Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0566924
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$52,825.00
Summary
Develop and pilot an e-cohort research technique for longitudinal studies using multiple international cohorts. The aim of this project is to develop and pilot an e-cohort research methodology suitable for longitudinal studies with multiple international cohorts. Historically, studies of this nature are expensive as they are conducted in traditional paper-based mode and the studies are therefore confined to one country. Population-based epidemiological studies of this type have led to major scie ....Develop and pilot an e-cohort research technique for longitudinal studies using multiple international cohorts. The aim of this project is to develop and pilot an e-cohort research methodology suitable for longitudinal studies with multiple international cohorts. Historically, studies of this nature are expensive as they are conducted in traditional paper-based mode and the studies are therefore confined to one country. Population-based epidemiological studies of this type have led to major scientific advances in global health for the last sixty years. Developing and employing e-research techniques in longitudinal studies will significantly reduce the costs of this important research and enable multi-national cohorts of participants that will result in high quality research.Read moreRead less
Factors associated with the recruitment and retention of the current and future nursing workforce - a longitudinal e-cohort study. The overall effectiveness of the Australian health care system is dependent on a knowledgeable, skilled and viable nursing workforce. Currently there is a critical shortage of qualified nurses actively working in the Australian health care system which limits the capacity of the system to effectively manage an ageing population. The broad aim of this research project ....Factors associated with the recruitment and retention of the current and future nursing workforce - a longitudinal e-cohort study. The overall effectiveness of the Australian health care system is dependent on a knowledgeable, skilled and viable nursing workforce. Currently there is a critical shortage of qualified nurses actively working in the Australian health care system which limits the capacity of the system to effectively manage an ageing population. The broad aim of this research project is to examine factors associated with recruitment and retention of the current and future nursing workforce across metropolitan, regional and rural areas; with a particular focus on work-based injury. In addition, the project will employ smart use of information technology to develop innovative e-cohort techniques.Read moreRead less
Speeding recidivism, crash risk and the impact of penalties and sanctions on speeding behaviour. Road traffic crashes make up one quarter of deaths due to injury (ATSB 2004) with speeding a major contributing factor. It has been estimated that the yearly cost of speed related crashes alone amounts to $1 billion (MUARC 1993). We aim to examine the effect of increased penalty regimes on speeding offenders and its relationship to their traffic and criminal histories. Results will reveal relationshi ....Speeding recidivism, crash risk and the impact of penalties and sanctions on speeding behaviour. Road traffic crashes make up one quarter of deaths due to injury (ATSB 2004) with speeding a major contributing factor. It has been estimated that the yearly cost of speed related crashes alone amounts to $1 billion (MUARC 1993). We aim to examine the effect of increased penalty regimes on speeding offenders and its relationship to their traffic and criminal histories. Results will reveal relationships between high level speeding, speeding recidivism and crash involvement, and to what extent they are associated with other anti-social and illegal behaviour. Based on the results and relevant theory, a model will be developed to inform policymakers on speed prevention education and legislation.Read moreRead less
An Investigation into Suicidal Behaviours by Males during the Process of Marital and De Facto Separation. The project has a likelihood of reducing rates of fatal and non-fatal suicidal behaviour by high-risk groups such as males aged 25 - 44, and growing Australian populations such as the separated/divorced. The anticipated saving of lives, injuries, and mental distress is expected to achieve substantial and sustainable cutback in individual, corporate and public expenditure on mental health, i ....An Investigation into Suicidal Behaviours by Males during the Process of Marital and De Facto Separation. The project has a likelihood of reducing rates of fatal and non-fatal suicidal behaviour by high-risk groups such as males aged 25 - 44, and growing Australian populations such as the separated/divorced. The anticipated saving of lives, injuries, and mental distress is expected to achieve substantial and sustainable cutback in individual, corporate and public expenditure on mental health, injury control and suicide prevention by government, community and corporate agencies. Time and personnel resources utilised by the police, ambulance, coroner, hospital, and insurance departments can be diverted from highly preventable suicides to other areas. Read moreRead less
Epidemiology of pathogens in wildlife populations: significance for conservation, human health and livestock. Recent research shows that pathogens may play a central role in wildlife population dynamics. Emergent disease problems in humans and livestock may result from reservoir infections in wildlife. However, methods to determine the impact of pathogens on populations, as distinct from individuals within populations, are poorly developed, as are models necessary to evaluate alternative control ....Epidemiology of pathogens in wildlife populations: significance for conservation, human health and livestock. Recent research shows that pathogens may play a central role in wildlife population dynamics. Emergent disease problems in humans and livestock may result from reservoir infections in wildlife. However, methods to determine the impact of pathogens on populations, as distinct from individuals within populations, are poorly developed, as are models necessary to evaluate alternative control strategies for pathogens, particularly where reservoir hosts are involved. This project will develop these methods using four case studies: chyridiomycosis in frogs, Hendra virus in bats, Newcastle disease in wild birds and arboviruses in kangaroos and other macropods.Read moreRead less
Improving the measurement and surveillance of child abuse in Queensland. Estimates of the prevalence of child abuse suggest 10-20% of children are affected, with financial costs to the community around $5 billion annually, and extensive health and social consequences. Despite these enormous costs, research into risk factors and prevalence of child abuse has been hampered by poorly validated statistics. The use of routine hospital data for the identification of child abuse cases offers an effici ....Improving the measurement and surveillance of child abuse in Queensland. Estimates of the prevalence of child abuse suggest 10-20% of children are affected, with financial costs to the community around $5 billion annually, and extensive health and social consequences. Despite these enormous costs, research into risk factors and prevalence of child abuse has been hampered by poorly validated statistics. The use of routine hospital data for the identification of child abuse cases offers an efficient nationally standardised data source to improve the precision of child protection departmental responses through routine monitoring and audits of linked health and child protection data. Improvement of data will inform identification, intervention and prevention strategies.Read moreRead less
Epidemiology and pathogenesis of chytridiomycosis in Australian frogs. Strong evidence exists that chytridiomycosis is an introduced disease of amphibians that has caused mass mortality resulting in amphibian population declines and extinctions. Epidemiologic studies will include i) field and experimental studies to determine mortality rates, transmission rates, differences in species susceptibility, and persistence of the pathogen as a saprobe, and ii) molecular epidemiology of fungal strains t ....Epidemiology and pathogenesis of chytridiomycosis in Australian frogs. Strong evidence exists that chytridiomycosis is an introduced disease of amphibians that has caused mass mortality resulting in amphibian population declines and extinctions. Epidemiologic studies will include i) field and experimental studies to determine mortality rates, transmission rates, differences in species susceptibility, and persistence of the pathogen as a saprobe, and ii) molecular epidemiology of fungal strains to examine spread and origin. Pathogenicity studies will be aimed at how chytridiomycosis causes death in frogs. The results will be significant for the conservation of amphibians worldwide and in improving our understanding of diseases in free-living animals.Read moreRead less
Disease in endangered species: The importance of multiple-host infection and spatial structure. Pathogens are increasingly recognised as threats to endangered species. Managing such threats requires models to assess alternative strategies. Most current models deal with a single host and single pathogen, without spatial structure, although multiple-host pathogens pose the greatest conservation threats. This project develops a new generation of spatially-structured multiple-host models, and applie ....Disease in endangered species: The importance of multiple-host infection and spatial structure. Pathogens are increasingly recognised as threats to endangered species. Managing such threats requires models to assess alternative strategies. Most current models deal with a single host and single pathogen, without spatial structure, although multiple-host pathogens pose the greatest conservation threats. This project develops a new generation of spatially-structured multiple-host models, and applies them to two case studies. The first is the chytrid fungus that is thought to have lead to widespread declines and extinctions of frogs in Australia and overseas. The second is birdpox and malaria that have led to the extinction and endangerment of much of Hawaii's endemic avifauna.Read moreRead less
Predicting Malaria and Other Vector-borne Disease Risk Using Eco-epidemiological Models. The project will benefit the nation by safeguarding public health through modelling and assessing the risk of malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases such as Ross River virus and Dengue. Direct benefits will include reduced or managed risk of these mosquito-borne diseases along with a more efficient allocation of public health resources. Direct and indirect benefits will also flow to Indonesia by reducin ....Predicting Malaria and Other Vector-borne Disease Risk Using Eco-epidemiological Models. The project will benefit the nation by safeguarding public health through modelling and assessing the risk of malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases such as Ross River virus and Dengue. Direct benefits will include reduced or managed risk of these mosquito-borne diseases along with a more efficient allocation of public health resources. Direct and indirect benefits will also flow to Indonesia by reducing death and illness associated with malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases. This project will further the international collaboration already begun with Indonesia and has the potential to extend into other South-East Asian countries. Read moreRead less