National Health and Medical Research Council

The Commonwealth Government has announced $9.7 million in funding for eight innovative projects focusing on social, economic and environmental factors impacting on the health and wellbeing of Australians.

The National Health and Medical Research Council grants meet the National Research Priority goals of Preventive Healthcare and Strengthening Australia’s Social and Economic Fabric.

Areas covered by the research will include wellbeing in early childhood, breaking cycles of poor health and disadvantage, practical ways of reducing obesity and socio-economic and environmental factors on disease prevention.

The grants have been made to:

• The University of Queensland will research the integration of prisoners after release to reduce the risk of re-offending.
• Deakin University will investigate the causes of increased obesity risk among socioeconomically disadvantaged women and children.
• Monash University will look at a regulatory approach to obesity prevention.
• The Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Sydney South West Area Health Service will trial an early intervention regime to prevent childhood obesity in a disadvantaged population.
• Flinders University will research the impact of changing forms of employment and unemployment on health.
• The University of Sydney will explore the impact of social, economic and geographic disadvantage on the health of middle aged and older Australians.
• The Murdoch Children’s Institute at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne will investigate reducing early language delay that can lead to later behavioural problems.
  The University of New South Wales will examine ways of improving social and emotional wellbeing among Indigenous Australians in three rural communities, and breaking the cycle of violence and mental health problems.