Global Corporate Challenge Evaluation: The evaluation of a low-cost, low-impact physical-activity workplace intervention. Societal increases in obesity and physical inactivity have led to consideration of workplace interventions as a potential for improving health. However, long-term evaluations of such interventions are rare. Here we will evaluate the Global Corporate Challenge (GCC), which engages employees to participate in a four month pedometer-based program aimed at increasing their physic ....Global Corporate Challenge Evaluation: The evaluation of a low-cost, low-impact physical-activity workplace intervention. Societal increases in obesity and physical inactivity have led to consideration of workplace interventions as a potential for improving health. However, long-term evaluations of such interventions are rare. Here we will evaluate the Global Corporate Challenge (GCC), which engages employees to participate in a four month pedometer-based program aimed at increasing their physical activity levels. We will follow 1000 participants for two years to determine the short and long-term health benefits of the program and to provide insight into factors that may improve the success of such programs. Such findings are essential for appropriate government and industry policy decisions in this area of chronic disease prevention. Read moreRead less
Efficacy of strategies to increase participation rates in disease management programs. The aim of this project is to determine the most effective strategies for maximising recruitment and retention of at-risk adults into evidence-based disease- and risk-management programs, as well as completion of health risk assessments. It is evident from the literature on risk factor modification, and on the economic and social costs of chronic diseases, that increasing participation in these programs will ....Efficacy of strategies to increase participation rates in disease management programs. The aim of this project is to determine the most effective strategies for maximising recruitment and retention of at-risk adults into evidence-based disease- and risk-management programs, as well as completion of health risk assessments. It is evident from the literature on risk factor modification, and on the economic and social costs of chronic diseases, that increasing participation in these programs will lead to reduced health costs and reduced morbidity and mortality among the target population. The primary outcome of this project will be evidence-based guidelines on the best strategies for recruitment to, and retention in, disease and risk management programs.Read moreRead less
Implementing guidelines to prevent chronic disease in the community. The burden of chronic disease in Australia has resulted in prevention of chronic disease being an important priority for the Australian health system. High quality evidence for preventing chronic disease exists; however the practice falls short of the evidence. Finding ways to implement the evidence for preventing chronic disease is an urgent national need. This study aims to apply the evidence for preventing chronic disease in ....Implementing guidelines to prevent chronic disease in the community. The burden of chronic disease in Australia has resulted in prevention of chronic disease being an important priority for the Australian health system. High quality evidence for preventing chronic disease exists; however the practice falls short of the evidence. Finding ways to implement the evidence for preventing chronic disease is an urgent national need. This study aims to apply the evidence for preventing chronic disease in practice. It will generate data and validate a model on how to effectively improve the uptake of guidelines by both practitioners and consumers. This project is of national and community benefit because it will enable the potential of preventing chronic disease to be realised.Read moreRead less
Predicting the evolution of psychosocial and cognitive difficulties in epilepsy: A preventive approach. Chronic epilepsy is associated with significant psychosocial and cognitive difficulties. Research has neglected to examine how these problems evolve from the time of a first seizure, limiting our ability to predict ?at risk? patients and apply evidence-based preventive strategies. We will follow a cohort of 90 first seizure patients over two years in a prospective longitudinal investigation, m ....Predicting the evolution of psychosocial and cognitive difficulties in epilepsy: A preventive approach. Chronic epilepsy is associated with significant psychosocial and cognitive difficulties. Research has neglected to examine how these problems evolve from the time of a first seizure, limiting our ability to predict ?at risk? patients and apply evidence-based preventive strategies. We will follow a cohort of 90 first seizure patients over two years in a prospective longitudinal investigation, mapping psychosocial and cognitive change. This study entails a multidisciplinary collaboration with industry, applying innovative psychosocial and cognitive measures that will ultimately improve the detection of adverse pharmaceutical side-effects. The project is an international first, and will provide an important foundation for implementing preventive healthcare.Read moreRead less
African youth and obesity: The role of the intergenerational acculturation gap. The financial cost of obesity to the Australian community is estimated to be $21.9 billion when the costs borne by individuals are taken into account. Understanding and addressing factors that extenuate health inequalities and reduce obesity will lead to a reduction in the burden of diseases and healthier ageing population. Our study will be the first to apply acculturation theories to examine the family environment ....African youth and obesity: The role of the intergenerational acculturation gap. The financial cost of obesity to the Australian community is estimated to be $21.9 billion when the costs borne by individuals are taken into account. Understanding and addressing factors that extenuate health inequalities and reduce obesity will lead to a reduction in the burden of diseases and healthier ageing population. Our study will be the first to apply acculturation theories to examine the family environment and family dynamics that predispose adolescents from one of the fastest growing immigrant populations, Africans, to obesity, and to produce culturally competent and tested models to inform large scale, population-level obesity prevention programs and policies.Read moreRead less
Improving the quality of life of children born very premature. This research program is in line with the national research priority to promote good health and well being, and more specifically to provide a healthy start to life for high-risk infants. This research program is attempting to improve the quality of life of infants born very preterm by improving our understanding of the nature of the problems faced by these high-risk children. This knowledge will inform future preventative care and ....Improving the quality of life of children born very premature. This research program is in line with the national research priority to promote good health and well being, and more specifically to provide a healthy start to life for high-risk infants. This research program is attempting to improve the quality of life of infants born very preterm by improving our understanding of the nature of the problems faced by these high-risk children. This knowledge will inform future preventative care and early intervention strategies. More directly, this research program incorporates a series of randomised controlled trials which are all attempting to improve the health and well being of these vulnerable infants.Read moreRead less
Critical Windows: Health-related Behaviour in Children After School. Global concerns for increasing body fatness and insufficient physical activity in children highlight the importance of health promoting behaviour in younger populations. A critical window for healthy behaviour is created after school. We aim to improve the ability to assess healthy behaviour during 3 pm-7 pm and subsequently to describe activity and nutritional practices in Grade 5 children (randomly selected) from Western Sydn ....Critical Windows: Health-related Behaviour in Children After School. Global concerns for increasing body fatness and insufficient physical activity in children highlight the importance of health promoting behaviour in younger populations. A critical window for healthy behaviour is created after school. We aim to improve the ability to assess healthy behaviour during 3 pm-7 pm and subsequently to describe activity and nutritional practices in Grade 5 children (randomly selected) from Western Sydney. Psychosocial and environmental correlates and the extent to which seasons and annual growth influence behaviour will be considered. Outcomes involve an effective instrument for future research and an enhanced understanding of healthy behaviour in Western Sydney children.Read moreRead less
Turning Points: Redemption, Women and Alcohol in Melbourne, 1870-1945. History is one of the most effective forms of public communication, currently thriving in the public sphere in books, film, television, and in the passion for genealogy. It can be uniquely effective as a means of public health education, enabling individuals and communities to comprehend the causes and significance of public health problems and their solutions. Alcohol abuse remains a searing issue in Australian public health ....Turning Points: Redemption, Women and Alcohol in Melbourne, 1870-1945. History is one of the most effective forms of public communication, currently thriving in the public sphere in books, film, television, and in the passion for genealogy. It can be uniquely effective as a means of public health education, enabling individuals and communities to comprehend the causes and significance of public health problems and their solutions. Alcohol abuse remains a searing issue in Australian public health and private life. This history would be the first to explore the language, practice and experience of both addiction and treatment of alcoholic women, and would contribute to debate over current practice and policy.Read moreRead less