11 – PAH Overview
This FoR encompasses many of the broadly-defined UQ research strengths: Aetiology and
Management of Disease, Population Health, Health Promotion, and Food and Health. The
research in this FoR has international, national and community impact, involving high-profile
research centres such as the Australian Centre for International and Tropical Health, Healthy
Communities Research Centre, and research centres for Indigenous Health, Military and
Veterans' Health, Nutrition and Food Sciences, Online Health and Youth Substance Abuse
Research, UQ Centre for Clinical Research and the Queensland Brain Institute.
In addition to publishing in discipline-focused A* journals, researchers have published in the
premier health journals (e.g. 26 publications in Lancet). Researchers in this cluster also
publish in and contribute to research in other Fields, notably Clinical Sciences,
Neurosciences, Psychology and Education. This reflects their multi disciplinary approach
and large cross-disciplinary impact. Some examples are highlighted below in the individual
FoR codes descriptions. Members of this cluster also have editorial board roles in A/A*
journals in other FoR (e.g. PLoS, Medicine, Lopez; Lancet, Hall). Over 65 researchers are
fellows of groups such as Dieticians Association of Australia, Australasian College of
Tropical Medicine, Royal College of Nursing Australia, Australian College of Midwives,
American Psychological Association, Academy of Social Sciences in Australia.
Collaborations with government include the Cancer Prevention Research Centre ($482,000
annual Core Infrastructure Grant from Queensland Health – Owen) and QADREC (approx.
$200K from QHealth for research and training in alcohol, tobacco and other drugs).
International collaborations include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and AusAIDsupported $4M initiative to reduce maternal and infant deaths; philanthropic contributions
include $2M donation to establish the Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research.
In addition to memberships of learned academies (e.g. Australian Academy of Social
Science), statutory committees (e.g. expert committee on drug dependence, NHMRC
Council, PBAC), and NHMRC and ARC research fellowship panels, other prestigious
honours include USA National Kidney Foundation International Distinguished Medal for
2008 (Hoy) & Member Order of Australia (Hall, Capra).
Capacity building was strong with 112 research degree completions (2003-8).
1104 Complementary and alternative medicine. This is a developing area at UQ.
1106 Human movement and sports science. UQ research in this field UQ is
interdisciplinary. Research contributions range from promotion of exercise and healthy living
through to treatment of pain associated with spinal injury. Output from their research often
appears in other FoRs, especially Clinical Sciences, Neurosciences and Education. The
research is often translational extending from basic neuroscience to the development of
treatments for sport related and other injuries. To enhance this field and to drive
multidisciplinary research UQ appointed the Foundation Chair in Sports Physiotherapy in
2008 (Vicenzino). Marwick and Coombes are directors of the NHMRC Centre for Clinical
Research Excellence in cardiovascular and metabolic disorders at the Princess Alexandra
Hospital. The Centre conducts a lifestyle intervention program in Type II diabetes. Brown,
Dobson and Lee founded the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health: a long-term
collaborative study with the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing, examining
the long-term effects of physical activity and weight change on health outcomes in three
large cohorts of Australian women (>$22M in funding since 1995). Human movement and
sports science research attracted a 2010 NHMRC program grant ($7.5 M; Hodges, Jull,
Vicenzino; Musculoskeletal pain, injury and health: improving outcomes through
conservative management). Hodges (named as one of Australia's top 10 Emerging Leaders
in 2009) also leads the NHMRC Centre for Clinical Research Excellence in Spinal Pain,
Injury and Health with Jull, Cresswell and Vicenzino. 39 RHD candidates (2008); 69.7 RHD
completions (2003-8).
1110 Nursing. Nursing and Midwifery are increasingly being recognised as separate
disciplines and are very new at UQ (nursing was established in 2004 and midwifery in
2007). Researchers have already contributed nationally and internationally to disciplinary
research and leadership. Fox-Young is the President of the Royal College of Nursing
Australia and Bogossian represents midwifery on national projects and committees.
Research themes include quality health systems, health across the lifespan and chronic
conditions. Research often appears in A/A* journals in other FoR codes (e.g. Cochrane
Database of Systematic Reviews, Turner (Fulbright Senior Scholar, 2006; NHMRC
Fellowship 2007-2011), Bogossian (Churchill Fellowship, 2006)). Researchers have
established world first e-cohort studies (www.e-cohort.net) to investigate global health
workforce shortages (Turner). Over $1M of industry funding [including two state health
departments] and >$1 M ARC funding support the research that involves New Zealand,
Canada, the UK and Ireland. Researchers were invited by the Thai government and Thai
Nursing Council to establish a 20-year government-funded Thai cohort nursing workforce
study in 2009. 9 RHD candidates (2008); 5.3 completions (2003-8).
1111 Nutrition and Dietetics. UQ has an international reputation in body composition,
growth and energy requirements, and leadership in malnutrition assessment and
management in a range of contexts (acute care, chronic care and food services), and
national public health nutrition policy with Capra, Davies on the NHMRC Dietary Guidelines
Working Party. The Children's Nutrition Research Centre is consulted widely, including the
Queensland government Children's nutrition and physical activity survey 2006. UQ’s
commitment to this area is shown by the recent appointment of Sandra Capra AM in
February 2008. The Capra team’s malnutrition screening tool (MST) has influenced the
practice of hospital dieticians across Australia and internationally. Capra is Chair (President)
of the International Confederation of Dietetic Associations (ICDA, 2004-2012). 15 RHD
candidates (2008); 15.5 research degrees completed (2003-8).
1117 Public health and health sciences. UQ has provided international leadership in
Public Health, particularly in: the development of methods for estimating major disease and
risk factors that drive the global and national burden of disease; economic and
epidemiological modelling of the cost effectiveness of different strategies for preventing and
treating disease; and understanding the origins of common diseases from a longitudinal
perspective. UQ is a key collaborator with the World Health Organisation (WHO) as
evidenced by invitations to serve (Lopez) on the Steering Committee of WHO’s Regional
Health Observatory for the Western Pacific Region; by membership (Lopez) on WHO South
East Asia Research Advisory Committee; UQ’s selection by AusAID as the Health
Information Systems Knowledge Hub for Australian development assistance; selection by
AusAID as the Pacific Malaria Initiative Support Centre that demonstrates leadership in
malaria control. Work on the Australian disease burden has been published high quality
international journals (e.g. Lancet), and in major government reports (e.g. The burden of
disease in Australia 2003. Canberra: AIHW, 2007). The Centre for Burden of Disease & Cost
Effectiveness, and Queensland Alcohol and Drug Research and Education Centre have
strong reputations for global health training, research and policy. Research in FoR1117 is
collaborative, and continues to strengthen its international ties: e.g., the Global Burden of
Disease studies (Murray CJL et al. Lancet, 370:109-110) bring together international leaders
in epidemiology and public health research. UQ is one of the five leaders of the consortia,
along with Harvard University, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the
University of Washington, Johns Hopkins University and the World Health Organization
(WHO), which provides academic leadership for the first major revision of the Global Burden
of Disease study, led by Murray & Lopez, and involving more than 800 collaborators
worldwide. The study is supported by $US18.8M from the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation. NHMRC Australia Fellowships were awarded to Hoy (2008) and Hall (2009).
Both Hall and Saunders are ISI Highly-Cited researchers, strong evidence of the research
excellence and international profile for this field at UQ. 86 research candidates were being
supervised in 2008; 117 completions (2003-8).
1199 Other medical and health sciences. Journal coding places rehabilitation sciences
research outputs in clinical sciences and other Fields. The level of outputs in this code does
not meet the minimum output threshold.