk because of their family history. In recent years, it has become possible to identify 2 breast cancer genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2). Female carriers of mutations in these genes with a strong family history have an estimated lifetime risk of between 35% and 85%. The Kathleen Cuningham Consortium for Research into Familial Breast Cancer (kConFab) was established 11 years ago to coordinate the collection of genetic, epidemiological and clinical data in Australian and New Zealand families with a dominantly inherited predisposition to breast cancer. Due to the high rate of breast cancer diagnoses in this group, and the systematic recruitment of large numbers of high risk women by kConFab, there is a unique and temporary opportunity to conduct a rigorous study to resolve this question, with sufficient numbers involved. The study is a world first, and will provide the best data to date in this area. If the study demonstrates a relationship between psychosocial factors and the development of breast cancer in women from high risk breast cancer families, subsequent identification of vulnerable individuals and the implementation of appropriate interventions may have a real impact on reducing morbidity and mortality in this population. Furthermore, the results may have implications for all women in reducing breast cancer incidence.Read moreRead less
Using Genomics To Understand And Interrupt Transmission Of Sexually Transmitted Pathogens In Australia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$798,714.00
Summary
Prevention and control of STIs in the 21st century requires timely, effective and high-resolution investigations which may be provided by genomic technologies. Building on existing datasets and expertise, we will provide a blueprint for genomics-based tracking of bacterial STIs in Australia, including the translation of this information to effect novel targeted public health actions, including screening, monitoring for outbreaks, and focused interventions to enhance control.
The CRISP Trial: An RCT Of Risk Assessment And Decision Support To Implement Risk-stratified Colorectal Cancer Screening In Primary Care.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$936,641.00
Summary
There is a mismatch between people’s use of bowel cancer screening tests through faecal occult blood testing or colonoscopy and their individual risk of bowel cancer. Building on the work of our NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence (CRE) on Optimising Colorectal Cancer Screening, this trial will test the effect of an electronic risk assessment tool, implemented in general practice, on use of the most appropriate screening test for bowel cancer based on a person’s risk of developing the condition
Improving Global Tuberculosis Control With The AuTuMN Platform
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$655,059.00
Summary
Tuberculosis (TB) is the world’s leading infectious killer, with the failure of global control responsible for the vast majority of Australia’s cases. Using our robustly developed software platform, we have performed several country-level studies to predict the future burden of disease and compare the impact of alternative responses to controlling the epidemic. In this project, we will extend our platform to perform simulations at the global level and answer key questions in TB control.
Improving Communication Outcomes For Migrant Cancer Patients
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$609,493.00
Summary
INFORM is a research project designed to improve services available for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) cancer patients. To achieve this, we are developing a communication aid intervention, which involves audio-recording key patient hospital consultations and Question Prompt List (QPL). The purpose of this communication aid package will be to improve patient health information knowledge, and communication with their healthcare team.