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Research

Rare diseases (RD) are conditions affecting fewer than 1 in 2000 persons, with over 7000 largely genetic RDs affecting 3.5 %-5.9 % of the global population, or approximately 262.9–446.2 million people. The substantial healthcare burden and costs, such as the $1 trillion annual expense in the USA, highlight the urgent need for improved RD management. The International Rare Diseases Research Consortium (IRDiRC) addresses this need through global collaboration, aiming for timely and accurate diagnosis, development of 1000 new therapies, and methodologies to measure impact by 2027.

Research

There is no clear clinical guidance on the use of alcohol pharmacotherapies in pregnancy due to insufficient safety information. Contraception should therefore be considered for reproductive-aged females receiving alcohol pharmacotherapies not wishing to become pregnant. This study evaluated the concurrent use of alcohol pharmacotherapies with prescription contraception and other medications in Australian females of reproductive age compared to those not receiving an alcohol pharmacotherapy.

Research

The human milk microbiome is dominated by typical oral and skin bacteria, suggesting that bacterial communities from the infant mouth and maternal skin contribute to the development of the human milk microbiome. It is postulated that breastfeeding characteristics, such as breastfeeding frequency and duration, could lead to different levels of exposure to oral and skin bacteria, and subsequently, altered bacterial profiles in human milk.  

Research

Children in out-of-home care participate in less organised sport than children from other household structures, potentially reducing opportunities for improvements in social, developmental, and health outcomes. Despite this, little is known about barriers and facilitators of sport participation for children in care. We aimed to explore carers' perspectives on the influences on children in care's participation and experiences in organised sport.

Research

It is essential to embed patient and public perspectives into every stage of the research journey, including setting the future research agenda. The substantial gaps in our understanding of prematurity-associated lung disease presented a timely opportunity to determine the community's research priorities.

Research

Surgery is an essential part of cancer treatment, particularly for localised solid tumours. Geriatric assessments (GA) with tailored interventions or comprehensive GA (CGA) can identify frailty factors and needs of older adults with cancer, assisting treatment decisions and care strategies to reduce postoperative complications. This systematic review summarises the effects of GA/CGA compared to usual care for older adults with cancer intended for surgery: their impact on treatment decisions, supportive care interventions, postoperative complications, survival, and health-related quality of life.

Research

Gambling disorder has emerged as a significant public health issue in Australia. Men are more likely than women to gamble and to develop gambling disorder. This study aimed predict men’s problem gambling severity using a multivariate approach comprised of different indicators of psychosocial functioning, past gambling behavior, and demographics (age and socioeconomic disadvantage).

Research

To examine researchers' reports of adherence to ethical principles in their most recent research project, including factors associated with higher self-reported adherence, and perceptions of how research conduct could be improved. 

Research

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) have high comorbidity rates and shared etiology. Nevertheless, NDD assessment is diagnosis-driven and focuses on symptom profiles of individual disorders, which hinders diagnosis and treatment. There is also no evidence-based, standardized transdiagnostic approach currently available to provide a full clinical picture of individuals with NDDs. The pressing need for transdiagnostic assessment led to the development of the Neurodevelopment Assessment Scale.

Research

Western societal norms have long been constrained by binary and exclusionary perspectives on matters such as infertility, contraception, sexual health, sexuality, and gender. These viewpoints have shaped research and knowledge frameworks for decades and led to an inaccurate and incomplete reproductive biology curriculum. To combat these deficiencies in reproductive systems-related education, our teaching team undertook a gradual transformation of unit content from 2018 to 2023, aiming to better reflect real diversity in human reproductive biology.