School of Public Health News

• The Bridge Newsletter July 2008
• Sir Gustav Nossal's visit to the University of Sydney
• CeMPED launched
• Health Economics Website
• Seven Years Research of the Over 65s
• The NSW Premier’s Award for Outstanding Cancer Researcher of the Year 2008
• Cycling: Getting Australia Moving - new report released
• Public Health Student Get-together
• Research Presentation Day

In this issue:

• Oxford Health Alliance Sydney Summit: Building a Healthy Future by Associate Professor Ruth Colagiuri
• Indigenous Health (Substance Use) Students: Tackling challenges around Australia
• A BEACH Birthday Party: 10 years of continous general practice activity data collection by BEACH (Bettering the Evaluation of Care and Health) program by Associate Professor Helena Britt
• Q & A with Professor David Lyle, Head of Department of Rural Health, Broken Hill University Department of Rural Health.
• Over 65s Positively Optimistic: Seven years research by Associate Professor Susan Quine.
• United for Indigenous Issues: the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues By Associate Lecturer Hannah Nancarrow
• Download The Latest Edition Now! (PDF 894kb)
• Click here for previous editions of The Bridge

In his lecture entitled The fifty-year revolution in global public health (the 3rd of the Grand Challenges in Health & Medicine Public Lectures 2008), Sir Gustav Nossal spoke on the challenges in alleviating poverty and improving health in developing countries.

A graduate of the University of Sydney, Sir Gustav Nossal is a leading medical scientist and humanitarian. The former director of the Walter & Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne, he is an advocate for international health.

“Major currents are sweeping through the development aid field. In 2005, the G8 group committed themselves to a new moral imperative of ridding the world of extreme poverty. Academics and other leaders are, I believe, ready for real partnerships,” he said.

“It is not all doom and gloom. The number of children dying aged under five years was a record low in 2006, and progress is being made in the fight against the big three global diseases of malaria, HIV and tuberculosis.”

Sir Gustav Nossal's lecture also celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Medical Foundation.

View photos of Sir Gustav's visit.
View a recording of Sir Gustav Nossal's presentation.
Read more about the Grand Challenges in Health & Medicine Public Lecture Series.

The Centre for Medical Psychology & Evidence-based Decision-making (CeMPED) has now been officially launched.

CeMPED is co-directed by Professor Phyllis Butow (School of Psychology), Professor Martin Tattersall (Central Clinical School) and A/Professor Alexandra Barratt (School of Public Health). CeMPED is a cross-faculty, multidisciplinary organisation that sits within the School of Psychology, the School of Public Health and the Department of Medicine within the Faculties of Science and Medicine. It combines the two very active existing research groups within the University; the Medical Psychology Research Unit (MPRU) and the Sydney Health Decision Group (SHDG).

CeMPED's mission is to support excellent research across the interface of Psychology, Medicine and Public Health to answer questions about: the behavioural factors which promote good health and prevent disease; ways to enhance the psychosocial adjustment of patients and carers; ways to increase use of evidence in health care decision making; and ways to support patients to be more involved in their own health care. CeMPED's
research strengths lie in three themes:

• Doctor-patient communication
• Evidence-based, shared decision making; and
• Psycho-Oncology

For more information visit CeMPED's new website.

We are pleased to announce the launch of the Health Economics Website.

The website is now live and has information about the group's staff members, events & seminars, resources as well as information about their research.

View the Health Economics website here.

Alternatively you can enter the site via the School's Research Centres page.

It is seven years since Associate Professor Susan Quine and colleagues Dr Stephen Morrell and Professor Hal Kendig at the University of Sydney began analysing the data from Australia’s most comprehensive study of those aged 65 years and over.

In 1999 during the International Year of Older Persons, the Epidemiology Branch of the NSW Health Department decided to conduct a telephone survey to gain health and welfare information and a detailed profile of the lives and activities of older people across the state. The Older Persons Health Survey (OPHS) became the largest survey of its kind ever conducted in Australia.

The final analysis of the data from the OPHS was recently completed and overall the research has produced the following peer-reviewed articles:

Quine S., Morrell S. Food insecurity in community dwelling older Australians. Public Health Nutrition, 2006, 9(2): 219-224.

Quine S., Morrell S. Fear of loss of independence and nursing home admission in older Australians. Health and Social Care in the Community 2007, 15(3): 212-220.

Quine S., Morrell S., Kendig H. The hopes and fears of older Australians: for self, family and society. Australian Journal of Social Issues 2007, 42(3): 321-335

Quine S., Morrell S., Kendig H. Outlooks for the future in independently living older Australians. Aging and Mental Health: an International Journal 2008 (in press).

Quine S., Morrell S. Perceptions of personal safety among older Australians. Australasian Journal on Ageing 2008, 27(1): 72-77.

Quine S., Morrell S. Feeling safe in one’s neighbourhood; variation by location amongst older Australians. Australian Journal of Rural Health 2008, 16:115-116.

Quine S., Morrell S. Hopelessness, depression and oral health concerns reported by community dwelling older Australians. Community Dental Health 2008 (in press).

Congratulations to Professor Simon Chapman who has been awarded the Premier’s Award for Outstanding Cancer Researcher of the Year 2008 at Cancer Institute NSW’s Awards Dinner on 22 May.

Simon was recognised for his outstanding research into tobacco control, which he has consistently maintained over more than 20 years, still continues and is now extending to tackle the growing problem of tobacco smoking in lower and middle income countries.

We are fortunate indeed to have research leaders of Simon’s calibre as academic leaders in our School.

View the Cancer Institute NSW's video about Simon and the presentation of his award here.

About the Award
The NSW Premier's Award for Outstanding Cancer Researcher of the Year was established to honour an individual who has made significant and fundamental contributions to any field of cancer research in NSW. These contributions must have had a lasting impact on the cancer field and must have demonstrated sustained progress against cancer.

The Premier’s Award for Outstanding Cancer Research Fellow and Premier’s Award for Outstanding Cancer Research Scholar are based on the review of Progress Reports for Cancer Institute NSW funded Fellows and Scholars. These reports are considered by the independent interstate Grants Review Committee.

Read more about Professor Chapman and this award at the University News website.

A national report, launched on 4 June, has for the first time placed a dollar figure on the benefits of cycling participation.

The report, Cycling: Getting Australia Moving, which was commissioned by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing, estimates that cycling currently saves the government $227.2 million per year in health costs alone.

Professor Adrian Bauman and Associate Professor Chris Rissel from the University of Sydney, along with co-authors from Deakin and Curtin Universities and the Cycling Promotion Fund have identified key barriers and benefits to Australians getting on their bikes.

Read more