Year in review: Our top 10 news stories of 2016

From an innovative suicide prevention tool to nudge theory in public health; from how to ensure research has an impact to why we should all be working up a sweat − these were among the Sax Institute news stories that captured widespread attention this year.

A look at the most read news stories on our website in 2016 to date reveals a diverse array of news from many of the Sax Institute’s programs that made the top 10, including news from the 45 and Up Study to The Australian Partnership Prevention Centre and SEARCH programs.

Read our top 10 stories:

  1. TEDxTHUMBWhy should we work up a sweat? TEDx talk outlines 45 and up Study findings – James Cook University’s Dr Klaus Gebel gave a TEDx talk (pictured right) about his research usiong the 45 and Up Study that found working up a sweat through vigorous activity can help avoid an early death.
  2. Study sheds light on end-of-life healthcare costs – New findings from the 45 and Up Study showed that greater use of GP services were not  linked to lower hospital costs in the six-month end-of-life period.
  3. Innovative suicide prevention tool the focus of new partnership – A groundbreaking decision support tool that could guide suicide prevention activity and investment both nationally and at a local level is being pioneered by a partnership including The Sax Institute.
  4.  Nudge theory in public health – a way to achieve behavioural change? – UK public health leader Professor Mike Kelly said behaviour change prompted by nudge theory alone would not solve complex public health problems such as obesity and chronic disease.
  5.  Emily Banks_thumbnail45 and Up Study leader named one of Australia’s most influential women – Professor Emily Banks (pictured right) was honoured as one of Australia’s 100 most influential women for two decades of work using research to inform health policy and practice.
  6.  Researchers honoured for work that delivers real-world results – Readers’ interest in our inaugural 2015 Research Action Award winners continued throughout 2016, with the story proving popular. The 2016 winners have just been announced. Read about their achievements.
  7.  Study to fill evidence gap on improving mental health care for Aboriginal children – A new study exploring the mental health trajectories of urban Aboriginal children will help lay the groundwork for improving mental health care for all Aboriginal children.
  8.  Getting the right answers to the right questions for health promotion – The Sax Institute’s Professor Don Nutbeam (below right) told an international health promotion conference that there’s a need to grow and improve public health evidence in order to get the right answers to the right policy questions.
  9. Don Nutbeam_thumbnail2New research sheds light on how to boost responses to cohort studies – The Sax Institute’s 45 and Up Study has shed light on a quandary long faced by researchers who conduct population-based cohort studies – how to ensure a good response rate to large-scale follow up population-based surveys?
  10.  Canadian scholars share insights from Sax Institute visit – Two young Canadian scholars reflect on international experience in knowledge exchange, after spending three months working at the Sax Institute.

Find out more