20 Year Study Of Skin Cancer In A Queensland Community
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$396,415.00
Summary
Skin cancers are by far the commonest cancers diagnosed in Australia. Even though it is known that sun exposure in excess causes skin cancers there are complexities about the causes, especially of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) -the major type of skin cancer- that are still not understood. Relative intensity of sun exposure and perhaps its timing with respect to age in life may well be critical factors. We aim to study these causes in very great detail by collating information that has been gathered ....Skin cancers are by far the commonest cancers diagnosed in Australia. Even though it is known that sun exposure in excess causes skin cancers there are complexities about the causes, especially of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) -the major type of skin cancer- that are still not understood. Relative intensity of sun exposure and perhaps its timing with respect to age in life may well be critical factors. We aim to study these causes in very great detail by collating information that has been gathered over a 20 year period in a community-based skin cancer study in Nambour, Qld as well as performing some laboratory tests on skin cancer tissue collected from participants. This 3-year project will enable the full realisation of the potential of this esource-20 years in the making- with its wealth of information for answering questions about skin cancer decelopment and preventability. It should finally provide us with a clearer rationale for 'prevention of skin cancer' than is currently available. In addition we shall assess the costs of treatment of skin cancer in general and for the individual, and how much preventive practices for skin cancer might save the health budget, by using the releavnt data collected from this community sample.Read moreRead less
Development Of Quality Indicators For The Frail Elderly In Acute Care
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$372,311.00
Summary
Frail older people are particularly vulnerable to a range of mishaps while in hospital. Good care can reduce the frequency and extent of these problems. Quality indicators (QIs) assist hospitals, and clinical service units within them, to appraise their performance, and to compare it to other hospitals. QIs for the measurement of outcomes for the frail aged in the acute care setting do not exist in Australia or overseas. We aim to develop these indicators during this study.
Geelong Osteoporosis Study: Fracture Risk Prediction Based On Twenty Years Of Prospective Data.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,107,758.00
Summary
In this population-based study we will generate evidence, both environmental and genetic, for defining fracture risk in Australian men and women. This will help identify individuals likely to sustain fragility fractures so that suitable therapies can be recommended. The data will be useful for developing prognostic models in both a clinical setting and for genetic screening programmes.
Predictors And Correlates Of Health-related Quality Of Life And Morbidity In Overweight/obese Adolescents: Cohort Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$512,525.00
Summary
There is now no doubting the size and long-term risks to health of the childhood obesity epidemic. However, very little research has examined at population level its immediate consequences for mental health and physical functioning, what pathways confer risk and protection for these consequences, and their likely healthcare consequences. This study will utilise an existing cohort of approximately 1500 Victorian adolescents followed since childhood to examine neglected aspects of the genesis and ....There is now no doubting the size and long-term risks to health of the childhood obesity epidemic. However, very little research has examined at population level its immediate consequences for mental health and physical functioning, what pathways confer risk and protection for these consequences, and their likely healthcare consequences. This study will utilise an existing cohort of approximately 1500 Victorian adolescents followed since childhood to examine neglected aspects of the genesis and impacts of overweight and obesity. The Health of Young Victorians Study was originally assembled in 1997 when the children were in Grades Prep-3. In addition to information on putative risk and protective factors for overweight-obesity and direct measures of height and weight, it is unique in having collected data on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) since children were first recruited during the early primary school years. Eight years after the first wave, the children will be adolescents in Grades 8-11. This third wave will retain a focus on HRQoL. Innovations include study of potential emotional, behavioural and physical consequences of childhood obesity that may in turn affect the natural history of obesity. This large, population-based longitudinal study will redress neglected aspects of child and adolescent overweight-obesity specifically identified in 2003 by the NH and MRC. As well as establishing whether a range of common problems are related to overweight-obesity, it will be able to shed light on mechanisms of adverse outcomes associated with adolescent overweight-obesity, and study protective factors predicting remitting overweight from childhood to adolescence that may inform preventive activities. The study will make an international contribution to knowledge about pathways, prevalence and preventive opportunities for child and adolescent overweight-obesity.Read moreRead less
Functional Contribution Of Fetal Microchimeric Cells In Transgenic Models Of Maternal Tissue Repair In And After Pregnancy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$542,462.00
Summary
Fetal stem cells cross into the mother during pregnancy and persist lifelong in her tissues. To determine whether helpful or harmful, we will study how these cells contribute to healing both after acute injury and in chronic genetic models like brittle-bone disease and muscular dystrophy. This research will inform long-term consequences of pregnancy, important for women's health and longevity, and help develop a promising form of stem cell therapy.
Helping Women Meet Their Activity Goals: Randomised Trial Of A Personalised Program Delivered By Mobile Telephone
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$493,346.00
Summary
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in Australian women, but is less likely among women who are active. Because women are less active than men, and women with young children are the least active of all, we developed a program to increase postnatal women's physical activity. Women in the pilot study reported high program satisfaction and more physical activity, because the program focused on them (not their kids) and helped them prioritise time for physical activity.
Identifying Long-range Regulatory Elements Of The Breast Cancer Susceptibility Gene, BRCA1
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$612,842.00
Summary
BRCA1 is a breast cancer susceptibility gene implicated in both familial and sporadic breast cancers. The mechanisms controlling BRCA1 expression are poorly understood. We will identify DNA sequences critical for regulation of the BRCA1 gene. We hypothesise that these regions are mutational hot spots conferring an increased breast cancer risk. A better understanding of the pathways responsible for promoting BRCA1-associated breast cancer will provide important diagnostic and treatment targets.
Improving Outcomes Of Preschool Language Delay In The Community: Randomised Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$927,327.00
Summary
7-15% of preschool children have language delay, so are vulnerable to poor lifelong academic, social and economic outcomes. Small trials suggest that intervention helps. This randomized trial aims to find out the population costs and benefits of optimized intervention for 4 year olds following systematic identification of language delay. Because we have studied the 1500 participants since infancy, the trial could also shed light on why some children respond better than others to treatment.
Comparison Of Cognitive-behavioural Treatments For Children With PTSD Following An Accidental Injury: A Multi-site RCT.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$359,111.00
Summary
Children who experience a traumatic event are at increased risk of developing Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite the significant consequences, and the poor prognosis of this disorder, few evaluations of interventions for PTSD in children exist. This project will compare two active treatments (child vs. family-focused cognitive behaviour therapy) for children experiencing PTSD following an accidental injury (the most common category of traumatic events experienced by children).
Understanding The Acute And Cumulative Metabolic Effects Of Prolonged Sitting In Adults
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$416,597.00
Summary
Sedentary behaviour (sitting time) has been linked to an increased risk of chronic illnesses, including type 2 diabetes and obesity, but recent evidence suggests that light-intensity activity (non-exercise activities of daily living) is associated with reduced risk. These studies will examine whether breaking up sitting time with frequent short periods of activity can overcome the negative effects of prolonged sitting on blood glucose and blood fats in overweight older adults.