Mortality, Morbidity And Income Inequality In Australia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$232,175.00
Summary
Evidence has been accumulating for some time indicates that an individual's life expectancy is affected by their socioeconomic circumstances. In general, it appears that people with higher incomes tend to live longer. More recently, some evidence has suggested that life expectancy is affected not only by a person's income level but also by their relative position in the income distribution. Some studies have found that, when income is more unequally distributed, mortality rates tend to be higher ....Evidence has been accumulating for some time indicates that an individual's life expectancy is affected by their socioeconomic circumstances. In general, it appears that people with higher incomes tend to live longer. More recently, some evidence has suggested that life expectancy is affected not only by a person's income level but also by their relative position in the income distribution. Some studies have found that, when income is more unequally distributed, mortality rates tend to be higher and life expectancy lower. Several explanations for this association have been advanced. One is that the association is a statistical artifact. Another is social-psychological, arguing that a sense of relative deprivation and social exclusion increases susceptibility to a variety of conditions. A third explanation is couched in terms of social capital, a term that refers to various forms of participation in voluntary organisations which strengthen community life. A fourth argues that it is material deprivation that is the underlying cause - income inequality is found in communities characterised by lower levels of provision of social infrastructure such as schools, libraries, and health services. The main purpose of this research project is to investigate the association between morbidity, mortality, income, and income inequality in Australia. The project will attempt to find which of the several explanations just discussed are supported by Australian evidence. The results of the project will enhance our understanding of the relationship between socioeconomic status and health, and will have implications for the design of different policies aimed at ameliorating the effects of income inequality on health.Read moreRead less
Improving Long-term Weight Loss By Deactivating The Famine Reaction With Molecular Or Lifestyle Means
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$420,872.00
Summary
Dr Amanda Sainsbury-Salis’ research will clarify which hormones and natural brain chemicals interact in the hypothalamus of the brain to control the famine reaction, the survival mechanism that slows your weight loss when you are on a diet. By knowing precisely which natural chemicals mediate the famine reaction and how they interact, it will be possible to weaken them by pharmaceutical and - or lifestyle means, thereby enabling more people to reap the benefits of being lean and healthy.
Continuation Of The Darwin Prospective Melioidosis Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$567,976.00
Summary
Melioidosis is an important infection in northern Australia. It is a common cause of fatal pneumonia and blood infection in the region. This project builds on the existing melioidosis collaboration between researchers in northern Australia and overseas. The aim is to use new DNA fingerprinting methods developed specifically for the melioidosis bacteria to understand better why melioidosis can be such a severe disease and how it spreads from the environment to humans and animals and also how it h ....Melioidosis is an important infection in northern Australia. It is a common cause of fatal pneumonia and blood infection in the region. This project builds on the existing melioidosis collaboration between researchers in northern Australia and overseas. The aim is to use new DNA fingerprinting methods developed specifically for the melioidosis bacteria to understand better why melioidosis can be such a severe disease and how it spreads from the environment to humans and animals and also how it has possibly spread within Australia and overseas. Our studies in the Darwin rural region have found an alarmingly high rate of contamination of bore water with the melioidosis bacteria. We need to evaluate further the magnitude and public health implications of this contamination. Better recognition and treatment of melioidosis has resulted in a halving of the death rate from this disease in northern Australia (mortality decreased from 40%-15%). This study also aims to develop and test a new DNA detection system for rapid diagnosis of melioidosis. This will enable even earlier intervention with treatment specific for melioidosis which will hopefully decrease the mortality further.Read moreRead less
Molecular Epidemiology Of Melioidosis In Australia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$357,875.00
Summary
Melioidosis is an important infection in northern Australia. It is a common cause of fatal pneumonia and blood infection in the region. Two outbreaks of melioidosis with fatalities occurring in remote Aboriginal communities have been linked to contamination of the community water supply with the melioidosis bacteria, Burkholderia pseudomallei. In addition, a rare form of melioidosis affecting the brain and spinal cord has resulted in a number of deaths in healthy Aboriginal people and also a num ....Melioidosis is an important infection in northern Australia. It is a common cause of fatal pneumonia and blood infection in the region. Two outbreaks of melioidosis with fatalities occurring in remote Aboriginal communities have been linked to contamination of the community water supply with the melioidosis bacteria, Burkholderia pseudomallei. In addition, a rare form of melioidosis affecting the brain and spinal cord has resulted in a number of deaths in healthy Aboriginal people and also a number left living in remote communities with severe disabilities such as complete paralysis of both legs. Melioidosis has also been identified in two outbreaks occurring over many years in separate locations in southern Australia. It is thought that it may have been introduced to these regions by imported animals, eg via cattle drives, and human fatalities have occurred after local flooding in these temperate locations. This project is built on the ongoing melioidosis collaboration between researchers in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland. The aim is to use new DNA fingerprinting methods developed specifically for the melioidosis bacteria to understand better why melioidosis can be such a severe disease and how it spreads from the environment to humans and animals and also how it has possibly spread within Australia and overseas. Better recognition and treatment of melioidosis has resulted in a halving of the death rate from this disease in northern Australia (mortality decreased from 40%-18%). This study aims to give us a better understanding of how this soil and water bacteria interacts with humans to cause such severe disease and will hopefully result in new primary preventative measures to complement the improved diagnosis and treatment.Read moreRead less