Designed to directly improve the health or wellbeing of people living in rural and remote locations, the final VVMCRHR funding round for 2021 attracted a strong applicant pool of 10 projects, with three successful recipients.
1. Mildura Rural City Council - Hepatitis C Micro Elimination in Mildura
The Mildura Rural City Council (MRCC) project seeks to highlight the need for a new model of care, to increase treatment uptake and achieve elimination of Hepatitis C viral infections (HCV) in the north west regional city of Mildura, Victoria.
The MRCC will work with stakeholders to identify, counsel, treat and follow up with people living with HCV, using a coordinated and collaborative 4-stage health model.
The project aims to reduce the prevalence and spread of HCV and increase testing rates for HCV throughout the region.
2. West Wimmera Health Service - Identifying Success: Evaluating an Empowering Rural Health Promotion Intervention
The West Wimmera Health Service (WWHS) will create an evaluation strategy for a new rural, multi-faceted health-promotion activity, called 3in1 Toward a Healthy Town.
In particular, they will investigate which elements of the program have had the greatest effect on participants' sustainable health, including healthy eating, physical activity, social connection and health literacy.
At the conclusion of their research, the WWHS will have a replicable guide for planning, implementing, and evaluating 3in1 Towards a Healthy Town in other regions and communities.
3. Cultivate Farms - Ageing on Farm
Cultivate Farms provides support for farmers to ‘age on farm’ and stay a part of their farm’s ongoing success – a strategy they feel will improve their potential for physical, social, and mental health and wellbeing.
As well as providing an extensive communication network through social media, newsletters and a website, Cultivate Farms has designed an accelerator program for next-generation farmers.
CEO of Cultivate Farms, Sam Marwood, said the aim is to inform sustainable rural farming communities in Australia.
“Our work is focused on removing barriers to farmers realising their farming vision, whether a retiring or next-generation farmer,” Mr. Marwood said.
About the VVMCRHR
The VVMCRHR is a research centre within the La Trobe Rural Health School. Established in 2019, the Centre’s mission is to undertake world class research aimed at narrowing the gap between metropolitan health outcomes and those in rural areas.
For more information contact Julia Henery: j.henery@latrobe.edu.au
