Curtin research will examine the 'partygoing' behaviours of young people in regional areas, the use of nicotine pouches and ways to promote physical activity among young people as part of new projects funded by Healthway.
The three projects explore youth health issues in Western Australia with each project designed to produce practical evidence to guide prevention, policy and health promotion across the State.
Curtin Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research Professor Melinda Fitzgerald said the projects would address some of the most pressing issues facing young people in WA.
"These projects demonstrate Curtin's strong commitment to research that responds to real community needs, generating evidence that can inform better health outcomes for young people across WA," Professor Fitzgerald said.
Among the funding recipients is Professor Nyanda McBride, from the National Drug Research Institute, who has received nearly $100,000 for a project which will examine alcohol and other drug use, mental health and sexual health among 'partygoing' young people in regional WA.
Professor McBride said rural Australians aged 18 to 24 years were especially vulnerable to alcohol and other drug-related harm, with the highest alcohol use, greatest single-occasion drinking risk and greatest likelihood of illicit drug use, compounded by socioeconomic and cultural health inequalities.
"I live in rural WA so have seen firsthand the harms associated with youth alcohol and other drug use in my community, and these have a whole-of-community impact that cannot be understated," Professor McBride said.
"Our study will provide in-depth understandings about factors that contribute to young people in the regions being more likely to partake in riskier activities compared to their metropolitan counterparts, and why they might be more at risk of harm generally."
Associate Professor Katharina Wolf, from Curtin Business School, will investigate the availability, composition and youth appeal of nicotine pouches in WA thanks to the funding.
Associate Professor Wolf said there was currently no WA-specific data on nicotine pouches despite growing anecdotal evidence the products were becoming more visible, accessible and appealing to young people.
"We have already seen with vaping how quickly a novel nicotine product can become normalised among young people when education, regulation and public awareness do not keep pace," she said.
"Nicotine pouches have the potential to follow a similar trajectory, particularly because they are discreet, flavoured and often promoted through youth-oriented digital and social media content. This project will map where nicotine pouches are sold, test what they contain, and explore young people's awareness and experiences to build an important first snapshot of their use and availability in WA."
Senior Research Fellow Dr Hamsini Sivaramakrishnan, from the Curtin enAble Institute, has received nearly $100,000 to co-design practical, action-ready messages to encourage physical activity among young people across WA.
Dr Sivaramakrishnan said physical activity campaigns often focused on long-term health benefits, such as lowering chronic disease risk, which could feel abstract and remote for young people.
"By working with young people to understand what resonates and involving them in developing new messaging, this project aims to make future health promotion relevant, inclusive and grounded in lived experience," she said.
"Ultimately, we want young people in WA to feel like physical activity is something that's genuinely for them, relevant to their lives, their mental wellbeing, and their social world."
Healthway CEO Colin Smith said Healthway aimed to back collaborative research that drives real change.
"These projects will translate research into real-world impact, strengthening communities and supporting active, healthy lifestyles, especially for young people," Mr Smith said.
Find out more about Healthway's Open Research Round here.
