$26m in health funding
Studies into the effectiveness of home visits for families of Aboriginal infants and the impacts on children of parents using alcohol and tobacco have received major backing.
Published on the 03 Nov 2009
Studies into the effectiveness of sustained home visits for families of Aboriginal infants and the impacts of parental alcohol and tobacco use on children have received major backing in the latest round of health funding.
UNSW received more than $26 million in grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) for 47 successful projects.
The biggest grant was $2.14 million to a team led by Dr Lynn Kemp at the Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, to investigate how early childhood sustained home visits can help Aboriginal families in Campbelltown in Sydney's south-west.
The evaluation will be a critical intervention to help close the gap in health and opportunities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous children, Dr Kemp said.
"The NHMRC funding is a great result. It is a recognition of the importance of good quality studies to ensure that we are delivering effective service for Aboriginal families," she said.
A team led by Professor Richard Mattick, at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, received $1.91 million to analyse the impact of parents' use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs on infant development and family functioning.
Other successful projects included:
The successes built on last week's excellent result in ARC funding, with UNSW awarded the most funding of any university in the country.
For more information about UNSW projects go to the NHMRC website.
Media contact: Steve Offner | 02 9385 8107 | s.offner@unsw.edu.au