A prospective evaluation of the impact of the nurse practitioner role on emergency department service and outcomes. The local hospital emergency department (ED) is a prominent and highly utilised service in Australian communities but demand on EDs is increasing, resulting in significant service delays. This project will study the composition of ED clinical teams around Australia and their impact on improving the timeliness and quality of emergency clinical care.
Centre Of Research Excellence On Sitting Time And Chronic Disease Prevention – Mechanisms, Measurement And Interventions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,657,874.00
Summary
Australian research has identified serious health consequences arising from the 7 to 10 hours of daily sitting that most people do, especially in relation to ‘diseases of inactivity’ – type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and breast and colon cancer – that are an unwelcome burden on individuals, families and health systems. This new research examines the practical feasibility and the preventive-health benefits of changing children’s and adults’ sitting time in schools, workplaces and the home ....Australian research has identified serious health consequences arising from the 7 to 10 hours of daily sitting that most people do, especially in relation to ‘diseases of inactivity’ – type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and breast and colon cancer – that are an unwelcome burden on individuals, families and health systems. This new research examines the practical feasibility and the preventive-health benefits of changing children’s and adults’ sitting time in schools, workplaces and the home environment.Read moreRead less
Identifying Glaucoma Risk Variants In The Norfolk Island Genetic Isolate
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$658,447.00
Summary
Primary open angle glaucoma is the most common form of glaucoma. In this project we will focus on the identification of functional genetic variants influencing development of this disorder, using a powerful whole exome sequencing approach in a large multigenerational pedigree from the Norfolk Island population isolate. The identification of genes influencing glaucoma development would provide invaluable clues to aid in defining the pathophysiology of this common disease.
Developing a disability policy model to target the prevention or reduction of limitations on functioning and wellbeing. With the ageing of Australian society the challenge for public health is shifting from preventing death and disease onset to supporting healthy and productive ageing. The disability policy model will allow cost-effective targeting of interventions to reduce or prevent onset of disability or reduce its severity particularly among older Australians.
Engineering cartilage homeostasis in health and disease. Arthritis is a common, painful and often debilitating disease affecting 16% of the Australian population and costing this community $11 billion every year. It is not well understood why cartilage degenerates into joint disease, nor how it may be reversed - partly due to the large number of mechanisms involved. This project aims to overcome this complexity by developing a computational model of cartilage that can integrate the various mech ....Engineering cartilage homeostasis in health and disease. Arthritis is a common, painful and often debilitating disease affecting 16% of the Australian population and costing this community $11 billion every year. It is not well understood why cartilage degenerates into joint disease, nor how it may be reversed - partly due to the large number of mechanisms involved. This project aims to overcome this complexity by developing a computational model of cartilage that can integrate the various mechanisms of cartilage degradation. New experiments will be used to validate the model and test predictions. The model developed will provide fundamental insights into what is required for the maintenance of healthy cartilage, and what happens in injury-induced degradation of cartilage.Read moreRead less
School drug education for junior high school students in Victoria - Assessing the impact of a state-wide, evidence-based intervention
. Young people are faced with numerous and powerful influences to use both legal and illicit drugs, and drug education can play an important counterbalancing role in shaping a normative culture of safety, moderation and informed decision making in this group. The research will develop, implement and evaluate one all encompassing, evidence-based, drug education pr ....School drug education for junior high school students in Victoria - Assessing the impact of a state-wide, evidence-based intervention
. Young people are faced with numerous and powerful influences to use both legal and illicit drugs, and drug education can play an important counterbalancing role in shaping a normative culture of safety, moderation and informed decision making in this group. The research will develop, implement and evaluate one all encompassing, evidence-based, drug education program for junior high school students across Victoria. The study is unique in its size and scope and will be of national benefit because its findings will influence the nature of future drug education in all secondary schools in Australia.Read moreRead less
Impacts of Banned Drinkers Register Re-introduction in Northern Territory. This project aims to investigate the impact of the re-introduction of the Banned Drinker Register in the Northern Territory, where rates of alcohol-related harm are more than twenty times that seen in other Australian states.
This interdisciplinary team will use qualitative and quantitative methods across urban and remote locations to answer complex questions about policy impact.
This Project expects to provide evidence ....Impacts of Banned Drinkers Register Re-introduction in Northern Territory. This project aims to investigate the impact of the re-introduction of the Banned Drinker Register in the Northern Territory, where rates of alcohol-related harm are more than twenty times that seen in other Australian states.
This interdisciplinary team will use qualitative and quantitative methods across urban and remote locations to answer complex questions about policy impact.
This Project expects to provide evidence to inform future policy introduction and refinement. It aims to enhance Aboriginal research capacity for investigating alcohol policy.
Benefits should include world’s best evidence on the impact of supply restriction policies on treatment needs and the massive levels of harm seen in the Northern Territory.Read moreRead less
Excessive sitting and population health: strengthening the science and the relevance to policy and practice. The majority of Australian adults spend most of their waking hours sitting; this increases the likelihood of developing diseases of inactivity, including diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. New research will investigate what factors encourage excessive sitting and what the health benefits are for people who deliberately do less sitting.
Neuroimaging changes underpinning improvements in cognition in the elderly. Natural supplements are often used to improve brain and cognitive function, however, we do not know how these supplements work in the brain. Using novel brain imaging scans, the project will investigate whether 12-month administration of two promising natural supplements improves brain markers of ageing and cognitive decline in an elderly population.
Strengthening Indigenous adolescent mental health and wellbeing. Using Continous Quality Improvement processes, the research will collaboratively conceptualise, design, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of new approaches to mental health service delivery for adolescents aged 10-24 in three regionally diverse Indigenous Primary Healthcare Services. Expected research outcomes are a rigorous assessment of the impact and economic benefits of making quality improvements to mental health servic ....Strengthening Indigenous adolescent mental health and wellbeing. Using Continous Quality Improvement processes, the research will collaboratively conceptualise, design, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of new approaches to mental health service delivery for adolescents aged 10-24 in three regionally diverse Indigenous Primary Healthcare Services. Expected research outcomes are a rigorous assessment of the impact and economic benefits of making quality improvements to mental health services for Indigenous adolescents, Key benefits are 1) A locally-responsive adolescent mental health screening instrument; 2) Comprehensive evidence-informed service model in adolescent mental healthcare; 3) Best practice protocol for developing and managing adolescent mental health as a service delivery stream. Read moreRead less