Health, Culture and Society
Inclusion Health (opens in a new window) |
Menstrual Cycle Research Network (opens in a new window)MCRN comprises researchers at Western with an active interest in menstrual cycle research. We come from varied disciplines and professional backgrounds including education, business, sociology and psychology. |
Pneuma Network (opens in a new window)Pneuma is “air in motion” and the inspiration which follows from sounds in musical activity and interactions PNEUMA is the Professional Network for Evidence and Understanding of Music Applications. |
Sexual & Reproductive Health (opens in a new window) |
Current Research
Evaluation of the Campbelltown Emergency Department Domestic Violence Model of Medical Care
Campbelltown is the major Emergency Service for the Macarthur area. Campbelltown ED specialists have identified a role to play in supporting people who have experienced recent domestic violence, in providing access to medical care in a timely manner. A model of care has been developed to allow individuals experiencing domestic violence, even if their medical needs are not acute, to seek care through the Campbelltown ED. The aim of this evaluation is to describe the model of care used at Campbelltown ED, the patient pathways, the outcomes and impacts of the service for both patients, health staff and key partners. This work will inform the work of NSW Health PARVAN and ECAV to inform statewide guidance on response to domestic violence in a health care setting. This is a collaborative study between Campbelltown ED, NSW Health Education Centre Against Violence and research partners from Western Sydney University. |
Evaluation of Medical and Forensic Clinical Placement and Support Program
This is a collaborative evaluation study of the Medical and Forensic Clinical Placement and Support Program (MFCPSP) between NSW Health ECAV and Western Sydney University. The MFCPSP is a partnership between NSW Health Education Centre Against Violence (ECAV) and Sydney and North Sydney Local Health Districts (LHDs), funded through NSW PARVAN. Semi structured interviews, case studies and survey data will be used to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the program, including the strengths and weaknesses of all aspects of the placement experience, perspectives of the program from placement site staff and outcomes for the regional LHD's. A final report will be produced for Western Sydney Local Health District, that will be able to be used for reporting to NSW Ministry of Health, PARVAN. |
Completed Research
Motivations, barriers and enablers for sexual assault medical workforce in NSW, Australia
- Investigators: Natalie Edmiston, Rosalie Power, Jane Ussher Sam Sperring, Samantha Ryan, Ellie Freedman and Kathryn Evans
- Funded by: NSW Health
In NSW, sexual assault medical forensic services are provided by NSW Health via specialist sexual assault medical forensic examiners. Examiners can be either doctors or nurses and come from a variety of medical disciplines. This qualitative research is exploring motivations and barriers to participation in this workforce, through interviews with those who are currently employed in or have recently left the workforce. The report will assist the funder in their role of supporting this workforce.
Out with Cancer
- Investigators: Jane Ussher, Janette Perz, Martha Hickey, Suzanne Chambers, Gary Dowsett, Kerry Robinson, Ian Davis, Antoinette Anazodo, Fiona McDonald
- Funded by: ARC Linkage grant
‘Out with Cancer’, funded by an Australian Research Council Linkage grant, is a three-year research project focused on understanding the cancer experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) communities and their caregivers.
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Emotional responses to food and neurobiological response in children and adults (Emotions and Food)
- Researchers: Phillipa Hay, Sloane Madden, Simon Clarke, Michael Kohn, Perminder Sachdev, Stephen Touyz, Mark Williams, Brooke Adam, Vaughan Macefield, Luke Henderson, Beatriz Martin Monzon
Central to an eating disorder are sufferer's thoughts, behaviors and feelings around food, and the impact of the former on weight and body image. Cognitive and behavioral aspects of eating disorders have been widely recognized as important to the identification, theoretical understanding and development of treatments. Exploration of functional brain imaging and emotive responses is still in its infancy in the area of eating disorders. Hence this study aims to examine participants' emotional and neurobiological responses to images of food via questionnaires and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The study will include a sample of adults, adolescents and children with eating disorders.