UTS Public Health research
Our research is driven by our commitment to rigorous methodology and design, social justice and improved health and well-being for all. Our research is highly collaborative and designed and undertaken with close attention to maximising partnerships, translation and wider impact – we pride ourselves on our ability to help address significant health issues facing our communities and health systems.
“Our school is home to a talented and diverse community of researchers with deep expertise in public health and research methodology. We work with communities, governments and non-government organisations to generate evidence that improves health outcomes, strengthens health systems, and informs policy.”
Associate Professor Jane Frawley
Deputy Head of School (Research)
Methodology and research design
Our School houses a wealth of methodological and research design expertise.
Our focus
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Many researchers in the School are helping understand a wide range of health and health care issues on the international stage within transdisciplinary teams working in countries such as Ethiopia, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, India, Brazil and Vietnam.
Key academics
- Albie Sharpe
- Dr Abela Mahimbo
- Dr Daniel Demant
- Professor David Sibbritt
- Distinguished Professor Jon Adams
- Professor Andrew Hayen
- Professor Faye McMillan
- Dr Rachel Grove
- Associated Professor Jane Frawley
- Bo-Huei Huang
- Bernard Saliba
- Professor Angela Dawson
Case studies
Associate Professor Jane Frawley
Routine immunisation rates have fallen across the globe during COVID-19. A/Professor Jane Frawley is working with partners, including Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, UNICEF, Department of Finance and Trade (DFAT), Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Fiji National University, Tonga Ministry of Health, and Tonga Tertiary Institution to develop information resources to support conversations about vaccines between health workers and communities in Fiji and Tonga.The program aims to support the introduction of new vaccines (for example the introduction of the HPV vaccine in Tonga) and encourage timeliness and uptake of routine vaccines.
Making health decisions can sometimes be complex, especially when there is much information to decipher. A/Professor Jane Frawley believes decision aids can help. Vaccine decision aids give information about the disease and available vaccines. They allow us to compare the risks associated with the infection with potential vaccine side effects while considering our circumstances and values.
Jane led a collaboration with the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS), with support from the Australian Digital Health Agency and the Australian Partnership for Preparedness Research on Infectious Disease Emergencies (APPRISE) to develop decision aids for the adults and children’s COVID-19 vaccines.
These online, interactive decision aids are now available in six languages and have helped thousands of people make decisions for themselves and their children. Jane is also leading work on developing further decision aids, such as a decision aid to help pregnant women decide about the flu vaccine.
Professor Angela Dawson
Professor Dawson is committed to research improving equitable access to maternal and reproductive health for women and girls in Australia, regionally and globally.Achieving universal access to sexual and reproductive health services and reducing maternal death rates is a significant global challenge. Six hundred thousand women die worldwide every year from complications of pregnancy and childbirth.
Poor women and adolescents, particularly the 60 million displaced by conflict, suffer disproportionately from unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortion, maternal death and disability, and experience barriers to information and care.
Competent, well-managed human resources for health (HRH) are essential to the delivery of evidence-based interventions.
Publications
Who benefits from healthcare spending in Cambodia? Evidence for a universal health coverage policy
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Many researchers in the School, especially in the Discipline of Health Services Management, are researching and evaluating the organisation of care, delivery of services, the practice of management in the health industry and a number of related health system and service issues.
Health Services Management
Health Services Management at UTS provides education, research and consultancy for those who are managing health services and to inform health policy at state and national levels.
Learn more about our focus and research projects.
Key academics
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Hope Foley
Case studies
Dr Suyin Hor
Dr Suyin Hor, Senior Lecturer in Health Services Management, uses participatory video methods with frontline clinicians to develop grounded understandings of how patient safety is created, moment to moment, in ordinary routine care.
In infection prevention and control, this means managing and negotiating contradictory or ambiguous protocols, complex interconnected practices, the logistics of moving people and equipment safely through time and space, and most importantly, communicating effectively about all of it.
Over the last ten years, this work, in collaboration with multiple sites within the Western Sydney Local Health District, has led to many ‘bottom-up’ practice and policy changes, reductions in MRSA prevalence, improved communication between patients and staff, and improved coordination across organisational and disciplinary boundaries.
Publications
Gilbert, G. L., Hor, S., Wyer, M., Sadsad, R., Badcock, C., Iedema, R. (2020) Sustained fall in inpatient MRSA prevalence after a video-reflexive ethnography project; an observational study. Infection, Disease & Health. doi: 10.1016/j.idh.2020.01.004
Iedema, R., Jorm, C., Hooker, C., Hor, S., Wyer, M., & Gilbert, G. L. (2018). To follow a rule? On frontline clinicians’ understandings and embodiments of hospital-acquired infection prevention and control rules. Health: An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health, Illness and Medicine, 24(2), 132-151. doi:10.1177/1363459318785677
Hor, S., Hooker, C., Iedema, R., Wyer, M., Gilbert, G. L., Jorm, C. & O’Sullivan, M. V. N. (2016) Beyond hand hygiene: a qualitative study of the everyday work of preventing cross-contamination in hospital wards. BMJ Quality and Safety, 26(7), 552-558. [doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2016-005878]
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A number of the School's researchers are investigating issues relating to HIV and AIDS, Ebola, COVID-19, Influenza and other infectious diseases affecting various populations in different countries.
Publications
Respiratory pandemics, urban planning and design: A multidisciplinary rapid review of the literature
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One driving force behind our wider research program is a desire to work inclusively with those from marginalized populations and communities (including refugees, those who are homeless, LGBTIQA+ and those from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities) to help improve their health and health care.
Key academics
- Dr Abela Mahimbo
- Dr Daniel Demant
- Dr Deb Debono
- Distinguished Professor Jon Adams
- Dr Shannon Lin
- Dr Wenbo Peng
- Professor Andrew Hayen
- Professor Faye McMillan
- Dr Rachel Grove
- Professor David Sibbritt
- Associated Professor Jane Frawley
- Bo-Huei Huang
- Associate Professor Kris Rogers
- Dr Sungwon Chang
- Associate Professor Anne Grunseit
- Hope Foley
- Professor Emily Callander
- Bernard Saliba
- Professor Angela Dawson
- Albie Sharpe
- Dr Nikki Percival
Case studies
Dr Abela Mahimbo
When the COVID-19 vaccination roll-out began in early 2021, NSW health authorities sought a “rapid response” to address potential hesitancy among refugee communities. The NSW Refugee Health Service commissioned and funded a team led by Dr Abela Mahimbo, Senior Lecturer, to conduct research among speakers of Arabic, Dari, Dinka and Karen, and make recommendations for maximising vaccine literacy, vaccine take-up and equitable access.
The project was the first of its kind to engage refugees both as stakeholders and as end-beneficiaries of the project. Bilingual community educators (BCEs) from the Refugee Health Service were involved in the research throughout, helping with project design, assisted with participant recruitment and data collection and facilitating focus groups. Their own research capacity was enhanced through training workshops.
The study provided timely insights into strategies for engaging effectively with community leaders and NGO representatives: practical use by “end-users” trying to increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake rates in these communities such as the Local Health District staff, the Ministry of Health especially via Multicultural NSW and Multicultural Health Communications Service; and via New South Wales Refugee Health Service Bilingual Community Educators promoting vaccination in their communities as trusted sources of information.
Publications
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Our research portfolio includes a strong focus upon investigating core issues relating to preventive health, ageing and chronic illness.
Key academics
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Hope Foley
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Grace Ward
Case studies
Dr Shannon Lin
Dr Shannon Lin, Senior Lecturer, is one of the most experienced diabetes dietitians and diabetes educators in Australia with about 20 years of experience in diverse healthcare settings.She is well known for her high standard of clinical practice. Shannon's passion lies in enhancing the diabetes workforce capacity and inspiring students and healthcare professionals in diabetes health service delivery.
She is actively involved in national and international diabetes projects, holds many key advisory roles (e.g., NSW Health & Primary Health Networks, Diabetes Australia, Australian Diabetes Educators Associations, Australian Diabetes Society), contributes to national diabetes initiatives and policies, and has received prestigious awards for her contributions to the field.
Professor David Sibbritt
Stroke research: the ‘Allen Study’
The ‘Allen Study’ is a community-based, prospective, longitudinal stroke cohort study which has been designed and is being led by researchers in the School of Public Health.
The aim of the study is to examine the health and health outcomes of stroke survivors over an extensive period of their adult life post-stroke.
In particular, the study explores:
- the lived experiences of stroke survivors and their health behaviours to help cope and live with stroke over time
- the post-stroke rehabilitation services and related medical costs over time
- the opportunities and challenges around secondary stroke prevention and how such prevention can be strengthened/improved across survivors, practitioners and others, and
- the opportunities to facilitate and promote research and policy collaboration and capacity building around post-stroke rehabilitation, complication management, and secondary stroke prevention.
To address these aims, the Allen Study will analyse data collected from a comprehensive questionnaire, which will be linked to routinely collected administrative health data. Recruitment for the Allen Study will begin in October 2023.
Associate Professor Anne Grunseit
Anne Grunseit has expertise in research and evaluation methods which are being deployed in the wider field of public health. For example, she has recently been invited to join the Statistics & Methodologies Advisory Board of the Journal of Physical Activity and Health.
She routinely conducts Introduction to Public Health Program Evaluation workshops for staff of the NSW Ministry of Health and is on Research advisory bodies for parkrun Global and Invictus Australia.
Anne’s work co-designing and researching playground space and physical activity with the Northern Sydney Local Health District has been cited in an evidence review on school education for NSW parliament, and a submission to a parliamentary committee on Planning and delivery of school infrastructure in NSW.
Publications
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A number of researchers in the School are undertaking research exploring aspects of self-care across the life-course, in the general population and as it relates to living with a range of chronic illnesses. This research is helping understand how self-care can be facilitated and cultivated in different communities and populations via various initiatives employing primary health care and allied health care practitioners and practice as well as wider health education and promotion programs and health policy.
Key academics
- Distinguished Professor Jon Adams
- Professor David Sibbritt
- Associate Professor Amie Steel
- Dr Wenbo Peng
- Kim Graham
- Hope Foley
Case studies
Distinguished Professor Jon Adams
Jon recently completed an ARC Professorial Future Fellowship and then a Fulbright Senior Scholarship extending a research program around self-care and vulnerable communities/populations.
Jon is the Co-Chair of a Worldwide Universities Network-funded Global Summit on Self-Care: R&D Opportunities for Non-Communicable Diseases held in partnership with the Self Care Academic Research Unit (SCARU), Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London in Sept 2023.
Jon is helping shape a global collaboration across several prestigious universities and in partnership with leading health associations, industry and governments to help facilitate and encourage stronger self-care for all.
Publications
Utilisation of self‐care products and practices and its associated factors among stroke survivors
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Many of the School's researchers are examining a wide range of women's and children's health issues providing insights around pregnancy and childbirth, early childhood health, menstruation and menopause, osteoporosis amongst other areas.
Key academics
Case studies
Professor Emily Callander
Professor Callander co-led, with the Office of the Chief Nurse and Midwife, the development of the Normal Birth Strategy for Queensland Health, which outlines Queensland’s strategy for the next five years to reduce overuse of caesarean section in public hospitals.
This was co-designed through a series of workshops with senior obstetric, midwifery and Queensland Health policy leaders, and two consumer groups.
The strategy includes recommendations for a publicly funded homebirth program for Queensland; and universal access to continuity of midwifery care.
This strategy will improve the maternity care provided to the 40,000 women per year giving birth in Queensland public hospitals, with estimated savings of $1.3 billion.
Insight: Women and children's health
The Women and Children's Health Collaborative at UTS brings together leading academics and researchers to build a body of evidence to inform policy and practice through research to benefit women, children and families.
Refugee and Migrant Health
Our work on refugee and migrant health is driven by a desire to promote population health and equity. We believe there are differences between the health needs of refugees and migrants to be investigated, so we conduct research focused on both groups separately and considered together.
African Australians’ health information needs and community-based health literacy solutions at the point of care
The University of Technology Sydney is working with African Health to find out African Australians’ specific health information needs and information delivery during consultations with general practitioners and other health care providers.