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IPHU Research

Research Areas

Prevention and Management of Non-Communicable Disease

Program Leader: Professor Brian Oldenburg


To adequately stem the growing epidemic of chronic non-communicable diseases (such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease), programs that are low cost, effective and able to reach a large number of people are required. In particular, in rapidly developing countries which face significant resource constraints, more evidence is required for culturally appropriate and cost-effective community-based prevention programs.

Small changes in behavioural and other risk factors at the individual and community level have the potential for large benefits in population health, when the interventions used to achieve the change have significant population reach and are feasible to conduct in other settings. This research program aims to develop and test low cost interventions in Australia and to adapt these interventions to other parts of the world.

The program has three major themes:

  • Evaluation of novel approaches to improve the prevention and control of chronic non-communicable disease
  • Use of information and communications technology for health
  • Adapting programs to resource poor settings and countries

Projects:

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Information and Communications Technology to Improve Health

Program Leaders:Prof Brian Oldenburg, Dr Dominique Bird

Prevention and management of non-communicable disease requires the development of low cost, non-invasive screening tools and interventions. The technologies developed need to enhance and improve long term chronic disease prevention, self-management and clinical outcomes. This research program aims to develop such tools to trial in disease specific intervention programs, including the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes in developed and developing countries.

The program has three major themes:

  • Conversational Computer Technology
  • Low Cost Technology Intervention Development
  • Country Specific Adaptation of Technologies

Projects:

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Health and Wellbeing of Indigenous Populations

Program Leader: Dr Bronwyn Fredericks

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples suffer a much greater burden of ill health and higher levels of chronic disease including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, renal disease and chronic respiratory disease than other groups in Australia. Limited research has been undertaken on best-practice chronic disease management and prevention strategies with urban Indigenous populations. This research program, based within urban settings, will develop new approaches for the treatment and prevention of these chronic diseases and their associated conditions, to address the number of Indigenous people with preventable chronic disease and the excess premature mortality and morbidity suffered by Indigenous peoples.

The program has four major themes:

  • Indigenous Understanding of Risk Factor Chronic Disease
  • Health Promotion within Urban Indigenous Populations
  • Complexities of Urban Indigenous Lives
  • Research Practices which Privilege Indigenous Knowledges, Methodologies and Worldviews.

Projects:

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Life Course Metabolic and Circulatory Health

Program Leaders: Dr Robyn Tapp

It is clear that early life events influence subsequent risk of adult chronic disease, but the mechanisms involved remain obscure. This research program will provide important novel insights into possible mechanisms linking early life, childhood and adult life exposures with the future risk of hypertension, coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus and may contribute to development of appropriate early diagnosis, treatment and intervention. 

The program has three major themes:

  • Biological and Psychosocial Risk Factors
  • Vascular Architecture and Cardiac Structure and Function
  • Type 2 Diabetes

Projects:

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Policy Development, Evaluation and Implementation

Program Leader: Ms Rebecca Watson 

The Australian Institute of Health Policy Studies (AIHPS) is a National Institute devoted to studying the ways that health policy research and debate can improve the health of all Australians. Through its research themes AIHPS, as part of the IPHU, is undertaking a series of research projects that are developed to gain the best understanding of health and policy in Australia and overseas.

Projects:

Key Outcomes:

  • Improve the national capacity for policy-relevant research
  • Stimulate, commission and conduct policy-relevant research
  • Encourage debate and discussion about current and future health policy.

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