Innovative health and wellbeing projects win Medical Research Future Fund grants
A University of Wollongong-led study to increase the rate of breastfeeding among Aboriginal women has been awarded funding from the Australian Government's Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).
UOW researchers will also be collaborating on other recently announced MRFF projects.
In one of these projects, researchers from the UOW-based ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Sciences will contribute to a study to develop 3D bioprinting technology to treat severe and chronic skin wounds.
In the other, researchers from the Faculty of Social Sciences will contribute to research that aims to reduce vulnerability and improve developmental and health outcomes for children from disadvantaged environments.
Peer support for breastfeeding for Aboriginal women
The project to trial peer support for breastfeeding for Aboriginal women has been awarded $1.5 million over 18 months.
Breastfeeding is known to improve nutritional and long-term health outcomes, however, Aboriginal women are less likely than other Australian women to breastfeed their children.
Associate Professor Rowena Ivers from UOW Graduate Medicine is leading the study. She said that while peer support and scheduled visits were known to increase breastfeeding rates and duration, no studies had formally trialled breastfeeding peer support for Aboriginal women.
