A community-based approach to the problem of underage drinking. This project will aim to reduce the frequency and amount of alcohol consumption, and alcohol-related harms, among young people aged 12-17 years by addressing social norms regarding underage alcohol consumption. Using a multi-component intervention it will engage the Illawarra community in strategies to encourage and empower young people not to drink.
Changing spaces of HIV prevention: a cultural analysis of transformations in sexual sociability. Australia's response to HIV/AIDS is grounded in a unique engagement between gay community and government. But no cultural account exists of how people become engaged in HIV prevention. This project will address this gap by examining transformations in gay culture over the past 30 years and investigating the connections to HIV prevention.
The nature of alcohol advertising in 'old' and 'new' media and the impact on young people's alcohol-related attitudes, intentions and behaviour. Young people in Australia are exposed to a vast array of alcohol advertising. While television advertising has been widely researched, the effects of internet advertising, social networking, and event-based marketing are largely unknown. This project will examine the impact of different media on teenagers' current and future drinking behaviours.
Risky business: a qualitative investigation into Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) risk and vulnerability among sex workers in three Pacific countries. This interview based research will investigate the sex work and HIV prevention issues in three Pacific countries (Palau, Tonga and Tuvalu). The study will provide evidence needed to develop interventions and services that respond to the local context and circumstances of the sex work order, and guide an effective response in these countries.
An investigation of ethnicity, socio-economic status and social networks as drivers of childhood obesity and body image among children and adolescents. This study addresses the problem of obesity and overweight in children and adolescents in Australia. It aims to build a longitudinal picture of relevant social, behavioural and environmental factors and includes a unique study of the role of social networks in determining and reinforcing understandings and prevalence of obesity and overweight.