Issue 581 (March 2009) - Office of Marketing and Communications

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UQNEWS, MARCH 2009 ➔ 14US ENDORSESTRIPLE PPROGRAMA landmark US study has found thatthe University’s Triple P – PositiveParenting Program can significantlylower rates of child abuse injuriesand foster care placements whenoffered to parents community-wide.Results of the five-year study, which wasfunded by the prestigious Center for DiseaseControl and Prevention and led by Dr RonPrinz at the University of South Carolina,were published in the online edition of thePrevention Science journal.It is the first large-scale study to showthat providing all families – not just familiesat risk – with access to proven parentinginformation and support can reduce rates ofchild maltreatment.The study found that making Triple Pavailable to all parents led to significantlylower rates of confirmed child abuse,fewer out-of-home placements and fewerhospitalisations from child abuse injuries,when compared to communities withoutaccess to Triple P.Researchers estimate for every 100,000children under the age of eight, the resultscould translate annually into 688 fewer casesof child maltreatment, 240 fewer children incare and 60 fewer children being admittedto hospital or emergency departments withabuse injuries.Study co-author and Triple P FounderProfessor Matt Sanders (pictured), said theresearch added to the already strong evidencebase of the program.“This research shows that by providingall parents – not just those at risk – withparenting support through evidence-basedprograms, we can have a major impact onchild maltreatment,” Professor Sanders said.“We would expect similar results inAustralia if all families here were offered easyaccess to Triple P.”INFO ➔ www.triplep.netCHRIS STACEYWhen a mother breastfeeds she isessentially protecting her child fromherself, according to UQ researcher anddevelopmental paediatrician, Dr LaneStrathearn.By linking data from the Mater-University ofQueensland Study of Pregnancy – Australia’slargest longitudinal study tracking mothers andtheir children – with reports of maltreatmentrecorded by the Department of Child Safety,Dr Strathearn (pictured), found mothers whobreastfed were less likely to neglect their children.“Mothers who didn’t breastfeed were almostfour times more likely to be reported for maternalneglect than mothers who breastfed for four ormore months,” he said.“For mothers who breastfed for less than fourmonths, the risk was about 2.3 times.”In what is believed to be the first populationstudy to provide statistics on the rate of childabuse in Australia, seven percent of children wereidentified as victims of maltreatment.Of the 7223 children in the birth cohort, 512were confirmed cases of maltreatment, with themother identified as the perpetrator 60 percent ofthe time.While it was impossible to conduct arandomised trial, Dr Strathearn said breastfeedingoffered a realistic explanation.“The difficulty with this research subject is thatyou can’t randomly assign a woman to breastfeedher baby and another one not to, so there’salways potential for bias,” he said.“But, these results make sense biologicallybecause breastfeeding is associated with oxytocinrelease, and we know from animal studies thatoxytocin is produced in the brain and helpsactivate areas of the brain that are involved inmaternal care and behaviour.“There are some other functional MRIstudies which show how an intranasal doseof oxytocin actually affects how the brainresponds to stressful or anxiety-provokingsituations and increases trust in a dyadicexchange between two people.”While the biological function of oxytocin“Breastfeedingmay simplypromote thatinterpersonalbond betweena mother andher baby - thephysical touch,the holding,the eye-to-eyecontact”BREASTFEEDING POSITIVESoffered a logical explanation, Dr Strathearn saidthe physical bond created between the motherand baby during breastfeeding could also be acontributing factor.“Breastfeeding may simply promote thatinterpersonal bond between a mother and herbaby – the physical touch, the holding, the eyeto-eyecontact,” he said.– PENNY ROBINSONSTEWART GOULDJEREMY PATTEN
FelineresearchUQNEWS, MARCH 2009 ➔ 15CENTRE FOR COMPANION ANIMAL HEALTHNever before hascomprehensive data onhomeless and unwantedcats been collected andanalysed to the magnitudecurrently being undertakenby UQ PhD student CorinneHanlon.Ms Hanlon (pictured), from the Centrefor Companion Animal Health, is conductingresearch which will provide evidence-basedsolutions to Australia’s unmanageablepopulation of unwanted cats and kittens.Nationwide, an estimated 60 percent ofcats that enter shelters are euthanised andthis figure is higher in council pounds.Across Australia, there have been anumber of strategies put in place in aneffort to curb euthanasia rates, includingmandatory desexing, pet registrations andcommunity awareness programs.However, none of these strategies havebeen successful in reducing the numbersand there has been a 28 percent increasein the euthanasia of cats nationwide in thelast year.By working closely with RSPCA sheltersacross Australia, Ms Hanlon’s research isspecifically investigating the cat populationentering shelters.This data is being analysed to identifywhich factors have the greatest impact onwhy cats and kittens end up in shelters.“We are looking into specific factors suchas demographics and the environment andwhether the temperature, rainfall and daylength have an effect on entry of cats andkittens to shelters, and if so, what factors aremost influential,” Ms Hanlon said.“Analysing the reasons why peoplesurrender their cats and the humandemographics of those who surrender willalso allow us to determine if socio-economicstatus, housing situations or local legislationhave any influence.“Additionally we are investigating thecharacteristics of these cats – which catsare at a higher risk of euthanasia once in ashelter and what shelter factors improve theoutcome for kittens and cats.”The analysis of this data will provide acomprehensive nationwide view of theunwanted cat population which will enableshelters and government to build on currentmanagement strategies to not only reducethe number of unwanted kittens born, butcats entering shelters.“Ultimately, our goal is the reduction ofcat euthanasia through the development oftargeted management strategies,” Ms Hanlonsaid.“This project has substantial support fromtwo private donors, however additional ongoingfunding is still required.“We welcome any donations fromthe community who want to help make adifference.”INFO ➔ www.uq.edu.au/ccah– JULIA KEITHRSPCAscholarshipUQ Business School honours studentChristilene du Plessis has been awardeda $25,000 RSPCA Qld Scholarship tohelp in the search for an ethical way tofind homes for shelter animals.The one-off scholarship, financed by thePetcare Information Advisory Service (PIAS), willfund Ms du Plessis’ market research as part ofRSPCA Qld’s one-year trial selling refuge animalsthrough commercial pet shops.Ms du Plessis said she was extremely excitedto be the scholarship recipient as it allowedher to make a contribution to the communitywhile also fulfilling her marketing honours thesisrequirements.“I’m very interested in corporate socialresponsibility and how that relates to marketingand I thought this was a wonderful opportunity tomake a positive difference as part of my studies,”Ms du Plessis said.RSPCA Qld’s trial began last month, with catsand dogs from its shelters now on sale at Petbarnin Lawnton and the RSPCA’s World for PetsSuperstore at Springwood.RSPCA Qld Scientific Research OfficerMandy Symons said the animals were de-sexed,vaccinated, wormed and micro-chipped andRSPCA staff and volunteers were responsible forthe care and sale of the pets.“We need to find ways to successfully rehomemore animals because at the moment thesad truth is that we are putting thousands ofanimals, especially kittens, to sleep every year,”Dr Symons said.UQBS honours academic supervisorAssociate Professor Frank Alpert said thescholarship, one of the largest ever awarded fromUQBS, represented a win-win situation for allinvolved.“The project will use state-of-the-artmethodology to address a market research needand, because it is not simply a consulting project,will also result in an original contribution to themarketing literature. It will produce an honoursthesis that is academically rigorous,” Dr Alpertsaid.JEREMY PATTEN
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