Mobile Intervention For Drinking In Young People (MIDY): Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$403,378.00
Summary
Binge drinking is a significant health and social issue in Australia. In this innovative trial, we will communicate with young people via their mobile phones while they are on a night out. Young people will send hourly information about their drinking and will receive a relevant message in response, encouraging them to slow down or avoid harmful activities. The methods and the messages were developed in partnership with young people and have been tested in real drinking situations.
Randomised Controlled Trial Of A Financial Counselling Intervention And Smoking Cessation Assistance To Reduce Smoking In Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Groups
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,029,662.00
Summary
Socioeconomically disadvantaged groups are more likely to smoke than other sectors of the community. This difference has been attributed, in part, to increased rates of relapse. Relapse is strongly and consistently predicted by financial stress. This project attempts to reduce relapse by reducing financial stress among disadvantaged smokers through the provision of financial counselling as an adjunct to NRT.
Understanding The Socio-cultural Dimensions Of Tuberculosis In Papua New Guinea: Knowledge To Optimise Public Health Solutions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$727,410.00
Summary
Papua New Guinea has among the highest TB incidence rates in the world, with rates in particular areas considerably higher. This three-year qualitative study will examine the socio-cultural contexts of TB control programs. The project outcome will be better contextualised solutions to improve the effectiveness of TB control programs and therefore the spread of TB and its drug resistant forms.
How Do Lay People Understand The Risk Of Developing Cancer? A Qualitative Study Using Grounded Theory Procedures.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$282,118.00
Summary
This project is about cancer risk. New discoveries are regularly made about the contribution of genes, environmental exposures, and lifestyles to cancer risk. These findings are often reported in the mass media, or used in television advertising to encourage us to attend cancer screening or change our habits. Some cancers are said to be almost entirely preventable. In fact some experts argue that whether or not we get cancer is largely our own responsibility. This study doesn't ask what causes c ....This project is about cancer risk. New discoveries are regularly made about the contribution of genes, environmental exposures, and lifestyles to cancer risk. These findings are often reported in the mass media, or used in television advertising to encourage us to attend cancer screening or change our habits. Some cancers are said to be almost entirely preventable. In fact some experts argue that whether or not we get cancer is largely our own responsibility. This study doesn't ask what causes cancer. Instead it asks what the risk of developing cancer means to Australians and in Australian society. This question will be answered by conducting a rigorous analysis of healthy lay people's descriptions of their own and others' risk of developing cancer. The researchers will talk with a wide range of people about cancer risk. They will ask: how do we think about cancer risk for ourselves? how do we engage with information about cancer risk? Do we listen to it? Do we trust it? Does it make sense to us? What do we think should be done about it? The resulting findings will be compared with the assumptions that underlie cancer prevention activities. Finally, the discoveries made about similarities and differences will be actively translated for expert and lay audiences. There have been many studies of what it is like to be a cancer patient or to be screened for cancer. But there has been very little systematic study of the way in which healthy Australians make sense of cancer risk. This study will develop a detailed model of what cancer risk means to Australians. It will provide new knowledge to researchers and practitioners in public health, health psychology and sociology, and risk communication, guiding communication about cancer risk and research about cancer risk well into the future. It will help lay people and professionals to communicate more effectively about cancer risk, and thus support continuing improvement in cancer prevention in Australia.Read moreRead less
The Use Of Web 2.0 Internet Sites To Undermine Tobacco Advertising Bans And To Mobilise Tobacco Control Advocates
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$365,531.00
Summary
With advertising bans eroding direct tobacco advertising opportunities, tobacco companies are embracing covert means of keeping their products and policies in current and potential consumers' minds. While the Internet is being used extensively to sell cigarettes, its largely unregulated status holds much potential as a vehicle for promoting smoking and tobacco products, as well as anti-smoking dialogue. This project assesses the potential of globally popular websites to promote and discourage sm ....With advertising bans eroding direct tobacco advertising opportunities, tobacco companies are embracing covert means of keeping their products and policies in current and potential consumers' minds. While the Internet is being used extensively to sell cigarettes, its largely unregulated status holds much potential as a vehicle for promoting smoking and tobacco products, as well as anti-smoking dialogue. This project assesses the potential of globally popular websites to promote and discourage smoking.Read moreRead less
Use Of An Online Canteen Ordering System To Implement Healthy Canteen Policies In NSW Primary Schools
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$175,303.00
Summary
Given evidence that school food policies can improve children’s dietary intake, Australian state governments have launched healthy canteen policies. However, these policies are poorly implemented. This research seeks to assess the effectiveness of an online classification tool in increasing policy compliance. The tool will be embedded in an online canteen system, and will automatically assess whether menu items are compliant as they are uploaded onto the online canteen system.
Reconceptualising Health Promotion: The Role Of Ethics, Values And Evidence In Obesity Interventions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$90,566.00
Summary
Overweight and obesity are public health priorities. Population-level programs, campaigns and regulations are required to prevent and reduce obesity. How should these interventions proceed? What is effective? What is ethical? How can we avoid doing harm? At present, we do not know. By studying current interventions, and working with experts and practitioners in health promotion and ethics, this project will develop a new framework to guide overweight and obesity intervention in the future.
National Implementation Trial Of An Evidence-informed Workplace Sitting Reduction Intervention
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$624,575.00
Summary
Long periods of sitting time are bad for health. We will conduct a three-year national trial with five workplace-health partner organizations testing a website-delivered program for reducing sitting time at work. It will be offered to over 10,000 desk-based employees. We will determine the impacts of the program as well as refinements needed for full-scale dissemination: uptake of the program, how well it can be delivered on a large scale, its impact on sitting time, and the costs involved.
The role of the internet in building social capital amongst homosexually active men: virtual communities in HIV prevention. Social capital comprises features of social organisation such as civic participation, norms of reciprocity and trust in others that facilitate cooperation for mutual benefit, including health and wellbeing. The proposed research focuses on the role of the internet in producing the networks that engender social inclusion and community connectedness. There is scepticism about ....The role of the internet in building social capital amongst homosexually active men: virtual communities in HIV prevention. Social capital comprises features of social organisation such as civic participation, norms of reciprocity and trust in others that facilitate cooperation for mutual benefit, including health and wellbeing. The proposed research focuses on the role of the internet in producing the networks that engender social inclusion and community connectedness. There is scepticism about whether the 'virtual community' of the Internet can build social capital. The study will explore the potential benefits as well as harms to those homosexually active men who use the internet to access health information, meet sexual partners and build friendships that affirm gay identity and community inclusion.Read moreRead less