Public Health Seminar Series

The School of Population Health Seminar Series offers an opportunity for staff, students and others with an interest in public health research to learn more about the research and related activity of the School. Seminars are held most Wednesdays between 12pm and 1pm and are available online through Microsoft Teams. If you would like more information about the Seminar Series, or if you have suggestions regarding speakers and or topics (including your own) please contact Michele Rains-Joseph. Upcoming seminars may be found at Events.

Watch seminar videos

Reformulating the Australian food supply to prevent non-communicable diseases: Why do we need them, what do we have, and what more could be done?

In this presentation, Dr Wu will explain why we are facing a health emergency driven by unhealthy diets in Australia, and the need for evidence-based regulations and policies to help reduce the immense diet-related disease burden. He will provide an overview of the government endorsed food reformulation program in Australia, present evidence on its likely impact, its strength and weaknesses, and highlight what else we can and should do by drawing on international examples and case studies. (Presented: 24 November, 2021)

#AllInThisTogether – are we really? The hidden impact of COVID-19 in the Pacific

While border closures have effectively protected some Pacific States’ health systems from a surge in COVID-19 cases, they have also had unintended consequences, including breaking essential supply chains, disrupting healthcare delivery, and destabilising essential health programs. Join our live panel of experts as they explore both the impacts COVID-19 has had on Pacific health systems and ways the Australian and global community can support recovery that leaves countries and communities more resilient and able than they were before the crisis. (Presented: 11 November, 2021)

Life pathways among young people with complex needs during and following AOD treatment: A linked-data and mixed methods study

This presentation will share some of the key findings of The Youth Pathways project - an Australian Research Council (LP140100429) and Ted Noffs funded project. The findings show the positive impact of the program on short and longer-term outcomes for those who spend 30 days or more in the program compared with those who leave early or do not attend. Presented: 3 November, 2021)

The role of evidence in a complex health policy environment

Adjunct Associate Professor Sarah Thackway, Executive Director Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence, NSW Health

This presentation talks about the range of evidence used in a complex health system such as NSW Health and provides an overview of the efforts made to reduce the time from evidence generation to translation directly into service deliver. (Presented: 27 October, 2021)

An evaluation of Multi-Systemic Therapy for Child Abuse and Neglect (MST-CAN®) and Functional Family Therapy – Child Welfare (FFT-CW®)

Professor Anthony Shakeshaft, Deputy Director of NDARC, UNSW Sydney

This seminar will present an evaluation of two NSW-wide family-based programs aimed at reducing the number of children in out-of-home care: Multi-Systemic Therapy for Child Abuse and Neglect (MST-CAN®) and Functional Family Therapy – Child Welfare (FFT-CW®). (Presented: 13 October, 2021)

Resilience in pharmacy: What have we learned from COVID for whatever comes next?

Professor Zubin Austin, Koffler Research Chair and Academic Director Centre for Practice Excellence, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, Institute for Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Canada

The unprecedented events of COVID and its impact on community pharmacy practice have highlighted important issues with respect to the resilience of the pharmacy workforce and community pharmacy practice. (Presented: 8 October, 2021)

Global progress on reducing population salt intake: lessons for noncommunicable disease prevention strategies

Prof Jacqui Webster, Head of Advocacy and Policy Impact, The George Institute for Global Health, Conjoint Professor, School of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW

Jacqui will provide an overview of global progress on salt reduction strategies towards the United Nations targets. She will discuss the findings of two recent systematic reviews of salt reduction programs that highlight the need for more action, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. She will highlight how the lessons from failed implementation of salt reduction strategies are applicable to other areas of NCD prevention. (Presented: 22 September, 2021)

The COVID-19 vaccine rollout – is equity achievable?

What does vaccine equity look like? How do we stop COVID-19 becoming a disease of poverty? How can everyone be ‘free’ when freedom is dictated by equitable access to vaccines? COVID-19 vaccines are fast becoming the only path back to normal in many countries. Yet, vaccine access isn’t a level playing field with low- and middle-income countries being left behind. (Presented: 14 September, 2021)

Using data to drive improvements in hip fracture care

Associate Professor Rebecca Mitchell, Centre for Healthcare Resilience and Implementation Science, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University

Ever thought about what is involved in establishing and maintaining a clinical quality registry? This seminar will show how evidence from research was critical in establishing the need for a clinical quality registry, the Australian and New Zealand Hip Fracture Registry (ANZHFR). (Presented: 15 September, 2021)

Infectious disease contact tracing – from the belly of the beast

Associate Professor Margo Barr, Epidemiologist, Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity

Margo will talk about contact tracing—what it is and how it works—focusing on the personal side from her experience in managing the teams who make the case and contact calls during her secondment to the Ministry of Health for the current COVID-19 pandemic. (Presented: 8 September, 2021)

School of Population Health