Oral Health Research For The Australian Population
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,501,265.00
Summary
This program will build capacity and expertise in Australia s population health research workforce. The program will pursue the broad research theme adding value to oral health surveys . Over a period of five years, eight junior researchers will work on projects that enhance the value of six oral health surveys within the Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health at The University of Adelaide. Projects will range from analysis of inflammation caused by periodontal (gum) disease in th ....This program will build capacity and expertise in Australia s population health research workforce. The program will pursue the broad research theme adding value to oral health surveys . Over a period of five years, eight junior researchers will work on projects that enhance the value of six oral health surveys within the Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health at The University of Adelaide. Projects will range from analysis of inflammation caused by periodontal (gum) disease in the Australian population, to evaluation of school dental services provided over the last 30 years. Team investigators will work on these surveys to tackle public health problems confronting four distinct dental generations of Australians: _1) people in the oldest tooth loss generation who have lost, on average, half of their natural teeth; 2) the amalgam generation of middle-aged adults who had unprecedented numbers of cavities that are now filled - treatment that requires extensive maintenance and repair; 3) the younger fluoride generation that has historically-low rates of dental decay; 4) and today s pre-schoolers among whom there is disturbing evidence that oral disease is becoming concentrated within the most disadvantaged segments of the population. Their work will improve the information base needed to promote oral health and prevent oral illness in the Australian population.Read moreRead less
SUcceSS: SUrgery For Spinal Stenosis - A Randomised Placebo-controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,303,245.00
Summary
This will be the first placebo-controlled randomised trial of surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis and aims to determine the efficacy and safety of this intervention in decreasing pain and improving disability in this population. The cost-effectiveness of surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis will also be determined.
Long Term Supplementation With Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A) And The Risk Of Bone Fractures: A Population Based Study.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$167,707.00
Summary
Osteoporosis is a major health problem in Australia and other western industrialised countries where populations are increasingly ageing. In Australia, the number of hip fractures is expected to increase by 36% between 1996 and 2006, owing to the rise in elderly aged 85 years and over. This is in contrast to projections in Europe and North America, where the number of hip fractures are expected to double by 2026 and then stabilise. Clarification of the role of vitamin A in bone health is pertine ....Osteoporosis is a major health problem in Australia and other western industrialised countries where populations are increasingly ageing. In Australia, the number of hip fractures is expected to increase by 36% between 1996 and 2006, owing to the rise in elderly aged 85 years and over. This is in contrast to projections in Europe and North America, where the number of hip fractures are expected to double by 2026 and then stabilise. Clarification of the role of vitamin A in bone health is pertinent, given that the popularity of supplement use has increased markedly in western industrialised countries over the past two decades. Around 37% of the adult population in Australia is thought to take a supplement regularly and figures range from 28% to 54% of adults in the US, with women and adults aged over 49 years being more likely to use supplements. Furthermore, the fortification of food with minerals and vitamins is increasing. For all of these reasons, is it imperative that the role of vitamin A in inducing fractures be clarified. Results from this study will contribute to knowledge about the safety of retinol and beta carotene supplements in relation to bone health, which is especially relevant to people at risk of osteoporosis, and people who take vitamin A supplements. We will also be able to clarify the upper levels of dietary retinol, beta carotene and vitamin A intake beyond which fracture risk increases. Because of the age range of subjects in our study, our results should be applicable to the whole population, not only the elderly or post menopausal. The results of our study will be useful to agencies such as Food Standards Australia and New Zealand which regulates our food supply.Read moreRead less
Study Of The Relationship Of Oral Health And Oral Health Service Utilisation To The General Health Of Older Australian Men
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$471,564.00
Summary
The mouths of older Australians now are very different to those of previous generations. The prevalence of complete tooth loss is declining rapidly and this has enormous implications for dental services. This study will use the established Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project (CHAMP) as a platform to conduct a study of oral health and oral health service use in 800 older men. A major focus of the study will be the inter-relationships between oral health and physical and mental health.
Investigating The Association Between Incarceration While Pregnant And Maternal And Infant Outcomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$307,500.00
Summary
The number of women incarcerated within Australian prisons has doubled over the last ten years. Prisons contain large numbers of women from Indigenous backgrounds, women with a mental illness, women with violent partners and women with substance abuse problems. As such they constitute one of the most disadvantaged groups within Australian society and their children are unlikely to experience a healthy start to life. At any one time around 5-10% of women inside Australian prisons are pregnant. Th ....The number of women incarcerated within Australian prisons has doubled over the last ten years. Prisons contain large numbers of women from Indigenous backgrounds, women with a mental illness, women with violent partners and women with substance abuse problems. As such they constitute one of the most disadvantaged groups within Australian society and their children are unlikely to experience a healthy start to life. At any one time around 5-10% of women inside Australian prisons are pregnant. There has been no Australian research into the effect incarceration has upon pregnant women or their babies. Some believe that women who are incarcerated during their pregnancy may have better outcomes as they are outside their normal milieu with restricted access to alcohol and illicit drugs and separated from abusive partners. Others argue that the stress of incarceration and separation from family and friends could result in poorer pregnancy outcomes. This study will investigate whether being imprisoned while pregnant results in better or worse pregnancy and birth outcomes for Australian women and their babies.Read moreRead less
Allostatic Mediators Of Socioeconomic Inequalities In Periodontitis Among Australian Adults
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$368,000.00
Summary
Periodontal (gum) disease is a significant cause of tooth loss among adults in Australia. Bacteria (germs) that stick to teeth in dental plaque are the primary cause of gum disease. However, the amount of damage caused to the gums depends heavily on the body's immune system which fights infection throughout the body. Like many other health conditions, gum disease occurs at a higher rate in people in a relatively low socioeconomic-position (SEP) compared to people from high SEP. Studies of other ....Periodontal (gum) disease is a significant cause of tooth loss among adults in Australia. Bacteria (germs) that stick to teeth in dental plaque are the primary cause of gum disease. However, the amount of damage caused to the gums depends heavily on the body's immune system which fights infection throughout the body. Like many other health conditions, gum disease occurs at a higher rate in people in a relatively low socioeconomic-position (SEP) compared to people from high SEP. Studies of other health conditions have shown that psychosocial stress (eg. job strain, financial stress) disproportionately affects people in low SEP groups. Stress, in turn, is known to alter the body's defense mechanisms, including the immune system, contributing to higher rates of conditions such as heart disease. Researchers have used the term allostatic load to describe this failure of the body's defense system under stress. Stress has also been suggested as a contributing factor in gum disease. This study will investigate whether this sequence of events producing allostatic load also plays a role in gum disease. We will study a random sample of 610 Australian adults from the full range of SEP backgrounds. We will ask them about their experience of daily stress, and measure their levels of gum disease and dental plaque. We will also collect samples of fluid from around their gums to measure quantities of two chemicals that indicate the activity of immune defense mechanisms in the gums. We will analyze these results to determine whether stress affects the body's responses to dental plaque, and whether that response accounts for differences in levels of gum disease between SEP groups. Results from this study will pinpoint the role of common bodily defense mechanisms in the development of gum disease. These results may help to identify sources of stress that, if controlled, could reduce rates of gum disease and other conditions affected by allostatic load.Read moreRead less