Preventing mental health problems in children: a population-based cluster controlled trial. The National Mental Health Survey (2000) found 1 in 7 children have externalising (aggression) and internalising (anxiety, depression) problems. Early mental health problems beget later problems with high costs to society, including clinical, remedial education and criminal justice services. Hence, early prevention is vital for national well-being and productivity. The few preventive early childhood progr ....Preventing mental health problems in children: a population-based cluster controlled trial. The National Mental Health Survey (2000) found 1 in 7 children have externalising (aggression) and internalising (anxiety, depression) problems. Early mental health problems beget later problems with high costs to society, including clinical, remedial education and criminal justice services. Hence, early prevention is vital for national well-being and productivity. The few preventive early childhood programs to date are limited in effectiveness and not truly population-based. The proposed parenting / family support trial aims to overcome these obstacles, by comparing and costing two approaches that can be implemented within whole communities. The trial will help clarify optimal primary care to prevent mental health problems early in life.Read moreRead less
Safety and resiliency at home: voices of children who live with fear. Finding out what can help children feel safer who are currently living in households where there is family violence will enable early intervention for better outcomes for such children. This research is significant because it will focus on targeting appropriate responses by listening to the views of children themselves and hence finding out what is really helpful for them to build resiliency. This is important to the work of a ....Safety and resiliency at home: voices of children who live with fear. Finding out what can help children feel safer who are currently living in households where there is family violence will enable early intervention for better outcomes for such children. This research is significant because it will focus on targeting appropriate responses by listening to the views of children themselves and hence finding out what is really helpful for them to build resiliency. This is important to the work of a key family welfare agency (Berry St) but it also has benefit for health and welfare workers throughout Australia. Appropriate early intervention will not only help the families concerned but will strengthen Australia's economic and social fabric, a priority goal of the national research agenda.Read moreRead less
Individual, social and physical environmental influences on children's active transport and independent mobility. Childhood obesity is likely to have significant economic and social impacts on Australian society. Preventing further increases in this disease is crucial, particularly among children at high risk such as those living in rural or disadvantaged areas. The promotion of behaviours such as active transport may have a significant benefit for public health; however little is known about wh ....Individual, social and physical environmental influences on children's active transport and independent mobility. Childhood obesity is likely to have significant economic and social impacts on Australian society. Preventing further increases in this disease is crucial, particularly among children at high risk such as those living in rural or disadvantaged areas. The promotion of behaviours such as active transport may have a significant benefit for public health; however little is known about what influences active transport among children in rural or disadvantaged areas. This study will identify important factors influencing active transport and will directly inform strategies aiming to promote health and wellbeing, thereby creating a healthier generation of Australian children.Read moreRead less
Model of care: A family focussed approach to promote child protection. Childhood neglect and abuse is an issue for all Australians. Models of best practice for child protection services are essential to protect the well-being of these children. This project will draw upon information from consumers and workers to provide a framework for a sustainable model of best practice for child protection that is transferable to other settings. A further benefit of this study is that it will provide insight ....Model of care: A family focussed approach to promote child protection. Childhood neglect and abuse is an issue for all Australians. Models of best practice for child protection services are essential to protect the well-being of these children. This project will draw upon information from consumers and workers to provide a framework for a sustainable model of best practice for child protection that is transferable to other settings. A further benefit of this study is that it will provide insight into occupation health and safety issues associated with working in long term relationships with vulnerable families. Read moreRead less
A study investigating the feasibility of implementing a national approach to child and family health services. Understanding and strengthening the way in which universal health services are provided to pregnant women, children and families has the potential to impact over a million Australian families annually. The findings of this study will have national application as federal, state and territory governments work towards implementing a national approach to child and family health services. Th ....A study investigating the feasibility of implementing a national approach to child and family health services. Understanding and strengthening the way in which universal health services are provided to pregnant women, children and families has the potential to impact over a million Australian families annually. The findings of this study will have national application as federal, state and territory governments work towards implementing a national approach to child and family health services. The findings will inform effective multidisciplinary collaboration and service integration, address service gaps and duplication and lead to increased access to services. This study will generate new knowledge about characteristics of organisations, service delivery and professions that facilitate or hinder innovation.Read moreRead less
Resistance to pediculicides in head lice, Pediculus humanus var. capitis. The number of children with head lice in countries like Australia is increasing. One factor that promotes lice is resistance to pesticides. Yet until now resistance has not been studied in Australia. We propose a new approach to studying resistance: "field" tests by school nurses and other health workers. Existing tests require lice to be sent alive to labs in cities. Our test will, if successful, allow people in the ....Resistance to pediculicides in head lice, Pediculus humanus var. capitis. The number of children with head lice in countries like Australia is increasing. One factor that promotes lice is resistance to pesticides. Yet until now resistance has not been studied in Australia. We propose a new approach to studying resistance: "field" tests by school nurses and other health workers. Existing tests require lice to be sent alive to labs in cities. Our test will, if successful, allow people in the "field" to test lice. Expected outcomes are: (i) scientific information on resistance to pediculicides in head lice, and thus, improved control of head lice; (ii) reduced exposure of children to pesticides; and (iii) a strategic alliance between six organisations that should outlive the project.Read moreRead less
Social and health inequalities related to changes in drinking water in rural Victoria. This project will add significantly to knowledge about the role of water in health. Dental caries (decay) experience over an individual's life time is influenced by dental health in early childhood. Obesity and overweight in early childhood is also a predictor of later life obesity. Both these conditions reduce life chances and wellbeing for Australians and are costly for communities. Understanding why and how ....Social and health inequalities related to changes in drinking water in rural Victoria. This project will add significantly to knowledge about the role of water in health. Dental caries (decay) experience over an individual's life time is influenced by dental health in early childhood. Obesity and overweight in early childhood is also a predictor of later life obesity. Both these conditions reduce life chances and wellbeing for Australians and are costly for communities. Understanding why and how choices about drinks for children are made by parents using a longitudinal design will help to develop interventions and policies that support the use of water in preference to sweetened and acidic beverages. Read moreRead less
Improving safety and minimising risk: parent, carer and service provider perspectives of sociocultural influences for medication use in young children. Childhood unintentional poisoning ranks second to falls as an injury cause of hospitalisation in the 0-4 years age group. The aims of this study are to explore the sociocultural influences on medication use by parents and carers of young children and develop best practice guidelines for provision of medication information by health care providers ....Improving safety and minimising risk: parent, carer and service provider perspectives of sociocultural influences for medication use in young children. Childhood unintentional poisoning ranks second to falls as an injury cause of hospitalisation in the 0-4 years age group. The aims of this study are to explore the sociocultural influences on medication use by parents and carers of young children and develop best practice guidelines for provision of medication information by health care providers. A multimedia education program for health care providers and consumers will be integrated into existing health services. Results will aid in determining children at risk of medication mismanagement, and assist providers to implement a rigorous and sustainable approach to the provision of care to young children.Read moreRead less
Understanding children's risk of obesity: contextual influences on changes in eating, physical activity and weight status. Overweight and obesity are significant public health issues in Australia. After tobacco, physical inactivity and obesity are leading modifiable contributors to the burden of disease. The economic cost of obesity was recently estimated at $1.3 billion/year. Preventing further increases in childhood obesity is an urgent national priority, however there currently exists insuffi ....Understanding children's risk of obesity: contextual influences on changes in eating, physical activity and weight status. Overweight and obesity are significant public health issues in Australia. After tobacco, physical inactivity and obesity are leading modifiable contributors to the burden of disease. The economic cost of obesity was recently estimated at $1.3 billion/year. Preventing further increases in childhood obesity is an urgent national priority, however there currently exists insufficient information to guide effective obesity prevention strategies. The findings of this study will inform efforts to prevent obesity at the population level by enhancing knowledge of contextual influences on obesity-risk behaviours and the selection of specific targets for intervention. As such, this study will help create a healthier generation of children.Read moreRead less
Personal and environmental influences on changes in adolescents' food consumption behaviours. This project will track the eating behaviours of two groups of randomly selected adolescents between the ages of 12 and 16 years, for three years. The aims are to assess the changes that occur in their eating behaviour and to examine the influence of family, school, mass media and intrapersonal variables during this period so that predictive models can be built. This will facilitate the implementation o ....Personal and environmental influences on changes in adolescents' food consumption behaviours. This project will track the eating behaviours of two groups of randomly selected adolescents between the ages of 12 and 16 years, for three years. The aims are to assess the changes that occur in their eating behaviour and to examine the influence of family, school, mass media and intrapersonal variables during this period so that predictive models can be built. This will facilitate the implementation of life skills education and the prevention of obesity, non-communicable diseases and nutrient deficiencies.Read moreRead less