Bushfire smoke and the relationship between human and landscape health. A team of landscape ecologists, environmental chemists and public health specialists will determine the ecological causes and adverse health effects of different levels of bushfire smoke in Darwin. Darwin is an ideal setting for this research because the only source of air pollution is the high incidence of controlled and uncontrolled bushfires during the dry season causing variable air quality: a preliminary study found a ....Bushfire smoke and the relationship between human and landscape health. A team of landscape ecologists, environmental chemists and public health specialists will determine the ecological causes and adverse health effects of different levels of bushfire smoke in Darwin. Darwin is an ideal setting for this research because the only source of air pollution is the high incidence of controlled and uncontrolled bushfires during the dry season causing variable air quality: a preliminary study found a link between smoke pollution levels and asthma. The findings of the proposed research will contribute to improved fire management practices to reduce injurious smoke pollution events and contribute to setting appropriate national air quality standards.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100825
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$336,128.00
Summary
Evaluating interventions to prevent serious road traffic crashes. This project aims to advance knowledge on the prevention of road traffic crashes that result in serious injury or death. Road traffic injuries are the second leading cause of hospitalised injury and injury-related deaths in Australia, and are estimated to cost the economy $27 billion annually. This project will establish a data collection system that will evaluate existing and novel countermeasures to serious road traffic crashes. ....Evaluating interventions to prevent serious road traffic crashes. This project aims to advance knowledge on the prevention of road traffic crashes that result in serious injury or death. Road traffic injuries are the second leading cause of hospitalised injury and injury-related deaths in Australia, and are estimated to cost the economy $27 billion annually. This project will establish a data collection system that will evaluate existing and novel countermeasures to serious road traffic crashes. The outcome of this project will inform road safety policies and cost-effective countermeasures. Insights from the project can contribute to road safety improvements in Australia and a substantial reduction in the burden of fatal and non-fatal road traffic injury.Read moreRead less
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
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
Risk assessment for environmental health in Adelaide based on weather, air pollution and population health outcomes. This is the first systematic assessment of the effect of climate variation and air pollution on population health in an Australian temperate region. It is one of the ARC's research priorities (PG 7: Responding to climate change and variability). The results will provide a more complete picture of association among air pollution, climate variability and population health in Austral ....Risk assessment for environmental health in Adelaide based on weather, air pollution and population health outcomes. This is the first systematic assessment of the effect of climate variation and air pollution on population health in an Australian temperate region. It is one of the ARC's research priorities (PG 7: Responding to climate change and variability). The results will provide a more complete picture of association among air pollution, climate variability and population health in Australia. They will also provide important information to policy-makers and communities for their relevant actions, including changes in resource management systems and the operation of these systems, a range of socioeconomic actions, infrastructure establishment, disaster prevention and emergency events response regulation, and health education and promotion campaigns.Read moreRead less
Optimising the Utility of Injury Surveillance Systems for Injury Prevention in Active Populations. Promotion of physical activity is a key national health priority and a major focus for the Australian Defence Force to achieve and maintain operational fitness. Unfortunately, these goals are associated with the negative effects of increased injury occurrence and substantial related costs. Civilian and military injury surveillance systems inform injury prevention priorities and interventions but re ....Optimising the Utility of Injury Surveillance Systems for Injury Prevention in Active Populations. Promotion of physical activity is a key national health priority and a major focus for the Australian Defence Force to achieve and maintain operational fitness. Unfortunately, these goals are associated with the negative effects of increased injury occurrence and substantial related costs. Civilian and military injury surveillance systems inform injury prevention priorities and interventions but research is required to maximise their performance and utility. The project aims to 1) determine the extent to which current systems meet user requirements 2) assess utility and reliability of these systems specifically for active populations and 3) develop recommendations for future systems development and improved user application.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
Markers Of Androgen Action, Genetic Variation And Prostate Cancer Risk
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$798,907.00
Summary
This proposal aim to follow up evidence from a number of studies that genetic and non-genetic markers of hormonal action in different periods of a man's life are associated with prostate cancer risk using a collection of three large, independent epidemiologic studies on prostate cancer named the Prostate Cancer Program. A principal objective is to collect exposure data on acne and digit ratio, and genotype cases and controls across the studies of the Prostate Cancer Program for common genetic va ....This proposal aim to follow up evidence from a number of studies that genetic and non-genetic markers of hormonal action in different periods of a man's life are associated with prostate cancer risk using a collection of three large, independent epidemiologic studies on prostate cancer named the Prostate Cancer Program. A principal objective is to collect exposure data on acne and digit ratio, and genotype cases and controls across the studies of the Prostate Cancer Program for common genetic variants in 4 candidate genes in the hormonal pathway. The established risk factors for prostate cancer are only age, race and family history. We anticipate that this project will cast light on the role of hormones in prostate cancer and that we will identify new markers of risk of prostate cancer and markers of disease aggressiveness. These outcomes will help us identifying men who are at risk for prostate cancer to target screening and surveillance, and plan prevention strategies. Furthermore, they will also form the basis for research on treatment targets.Read moreRead less
Architectural glass related injury: implications for improving public safety. The immediate benefit of the project is information for government, the building and furniture industries, regulators, and the community to underpin interventions to prevent architectural and furniture glass injury. A major longer term benefit is to provide the crucial injury and glass data for future conduct of the other two phases of the planned research program, namely, glass performance testing and simulated human- ....Architectural glass related injury: implications for improving public safety. The immediate benefit of the project is information for government, the building and furniture industries, regulators, and the community to underpin interventions to prevent architectural and furniture glass injury. A major longer term benefit is to provide the crucial injury and glass data for future conduct of the other two phases of the planned research program, namely, glass performance testing and simulated human-glass impact studies. These future studies will provide the scientific evidence for review of the Standards for architectural glass for application to the building, design and construction industry to increase safety for the Australian community. Read moreRead less
Modelling and control of mosquito-borne diseases in Darwin using long-term monitoring. Management of mosquito populations is a high public health priority because these insects can spread diseases such as malaria, dengue, Ross River virus, Barmah Forest virus, Murray Valley encephalitis, Japanese encephalitis and Kunjin/West Nile virus. Our research into the effectiveness of mosquito control programs in Darwin is of immediate national relevance and priority given the need to Safeguard Australia ....Modelling and control of mosquito-borne diseases in Darwin using long-term monitoring. Management of mosquito populations is a high public health priority because these insects can spread diseases such as malaria, dengue, Ross River virus, Barmah Forest virus, Murray Valley encephalitis, Japanese encephalitis and Kunjin/West Nile virus. Our research into the effectiveness of mosquito control programs in Darwin is of immediate national relevance and priority given the need to Safeguard Australia from invasive diseases. There is an urgency to undertake our research because global environmental change and increasing movements of people (particularly military personnel) from overseas regions where these diseases are endemic is increasing the vulnerability of northern Australia to the (re)establishment of mosquito borne diseases.Read moreRead less