Improving School Transition By Improving Child Sleep: A Translational Randomised Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$745,827.00
Summary
A successful transition to school sets a child on a path for life. A poor transition can lead to early drop out, poor peer relationships and poor emotional skills. In 2008/09, we found that a brief sleep intervention for children improved key determinants of a successful transition including social-emotional functioning and parent mental health. We now plan to see if the same intervention, delivered by school nurses, can have a similar effect.
Increasing Physical Activity Among Young Children From Disadvantaged Communities: A Group Randomised Controlled Effectiveness Trial.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,107,309.00
Summary
This project will evaluate the impact of a multi-level, multi-setting program to promote physical activity and movement skills among pre-school-aged children in disadvantaged communities. It will target the professional development of childcare educators and of parents. Childcare centres will be linked to the Early Start Facility at the University of Wollongong using state-of-the-art technology providing a unique opportunity to work with educators and parents in regional and remote areas.
Preventing Early Internalising Problems In The Preschool Setting: Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$893,870.00
Summary
Internalising mental health problems reflect inner emotional distress and encompass all symptoms of anxiety and depression. Affecting 1 in 7 Australian school-age children, many internalising problems persist into adulthood, impacting on personal wellbeing, family relations and workforce capabilities. This randomised prevention trial in the preschool-setting, screens for children at-risk and tests if a parenting program can reduce internalising problems across the population by school-entry.
Efficacy Of Prism Adaptation For Recovery Of Brain Function In Unilateral Spatial Neglect
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$531,690.00
Summary
Damage to the brain’s attention network causes profound impairments of visual and sensory perception. These deficits are frequently long-lasting, and are a major factor in preventing patients from regaining functional independence. This project will use a combination of behavioural and brain imaging techniques to determine whether a promising new treatment involving visual retraining can improve function and reduce perceptual impairments after unilateral brain lesions.
Does Antipsychotic Dose Reduction Lead To Better Functional Recovery In First Episode Psychosis: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,371,552.00
Summary
Can a person with a first episode of psychosis, once remitted, reduce their dosage of medication and still achieve better outcomes in functioning, physical health and brain volume, than if they had stayed on traditional maintenance doses of medication? This study will examine if using a dose reduction strategy in conjunction with an evidence based suite of psychosocial interventions leads to better social and vocational recovery and improved physical health and brain volume.
Antibiotic resistance is a looming public health crisis. New antibiotics with new mechanisms of action are desperately needed. The long-term goal of this research is to develop new drugs that disarm bacteria to overcome the problem of antibiotic resistance.
Rates Of Psychosis Onset In A High Risk Population
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$310,359.00
Summary
Older studies of people at risk of schizophrenia found that about 35% of them developed psychosis within 1 year. However the risk has decreased lately to as low as 10%. They may still become psychotic but take longer to do so, or they may not develop psychosis at all. We need to study this so that those not “at risk” are not needlessly treated. We will follow up “at risk” people and determine their 6 year outcome. We will do scans to see if there are any brain changes associated with psychosis.
Enhanced Methods Of Communicating Correct Use Of Child Car Restraints: A Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$720,599.00
Summary
Working with our associate investigators from the Australian and European child restraint industry, we will conduct a controlled trial of enhanced methods of communicating correct use of child car restraints with product information supplied at the point of sale.
Periodontal Disease And Chronic Kidney Disease Among Aboriginal Adults; An RCT
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,035,550.00
Summary
Chronic Kidney Disease is a growing public health concern in Australia, especially among Aboriginal populations. It is associated with progression to end stage kidney disease requiring dialysis, cardiovascular disease burden and high mortality. This study will use a randomised controlled trial design to determine if comprehensive periodontal therapy reduces progression of kidney disease among Aboriginal adults with chronic kidney disease residing in Central Australia.
Tailoring A Brief Sleep Intervention For Autism: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$401,475.00
Summary
Up to 86% of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience behavioural sleep problems which have been shown to be associated with increased core ASD symptoms, increased rates of internalizing and externalizing disorders, and increased parental stress. The “Sleeping Sound” study is a novel behavioural sleep intervention that has shown much promise as a treatment to reduce sleep problems and improve mental health outcomes in children with ASD.