Led by Professor Alex Brown, the Aboriginal Health Equity Theme aims to establish the nation’s leading research unit focused on reducing inequity in health and wellbeing among Australia’s First peoples, and the development of the next generation of Indigenous research leaders.
Our research is conducted under the following programs:
CARDIOMETABOLIC DISEASE
- Led by Professor Alex Brown
The Cardiometabolic Disease Research Program aims to understand the burden, causes, and consequences of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and mental illness from population levels, through to an individual biological and genetic level.
POPULATION HEALTH
- Led by Dr Odette Pearson
The Population Health Research Platform utilise epidemiological monitoring and data sciences to measure health inequalities, with a focus on the use of administrative data to support Aboriginal services and government agencies to better handle and understand existing data sources, and adequately manage and curate data of relevance to Aboriginal health and social outcomes in a culturally appropriate manner.
HEALTH SYSTEMS RESEARCH
- Led by Ms Kim Morey
The Health Systems Research Platform delivers detailed health systems research in primary care, community care, and hospital settings, particularly in relation to access, utilisation, quality and outcome inequalities for Indigenous Australians.
SEXUAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING
The Sexual Health and Wellbeing Research Program aims to address disparity existing between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians across sexual health, blood borne viruses and alcohol and illicit drug use, with a focus on research engaging strength-based approaches and existing agency within communities.
IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE
- Led by Dr Natasha Howard
The Implementation Science Platform incorporates a systems view and Indigenous knowledges to deliver mixed-method, inter-disciplinary perspectives which aim to generate policy and practice-based evidence to deliver innovative health solutions which integrate the social determinants of health and wellbeing.
CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT
- Led by Dr Karla Canuto
The Aboriginal Health Equity Theme will extend and formalise its unique research capacity activities to establish a platform to comprehensively and adaptively train and develop the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research leaders. The program will operationalise the understanding that cultural and research expertise can synergistically support one another, developing innovative ways to respond to issues of most importance to Aboriginal communities.
ADOLESCENT HEALTH AND WELLBEING
- Led by Associate Professor Pete Azzopardi
The Adolescent Health and Wellbeing Program works in partnership with young people to understand their needs and the best ways to address these. This includes informing evidence-based policies and co-designing accessible and responsive health services. The program has established extensive partnerships with policy makers and implementation partners in Australia and globally, ensuring new knowledge is translated into action.
