Increasing Uptake Of Evidence-based Management Of Unhealthy Alcohol Use In Aboriginal Primary Health Care Services
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,252,322.00
Summary
Because of ongoing trauma, stress and disadvantage, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) Australians face a greater risk of unhealthy drinking patterns and related harms than other Australians. Yet there is a shortage of specialist alcohol treatment services. This study examines an approach to supporting primary care services which target Indigenous Australians to identify and implement the best possible standard of diagnosis and treatment for unhealthy alcohol use.
Parental Supply Of Alcohol To Children: Associations With Early Adult Health – “binge” Drinking, Alcohol-related Harms, Aggression, And Alcohol Use Disorders
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,143,477.00
Summary
We will investigate of the impacts of parental supply of alcohol between 13-18 years, on early adult alcohol use (19-23 years). We will follow an existing cohort of ~1,810 parent-child dyads, and assess the development of alcohol use, disorders, harms and aggression. We will investigate the impacts of: parental supply of sips vs drinks; supervised vs unsupervised supply; and modifying effects of contexts of supply and mediators (such as peer, child factors, etc.) controlling for confounders.
Does Obesity Have The Characteristics Of Addiction?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$430,832.00
Summary
The number of overweight or obese people in Australia has increased dramatically in recent years, increasing disease risk. The brain responds to palatable food in ways similar to the response to drugs of addiction, and this may explain why people find it hard to resist palatable food. Our work will explore whether obesity in rats has the characteristics of addiction by examining bingeing, craving, withdrawal and brain circuits in animals chronically exposed to palatable food.
Rates, Patterns And Determinants Of Alcohol’s Harm To Others: A Cross-national Comparative Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$305,856.00
Summary
Alcohol causes harms to drinkers, and others around them, including spouses, children, family, friends, workmates and strangers. Australian and New Zealand work on alcohol’s harm to others is being replicated by the WHO in 7 countries (Chile, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam). We aim to analyse datasets from nine countries and compare the magnitude and patterning of problems across and within cultures – identifying opportunities for reducing harm from others’ drinking.
Healthy, Wealthy And Wise: The Long-term Effectiveness Of An Online Universal Program To Prevent Substance Use And Mental Health Problems Among Australian Youth
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,472,709.00
Summary
The proposed study represents a unique opportunity to build on the NHMRC funded Climate Schools Combined (CSC) study, a world-first trial of a combined, internet-delivered school-based approach to preventing substance use, anxiety and depression. Having successfully implemented this trial and followed these students for 3 years, we propose to extend follow-up of this large trial cohort over the critical transition from secondary school into early adulthood.
Randomised Double-blind Placebo-controlled Study Of Lisdexamfetamine For The Treatment Of Methamphetamine Dependence
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,303,735.00
Summary
Addiction to methamphetamines (‘ice’) is a growing community problem linked to serious disease and death. Current counselling approaches have limited success on their own, and more effective treatments linked to medications are needed. Lisdexamfetamine is a newly licenced stimulant medication with great promise in treating these patients. This trial will examine whether lisdexamfetamine (with counselling) safely reduces methamphetamine use and improves health and wellbeing among heavy users.
An RCT Of Cannabinoid Replacement Therapy (Sativex®) For The Management Of Treatment-resistant Cannabis Dependent Patients
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$788,133.00
Summary
This project is the first-ever outpatient RCT to test if the pharmaceutical cannabinoid Sativex can safely and cost-effectively deliver better treatment outcomes for patients seeking treatment for chronic cannabis dependence. Sativex is a mouth spray with equal parts THC and cannabidiol, and appears to have a safer pharmacological profile than illicit cannabis or synthetic THC alone. Thus Sativex may lead to lower rates of psychiatric adverse events and increased cannabis abstinence rates.
Pathways To Prevention: The Effectiveness Of Universal And Selective Prevention In Altering Developmental Pathways To Alcohol And Cannabis Related Harms In Young Adults
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$465,967.00
Summary
This project will assess the potential long-term benefits for young Australians of two school-based drug prevention programs (Climate Schools and Preventure) compared to drug education as usual. This world-first study will inform national and international policy by evaluating whether prevention programs delivered in Year 8 are effective in reducing alcohol and cannabis related harms, including risk of aggression and violence, over the high risk period during young adulthood (ages 18-20).
The Sexual Health And Attitudes Of Australian Prisoners
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,605,706.00
Summary
The second Sexual Health and Attitudes of Australian Prisoners study will be the largest population-based survey of prisoners’ sexual health, attitudes and behaviour undertaken in Australia. it has been nearly 10 years since the first survey. The 2nd survey will expand survey coverage and examine vulnerable prisoner subgroup, and provide up-to-date evidence essential to sexual and reproductive health policy and practice for this growing and disadvantaged population.
The RADAR Project: Identifying Early Warning Signals On The Pathways To Alcohol Use Disorder
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$884,321.00
Summary
The transition from alcohol initiation to an alcohol use disorder is a crucial yet under-studied research area. The current project will characterise the natural history of alcohol use disorder and identify modifiable factors that increase or decrease the likelihood of developing an alcohol use disorder once alcohol use begins. This information will guide prevention of, and early intervention for, this disabling disorder.