Funding research into ageing-

The NH&MRC perspective

Professor Judy Black

The National Research PrioritiesThe National Research Priorities

Promoting and maintaining good health

Strategic research networks

Ageing well, ageing productively

Collaboration with ARC etc discussions started, workshop planned

PMSEIC PMSEIC

Need for a strong evidence base to formulate policies

Need for multidisciplinary research into

1. physical activity

2. Nutrition

3. Work and social environment

4. The built environment

5. A national network for healthy ageing research

Strategic Research Strategic Research Development CommitteeDevelopment Committee

Research in Healthy ageing - community consultation

Eight projects funded

Healthy ageing PhD scholarships

Palliative Care

Oral health of older Australians -18 projects

PhD scholarshipsPhD scholarships

•Home and community care

•Reducing falls in older people

•Economic considerations in

residential aged care

Ageing projectsAgeing projects

•Pharmacology

•Cellular ageing

•Community services in neurodegenerative

disease

•Dementia in ATSI people

etc

Strategic networksStrategic networks

Mechanism for identifying effective

strategic responses to achieve

desired outcomes

Not simply a medical issue -

collaborate with AIHW, COTA,

DoHA, NARI,

CollaborationCollaboration

NH&MRC workshop with ageing and aged care (AACD) division of DoHA to strengthen novice researchers in the field of dementia

Qualitative vs QuantitativeQualitative vs Quantitative

• Qualitative methodology is often unfairly criticised for lacking scientific rigour.

• Both methodologies share concerns about statistical power, subgroup analysis and generalisability.

• Both may be affected by issues of bias and confounding.

What is Quality Research?What is Quality Research?

• ‘Quality’ - methods used to minimise bias in the design and conduct of a study.

• ‘Relevance’ - the extent to which research findings can be applied in other settings.

• ‘Strength’ - the magnitude and reliability of the results.

Appraisal of the EvidenceAppraisal of the Evidence

Increasing attention is being paid to the critical appraisal and synthesis (meta-analysis) of the evidence base to inform policy.

Meta-analysisMeta-analysis

Advantages:

• increased power• robustness and transferability

Disadvantage:

• small biases may compound and result in an ‘apparent’ effect

What does this mean for us?What does this mean for us?

Policy and practice is based only on the highest quality data which meets the

standards for inclusion in meta-analysis.