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
LIFEPATH: Life-course Biological Pathways Underlying Social Differences In Healthy Ageing
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$470,466.00
Summary
Healthy ageing varies across society due to environmental, behavioural and social circumstances that affect peoples’ lives. To improve our ability to change this we will investigate suspected biological mechanisms over the life course. Using repeated blood samples collected during a large prospective study, we will measure a very large number of biological markers and analyse these combined with lifestyle and behavioural information to identify the modifiable predictors of healthy ageing.
Assessing The Impact Of Geographical Location And Socioeconomics On Clinical Outcomes From Breast Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$317,485.00
Summary
Inequalities in survival from and treatment for breast cancer continue to exist in Australia, particularly for women from rural and remote areas, and for disadvantaged populations. Currently, we do not know to what extent these inequalities are due to individual characteristics or to the area in which a women lives. By understanding how these factors impact on clinical outcomes, we enable us to better target health programs, policy and practice to reduce the burden of cancer.
Identifying And Prioritising Points For Intervention To Reduce Cardiovascular Disease Inequalities In Australia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$550,669.00
Summary
This project investigates inequalities in cardiovascular disease risk, incidence, healthcare and outcomes, focussing on socio-economic status, rurality, mental health and Aboriginality. It will work with partner organisations and use a range of data sources - including representative population data, clinical datasets, large scale linked data and qualitative data - to better understand variation in cardiovascular disease, to reduce inequalities and improve outcomes.
The Impact Of Infections, Anaemia, And Micronutrient Deficiencies On Infant Birth Weight And Growth
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$83,613.00
Summary
This research aims to determine the impact of infectious diseases, anemia and nutritional deficiencies on low birth weight and infant growth in rural Papua New Guinea. The health of pregnant women and their babies will be assessed during pregnancy and up to 12 months post birth. We will determine which health indicators cause low birth weight and poor infant growth to enable development of interventions to improve health and pregnancy outcomes.
Disparities In Care And Outcome For People With Lung Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$74,047.00
Summary
This thesis will investigate disparities in lung cancer care and outcomes, provide an overview of lung cancer disparities in NSW and seek to identify and assess an intervention to reduce lung cancer disparities. This will involve a systematic review of cancer disparity measures, empirical research to investigate patterns and predictors of disparity. Mixed methods will be used to investigate observed disparities and identify interventions to improve cancer care and outcomes in vulnerable groups.
Quantifying And Understanding Spatial Inequalities In Cancer Outcomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$443,946.00
Summary
Outcomes for people with cancer depend on where they live; typically poorer in rural and socio-economically disadvantaged areas. However we know very little about why these inequalities exist. My proposed program of research develops and applies emerging statistical and spatial techniques to a unique set of registry and research data to examine the contribution of various individual- and area-level factors to cancer outcomes; increasing our capacity to intervene to reduce these inequalities.
Founders and survivors: Australian lifecourses in historical context. This project will create one of the world's outstanding longitudinal studies of human health and resilience. It will contribute to the historical understanding of European migration, settler colonialism, forced labour and human health under stress, long-run family formation and falling fertility, household economy, and the social determinants of health. It will contribute to debate both nationally and internationally on the lo ....Founders and survivors: Australian lifecourses in historical context. This project will create one of the world's outstanding longitudinal studies of human health and resilience. It will contribute to the historical understanding of European migration, settler colonialism, forced labour and human health under stress, long-run family formation and falling fertility, household economy, and the social determinants of health. It will contribute to debate both nationally and internationally on the long-run effects of social and biomedical interventions and of investment in human capital. It will tell the grassroots history of the Australian penal and colonial experiments and it will form a scholarly coalition with the great community of family historians. Read moreRead less