Bulletin #0093
winter 2018
Health by stealth options in new transport project A new study will investigate ways to make Tasmania’s commuting habits healthier. Led by Menzies’ researcher Dr Verity Cleland, the “Health by Stealth” study will look at the most effective ways of encouraging people to leave their cars at home and instead incorporate physical activity into their travel. Working closely with three local partners: Metro Tasmania, the Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services and the Local Government Association of Tasmania, the researchers plan to gain a better understanding of travel behaviours by examining existing local, state and national data sources. The project, which includes researchers from the Menzies, Deakin University and the University of Sydney, was recently awarded a $272,361 grant from the National Health
WINT E R Ap p ea l
and Medical Research Council. Dr Cleland hopes the study will identify incentives that will “help to make the healthy choice the easy choice” for commuters in Tasmania, where car dependency is high. With active commuters having significantly lower cardiovascular risk than passive commuters, and public transport users accumulating, on average, up to 33 minutes per day more physical activity than car drivers, there are a multitude of reasons why active transport is a good idea. “Apart from the physical health gains associated
There are a multitude of reasons why active transport is a good idea
Help us find better ways to respond to heart attacks
Heart attack is a life-threatening event, predominantly caused by coronary heart disease. Heart attack occurs when a blood vessel supplying the heart is suddenly blocked, threatening to damage the heart muscle and its functions.
Each year around 54,000 people suffer a heart attack and in 2016, an average of 22 Australians died from a heart attack every day. It is estimated
with additional [physical] activity, it also has the benefit of reducing traffic congestion and accidents, increasing social contact and connectedness and reducing air pollution,” Dr Cleland said.
430,000 Australians have had a heart attack at some point in their lives. When a heart attack occurs it requires immediate response
and intervention. Current methods are limited to “stent” and fibrinolysis. Dr Kaz Negishi, a Menzies cardiologist, senior lecturer and National Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellow, is proposing a world-first trial of a new technique called sonothrombolysis that, in small
How to donatE
The study will generate some of the first evidence internationally about the effectiveness of financial strategies to increase active and public transport use, and will provide crucial information for policy and planning, which will be particularly relevant for small cities and regional areas like Tasmania.
pilot studies so far, has been shown to dissolve clots with a much higher success rate than the current method. Our Winter Appeal is to support Dr Negishi’s work on this trial. Please consider a gift, no matter how small, to support this research.
Go to the Donate tab at menzies.utas.edu.au, or return the donation slip attached to this Bulletin. You can also call 1800 638 124 or 03 6226 7700.
Menzies Bulletin Winter 2018
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