Issue 17 The Globe April 2014

Never Stand Still Medicine School of and Community Medicine

Joyful graduation for six indigenous students

Six Aboriginal women – including three Public Health at UNSW, among “This has been a completely sisters – graduated with postgraduate the inaugural intake into the highly awesome experience, especially to qualifications in public health from competitive Future Health Leaders be up there on stage with my two the School of Public Health and program. Her research will focus sisters. It was fantastic,” says Dea Community Medicine last year. on culturally appropriate research Delaney-Thiele. protocols, using a grassroots Sisters Dea Delaney-Thiele and perspective. Three years ago, Ms Delaney-Thiele Sheila Hure both graduated with returned to her community of Mount Masters of Public Health, while their The Muru Marri centre at SPHCM Druitt, after working in Canberra older sibling Joanne Delaney and provided extra support through for the peak body the National colleagues Aunty Elaine Lomas, mentoring and tutoring for the Aboriginal Community Controlled Jennifer King and Sethy Willie AMSWS cohort. Aboriginal academic Health Organisation for 10 years, received Graduate Certificates in and UNSW Professor of Public with eight of them as CEO. Public Health. Health, Lisa Jackson Pulver says: “Training Aboriginal people to take The women continued to work the lead in Indigenous health care full-time at the Aboriginal Medical is essential to capacity building and INSIDE THIS ISSUE Service Western Sydney (AMSWS) empowerment.” based in Mount Druitt, while UNSW Biostatistics Unit 2 they earned their qualifications. “Usually the policy makers SPHCM Social Media 2 The area is home to ’s in Aboriginal affairs are non- largest Aboriginal population. Indigenous, but UNSW is quietly Protecting Australia 3 growing qualified Indigenous leaders Interns in India 4 Most are the first in their families in collaboration with employers and Outstanding achievements 6 to gain a university degree. One health services,” says Professor of them, Dea Delaney-Thiele, has Jackson Pulver, who is a Director of Links with WHO 7 already started her Doctorate in Muru Marri. Dreaming up the future 8

Newsletter of School of Public Health and Community Medicine 1 UNSW Biostatistics Unit

“There is a lot of focus on the health Associate Professor Andrew Hayen Dr Robin Turner of Indigenous people in rural and regional areas, but even in the city The School of Public Health Andrew Hayen and colleagues in there are major problems of access,” and Community Medicine has UNSW Medicine. says Ms Delaney-Thiele. “Often established a biostatistical unit people don’t want to go to hospital or to provide consulting services to “We established the unit because seek other health services because UNSW Medicine. The unit can of strong demand for high-level of worries about racism. That was the provide a broad range of advice and biostatistical consulting at the case with my mother – and plenty of consulting services. These include: University and the Faculty. We others that I know of.” also aim to improve the success • Sample size and power rate for NHMRC grant applications Sheila Hure says: “Thank you calculations; at UNSW by guiding researchers all so much for your wishes and • Development of statistical in the development of their grant encouragement, we sincerely analysis plans; applications”, says Andrew. appreciate it. We had the • Study design advice; wonderful support of the board and The unit’s first new appointment is management and Frank Vincent of • Biostatistical analysis, including Dr Robin Turner, who commenced at AMSWS, the staff at UNSW Muru assistance with statistical SPHCM in March 2014. Robin joins Marri - Professor Lisa Jackson Pulver computing packages; the unit with a strong background in and Sarah Gaskin, both becoming • Advice on preparation or clinical and public health research, our precious gems. As well we revision of journal publications. and methodological research. received unwavering support from Head of School, Professor Raina The unit was established following For more details, see: MacIntyre, and Associate Professor a major research and infrastructure sphcm.med.unsw.edu.au/ Glenda Lawrence.” initiative grant that was awarded to centres-units/unsw-biostatistics-unit

SPHCM Social Media SPHCM has gone social with the launch of our Facebook page, Twitter feed and LinkedIn group. These sites are great places to find out the latest on what’s happening at SPHCM, to share resources and opinions, and make connections with other students, alumni and associates. You can find links on the SPHCM website and in Moodle Semester 1 courses. Please join us and share your thoughts on all things related to the study, research and practice of Dea Delaney-Thiele wins Muru Marri public health and community medicine. Prize

2 Protecting Australia – closing the gap in immunisation for migrants and refugees

The proceedings of immunisation for migrants and “The immunisation gap in migrants refugees leaves Australia vulnerable and refugees is everyone’s Australia’s first national to ongoing outbreaks of vaccine- business, and we cannot afford preventable diseases despite our to pass the buck. The recent stakeholder workshop excellent National Immunisation outbreaks of measles in Sydney on immunisation Program. occurred despite high rates of measles vaccination as measured issues for migrants and Key recommendations arising from by our immunisation register. We refugees were launched the workshop include: cannot control infectious diseases in Australia without closing this gap. on 14 March, 2014. ■ That the implementation of the It is in our national interest to find a new National Immunisation way forward to address this gap in Strategy for Australia communicable disease control.” The workshop was held at UNSW comprehensively addresses the in August 2013 and was convened Professor Raina MacIntyre immunisation needs of migrants Director of the NHMRC Centre by the NHMRC Centre for Research and refugees; or Research Excellence Excellence in “Immunisation in under-studied and special risk That immunisation of populations”. ■ “I am pleased that the NHMRC recently arrived migrants CRE in Immunisation has been and refugees who have Stakeholders from government and able to convene all stakeholders missed out on immunisations non-government sectors, primary from around the country for the first be universally funded; care and public health with an time to discuss the issue of control interest in refugee and migrant of vaccine-preventable diseases That Australia needs a whole-of- health came together to review the ■ in migrants and refugees. It is life immunisation register; and evidence, identify gaps and propose important for groups such as this, potential solutions to the gap in who are independent of vested That improved identification immunisation coverage in recently ■ interests, to take on an advocacy of high-risk migrant and arrived migrants and refugees. role for identified gaps in public refugee groups in the health. The recommendations health system is needed. Due to disruption to health from this workshop are concrete, infrastructure and poor actionable ideas which is a valuable The report, titled “Protecting Australia immunisation coverage, migrants contribution to national disease – closing the gap in immunisation for and refugees arrive in Australia control efforts. I look forward migrants and refugees” is available susceptible to many of the vaccine- to seeing some or all of these at: www.creimmunisation.com.au/ preventable diseases included on recommendations considered and news/report-launch-protecting- Australia’s National Immunisation implemented nationally.” australia-%E2%80%93-closing-gap- Program. The lack of a systematic Professor Peter Smith, Dean immunisation-migrants-and-refugees mechanism for catch-up UNSW Medicine

3 Interns share their experiences in India

Why did you decide to enroll in settlement, a leprosy colony and the internship program? a remote Scheduled Tribe village.

We decided to enroll in the internship 2. During our internship, the program to acquire professional Department went to great experience, knowledge and skills lengths to ensure that we were to enhance our studies and future exposed to most aspects of the careers in public health. We both Indian healthcare system. This appreciate the value of experience included visiting primary health gained outside the classroom centres under the National Rural and believed that the internship Health Mission, secondary level presented an ideal opportunity centres including a rural mission to gain this experience. We are hospital, a government district also both considering careers in hospital and, lastly, tertiary global health and therefore we level centres including SRM are interested in the option of Hospital and Christian Medical Rachel Wilkins and Anna Bethmont working in a developing country. College Hospital in Vellore. We also had the opportunity to visit During the 2013 summer What has been the most the National Siddha Institute in rewarding thing about your Chennai, where a traditional form school, Rachel Wilkins and of Tamil medicine is practiced. internship so far? Anna Bethmont undertook an During each of these visits we internship placement at the We found two aspects of the were able to speak with staff internship particularly rewarding: Department of Community about the day-to-day functioning of the facilities and strengths and Medicine at SRM University in 1. The opportunity to interact with weaknesses of the services. Tamil Nadu, in India. The aim of local communities was valuable the placement was to observe on personal and professional levels. We visited a number of Would you recommend the first-hand the key issues urban and rural villages as part of associated with delivering the Department’s regular medical internship program to other students and why? healthcare in resource poor outreach and research activities Yes, the internship is a valuable settings. Following the and spoke with local people about their health related behaviours opportunity to gain exposure to completion of their placement, and beliefs. We were also able multiple aspects of public health in a we asked them to reflect on to visit a number of unique developing context, including health their experiences. communities including a gypsy issues, healthcare system, health

4 education and public health research. 2. Key research skills including ■ Key health issues in India and the It is also a unique opportunity to gain defining relevant research key challenges currently facing this experience with the support and questions, identifying research India and Tamil Nadu in particular. advice of the UNSW School of Public populations, developing Health and Community Medicine. questionnaire, and data ■ The healthcare system in management and analysis. India and its strengths and weaknesses. How do you think the internship 3. Self directed learning including will assist you in your future negotiating goals and deadlines ■ The social and cultural practices with workplace supervisors. career? that form the context of health and healthcare and the social The internship will assist us in our 4. Team work skills including the determinants of health. future careers by providing us with ability to work with a variety of key transferable skills and insights. colleagues including SRM faculty, ■ Medical and public health SRM postgraduate students, education in India and how this In terms of transferable skills, we SRM undergraduate medical influences the functioning of the developed: students and medical staff in healthcare system. the various health facilities we 1. Cultural competence, in both the visited. In such diverse groups, workplace and the field. We learnt we learnt that clear and assertive about different social norms and communication, active listening SRM University is a leading private expectations and the importance and politeness are essential. university in India with an intake of of being tolerant and adaptable. more than 30,000 students per year. In terms of insights, we gained an The internship program is organised understanding of: in collaboration with the Department of Community Medicine. Students have an opportunity to work in the community outreach centres (rural and urban health centres) exploring health issues including communicable, non-communicable and access to health services.

For more information about internship placements, contact Vanessa Green: [email protected]

5 Dr Abrar Chughtai, Megan Williams, Christine Rousselis and Louise Maher Staff recognised for outstanding achievements

Four members of the School Dr Abrar Chughtai is an overseas Our student Dr Minh Cuong received Dean’s Awards in 2013. trained medical graduate who Duong is the proud recipient the Congratulations to Louise Maher received a Dean’s award to Australian Society for Infectious who was a recipient of a Dean’s acknowledge the achievements of Diseases Council prestigious Award for outstanding research in young researchers with the potential scholarship to attend the November 2013, the same month in to become career scientists . He Australasian Society for infectious which she was awarded her DrPH. completed a Master in Public Diseases Annual Scientific Meeting Louise is a very worthy recipient of Health in Infectious Diseases where he will present his award this award; she was an outstanding and Control from winning poster. candidate, capable of high level UNSW in 2009. Abrar started his and independent thought. During PhD in 2012. The aim of his PhD is Congratulations to Dr Joel her candidature, Louise completed to examine the role of facemasks Rhee and Dr Jo Travaglia, the NSW Public Health Officer for the protection of hospital HCWs who have both been awarded Training Program. She made an against respiratory infections, and to Faculty Learning and Teaching impressive contribution at each of develop recommendations around Awards for Award for Outstanding her four placements throughout the use and re-use of masks for Contributions to Student Learning this training program. Louise’s low and middle income countries. 2013. Well done and well deserved! DrPH thesis, Applied professional His PhD is made up by a series practice in public health: promoting of studies which are aimed at Congratulations to Dr Holly Seale equitable health services delivery examining different issues around and Dr Anita Heywood who through evaluation and research, the use of facemasks at different were accepted in the Vaccine and has been widely disseminated system levels. Edward Jenner Vaccine Society and received glowing reviews Young Investigator Program (YIP). from examiners. The SPHCM Christine Rousselis was also As members of the inaugural congratulates Louise and wishes recognised for her outstanding class of 2014, they will be part her all the best for her future. contribution to the School’s of an elite group of 10 scientists publications, lecture notes from around the world during this Megan Williams also received a and website. Indeed, without first year of the program. Their Dean’s award to acknowledge the Christine’s efforts this newsletter membership to this highly selective achievements of postdoctoral staff would not be possible. program lasts three years, and and early career researchers in will lead to exciting opportunities their respective fields of activity. and networks for them.

6 Our links with the WHO

Professor MacIntyre with the Dean, Professor Peter Smith and Dr Padmanesan Narasimhan, meeting with Dr Roderico Ofrin, Coordinator, Emergency and Humanitarian Action Unit, South-East Asian Regional Office of the World Health Organization

SPHCM has one of the largest Master of Public Health (MPH) programs in Australia, and within that there is a MPH specialisation in Infectious Diseases Epidemiology and Control. Through our strength in infectious diseases epidemiology, we have several links with the World Health Organization. In 2013, we pioneered work- place internships for our MPH, Master of International Public Health (MIPH) and the Master of Health Management (MHM) students, and one of our most sought-after internships is at the WHO South East Asian Regional Office in New Delhi, where our students gain field experience in disaster response.

We also have a summer course which we run jointly with the Professor Peter Smith (Dean) and Professor Raina WHO on Managing Communicable Diseases During Humanitarian MacIntyre with SPHCM interns Dr Abela Mahimbo Emergencies. A/Prof Michelle Gayer, who is Coordinator of (MPH/MHM) and Ms Alison Kerr (MIPH/MPH) at Emergency Response Management at WHO, has been working with WHO SEARO us at SPHCM since 2009 in establishing and running this course, and is a conjoint academic with us. This course is run in WHO Geneva, New York, London and Sydney, thereby being accessible to ARM Network stakeholders in the Asia-Pacific region. Launch Since 2014, SPHCM has a member of the WHO Global Outbreak SPHCM UNSW is now a Alert and Response Network (GOARN), with Professor Raina member of WHO's Global MacIntyre as the primary link person. Through this and a related Outbreak Alert Response national network, ARM, we tap into the expertise of our own staff Network and a founding partner of ARM, and student body to assist with surge capacity in times of need. For a new network to enable Australia's students interested in a career in infectious diseases control, this is an opportunity to gain valuable public health experience. capacity to respond to cross-border and regional infectious diseases outbreaks. The launch of ARM will be on June 16th Many of our academics do consulting for WHO, or are on expert groups for WHO, which gives opportunities for translation of evidence 2014. See flyer for details: sphcm.med. into policy and practice. Finally, we also have WHO staff doing unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/sphcm/ postgraduate research degrees with us. These links make SPHCM a News/ARM_Network_Launch.pdf great place to work and learn.

7 Dreaming up the future of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Public Health

From Top Left: Prof Raina MacIntyre, Prof Lisa Jackson Pulver, Ms Sally Fitzpatrick, Ms Pat Anderson; From Bottom Left: A/Prof Melissa Haswell, Aunty Ali Golding, and A/Prof Michelle Chino

The fifth Annual Research The keynote speakers this year Launch of Muru Marri’s included Professor Michelle Symposium on “Dreaming up ‘The Social and Emotional Chino, Professor of Environmental Wellbeing of Indigenous Youth’ the future of Aboriginal and and Occupational Health at the Torres Strait Islander Public University of Nevada, Las Vegas Report Health” took place on 11 and Professor Lisa Jackson Following the keynote addresses, Pulver, Director of Muru Marri the plenary session concluded October 2013. Indigenous Health Unit SPHCM. with the launch of the report, The Social and Emotional Wellbeing The conference showcased The program included Indigenous of Indigenous Youth: Reviewing the most exciting elements in health related poster presentations and Extending the Evidence Indigenous research from the and talks by academics and and Examining the Implications School of Public Health and postgraduate research students for Policy and Practice, by Community Medicine and its from the School and affiliated Ms. Pat Anderson. During the affiliated Research Centres: The Centres, and concluded with a panel launch, representatives of the Centre for Primary Health Care discussion on Indigenous Health. participating programs who had and Equity; The Kirby Institute; travelled from Darwin, Adelaide, and The National Drug and Alcohol For further information on this Cairns and La Perouse, were Research Centre, which together symposium see: presented with the main report, contribute to setting the population sphcm.med.unsw.edu.au/research/ as well as their own individual health and health services research annual-research-symposium program-specific reports. agenda in Australia.

Let’s hear from you

We would like to keep in touch with former staff and students of the School. Please send your contributions to the editor Kevin Forde: [email protected] or Assistant Editor Ravit Danieli-Vlandis [email protected]

Published by the School of Public Health and Community Medicine at the University of New South .

Opinions expressed in the articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of . Information was correct at the time of publication but is liable to change. Please visit the School website for the latest information: www.sphcm.med.unsw.edu.au

The School of Public Health and Community Medicine UNSW Australia Sydney NSW 2052, Australia Tel: +61 (2) 9385 2517 Fax: +61 (2) 9313 6185 Website: www.sphcm.med.usnw.edu.au

CRICOS Provider No: 00098G

8