EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EXPANDED NEWBORN SCREENING BY TANDEM MASS SPECTROMETRY
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,250.00
Summary
Newborn babies in Australia are routinely tested for certain treatable disorders. Testing began in the 1960's with systematic testing for phenylketonuria, a rare amino acid enzyme defect. It causes severe mental retardation which can only be prevented if treatment is begun in the first few weeks of life. By 1997, only three other disorders, congenital hypothyroidism, cystic fibrosis, and galactosaemia, had been added to the testing protocol as tests became available. Using the new technology of ....Newborn babies in Australia are routinely tested for certain treatable disorders. Testing began in the 1960's with systematic testing for phenylketonuria, a rare amino acid enzyme defect. It causes severe mental retardation which can only be prevented if treatment is begun in the first few weeks of life. By 1997, only three other disorders, congenital hypothyroidism, cystic fibrosis, and galactosaemia, had been added to the testing protocol as tests became available. Using the new technology of tandem mass spectrometry (MSMS) it is now possible to screen for up to 30 extremely rare, treatable metabolic disorders simultaneously and cheaply, but it is not clear how effective this is. A formal trial of MSMS screening, randomly assigning babies to be tested or not tested, does not seem feasible because of the rarity of the individual disorders (most with a birth prevalence much less than 1: 50,000). Huge numbers would be needed in the trial for statistical significance. We began MSMS screening in NSW April 1998 and in South Australia in February 1999. Victoria is proposing to start screening now, but there are as yet no plans for this screening in the other states. We would like to assess the effectiveness of MSMS newborn screening using the best possible evidence drawn from all data available in the whole of Australia. We plan to undertake an economic evaluation, comparing costs and benefits such as development, hospitalisations, medical complications and other outcome measures, in screened and unscreened babies and also assess harms from screening. Because only 6 specialised laboratories in Australia, in Brisbane (2), Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth can diagnose these disorders, we are confident that we know of all diagnosed cases of the disorders in question. We hope to be able to show whether or not there is a benefit to affected babies by implementing newborn screening tests for these rare diseases.Read moreRead less
A Solution Based Approach Developing Child Health Research With A Focus On Preventive Interventions For Common Childhood
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,599,538.00
Summary
There is an increasing recognition that research into child health should focus not only on disease but also on common childhood disorders such as obesity, depression and poor literacy. In addition, such research should include solution-based activity. That is, child health research should have an active program of testing new interventions to prevent the onset of disorders, or to allow optimal early management. The Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, the largest Australian child health resear ....There is an increasing recognition that research into child health should focus not only on disease but also on common childhood disorders such as obesity, depression and poor literacy. In addition, such research should include solution-based activity. That is, child health research should have an active program of testing new interventions to prevent the onset of disorders, or to allow optimal early management. The Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, the largest Australian child health research institute, is in a very good position to develop Australia's capacity further with regard to a coordinated research program into preventative interventions in child health. This is because of: - the Institute's location at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, the largest paediatric health service provider in Australia - the many individual relevant research projects that are already occurring in MCRI - the strong existing teams of researchers with skills in many different fields of child health such as psychology, speech pathology, clinical-medical care, epidemiology and biostatistics, and laboratory science including genetics. This capacity building program will coordinate population health work to develop the knowledge and skills of eight population health researchers. This development will occur within the context of an internationally competitive research program with structured continuing education and training to promote public health leadership. The capacity building program will develop skills not only in study design, conduct and analysis, but also in collaboration and the translation of research findings into better health services, government policy and parental knowledge to prevent problems and improve the health and well being of children and their families. To care for children in the best way, parents, families, schools, health care providers, and government need the best evidence base possible on the prevention of common child disorders.Read moreRead less
A Genome-wide Association Study Of Endometrial Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,066,328.00
Summary
Endometrial cancer (uterine-womb cancer) is the most common invasive gynaecological cancer in Australia. Each year more than 1400 women are affected by the condition. The non-biased approach of our large study will identify genes that increase risk of this cancer, to provide information for future targeted therapies to prevent progression, and large-scale studies investigating how these genes interact with environmental factors such as hormone replacement therapy and obesity to cause disease.
CONSUMPTION OF NITRATE-RICH VEGETABLES TO REDUCE BLOOD PRESSURE
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$603,875.00
Summary
Consumption of plant food-rich diets lowers blood pressure. However, the most important components of these diets for blood pressure lowering have not been clearly defined. An intervention study in people with elevated blood pressure will be conducted to determine if increased consumption vegetables results in lower blood pressure, and if focused advice to consume nitrate-rich vegetables (mainly green leafy vegetables) will result in greater benefit on blood pressure.
Centre Of Research Excellence On Sitting Time And Chronic Disease Prevention – Mechanisms, Measurement And Interventions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,657,874.00
Summary
Australian research has identified serious health consequences arising from the 7 to 10 hours of daily sitting that most people do, especially in relation to ‘diseases of inactivity’ – type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and breast and colon cancer – that are an unwelcome burden on individuals, families and health systems. This new research examines the practical feasibility and the preventive-health benefits of changing children’s and adults’ sitting time in schools, workplaces and the home ....Australian research has identified serious health consequences arising from the 7 to 10 hours of daily sitting that most people do, especially in relation to ‘diseases of inactivity’ – type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and breast and colon cancer – that are an unwelcome burden on individuals, families and health systems. This new research examines the practical feasibility and the preventive-health benefits of changing children’s and adults’ sitting time in schools, workplaces and the home environment.Read moreRead less
Unlocking The Health Effects Of Sitting To Reduce Chronic Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$638,517.00
Summary
This fellowship involves a series of studies that will fill gaps in evidence to inform national and international public health and clinical guideline recommendations on sitting time. It will provide crucial evidence on dose-response relationships, underlying mechanisms and the feasibility of making the relevant behavioural changes, providing more-precise evidence-based contributions to the development of public health policy and guidelines on sitting time.
Making Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders History In The Pilbara: An Evidence-based Prevention Intervention
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,703,824.00
Summary
This project creates and evaluates a community-oriented Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder prevention program. Based on an internationally recognised model, the program will be delivered through the Pilbara’s Aboriginal Health Organisations and WA Country Health Service and will assist Aboriginal women, partners, community and health providers. Program success will result in a reduction in alcohol use during pregnancy, and increased community and health providers’ knowledge, attitudes and practice.
HIV Treatment As Prevention: A Longitudinal Assessment Of Population Effectiveness
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$783,160.00
Summary
This project is a large-scale evaluation of an HIV strategy known as ‘treatment as prevention’ (TasP). Through routine and repeat HIV testing for gay men and early treatment initiation following diagnosis, TasP aims to reduce HIV community infection rates. Through the establishment of a large cohort of gay men in NSW and Victoria, this study will track HIV testing, treatment and management to assess the real-world efficacy of TasP for reducing HIV infections among this at-risk population.
Methodology For Population Health Research: Training And Innovation In Longitudinal Studies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,963,750.00
Summary
This proposal builds on the applicants' experience with existing cohort studies to identify, evaluate and address areas of methodological concern, particularly with longitudinal studies. The group's ability to develop robust longitudinal methods in relation to these concerns will have the potential for both increasing knowledge of the determinants of population health and increasing their ability to attract trainee biostatisticians, an identified area of need in the country as a whole. The grant ....This proposal builds on the applicants' experience with existing cohort studies to identify, evaluate and address areas of methodological concern, particularly with longitudinal studies. The group's ability to develop robust longitudinal methods in relation to these concerns will have the potential for both increasing knowledge of the determinants of population health and increasing their ability to attract trainee biostatisticians, an identified area of need in the country as a whole. The grant will help position Australia at the cutting edge of research skills and methodology involved with longitudinal studies. Longitudinal studies provide a powerful means of collecting information about the health of populations. This grant will use multi-disciplinary approaches to develop innovative methods for designing longitudinal studies, collecting and analysing data and communicating results to improve people's health.Read moreRead less
Intergenerational Change In Oral Health In Australia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$566,827.00
Summary
Australia's population is ageing and Australians are retaining more teeth in later life. It is expected that as life expectancy increases, more years of life are spend in good health, with disease and disability being postponed to later years of life. No evidence is available to test the compression of morbidity hypothesis in relation to oral health in older Australians. This study will test whether these changes have resulted in more years in good oral health in an elderly population.