Current Research
The following research projects are currently being conducted by the CHPRC.
Injury Control
Mental Health
Drug Use Prevention
Obesity Prevention
Injury Control
CHPRC staff have been investigating unintentional and intentional childhood injury for over 10 years. In particular, our research focus has been in the fields of road and sun safety.
To address the significant public health problem of road safety in Australia, and particularly the significant influence of road safety on childhood mortality, the CHPRC are currently conducting one longitudinal and two short term research projects. To review past Injury research projects, including road and sun safety research please click here.
Longitudinal research
Other Research
Principles of Best Practice for Road Safety Education
This formative research, conducted on behalf of the School Drug Education and Road Aware Project (SDERA), aims to develop a set of best practice principles for road safety education in Western Australia, to ensure the development and implementation of road safety strategies in schools will be conducted within the domains of current best practice.
Mental Health
Over 17% of adults and 14% of children and adolescents have a mental health disorder or mental health problem in Australia. For children, mental disorders account for almost 25% of the total disease burden. For these reasons, mental health is one of Australia’s six National Health Priority Areas.
There are many risk factors for mental health in young children, most typically these are an interaction between genetic, environmental and social factors. Therefore, the incidence of mental health problems and disorders can be manipulated by changing social and environmental risk factors for young children. The CHPRC has a strong track record in this field and has proven success in improving school’s social and physical environments that contribute to a reduction in anti-social behaviours such as bullying.
Currently the CHPRC is conducting one longitudinal mental health research project to reduce the prevalence of bullying in schools. The CHPRC is also involved in formative research into violence and aggression prevention in young children. To review past mental health research projects, including bullying, body image and self esteem research please click here.
Longitudinal Research
"Reducing the effects
of bullying among Aboriginal school children living in rural areas of
Western Australia" (2006-2008)
The primary aim of this study is to investigate culturally appropriate strategies
for the prevention and reduction of childhood bullying among Aboriginal people
in the Murchison and Mid-West areas of Western Australia. The study will
formatively develop and evaluate a primary school and community-based bullying
prevention and reduction program that has cultural integrity and validity
for rural schools with higher proportions of Aboriginal students. The project
proposes to work in collaboration with an Aboriginal Steering Committee of
‘strong and soft voices’ which will ensure the provision of culturally
appropriate opportunities for capacity building for Aboriginal community
members.
The Childhood Aggression Prevention—CAP Project (2006-2008) is a Healthway-funded trial of a program to keep children off pathways through life that are marked by aggression and violence. By the time children enter formal schooling, they may already be on a path that can lead to wide range of potential future problems, including problems with their physical and mental health. Aggressive children can also cause problems for their classmates through victimisation and disruption to the classroom climate.
The CHPRC is conducting a randomised control intervention project to trial a new intervention designed to limit childhood aggression and prevent the problems that go along with it. From 2006-2008, we will test a program that focuses on three aspects of children’s school experiences that have been shown to be related to improved social development amongst aggressive children: promoting positive peer relationships with prosocial children, promoting positive teacher-child relationships, and formal instruction in social skills.
Other Research
Covert Bullying Project: Its nature and prevalence in Australian Schools (2007-2008)
Cyber Friendly Schools Project (2008-2009) & Cyber Friendly Student Summit (2008)
Cyber Friendly Parents' Intervention Trial (2008-2010)
Drug Use Prevention
To address drug use of secondary school students, the CHPRC are currently conducting two longitudinal research projects, one addressing cannabis use, the other investigating possible links between student participation in extra curricular activities and student connectedness to school and the effect of this connectedness on drug use and related harms. The CHPRC is also conducting an outcome evaluation of a state-wide drug strategy, the School Drug Education Project. To view past Drug Education Research Projects, please click here.
Longitudinal Research
Optimising School Nurse Involvement in Youth-Based Tobacco Control Programs
The purpose of this project is to examine, prioritise and empirically test promising areas of research and intervention success in youth tobacco control including harm minimisation strategies targeting 11-17 year olds, involving teachers, parents and in particular, school nurses. The program is also designed to build capacity at two tiers: by training school nurses to deliver smoking cessation and harm minimisation interventions and by working with young researchers to build their research experience and capacity in the area of smoking cessation.
Parental Smoking Cessation and Children’s Smoking Attitudes and Behaviours (2007-2008)
Evidence suggests that targeting parental smoking cessation can be an effective method of reducing adolescent smoking, particularly if parental smoking cessation occurs before their child reaches nine years of age. This Healthway-funded formative study aims to determine the most effective strategies and messages for use with parents of young children to help them quit smoking and communicate more effectively with their children about smoking.
Other Research
Obesity Prevention
Other Health Research
Whilst the focus areas of the CHPRC are mental health, injury and drug use, many research projects have investigated other areas of child and family health. In particular Obesity Prevention is a growing area of interest for the CHPRC.
To review past health research projects, please click here.
