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Preventive Healthcare and Strengthening Australia’s Social and Economic Fabric Research Grants 2006
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Passports to advantage: Health and capacity building as a basis for social integration.
Research Team: Dr Stuart Kinner – (07) 3365 5492
| Dr Rosa Alati | Prof Gail Williams |
| A/Prof Nick Lennox | Dr Fran Boyle |
| Prof Konrad Jamrozik | Dr Susan Vlack |
| Dr Melissa Haswell-Ekins | Ms Dianne Taylor |
This project will conduct a randomised controlled trial of a post-release intervention for adult prisoners in Queensland. The findings of the study will inform the development of an evidence-based post-release intervention for prisoners in Australia and elsewhere, as well as providing an unprecedented insight into the post-release experiences of prisoners in Queensland.
Research Location: University of Queensland
Budget over 5 years: $1,445,067
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Scientific Title: Preventing obesity among socioeconomically disadvantaged women and children.
Research Team: Dr Kylie Ball – (03) 9251 7310
| Prof Graeme Hugo | A/Prof Gita Mishra |
| Prof David Crawford | Prof Louise Baur |
| Dr Anna Timperio | Dr Jo Salmon |
The research will investigate the causes of the increased risk of obesity among socioeconomically disadvantaged women and children. It will also focus on women and children who appear ‘resilient’ to obesity and will explore the possibility of applying the lessons learned to other women and children, in order to help support them in adopting and maintaining obesity-protective behaviours. The research aims to provide evidence to inform policies and programs that should be put into place to prevent obesity among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups.
Research Location: Deakin University
Budget over 5 years: $1,945,741
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Changing patterns of work: impacts on physical and mental health and the mediating role of resiliency and social capital.
Research Team: Prof Sue Richardson – (08) 8201 2636
| Dr Anna Ziersch | Prof Fran Baum |
| Dr Diannah Lowry | A/Prof Anne Kavanagh |
| Mr Laurence Lester | A/Prof Anthony LaMontagne |
| Ms Rebecca Bentley |
This project will provide, for the first time in Australia, a detailed understanding of the impact of the changing forms of employment and unemployment on overall health. It will provide original insights into what aspects of the employment relation help or harm health, and on what enables some people to escape the harm that others experience. This will provide vital information to underpin policies designed to gain the benefits of a flexible workplace, with minimum harm to workers.
Research Location: Flinders University
Budget over 5 years: $1,060,623
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Preventing early language delay in the primary care setting: cluster randomised trial.
Research Team: A/Prof Melissa Wake – (03) 9345 5937
| A/Prof Luigi Giolametto | Prof Sheena Reilly |
| Ms Lisa Gold | Dr Sharon Goldfield |
| Dr Obioha Ukaumunne |
Research Locations: Murdoch Children’s Research Institute -Royal Children’s Hospital (VIC)
Budget over 4 years: $399,382
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Enhancing Mental Health in Aboriginal People: Reducing Violence and Developing Resilience.
Research Team: Prof Richard Bryant (02) 9385 3640
| Dr Robert Brooks | |
| Mr Richard Weston | Dr Kate Senior |
| Ms Nola Whyman | Prof Alexander McFarlane |
| Mr Justin Files | Prof Anthony Zwi |
| Prof Derrick Silove | Mr Zachary Steel |
| Prof Beverly Raphael | |
This project aims to determine the best ways to improve the Social Emotional Well Being (SEWB) of the Aboriginal people of Broken Hill, Menindee and Wilcannia. This project will develop a culturally appropriate and evidenced based intervention to break the cycle of ongoing grief, mental illness, alcohol and other drugs and violence. The project will proceed in a number of interrelated phases including extensive community consultations and a baseline survey. The project will then implement and evaluate an intervention program that provides a community and individual program that adopts evidence-based approaches and modifies them to be acceptable within Aboriginal communities. These interventions aim to break the cycle of violence and mental health problems by teaching adaptive skills to reduce violent behaviours and by providing mental health interventions that reduce disorders that contribute to violence.
Research Location: University of New South Wales
Budget over 5 years: $1,650,000
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Understanding the impact of social, economic and geographic disadvantage on the health of Australians in mid - later life: what are the opportunities for prevention?
Research Team: Prof Adrian Bauman – (02) 9036 3247
| Prof Dorothy Broom | |
| Prof Sally Redman | Prof Julie Byles |
| A/Prof Emily Banks | Dr Judith Clark |
| Prof Mark Harris | A/Prof Bin Jalaludin |
| A/Prof Deborah Schofield | Dr Louisa Jorm |
| Prof Anthony McMichael | Prof Don Nutbeam |
| Ms Sandra Bailey | Prof Bryan Rodgers |
| Dr Hilary Bambrick | Dr Rosalie Woodruff |
| Prof John Beard | Prof Mark Woodward |
This research will examine the ways in which social, economic and environmental factors contribute to the health of Australians in mid to later life. It will help identify ways in which policy and preventive programs can contribute to improving health in mid to later life particularly among disadvantaged Australians. We will explore in detail social, economic and environmental factors in 100,000 people aged 45 and over; this will be the largest study of its kind ever undertaken in Australia. We will examine the relationship between these social, economic factors, and lifestyle factors such as smoking, physical activity, environmental and obesity. This will enable us to identify where programs and policies should be directed to most rapidly improve the health of disadvantaged Australians.
Research Location: University of Sydney
Budget over 5 years: $1,800,000
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A comprehensive regulatory strategy for obesity prevention in Australia.
Research Team: Dr Beatrice (Bebe) Loff – (03) 9903 9587
| Dr Mark Lawrence | |
| Dr Anna Peeters | Dr Michael Ackland |
| Prof Boyd Swinburn | |
This research aims to develop regulatory approaches to obesity prevention and the reduction of socio-economic inequalities in obesity prevalence. Laws related to the provision, marketing, and labelling of food, urban planning, transportation, taxes and subsidies and so on will be comprehensively analysed and prioritised, and options proposed for legislative reform. The evidence-base and the implementation pathways will be developed contemporaneously and will be widely promoted to governments. A significant portion of time will be devoted to working closely with those within the bureaucracy who administer the law and legislators who together make the relevant policy decisions so that they may gain an understanding of the rationale behind each recommendation.
Research Location: Monash University
Budget over 5 years: $761,184
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Early intervention to prevent childhood obesity among a disadvantaged population: a home-based Randomised Controlled Trial.
Research Team: Dr Li Ming Wen – (02) 9515 9078
| A/Prof Chris Rissel | |
| Prof Louise Baur | Dr Garth Alperstein |
This intervention research will conduct a randomised controlled trial, of a community-based early childhood home visiting intervention designed to improve family and behavioural risk factors for childhood obesity and overweight. This intervention which will be developed in collaboration with the Health Promotion Unit, Child and Family Health Nurses, university academic experts and mothers in the community promises to deliver significant health and social benefits, in particular, preventing early onset of childhood obesity. It will result in a series of recommendations for policies and practical methods for promoting healthy feeding and physical activity of infants under two years of age with particular application to families who are socially and economically disadvantaged. These policies and practical methods for preventing childhood obesity could be used across Australia.
Research Location: Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Sydney South West Area Health Service
Budget over 3 years: $650,358
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