PROJECT
Advancing the Epidemiology of Coronary Heart Disease: the AUS-MOCHA project
Measuring and monitoring heart attacks and coronary disease
in Australia
The Advancing the Epidemiology of Coronary Heart Disease (AUS-MOCHA) project is investigating the epidemiology of coronary heart disease, focusing on developing reliable methods for monitoring population trends of coronary heart disease in Australia. The project aims to investigate trends in incidence and outcomes of coronary heart disease in Australia, and will use international comparative analyses to further these aims.
The goal of analysing administrative linked health data is to advance prevention methods and develop a reliable algorithm for monitoring coronary heart disease in Australia. The research findings will advance our understanding of population-level coronary heart disease burden, enabling better management and more effective prevention measures for coronary heart disease patients.
PhD opportunities
PhD students are encouraged to apply to work on this project, which will involve analysing a large, complex linked dataset including hospital, mortality, emergency department and pharmacy data for all coronary heart disease patients in Western Australia.
Pathology data for this cohort will be linked to the dataset to enable development of contemporary algorithms for monitoring coronary heart disease and its acute and chronic subgroups in Australia, with translation of the models for national use.
Requirements specific to this project include qualifications and/or experience in epidemiology. Quantitative analytic skills are essential, preferably with prior use of linked health data.
To get in touch regarding this project, email Dr Lee Nedkoff.
Find out moreReadings
These readings are on related projects and topics from the cardiovascular research group and could be of interest to prospective PhD applicants.
The readings look at ways to combine public health and health services research to improve healthcare reform; the benchmark of the Cardiovascular Research Group.
- Nedkoff L, Lopez D, Goldacre MJ, Hobbs MST, Sanfilippo FM, Wright FL. Identification of myocardial infarction type from electronic hospital data in England and Australia: a comparative data linkage study. BMJ Open 2017;0:e019217.
- Lopez D, Nedkoff L, Knuiman M, Hobbs MST, Briffa TG, Preen DB, Hung J, Beilby J, Mathur S, Reynolds A, Sanfilippo FM. Exploring the effects of transfers and readmissions on trends in population counts of hospital admissions for coronary heart disease: a Western Australian data linkage study. BMJ Open 2017 Nov 17;7(11):e019226.
- Nedkoff L, Knuiman M, Hobbs MST, Hung J, Mathur S, Beilby J, Reynolds A, Briffa TG, Lopez D, Sanfilippo FM. Is the incidence of heart attack still decreasing in Australia? Developing reliable methods for monitoring trends in myocardial infarction and coronary heart disease (AUS-MOCHA): a study protocol. BMJ Open 2016;6;ee012180.
Collaborations and funding
The AUS-MOCHA project team collaborates with the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the University of Oxford to facilitate high-quality research outcomes using a big data approach.
In support of this project, we have received funding from the following bodies:
- NHMRC Project Grant 2015-2019
- NHMRC Early Career Fellowship
- UWA Research Collaboration Award
- UWA Fellowship Support Scheme
