Developing an Integrative Active Ageing Model for Policy Makers and Service Providers to Support Older People with Lifelong Intellectual Disability. 'Active ageing' is increasingly gaining international currency and it underpins Australia's national focus on healthy ageing. However, its meaning for older people with intellectual disability, who represent about 0.13% of Australia's older population, is unclear, as little is known about the impact of ageing upon this group. This exciting resear ....Developing an Integrative Active Ageing Model for Policy Makers and Service Providers to Support Older People with Lifelong Intellectual Disability. 'Active ageing' is increasingly gaining international currency and it underpins Australia's national focus on healthy ageing. However, its meaning for older people with intellectual disability, who represent about 0.13% of Australia's older population, is unclear, as little is known about the impact of ageing upon this group. This exciting research project aims to address these knowledge gaps through a series of case studies comprising key stakeholder groups in rural and urban Victoria and Queensland. An Integrative Model of Active Ageing for policy makers and service providers will be developed to facilitate the planning and appropriate distribution of resources for this population. Read moreRead less
The 1-in-4 Poll: Inclusion of people with a disability and carers in social and political deliberative processes. This proposed project will benefit Australia by developing a method that includes ongoing quarterly topical surveys through which people with a disability and their carers, approximately one in four Australians, can effectively participate in social and political processes. It will also test the efficacy of 'influencing activities' that derive from those surveys. Additionally, the pr ....The 1-in-4 Poll: Inclusion of people with a disability and carers in social and political deliberative processes. This proposed project will benefit Australia by developing a method that includes ongoing quarterly topical surveys through which people with a disability and their carers, approximately one in four Australians, can effectively participate in social and political processes. It will also test the efficacy of 'influencing activities' that derive from those surveys. Additionally, the project will establish a data set that will provide regular and reliable information from and about people with a disability in Australia. This is a unique and much needed contribution to social justice within Australia. Read moreRead less
Negotiating Transitions to Retirement. This project will track diverse pathways in work/retirement transitions, by analysing how the present policy mix accommodates shifts in labour markets, demographic shifts and shifts in households and income distributions. Focused on cohorts aged 45 to 64, it firstly analyses national data sets to track the impact of the current policy mix in terms of income security, industrial relations, housing, health, education and training and work/life. Secondly, i ....Negotiating Transitions to Retirement. This project will track diverse pathways in work/retirement transitions, by analysing how the present policy mix accommodates shifts in labour markets, demographic shifts and shifts in households and income distributions. Focused on cohorts aged 45 to 64, it firstly analyses national data sets to track the impact of the current policy mix in terms of income security, industrial relations, housing, health, education and training and work/life. Secondly, it draws on qualitative data to further examine how these transitions are played out. The research will develop a new policy matrix for older workers that addresses risk, social exclusion and social protection.Read moreRead less
Alcohol and tobacco use among lesbian, bisexual and queer identifying women. This project aims to examine practices of alcohol and tobacco use among lesbian, bisexual and queer-identifying (LBQ) women, which are considerably higher compared to heterosexual women. By using an innovative, longitudinal qualitative approach, this project expects to generate new knowledge regarding the cultural and social forces that shape higher rates of alcohol and tobacco use among LBQ women, and to better underst ....Alcohol and tobacco use among lesbian, bisexual and queer identifying women. This project aims to examine practices of alcohol and tobacco use among lesbian, bisexual and queer-identifying (LBQ) women, which are considerably higher compared to heterosexual women. By using an innovative, longitudinal qualitative approach, this project expects to generate new knowledge regarding the cultural and social forces that shape higher rates of alcohol and tobacco use among LBQ women, and to better understand their impacts. It is anticipated that the project will enhance the capacity of health promotion and policy organisations to meet the alcohol management and smoking cessation needs of this population. Findings from this project should help to alleviate health and social inequalities experienced by LBQ women.
Read moreRead less
Reducing health disparities for older LGBTI Australians. Reducing health disparities for older LGBTI Australians. This project aims to optimise health and aged care services throughout Australia, by bringing together researchers and key organisations in the health, aged, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) sectors to build a much-needed evidence base. Older LGBTI Australians have vastly poorer health outcomes than the broader population. This project will provide detaile ....Reducing health disparities for older LGBTI Australians. Reducing health disparities for older LGBTI Australians. This project aims to optimise health and aged care services throughout Australia, by bringing together researchers and key organisations in the health, aged, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) sectors to build a much-needed evidence base. Older LGBTI Australians have vastly poorer health outcomes than the broader population. This project will provide detailed quantitative and qualitative data on the challenges and needs of older LGBTI Australians and service providers, and develop essential resources so policymakers and service providers can reduce older LGBTI Australians’ health disparities.Read moreRead less
Towards safe care and consumer engagement: addressing the complexities of communication processes for managing medications in hospitals. Ineffective communication is the most common cause of medication problems in Australia. This study focuses on how health professionals of various disciplines including medicine, pharmacy and nursing communicate with each other about medications. Integral involvement of consumers and family members will ensure that health and social outcomes are considered from ....Towards safe care and consumer engagement: addressing the complexities of communication processes for managing medications in hospitals. Ineffective communication is the most common cause of medication problems in Australia. This study focuses on how health professionals of various disciplines including medicine, pharmacy and nursing communicate with each other about medications. Integral involvement of consumers and family members will ensure that health and social outcomes are considered from different perspectives, which are therefore likely to be successful. Examination of communication processes will help lead to safe care and consumer involvement. The unique knowledge obtained will inform policies in various clinical settings and identify strategies for better communication. Health professionals and consumers can adopt these strategies to improve medication safety. Read moreRead less
Taking a stand: a case study of culture change addressing violence against women in a major sporting organisation in Australia. This project will provide a focused investigation of settings-based primary prevention of violence against women, a contribution which has been absent thus far in Australian and international scholarship. This project will potentially contribute to improving women's health and wellbeing, and preventing crimes associated with violence against women. It will do this by in ....Taking a stand: a case study of culture change addressing violence against women in a major sporting organisation in Australia. This project will provide a focused investigation of settings-based primary prevention of violence against women, a contribution which has been absent thus far in Australian and international scholarship. This project will potentially contribute to improving women's health and wellbeing, and preventing crimes associated with violence against women. It will do this by informing policy development and identifying principles for good practice in institutional settings. It will also generate knowledge regarding the processes involved in changing attitudes and behaviours to achieve culture change within organisations and the wider community.Read moreRead less
The life-course implications of declining adolescent drinking. The project aims to identify ways to ensure that recent declines in adolescent drinking are maintained and reinforced as these cohorts age into young adulthood. It expects to generate new knowledge on the trajectories of youth drinking into young adulthood. Expected outcomes include new cross-national understandings of the predictors of heavy drinking in adulthood and an updated evidence base for the development of harm prevention po ....The life-course implications of declining adolescent drinking. The project aims to identify ways to ensure that recent declines in adolescent drinking are maintained and reinforced as these cohorts age into young adulthood. It expects to generate new knowledge on the trajectories of youth drinking into young adulthood. Expected outcomes include new cross-national understandings of the predictors of heavy drinking in adulthood and an updated evidence base for the development of harm prevention policies and interventions by governments and NGOs. This should provide significant benefits to Australia via reductions in the negative health and social impacts of heavy drinking for these cohorts across their lives. Read moreRead less
Effective communication and improved patient safety: Addressing the complexities of managing high risk medications in metropolitan and regional hospitals. Current costs of hospital-related incidents are around AU$2 billion per year, and the most common cause of these incidents is ineffective communication. Medication incidents relating to use of high risk medications are particularly critical because of the increased severity of patient outcomes. High risk medications are administered in busy en ....Effective communication and improved patient safety: Addressing the complexities of managing high risk medications in metropolitan and regional hospitals. Current costs of hospital-related incidents are around AU$2 billion per year, and the most common cause of these incidents is ineffective communication. Medication incidents relating to use of high risk medications are particularly critical because of the increased severity of patient outcomes. High risk medications are administered in busy environments, and involve patients who are cared for by many different health professionals in technologically complex settings. These factors increase the likelihood of more medication incidents. The unique knowledge obtained will inform policies and identify strategies for better communication. Health professionals and patients can adopt these strategies to improve medication safety.Read moreRead less
Self Advocacy and Inclusion: What Can be Learned from Speaking Up. Despite substantial effort and the closure of large institutions, research shows that people with intellectual disabilities in Australia remain marginalised in the community. Developments internationally indicate that much can be learned about the links between self advocacy and accomplishing national policy priorities for social inclusion. An independent voice, developing confidence and securing rights, all features of self advo ....Self Advocacy and Inclusion: What Can be Learned from Speaking Up. Despite substantial effort and the closure of large institutions, research shows that people with intellectual disabilities in Australia remain marginalised in the community. Developments internationally indicate that much can be learned about the links between self advocacy and accomplishing national policy priorities for social inclusion. An independent voice, developing confidence and securing rights, all features of self advocacy, have proven potential in securing policy that is 'fit-for-purpose' and building social capital, thus strengthening the social and economic fabric of our communities. Additionally, this project tests the benefit of inclusive research, placing Australia at the forefront of innovative research approaches.Read moreRead less