Adaptations of methods for estimation of familial correlation in age at onset of disease [ 2001 - 2003 ]

Research Grant

Researchers: Hien Vu (Principal investigator) ,  Prof Matthew Knuiman

Brief description Chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease, breast cancer, prostate cancer and non-insulin dependent diabetes are responsible for a significant burden of ill-health in society. Studies of familial aggregation are important in determining the relative magnitude of genetic and lifestyle-environment factors associated with chronic diseases, and in identifying individuals and families at high risk, even in the absence of conventional risk factors. The findings have implications for health promotion in the general population and disease prevention in those identified to be at high risk. An outstanding characteristics of these studies is that many participants had an event at some unknown time before the entry. This project aims at adapting current methods to properly account for events before entry and to provide estimates of familial aggregation between parents, between children and between parents and children in the same model. Furthermore, it provides freely available software for proper familial analyses which have not had any feasible numerical methods (or software). In addition, it provides estimates of familial aggregation of coronary heart disease in Busselton families which has longer follow-up than most other studies. This project is very cost effective as the Busselton Health Study consists of a series of cross-sectional surveys since 1968 and currently has hospital morbidity and death follow-up from medical record linkage until the end of 1997.

Funding Amount $AUD 146,250.00

Funding Scheme NHMRC Project Grants

Notes Standard Project Grant