Patterns, Pathways And Price Of Developing Disparities In Cardiovascular And Respiratory Health By Age 11-12 Years: The Longitudinal Study Of Australian Children
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,290,912.00
Summary
Cardiovascular and lower respiratory diseases are leading causes of death, show marked social gradients, and have origins in early life. We will measure cardiorespiratory health at age 11-12 years in the national Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Combined with rich existing psychosocial and health data spanning the entire first decade, we will explore early-life mechanisms underlying emerging patterns of social disparity and their potentially-avoidable cost – evidence that is essential ....Cardiovascular and lower respiratory diseases are leading causes of death, show marked social gradients, and have origins in early life. We will measure cardiorespiratory health at age 11-12 years in the national Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Combined with rich existing psychosocial and health data spanning the entire first decade, we will explore early-life mechanisms underlying emerging patterns of social disparity and their potentially-avoidable cost – evidence that is essential to develop new intervention strategies.Read moreRead less
Men, Women And Ageing: Predictors Of Ageing Well In The Australian Longitudinal Study On Womens Health And The Perth He
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,935,634.00
Summary
Maintaining health and independent living are high priorities for Australia’s rapidly expanding older population. This project capitalizes on two existing large-scale studies, to increase our scientific understanding of strategies for maintaining the health and wellbeing of older people living in the community. Two separate longitudinal research projects, the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health involving over 12,000 older women selected from every part of Australia, and the Health in ....Maintaining health and independent living are high priorities for Australia’s rapidly expanding older population. This project capitalizes on two existing large-scale studies, to increase our scientific understanding of strategies for maintaining the health and wellbeing of older people living in the community. Two separate longitudinal research projects, the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health involving over 12,000 older women selected from every part of Australia, and the Health in Men Study involving over 12,000 older men from Perth, Western Australia, have been following older Australians in order to determine what contributes to older people’s health and quality of life. The new project will combine data from these two studies. The two projects contain a breadth of data and can address the following questions: What health-related, personal, lifestyle and social factors predict survival and healthy non-disabled life in men and women aged 70-90 years? Do changes in lifestyle in older age (eg smoking cessation) affect length and quality of life? Who makes greatest use of health services, and who least, and how does this relate to health outcomes?How are health and lifestyle factors related to social connectedness and independent living in older age? What health and lifestyle factors predict positive mental health in older age? How are older men’s and women’s lifestyles and health status different, and how are they the same? Should health promotion programs in old age target men and women separately, or not?Read moreRead less
Achieving Better Mental Health For Maltreated Children: Translating Population Data Into Policy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$522,706.00
Summary
This project uses linked population data to determine (a) the earliest indicators of risk of harm, and (b) mental health outcomes and health-care costs associated with children receiving child protection services, in partnership with the NSW department of Family and Community Services. The findings will ensure timely and effective responses to the most vulnerable children to mitigate adverse mental health and other outcomes associated with early life adversity.
Sleep Health And Sleep Problems In Early Childhood: What Role Does Childcare Play?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$314,644.00
Summary
Sleep is significant for young children’s health and development and impacts on family functioning. Increasingly childcare is part of the young child’s sleep environment. This study focuses on the role of childcare in supporting sleep health and identifying sleep, and associated behavioural problems, in the early years of life. The study responds to the policy, practice and legislative demand for evidence to guide appropriate provision for sleep and rest in the childcare context.
Seeding Success: Identifying Factors That Contribute To Positive Early Childhood Health And Development In Aboriginal Children
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$692,845.00
Summary
This study will identify the key drivers of positive early childhood health and development in Aboriginal children, and the features of local communities and early childhood service provision that make a tangible difference, using a large population-based cohort of children in NSW. We will apply novel methods for using linked population data that can be used to inform program planning and evaluation nationally, and will advance theory, research and practice to "seed success" for Aboriginal child ....This study will identify the key drivers of positive early childhood health and development in Aboriginal children, and the features of local communities and early childhood service provision that make a tangible difference, using a large population-based cohort of children in NSW. We will apply novel methods for using linked population data that can be used to inform program planning and evaluation nationally, and will advance theory, research and practice to "seed success" for Aboriginal children.Read moreRead less
Predictors And Correlates Of Developmental Language Problems: A Longitudinal Study From Infancy To Pre-school Age
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$537,750.00
Summary
Language impairment is a disabling condition, thought to affect between 7% and 15% of 4 year old children. It has serious and lasting implications for social and emotional development, cognition, behaviour and literacy. A link has been demonstrated between language impairment and later psychiatric disorders in adolescence and adulthood. Given the potential of enhancing the language development of young children, it is critical that effective prevention and early intervention programs are availab ....Language impairment is a disabling condition, thought to affect between 7% and 15% of 4 year old children. It has serious and lasting implications for social and emotional development, cognition, behaviour and literacy. A link has been demonstrated between language impairment and later psychiatric disorders in adolescence and adulthood. Given the potential of enhancing the language development of young children, it is critical that effective prevention and early intervention programs are available. However, current knowledge is liminted in that there are no entirely satisfactory methods for detecting children who at much younger ages, 8 months, 12 months, 2 years and 3 years, are at risk of later impairment. In this study we aim to: examine the risk factors (many are thought to exist) that contribute to language impairment learn more about the natural history of this disabling disorder in children between 8 months and 4 years of age Ultimately, we aim to identify early signs that might warn health professionals and parents of language impairment so that such problems can be detected much earlier. Early identification will mean that help is available at an earlier age to children who currently go on to have persisting and extremely disabling language impairment.Read moreRead less
Child health and developmental inequities: Evidence for precision policy. The project aims to use cutting edge analytic approaches applied to existing data to identify how policy interventions related to parents’ mental health, preschool programs, and the built environment can be optimised to reduce inequities in children’s mental, academic, and physical health outcomes. The project will be informed by our partners and advisers from across government portfolios and service delivery, ensuring tha ....Child health and developmental inequities: Evidence for precision policy. The project aims to use cutting edge analytic approaches applied to existing data to identify how policy interventions related to parents’ mental health, preschool programs, and the built environment can be optimised to reduce inequities in children’s mental, academic, and physical health outcomes. The project will be informed by our partners and advisers from across government portfolios and service delivery, ensuring that the evidence generated has contemporary policy relevance. The project expects to identify clear and actionable policy pathways to reduce child inequities in Australia, which can benefit decision makers by helping them to direct limited public funds towards intervention opportunities that will have the greatest impact.Read moreRead less
Children Walking Well. Healthy feet in childhood are the foundation for musculoskeletal health and mobility throughout life. However, little is known about the effect of shoes worn on children. This Australian project is the first to address this shortcoming. A multidisciplinary team will investigate: factors contributing to consumer decision-making; footwear usage and selection; and the relationship between footwear styles, anatomical profile, biomechanics and physical activity. From our id ....Children Walking Well. Healthy feet in childhood are the foundation for musculoskeletal health and mobility throughout life. However, little is known about the effect of shoes worn on children. This Australian project is the first to address this shortcoming. A multidisciplinary team will investigate: factors contributing to consumer decision-making; footwear usage and selection; and the relationship between footwear styles, anatomical profile, biomechanics and physical activity. From our identification of mismatches between evidence of the relationship between shoes and function and current stakeholder knowledge and decision-making, we will make recommendations for how shoe manufacturers and health professionals can promote healthy feet in children.Read moreRead less
Skin Disease Control In Remote Aboriginal Children: Translating Evidence Into Practice With A Cluster Randomised, Stepped Wedge Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,818,581.00
Summary
At any one time, almost one in two children living in remote Indigenous Australian communities have skin sores and one in three have scabies . Despite this high burden, skin infections are under-recognised. Increasing community and health care provider knowledge and access to the best available treatments will be evaluated with the goal of halving the burden of skin infection over five years and implementing the strategies, resources and knowledge to sustain this.
Understanding How Language And Reading Problems Develop: A Population-based Longitudinal Study From Infancy To Age 7
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$667,507.00
Summary
Early language and reading problems are common and therefore significant public health problems. They are disabling and have life-long implications for oral and written communication skills, social and emotional well-being, cognition, behaviour, academic achievement and employment. This study will address the following three problems: 1. To date no study has documented how language and reading problems develop from infancy (8 months) through to school age (7 years). 2. Little is known about risk ....Early language and reading problems are common and therefore significant public health problems. They are disabling and have life-long implications for oral and written communication skills, social and emotional well-being, cognition, behaviour, academic achievement and employment. This study will address the following three problems: 1. To date no study has documented how language and reading problems develop from infancy (8 months) through to school age (7 years). 2. Little is known about risk factors, identified early in infancy and childhood, that can be reliably used to predict language and reading problems later in childhood. 3. The relationships between language difficulties and reading problems are poorly understood. Therefore, we currently have no satisfactory methods for reliably detecting which children at much younger ages are at risk of later language disorders or reading problems. Without this information it is impossible to develop effective prevention and early intervention programs. These programs are critical if we are to: a) Prevent language and reading problems from occurring, thereby reducing the prevalence of the problem b) Intervene early in childhood, thereby reducing in the longer term the burden and cost associated with language and reading problems. The proposed study builds on an existing substantial investment by the NHMRC in the Early Language in Victoria Study (ELVS). It will provide a world-first description of the evolution of language difficulties and reading problems from infancy through to school age within a single population cohort.Read moreRead less