Annual Report 2007 Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences
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Melbourne School of Population Health Annual Report 2007 Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences Melbourne School of Population Health Annual report 2007 MSPH SUMMARY REPORT 1 CENTRE FOR MEGA EPIDEMIOLOGY 25 CENTRE FOR HEALTH & SOCIETY 33 KEY CENTRE FOR WOMEN’S HEALTH IN SOCIETY 37 McCAUGHEY CENTRE 47 CENTRE FOR HEALTH POLICY, PROGRAMS & ECONOMICS 61 CENTRE FOR INTERNATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH 79 SEXUAL HEALTH UNIT 83 VACCINE AND IMMUNISATION RESEARCH GROUP 89 Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences Melbourne School of Population Health MSPH Summary Report 2007 Overview Message from the The Melbourne School of Population Health’s vision is to inculcate Head Of School a population health approach in all areas of health care and in the community where opportunities for disease and injury prevention exist. What is population health? Population health is an approach to health that aims to improve the health of the entire population and to reduce health inequities among population groups. The study of population health is focused on understanding health and disease in the community, and on improving health and well- being through priority health approaches addressing the disparities in health status between social groups (Australian Institute for Health and Terry Nolan, Welfare). Head of Melbourne School of Population Health Our Mission 2007 proved to be another significant To conduct and enhance research that addresses issues of population year of developments for the Melbourne health and health social sciences, and to educate undergraduates and School of Population Health. The School has been actively engaged in the postgraduate students, clinicians, scientists, professionals and public development of the Melbourne Model and health leaders through the enrichment of our educational programs in the University’s Growing Esteem Strategy. public health. Our planning day in October focused on the Growing Esteem Strategy and on The Melbourne School of Population Health aims to strengthen the enhancing its standing in the three inter- understanding, capacity and services of society to meet population related areas – research, learning and health needs and to improve the quality and equity of health care. teaching and knowledge transfer. Through these strategies the Melbourne The population health approach recognises that health is a capacity School of Population Health has signalled or resource rather than a state, a definition which corresponds more its commitment to being recognised as to the notion of being able to pursue one’s goals, to acquire skills and a leading centre of public health research and teaching both in Australia and education and to grow. abroad by: This broader notion of health recognises the range of social, economic • Maintaining and enhancing our strong and physical environmental factors that contribute to health (Public Health emphasis on conducting and publishing Agency of Canada). world-class research and to enhance our performance and reputation in research training. • Further developing our program offerings to provide graduate career entry and career development programs 1 in population health. Highlights of 2007 Corporation and the Community Development) Producers Guild of America. officially launched the • Embedding knowledge Centre for MEGA McCaughey Centre: transfer in the School’s Epidemiology The KCWHS, along with The curriculum and research. Royal Women’s Hospital, VicHealth Centre for the Professor John Hopper Promotion of Mental Health • Boosting the links with Family Planning Victoria was awarded one of nine and Community Wellbeing on industry, government and Women’s Health hosted Australia Fellowships. This a conference ‘Abortion in Monday 16 July. The launch and the community – in prestigious award made particular strengthening Victoria – Where are we now? was attended by the Vice to researchers who are Where do we want to go?’ Chancellor, Professor Glyn our reputation by leaders in their field, both Speakers considered both Davis, the Chief Executive working closely with in Australia and overseas, the current state-of-play Officer of VicHealth, Mr the Department of is a fitting tribute to John’s Todd Harper, the Mayor, Human Services achievements in genetic and the future of abortion City of Port Phillip, Cr Janet (Victoria), VicHealth and epidemiology. The award will policy, services and research Bolitho, the Dean, Faculty the Commonwealth provide five years of support in Victoria. Many of the key Department of Health and for John and his research themes that arose during the of Medicine, Dentistry and Ageing. program at $800,000 per conference were introduced Health Sciences, Professor by Dr Margaret Sparrow, James Angus, and the • Raising the profile and year. Within the Centre President, Abortion Law prestige of the Melbourne for MEGA Epidemiology, Centre’s patron, Dr Jean Reform Association of New School of Population and with colleagues at the McCaughey. The McCaughey Zealand. Other speakers Health. Cancer Council of Victoria, Centre has been operating John leads and contributes included Senator Lyn Allison for over 12 months, and Mr • Increasing the efficiency of to a superb critical mass of (Leader, Australian Democrats), Batchelor incorporated the the School’s administration world leading expertise of Dr Jo Wainer, Director, Gender Centre’s launch with that of through academic and which they are extremely and Medicine Research the Community Indicators IT shared services proud. Unit, Monash University, Victoria (CIV) website. The implementation. Professor Jenny Morgan, CIV website, hosted by the Key Centre for Women’s Faculty of Law, The University • Further consolidation McCaughey Centre, uses Health in Society of Melbourne, Dr Maggie of planning and budget local community wellbeing Kirkman, KCWHS, Dr John processes which support Interactive Media Awards indicators to improve citizen Edington, Acting Chief Medical the School’s strategic Your Sex Health Website Officer and Director, Intensive engagement, community direction. (www.yoursexhealth.org) was Care, Bendigo Hospital, Ms planning and policy making. Finally, my thanks to the judged ‘Best in Class’ in the Annarella Hardiman, Manager, Centre for Health Policy, very dedicated, innovative 2007 Interactive Media Awards Pregnancy Advisory Service, and hard working staff at for the education category. Programs and Economics The Women’s and Dr Chris the Melbourne School of The Centre was officially The sex education/ Bayly, Associate Director, Population Health. I also launched on 12 September reproductive health website Women’s Services, The wish to acknowledge and aimed at adolescents was Women’s. by Mr Peter Allen, Under thank the many friends of the commissioned by Professor Secretary, Portfolio The speakers identified the School of Population Health Doreen Rosenthal AO, Services and Strategic strengths and weaknesses who have supported and Director of the Key Centre for Projects Division, Victorian of abortion in Victoria, and assisted us throughout the Women’s Health in Society. Department of Human provided clear direction for year. We hope you will find Services, together with The award’s judges included the future. this report on the activities of representatives of leading the Dean of the Faculty of the School in 2007 and the media organisations, such McCaughey Centre Medicine, Dentistry and profile of its staff of interest. as the New York Times, Time The Honourable Peter Health Sciences, Professor – Professor Terry Nolan Warner Inc, the Microsoft Batchelor (Minister for James Angus. 2 Federation Fellow the Faculty of Medicine, Development Centre (DVDC), associated with the risk of Professor David Studdert Dentistry and Health it was recommended that developing particular cancers. commenced his Federation Sciences’ Associate Dean the Centre be relocated Staff Promotions/ to the Garvan Institute of Fellowship, jointly sponsored for Knowledge Transfer. Appointments by the Faculties of Law Carrick Awards Program Medical Research, Sydney. The DVDC relocated from Professor Elizabeth and Medicine, Denistry and – Award for Teaching April. The Garvan Institute Waters was appointed as a Health Services, early in Excellence Professorial Fellow: Public 2007. David is co-located is a member of the St Associate Professors Lynn Vincent’s and Mater Health Health and Health Equity with the Law School and with the McCaughey Centre. the Melbourne School of Gillam and Marilys Guillemin Campus and is affiliated from the Centre for Health with the University of She holds a Master of Public Population Health. He holds Health from Monash University the second Federation and Society were awarded New South Wales and is the prestigious Carrick Award one of Australia’s largest (1993) and a DPhil from the Fellowship to be awarded University of Oxford (2001). to a researcher working in for Teaching Excellence. Of autonomous medical the Melbourne School of the 102 nominations, there research institutions. With Professor Waters has Population Health. were only 24 recipients its emphasis on establishing attracted over $14 million Australia-wide. links with hospitals and in competitive research His program of work is ‘Using industry, it was an ideal new funding, has published over law to improve population The Australian Awards for University Teaching (AAUT) location for the DVDC. 100 peer reviewed articles health and the quality of in international journals, health care services’. were established in 1997 by Victorian Premier’s the Australian