Infant Motor Development Between 0-4 Months: A New Look At The Effect Of The ‘back To Sleep’ Program
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$107,182.00
Summary
An unexpected consequence of the Back to Sleep program is an increased incidence of deformational plagiocephaly (DP), or “flat head syndrome”, and concern about delayed development. It is not clear whether the current recommendation to provide ‘tummy-time’ play for infants when awake is the best way to prevent DP. Development of typical infants 0-4 months and infants with DP will be investigated and parents surveyed as a basis for development and trialling of a new DP prevention initiative.
Hand Splinting And Motor Training In Cerebral Palsy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$80,952.00
Summary
As many as 1 in 500 children have cerebral palsy or a brain injury. 1 in 3 cannot walk, 1 in 4 cannot talk, 3 in 4 are in pain. These conditions impact on a child's ability to use their hands to touch, play, draw and explore. Hand use is the single most important factor for determining a child's long term independence into adulthood. This project explores the most effective treatment approach to enable children to use their hands to reach the goals they want to achieve and live meaningful lives.
Postgraduate Training And Teaching Methodologies In Regional Anaesthesia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$130,601.00
Summary
An important skill of specialist anaesthetists is performing nerve blocks to provide excellent pain relief in surgery and childbirth. This PhD research examines the use of new methods of education, including structured assessment, simulation, and high fidelity models to help train the next generation of anaesthetists. The goals of this research is to provide better quality patient care and improve patient outcomes after anaesthesia and surgery.
How Can We Influence The Ways That Research And Other Information Are Used In Health Policy And Program Organisations?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$57,140.00
Summary
My research aims to improve methods for getting research into health policy decision-making. My PhD will investigate aspects of design, implementation and evaluation of research utilisation interventions. It will: 1. Increase understanding of the factors that mediate these interventions; 2. Increase empirical understanding of what strategies are most effective in improving research utilisation in different contexts, and 3. Provide concrete guidance for how to design, implement and evaluate such
Improving Health Services Around The Time Of Childbirth In Places Where Death Rates Are High And Home-births Common
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$119,335.00
Summary
In settings close to Australia where death rates among mothers and newborns remain high, it is common for childbirth to take place outside of health facilities. This research will develop feasible options for countries aiming to simultaneously improve care in first-line health facilities (which often takes some years), and simultaneously provide some limited services in the home that can reduce deaths immediately.
Understanding Current And Future Opportunities To Promote Healthy Maternal Weight During Pregnancy And The Postpartum Period
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$75,620.00
Summary
The PhD will document clinical management of maternal weight gain during and post pregnancy, across a range of antenatal care providers and deliver a nine month pilot intervention study for first time mothers, aimed at reducing post pregnancy weight retention and promoting healthy nutrition and physical activity behaviours. Findings from this PhD will inform important future development of healthy weight interventions across the reproductive years.
The Impact Of Infections, Anaemia, And Micronutrient Deficiencies On Infant Birth Weight And Growth
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$83,613.00
Summary
This research aims to determine the impact of infectious diseases, anemia and nutritional deficiencies on low birth weight and infant growth in rural Papua New Guinea. The health of pregnant women and their babies will be assessed during pregnancy and up to 12 months post birth. We will determine which health indicators cause low birth weight and poor infant growth to enable development of interventions to improve health and pregnancy outcomes.
Measuring Hypoxia Induced MRNA In Maternal Blood To Determine Acidaemic Status Of Growth Restricted Fetuses In Utero
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$120,253.00
Summary
Small babies are at greater risk of dying while inside their mothers and the right time to deliver them is an obstetric conundrum. Currently obstetricians rely on ultrasound measures of the baby's wellbeing which do not always correspond with how sick the baby truly is. There is a great need for a more accurate test. This research intends to show that a blood test from the mother can more accurately tell how sick the baby is and provide an answer to when is the best time to deliver the baby.
Facial palsy is a devastating condition which has a very significant psychological and cosmetic impact. A simple and effective treatment does not exist for facial palsy. Our research goal is use state-of-the-art technology to define the types and the severity of the underlying nerve injury so that effective treatments can be developed to treat this terrible disorder.
An Integrated EHealth Strategy To Optimise Outpatient Disease & Psychological Management In Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$122,533.00
Summary
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects many Australians. We will undertake a prospective study comparing standard IBD clinic outpatient management with a technology enabled self management (eHealth) platform for patients with mild to moderate IBD in relation to disease activity, medication status, psychological distress and quality of life. Patients in the eHealth intervention arm will be stratified according to risk and treated via algorithms according to standardised evidence-based medicine.