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Dr Sara Shishehgar

Position

Senior Lecturer

Biography

Sara Shishehgar is a Senior Lecturer at School of Nursing and Midwifery at Western Sydney University. Sara holds a Bachelor and Master in Midwifery, a Master's in Nursing, and a PhD in Health. As a registered nurse in Australia and with over 10 years of midwifery experience overseas, Sara brings a wealth of practical and academic knowledge to their role. She completed her PhD in 2020 which focused on lived experiences of asylum-seeker women living in Australia and their health needs, and experiences of using healthcare services. The research also attuned to coping strategies and resilience of the vulnerable population.

With over a decade of experience in academia, Sara has been instrumental in educating and mentoring the next generation of healthcare professionals. She is ready to supervise HDR students to accomplish their research journey at Western Sydney University.

Sara's work in promoting women's health was recognized by the "Women's Plans Foundation Award" in 2019.

Research Interests

  • Women's health
  • Maternity health
  • Mental health (coping strategies and resilience)
  • Health of people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds (CALD), including immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers

Qualifications & Recognition

  • PhD of Health
  • Master’s in nursing
  • Master’s in Midwifery
  • Bachelor in Midwifery

Research & Publications

Other publications:

  1. Shishehgar, S., Gholizadeh, L., DiGiacomo, M. and Davidson, P.M., 2023. Arrived, yet in-between: Narratives from asylum-seeker women living with insecure residency in Australia. Journal of International Migration and Integration, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-023-01054-4
  2. Shishehgar, S., Gholizadeh, L., DiGiacomo, M. and Davidson, P.M., 2021. A qualitative study of experiences of asylum-seeker women of living in detention centres: confinement versus safety. Contemporary Nurse, 57(1-2), 51–64.
  3. Shishehgar, S., Gholizadeh, L., DiGiacomo, M., Green, A. & Davidson, P.M. 2017, 'Health and Socio-Cultural Experiences of Refugee Women: An Integrative Review', Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 19, 959–973.
  4. Shishehgar, S., Gholizadeh, L., DiGiacomo, M. & Davidson, P.M. 2015, 'The impact of migration on the health status of Iranians: an integrative literature review', BMC International Health and Human Rights, 15(1), 20-31.
  5. Shishehgar, S., Dolatian, M., Majd, H.A., Teimouri, Z., Alavi, S.T. & Halvaei, P. 2015, 'Social support and maternal stress during pregnancy: a PATH model', International Journal of Healthcare, 2(1), 44-50.
  6. Shishehgar, S., Dolatian, M. & Majd, H.A. 2014a, 'A survey of relationship between social support with quality of life as well as stress among pregnant women referred to Shahryar hospital affiliated to social security organization in 1391', Journal of Shahid Beheshti School of Nursing & Midwifery, 23 (81): 27-32.
  7. Shishehgar, S., Dolatian, M., Majd, H.A. & Bakhtiary, M. 2014a, 'Perceived Pregnancy Stress and Quality of Life amongst Iranian Women', Global Journal of Health Science, 6(4), 270-277.
  8. Shishehgar, S., Dolatian, M., Majd, H.A. & Bakhtiary, M. 2014b, 'Socioeconomic Status and Stress Rate during Pregnancy in Iran', Global Journal of Health Science, 6(4), 254-260.
  9. Shishehgar, S., Mahmoodi, A., Dolatian, M., Mahmoodi, Z., Bakhtiary, M. & Majd, H.A. 2013, 'The Relationship of Social Support and Quality of Life with the Level of Stress in Pregnant Women Using the PATH Model', Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal, 15(7),  560-565.
  10. Gullick, J., Wu, J., Reid, C., Tembo, A. C., Shishehgar, S., & Conlon, L. (2020). Heideggerian structures of Being-with in the nurse–patient relationship: modelling phenomenological analysis through qualitative meta-synthesis. Medicine, Health Care Philosophy, 23(4), 645-664.
  11. Khoramizadeh, M., Effatpanah, M., Mostaghimi, A., Rezaei, M., Mahjoub, A., & Shishehgar, S. 2019, 'Treatment of amphetamine abuse/use disorder: a systematic review of a recent health concern', DARU Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 27,743–753.
  12. Navidpour, F, Dolatian, M, Shishehgar, S, Yaghmaei, F, Alavi, MH, Hashemi, SS. 2016, 'Validating the Farsi version of the Pregnancy Worries and Stress Questionnaire (PWSQ): An exploratory factor analysis', Electronic Physician, 8(10), 3132-3137.
  13. Teimouri, Z., Dolatian, M., Shishehgar, S., Ajami, M. & Majd, H.A. 2015, 'A Comparison between Dietary Habits for Pregnant Women with Preterm and Term Delivery in Khorasan, Iran', Open Journal of Nursing, 5(9), 790-796.
  14. Massah, O., Shishehgar, S. & Karimi, Z. 2018. Methamphetamine Dependence, Psychological Well-being, Criminality and High Risk Sexual Behaviors in Female-Only Methadone Services in Tehran and Karaj, Iran. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 12(2):e61859
  15. Alammehrjerdi, Z., Massah, O., Farhoudian, A., Shishehgar, S., Moradi, A. & Dolan, K. 2017b. Therapeutic Community Program for Opioid-Dependent Treatment Seekers. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 11(3), e9892.
  16. Massah, O., Effatpanah, M. & Shishehgar, S. 2017. Matrix model for methamphetamine dependence among Iranian female methadone patients: the first report from the most populated Persian Gulf Country. Iranian Rehabilitation Journal, 15, 193-198.
  17. Alammehrjerdi, Z., Massah, O., Farhoudian, A., Shishehgar, S., Moradi, A. & Dolan, K. 2017a. Opioid Use among Women on a Stable Methadone Dose: A Multicenter Qualitative Study. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 11(3),e9867.

Contact Details

Email s.shishehgar@westernsydney.edu.au
Telephone +612 9685 9034
Location EB. LG.44, Parramatta South Campus