16 January $5 million for bushfire related health research January 16, 2020 By Danielle Cranefield Announcement, Department of Health 0 The Government will provide $5 million in total from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) under an open and competitive grant round. The current bushfire crisis that is impacting large parts of Australia has devastated individuals and communities. The Australian Government is taking action on this significant public health problem. The medium-term health effects of the recent bushfires will be studied under two major research streams commissioned by the Government. The Government will provide $5 million in total from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) under an open and competitive grant round. $3 million for research into the physiological impacts of prolonged bushfire smoke exposure. $2 million for research into the mental health impacts of bushfires on affected communities. This research will collect information on the biological, psychological and behavioural impacts of prolonged exposure to bushfire smoke. The data and evidence gathered will help to understand the lived experiences and coping strategies of people and communities heavily affected by bushfires. Measures undertaken to reduce exposure to smoke and the effectiveness of the exposure reduction methods will also be studied. Outcomes of this research will support the development of individual and community resilience strategies into bush fire preparedness planning. It will also inform policies for preparing and responding to future bushfire events. Read More Related Articles Department of Health: Almost 3.5 million P2 masks provided for bushfires The Australian Government is providing an additional 576,000 P2 masks to South Australia, Tasmania and Australian Defence Force personnel to support bushfire-affected communities. Increased use of My Health Record by healthcare providers My Health Record – Australians to decide on a smarter and safer way to share their important healthcare information By the end of 2018, a My Health Record will be created for every Australian, unless they choose not to have one. If people choose not to have a My Health Record, they will be able to opt out of having one created for them during a three-month period, starting on Monday 16 July and ending on October 15 2018 $6.3 Million to Continue Health Data Portal Development The Australian Government is investing a further $6.3 million to continue the development of the Health Data Portal (the Portal) used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services funded under the Indigenous Australians’ Health Programme (IAHP) to report Indigenous health data. Paid research into digital health My Health Record kits being distributed to Australian healthcare providers The Australian Digital Health Agency is pleased to announce nearly 20,000 My Health Record education kits are being distributed to healthcare providers and Australia Post offices across Australia. The kits will equip providers and Agency partners with information and resources to help them advise all Australians about My Health Record Comments are closed.