Evaluation Of Blood-based Screening Tests For Colorectal Neoplasia; From Biomarker Candidates To Accurate And Acceptable Tests
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$767,382.00
Summary
Current bowel cancer screening tests require people to collect a stool sample. While able to be done at home, this creates certain inconveniences and has other barriers to its use including being distasteful to some. Also, even though stool tests are useful they are not as accurate as we would like. We have discovered a molecule in the blood of patients with bowel cancer that could, if configured as a screening test, serve to be of even greater accuracy and also be more acceptable to people.
Widespread Implementation Of Interventions To Prevent Falls In Older People
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,565,291.00
Summary
A major new fall prevention intervention will be implemented and funded by the NSW Department of Health who is the partner organisation for this application. The researchers have worked closely with NSW Health for many years and together we now propose a research program to evaluate the NSW Health initiative and guide future interventions.
Screening For Colorectal Cancer: Attitudes Affecting Participation And Implementation Of Strategies For Improvement.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$468,760.00
Summary
There is good evidence that population screening for bowel cancer (CRC), based on the detection of blood in stools, is effective in reducing deaths from bowel cancer by around 30-40%. Screening depends on the use of a simple test to identify those who most need the complex and costly test which is capable of accurately detecting curable cancers and precancer lesions. This can be achieved with moderate effectiveness using simple tests (FOBTs) which detect microscopic amounts of blood in the faece ....There is good evidence that population screening for bowel cancer (CRC), based on the detection of blood in stools, is effective in reducing deaths from bowel cancer by around 30-40%. Screening depends on the use of a simple test to identify those who most need the complex and costly test which is capable of accurately detecting curable cancers and precancer lesions. This can be achieved with moderate effectiveness using simple tests (FOBTs) which detect microscopic amounts of blood in the faeces. If we are to reduce the rate of death from CRC, we must have an effective way of encouraging people to do these tests. While much has been learnt from experience with screening for breast and cervical cancer, CRC presents a series of quite different issues that have never been comprehensively studied. These are: (1) men and women need to be screened. (2) symptoms due to CRC are more complex , (3) the high-risk settings for CRC are much more complex), (4) the community is not as aware of the benefit of screening, (5) the initial test can be performed at personal convenience in one's home, (6) participants must handle bodily excretions, and (7) inconvenience of attending a central facility is avoided. We will survey participants and non-participants to more accurately identify the barriers to screening, and the proportion who have not participated for informed reasons. To test the real value of attempts to overcome these, we will then offer screening by various approaches designed to overcome these. We are in a unique position to do this as we have well-identified populations who have been offered faecal occult blood test (FOBT)-based screening These studies will assist in the design and implementation of effective screening programs for the early detection of CRC in Australia, which in the long term will significantly reduce deaths from this disease.Read moreRead less
A Randomised Controlled Trial Of Cognitive-only And Cognitive-motor Training To Prevent Falls In Older People: Understanding Physical, Neuropsychological And Neural Mechanisms
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,624,934.00
Summary
The rate of falls in older people remains a significant problem. We have developed and validated a home-based computerised training intervention that can be delivered either while seated (cognitive) or while standing and undertaking balance exercises (cognitive+motor). This unique design will allow us to assess whether cognitive and cognitive+motor training can prevent falls, as well as the neural, physiological, physical and neuropsychological mechanisms behind the intervention effects.
Evaluating “Standing Tall” – An Engaging Home-based Exercise Program Using Mobile Technology For Maximizing Long-term Adherence And Preventing Falls In Older People: Randomized Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$791,081.00
Summary
Current evidence suggests that older people have to exercise for two hours per week for six months to prevent falls, with a strong focus on balance exercises. We have developed and tested an engaging home-based balance training program delivered through mobile (tablet) technology, called ‘Standing Tall’. We propose a randomised controlled trial to examine the effectiveness of our program for preventing falls in 500 community-dwelling older people, in addition to adherence- and cost-analyses.
A Novel, Technology-based Program Targeting Physical, Cognitive And Mental Well-being To Maximise Fall Prevention In Older People: An Evidence-based Multifactorial Approach
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,475,781.00
Summary
Accidental falling among older people is a significant public health challenge worldwide. This study addresses a key gap in the translation of available evidence to prevent falls in older people more effectively. The proposed trial will provide the first-ever evidence about the cost and effectiveness of a tailored multifactorial fall prevention program using technology and self-management principles.
Centre For Research Excellence In Prostate Cancer Survivorship (CRE-PCS)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,498,842.00
Summary
The Centre for Research Excellence in Prostate Cancer Survivorship will 1) develop, evaluate and translate responsive, equitable and accessible survivorship interventions for men with prostate cancer and their partners and families in high need areas 2) support evidence-based policy and practice in prostate cancer survivorship care 3) train and equip the workforce and its leaders to ensure translation and sustainably improve the underpinning health care and other relevant systems.
Population Testing Of An Internet-based Personalised Decision Support System For Colorectal Cancer Screening
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$480,230.00
Summary
This study will determine the impact of a fully developed computerised Personalised Decision Support (PDS) package on colorectal cancer screening participation. The PDS tool is designed to guide people through the decision processes relevant to deciding whether to undertake screening. The PDS presents personally tailored messages aimed at progressing individuals towards screening test use and has the potential to supplement traditional paper methods of increasing screening participation.
A Population Based Communication Strategy To Optimise Colorectal Cancer Screening Behaviour In Australia.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$532,425.00
Summary
There is good evidence that population screening, based on the detection of blood in faeces, is effective in reducing deaths from bowel cancer (CRC) by around 30-40%. The process depends on the use of a simple faecal occult blood test (FOBT) to identify those who need a more complex and costly test (colonoscopy), which is capable of accurately detecting curable cancers and precancers so that they can be removed. If we are to reduce deaths from CRC at the population level, we must have an effecti ....There is good evidence that population screening, based on the detection of blood in faeces, is effective in reducing deaths from bowel cancer (CRC) by around 30-40%. The process depends on the use of a simple faecal occult blood test (FOBT) to identify those who need a more complex and costly test (colonoscopy), which is capable of accurately detecting curable cancers and precancers so that they can be removed. If we are to reduce deaths from CRC at the population level, we must have an effective way of encouraging as many people as possible to do FOBT tests. While much has been learnt about how to offer screening from experience with programs for breast and cervical cancer, CRC screening involves different behavioural, psychological and social issues. We need to better understand how these factors influence participation in CRC screening. We plan a series of studies that will lead to improvements in participation in CRC screening programs: a) a survey of a randomly selected group of the general population to measure a range of behavioural features that are of importance to CRC screening, especially as they relate to participation. b) an offer of FOBTscreening to those invited to complete the survey, to match population characteristics with intentions and actual participation, c) on the basis of these studies, to design new screening program strategies, especially in relation to the communication of messages to encourage community participation, d) to test the effectiveness of the new communication strategies by offering FOBT screening to another randomly selected group from the general population. This will allow us to optimise the delivery of messages that encourage participation. If we can design a better communication strategy that achieves an increase in screening participation and has minimum cost implications, we will substantially reduce the number of deaths from CRC in Australia.Read moreRead less