Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120101006
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Understanding and increasing high school girls' physical activity levels through a physical education-based research program. Currently, less than 15% of early-teenage Australian girls meet exercise recommendations. This project will identify new ways in which physical education can promote physical activity, and will provide practical methods for increasing girls' activity levels, helping to reduce future health risks such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
Development and evaluation of morality curriculum intervention for children in Year 7 to reduce uptake of alcohol and tobacco in high school use. This project builds on previous research that supports the notion that a moral stance against alcohol and tobacco use has a protective effect on uptake of these substances. This study aims to develop morality curriculum components on alcohol and tobacco use for children in Year 7, and to determine the effectiveness of these morality components on preve ....Development and evaluation of morality curriculum intervention for children in Year 7 to reduce uptake of alcohol and tobacco in high school use. This project builds on previous research that supports the notion that a moral stance against alcohol and tobacco use has a protective effect on uptake of these substances. This study aims to develop morality curriculum components on alcohol and tobacco use for children in Year 7, and to determine the effectiveness of these morality components on preventing uptake of alcohol and tobacco use in early secondary school (Years 8 and 9). School-based interventions to date have ignored morality issues in their alcohol and tobacco control interventions. The output of this study will be the development of evidence-based morality curriculum components to enhance the effect of existing school-based interventions on alcohol and tobacco use.Read moreRead less
A mental health "thermometer" to monitor and prevent adverse treatment outcomes and self-harm among psychiatric inpatients. Our project stands to prevent adverse outcomes in psychiatric patients. An estimated 660 000 people are admitted to psychiatric hospitals each year; 99 000 of these people are worse off following treatment (assuming a deterioration rate of 15 per cent). Since monitoring can halve that rate, if this project can halve the deterioration rate again, then 24 750 inpatients acr ....A mental health "thermometer" to monitor and prevent adverse treatment outcomes and self-harm among psychiatric inpatients. Our project stands to prevent adverse outcomes in psychiatric patients. An estimated 660 000 people are admitted to psychiatric hospitals each year; 99 000 of these people are worse off following treatment (assuming a deterioration rate of 15 per cent). Since monitoring can halve that rate, if this project can halve the deterioration rate again, then 24 750 inpatients across the nation would not be worse off after treatment representing an annual saving of nearly $19.2 million per annum and reduce the number of patients who fall into a cycle of admission and readmission. Further, although suicide occurs in less than one per cent of admissions, if this research is able to predict and then reduce the suicide rate by as little as 10 per cent, then 660 lives can be saved each year.Read moreRead less
Public health approach to child abuse and neglect: antecedents, outcomes and international comparisons of trends. Child maltreatment is a significant public health issue. Findings will identify characteristics of at-risk children, families and communities; mental health and juvenile justice outcomes. Findings will be used to develop policy recommendations for intervention and prevention strategies to reduce vulnerability and improve monitoring of maltreatment.
Neuroimaging changes underpinning improvements in cognition in the elderly. Natural supplements are often used to improve brain and cognitive function, however, we do not know how these supplements work in the brain. Using novel brain imaging scans, the project will investigate whether 12-month administration of two promising natural supplements improves brain markers of ageing and cognitive decline in an elderly population.
Developing a disability policy model to target the prevention or reduction of limitations on functioning and wellbeing. With the ageing of Australian society the challenge for public health is shifting from preventing death and disease onset to supporting healthy and productive ageing. The disability policy model will allow cost-effective targeting of interventions to reduce or prevent onset of disability or reduce its severity particularly among older Australians.
Evaluation of a psychological anti-doping intervention for athletes. This project builds on previous research that developed a psychological profile of athletes susceptible to doping. The primary objective is to refine and pilot an intervention involving psycho-educational activities and exercises that can be used to reduce an athlete's susceptibility to doping. Current anti-doping programs focus on knowledge of banned substances, reporting and testing requirements, and penalties for noncomplian ....Evaluation of a psychological anti-doping intervention for athletes. This project builds on previous research that developed a psychological profile of athletes susceptible to doping. The primary objective is to refine and pilot an intervention involving psycho-educational activities and exercises that can be used to reduce an athlete's susceptibility to doping. Current anti-doping programs focus on knowledge of banned substances, reporting and testing requirements, and penalties for noncompliance. These programs ignore psychological variables that may render an athlete susceptible to doping. The successful application of the psychological anti-doping intervention is expected to provide an internationally significant contribution to doping prevention and the social science research on which it is based.Read moreRead less