Publications

Closing the gap in reproductive health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women: lessons learned from longitudinal perinatal cohort studies

Longitudinal, Indigenous-led research integrated with community-controlled continuity of care can improve and support perinatal outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families in Australia. Across the past 35 years, seven cohorts have contributed complementary insights from pregnancy through early childhood with varying geographic reach and appropriate Indigenous governance. This paper discusses each of these cohorts and how these studies across pregnancy, birth and some continuing through early childhood, have substantially added to the body of knowledge related to perinatal health needs for women.

Publishing Date:

1 June, 2026
Journal Name:

Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
Authors:

Kym Rae, Luciana Fiorella Massi, Salma M. Ahmed, Anne-Marie Eades, Rhonda Marriott, Gail Garvey, Sandra Eades, Maree Toombs

From teratogens to trajectories: Integrating teratology and Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) frameworks for a new take on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD)

This article explains how research on prenatal alcohol exposure has evolved from two separate frameworks, teratology and Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD), into a more integrated approach. It highlights how combining these perspectives improves understanding of how prenatal alcohol exposure affects lifelong health and development, and supports better prevention and intervention strategies for FASD.

Publishing Date:

1 June, 2026
Journal Name:

Science Direct, Neurology of Stress
Authors:

Joanne Weinberg, Karen Moritz

The Impact of Remoteness on the Outcomes of Children With Prenatal Drug Exposure: A Population-Based Cohort Study

This article explores how geography influences outcomes for children with prenatal drug exposure, revealing disparities in health and access to care between regional and metropolitan areas.

Publishing Date:

25 May, 2026
Journal Name:

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health
Authors:

Taylor Colligan, Ju Lee Oei, Barbara Bajuk, Lucinda Burns, Kate Lawler, Hannah Uebel, John Eastwood, Andrew Page, Evelyn Lee, Lauren Dicair, Charles Green, Michelle Dickson, Mithilesh Dronavalli

Associations between prenatal alcohol exposure and parent-reported sleep disturbances in 10,336 adolescents: an Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study

This study investigated the associations between prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), including low and moderate levels of exposure, and parent-reported sleep disturbances during adolescence. This is an area that remains understudied despite evidence linking PAE, particularly heavy PAE, to poor sleep in younger children and the growing recognition of harms associated with low levels of PAE.

Publishing Date:

21 May, 2026
Journal Name:

The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry
Authors:

Emma K. Devine, ReJoyce Green, Rachel Visontay, Hollie Byrne, Julia Riches, Elizabeth J. Elliott, Nicola C. Newton, Lindsay M. Squeglia, Louise Mewton, Lexine A. Stapinski

Alcohol & Pregnancy

Effectiveness of a School‐Based Substance Use Prevention Program in Reducing Primary School Students’ Intentions to Use Tobacco, Alcohol or Other Drugs in the Future

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a routinely implemented Australian school-based substance use prevention program in reducing primary school students' intentions for future use, awareness, knowledge and confidence to avoid tobacco, alcohol and other drugs.

Publishing Date:

8 May, 2026
Journal Name:

Drug and Alcohol Review
Authors:

Rebecca K. Hodder, Kate M. O'Brien, Luke Wolfenden, Nicole Nathan, Karen Gillham, Jenny Bowman, Jessica Searston, John H. Wiggers

Developing and Applying a Typology of ‘Better for You’ Claims on Alcohol Products

To appeal to health-conscious consumers, alcohol producers are marketing products with a range of ‘better for you’ claims. This study aims to: (i) develop a typology of text-based ‘better for you’ claims used on alcohol products; (ii) assess the prevalence of these claims in the Australian market overall and by alcohol category; and (iii) identify the extent to which products display multiple claims.

Publishing Date:

1 May, 2026
Journal Name:

Drug and Alcohol Review
Authors:

Asad Yusoff, Simone Pettigrew, Bella Sträuli, Paula O'Brien, Jacqueline Bowden, Mark Petticrew, Alexandra Jones