Research
Our Research
Our ambition is to become Australia’s leading regional mental health research and translation institute. Our research goal is to work with rural and regional communities to address complex mental health challenges, reduce morbidity and mortality, and alleviate pressure on health systems. Improving mental health has the potential to change lives; boost living standards, social engagement and connectedness; and drive economic productivity in the long-term.
Manna Institute has created four streams of research.
Suicide and Distress
Coming soon …
Children, Youth and Families
Around 1 in 7 Australian children will experience a mental health disorder each year. However, there is a significant gap between needs for mental health services and the accessibility and availability of mental health services for children in Australia.
This unmet need is likely to be even larger for children living with a mental health disorder in regional, rural or remote (RRR) Australia. Along with reduced access to high quality health and mental health services, RRR children are more likely to be exposed to a number of adverse early life experiences that result in poorer long-term mental health outcomes, including social disadvantage, domestic and family violence, poorer access to high quality early education, and natural disasters.
Thus, this workstream aims to advance understanding of the mental health of children and families in RRR Australia. The workstream will examine a) the mental health needs of this population; b) the availability and accessibility to appropriate child and adolescent mental health services in RRR communities; and c) how we can leverage and apply digital technologies and interventions to improve child, adolescent and parent mental health in RRR communities.
Health & Wellbeing in Later Life
This research stream focuses on enabling and supporting health and wellbeing in later life, by promoting physical, social, cultural, cognitive, and psychological ageing well.
This holistic perspective of ageing acknowledges individual context and recognises the impact of chronic disease and disability in later life. Embedding lived experience, our research prioritises working in partnership with regional, rural, and remote communities to navigate barriers and maximise strengths through place-based approaches.
Physical Health
Coming soon …
Our Research Strategy
To deliver enduring results, mental health research capacity in rural and regional Australia must be cultivated. By carefully coordinating research efforts across a vast geography, we capitalise on opportunities for resource-sharing that reduces duplication, captures grant funding, inspires HDR student activities and commands public attention. In time, we envisage an institute that generates external research income to continue to meet community needs.
Our Research Focus
Collaboration is key to our research and a hallmark of our unique ecosystem. There are four key themes for the Manna Institute:
1. Leadership and development through a virtual training institute to enhance leadership and research capacity in regional mental health research among ECRs and MCRs.
2. Research across four collaboratives including existing and emerging workforce development across regional Australia; individual health and wellbeing; priority populations; and the impact of changing environmental conditions on mental health.
3. A regional Community, Industry and Research Data Asset and Toolkit for communities, researchers, and industry organisations.
4. Communication through a clear and robust communications and stakeholder engagement strategy to uplift and share this important work and the impact it’s having within Australia’s rural and remote communities.
Manna Institute has created four streams of research.
These streams include:
• Physical health / mental health
• Health and Wellbeing in Later Life
• Distress and suicide prevention
We are cultivating connections, projects and opportunities to improve mental health and wellbeing in rural, regional and remote Australia.
We are growing meaningful research and professional workforces, and engaging industry to translate research findings into much-needed initiatives.
Ours is a virtual institute, comprising the seven members of the Regional University Network – Charles Sturt University, Central Queensland University, Federation University, Southern Cross University, the University of Southern Queensland, the University of Sunshine Coast and lead institution the University of New England.