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High rates of recurrent infection are a major risk to the health of Aboriginal children and are comparable to those of third world countries.

Research

Predicting immune protection against outcomes of infectious disease from population-level effectiveness data with application to COVID-19

Quantifying the extent to which previous infections and vaccinations confer protection against future infection or disease outcomes is critical to managing the transmission and consequences of infectious diseases. We present a general statistical model for predicting the strength of protection conferred by different immunising exposures (numbers, types, and strains of both vaccines and infections), against multiple outcomes of interest, whilst accounting for immune waning.

Research

Assessing the Impact of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Immunization Schedule Change From 3+0 to 2+1 in Australian Children: A Retrospective Observational Study

In mid-2018, the Australian childhood 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine schedule changed from 3+0 to 2+1, moving the third dose to 12 months of age, to address increasing breakthrough cases of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), predominantly in children aged >12 months. This study assessed the impact of this change using national IPD surveillance data.

Research Theme

First Nations Health and Equity

Aboriginal health is everyone's business. The needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and kids is integrated into all relevant areas of our work. Improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids and families is an overarching priority for every team at The Kids.

Research

Optimising detection of thrombosis in paediatric Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia: A prospective interventional sub-study protocol

Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (SAB) is the most common cause of sepsis, contributing to paediatric intensive care unit admission in Australia and New Zealand. While deep venous thrombosis (DVT) has been reported in children with invasive S. aureus infections, the actual frequency and possible effects of thrombosis on disease severity and outcome in paediatric SAB remain unknown. Moreover, guidance regarding imaging for paediatric SAB management are poorly defined.

Research

Applying causal inference and Bayesian statistics to understanding vaccine safety signals using a simulation study

Community perception of vaccine safety influences vaccine uptake. Our objective was to assess current vaccine safety monitoring by examining factors that may influence the availability of post-vaccination survey data, and thereby the specificity and sensitivity of existing signal detection methods.

Research

Airborne personal protective equipment availability and preparedness in Australian and New Zealand intensive care units: A point prevalence survey

Personal protective equipment is essential to protect healthcare workers when exposed to aerosol-generating procedures in patients with airborne respiratory pathogens.

Research

Nirsevimab immunisation of infants and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-associated hospitalisations, Western Australia, 2024: a population-based analysis

Christopher Peter Hannah Blyth Richmond Moore MBBS (Hons) DCH FRACP FRCPA PhD MBBS MRCP(UK) FRACP OAM BSc (Hons) GradDipClinEpi PhD Centre Head,

Research

Short-Term Active Safety Surveillance of the Spikevax and Nuvaxovid Priming Doses in Australia

Australia commenced administration of the Spikevax (Moderna mRNA-1273) COVID-19 vaccine in August 2021 and Nuvaxovid (Novavax NVX-CoV2373) in January 2022. This study describes the short-term safety profile of priming doses of the Spikevax and Nuvaxovid vaccines given between September 2021 and September 2023.

Research

‘I leave most of the decisions up to her:’ Gendered parenting, un/equal decision work, and responsibility for COVID-19 vaccination

Vaccination scholarship focuses on how privilege, individualized choice and ‘intensive’ and ‘natural’ parenthood – often motherhood – lead people to delay or not vaccinate their children. Recently, examining parents’ vaccination responsibilities – and the inequalities in paid employment and unpaid care work underpinning them – has become important to understand COVID-19.