Research Projects

Researchers in the School of Health conduct world class research across a broad range of health topics with expertise across quantitative, qualitative and mix method approaches. We aim to develop and support a research culture that enhances collaboration with key stakeholders and results in strategic outputs. We welcome enquiries about our active research projects and potential students wanting to work with us.


A mobile phone messaging intervention to support people bereaved by suicide (2020-21)

This project will develop and evaluate an evidence-informed brief contact intervention comprising a series of text messages for people bereaved by suicide. Messages will be sent over a six-week period following the death of a loved one to suicide.


Aboriginal peoples Sovereignty and empowerment over health and wellbeing pre, during and beyond COVID-19

Aboriginal peoples Sovereignty and empowerment over health and wellbeing pre, during and beyond COVID-19 Safety


Allied Health Hubs in Schools: A scoping study (2020-21)

This study has two aims. First, to explore and understand the role of social workers in schools from the perspective of social work students on placement and members of the school community (teachers and wellbeing staff), and to examine the ways in which this role has been impacted by COVID-19. Second, to undertake a scoping study to explore the capacity of schools to expand their placements to include UNE students from other health-related disciplines and understand the needs of UNE health disciplines practicum requirements to determine if and where there is good fit.


DV Alert Training evaluation

Evaluation of the online service delivery for the DV-Alert program, due to COVID-19.


Enhancing social and emotional wellbeing healing through arts-based storytelling for Aboriginal communities of Northern Inland NSW.

Patient SafetyThe Bushfire Impact is a collaborative arts-based health promotion research project that aims to develop and evaluate the impact of an innovative arts-based storytelling mental health promotion intervention for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people affected by the 2019-20 Australian bushfires. The research team will engage with Aboriginal communities to build coping and resilience strategies to manage distress that may have arisen during or after the bushfires.


Evaluation of Hospital to Recovery Program – Mid Coast Lifeline

Evaluation of the Hospital to recovery program for people with suicide attempting behaviours. Participant and facilitation reflections.


Evaluation of the Lifeline Eclipse Support Group (2016-ongoing)

A longitudinal mixed method evaluation of the Lifeline Eclipse group, a non-clinical psychoeducational group for people who have previously attempted suicide.

Safety Research projects cover a broad range of issues including safe practice across a range of contexts, public health priorities including health promotion, Indigenous health, health workforce capacity building including supporting clinical supervision and building clinical capacity, and interprofessional education and simulation. Evaluation protocol available:

Evaluation of the Lifeline Eclipse Support Group - Online Extension

  • Funding body: NSW Ministry of Health

Evaluation of the Songlines Project (2019-2022)

Evaluation of Songlines ProjectThe Songlines project aims to ‘unify ancient Aboriginal knowledge with contemporary neurological research and develop a culturally competent therapeutic approach to maintaining and improving cognitive wellness.’ The evaluation of Songlines focuses on individual experiences of the participating and simultaneously how the working group implemented the program using the Ngaa-bi-nya framework.


Exploring the decision-making process of hospice and palliative care among chronic ill patients and their family

This is the research project to explore the decision-making process of hospice and palliative care among chronic ill patients (including cancer, DM and CHF…) and their family.

  • Lead Investigator: Dr. Shou-Yu Cindy Wang (UNE)
  • Co-Investigators: Ms. Ju-Fen Liu
  • Funding body: Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST107-2635-B-241-001)

Impact of COVID-19 on Indigenous Australians’ preventive health behaviours: A mixed methods study. NSW COVID-19 Round one grant.

The aim of the study is to measure and explore the current preventive behaviours and their barriers and enablers in Indigenous Australians residing in NSW from attending primary health care services. A sequential mixed methods study will be conducted in two phases:

Phase 1: database study of NSW Health linked data of preventive health indicators
Phase 2: qualitative study using a yarning storytelling approach.


Improving social, economic and health outcomes for high-risk young people in remote communities: the development and implementation of a transdisciplinary research approach (2018-2021)

With an embedded co-creation design, this project utilises a interdisciplinary team, experienced service providers and end-users to develop scientifically rigorous tools for research that can be embedded within routine services for young people with multiple and complex needs in rural Australia.

  • Lead Investigator: Professor Anthony Shakeshaft (UNSW)
  • Co-Investigators: A/Prof Timothy Dobbins (UNSW), Professor Myfanwy Maple (UNE), Professor Christopher Doran (CQU), A/Prof Roxanne Bainbridge (CQU)
  • Funding body: Australian Research Council DP170101867

Indigenous Young People’s Resilience and Wellbeing

Some Aboriginal youth in situations of adversity are prone to substance misuse, violence, injury, and negative health outcomes from risky behaviour which has significant impact; yet others are not. This mixed methods cohort study will resolve conceptual and definitional ambiguities around the concepts of resilience and wellbeing as they manifest in Aboriginal youth.

  • Lead Investigator: This project is a collaboration between Murdoch University and UNE and is funded by an ARC grant.
  • Co-Investigators: Marriot, R., Professor Kim Usher (UNE)., Jackson, D., Reid, C., Walker, R., Shepard, C., Hopkins, K., Heritage, B. & Strutt, C.
  • Funding body: Australian Research Council

Intimate partner violence and the sexual and reproductive health outcomes of Australian women

Intimate partner violence and the sexual and reproductive health outcomes of Australian women.


KPMG Suicide Prevention National Trial evaluation.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of the suicide prevention trial and strategies to evaluate ways to reduce suicide.

  • Lead Investigator: KPMG
  • Co-Investigators: Dr Sarah Wayland (UNE), Lucia Navarello (UoM)
  • Funding body: Commonwealth Department of Health

Personal and Professional Exposure to Suicide (2019-2021)

This project distinguishes the variables associated with risk following exposure to suicide, and when support will be most beneficial to reduce harms associated with exposure among military. Second, the effect of supplying postvention support from behavioural health and chaplains will be explored.

  • Lead Investigator: Professor Julie Cerel (UKY)
  • Co-Investigators: Dr Chris Flaherty (UKY), Dr Michael Singleton (UKY), Dr Chris Drapeau (VU), Professor Myfanwy Maple (UNE), Tim Olsen (KYARNG), Dr Melinda Moore (EKU), Dr Melissa Brown (CDC)
  • Funding body: United States Military Suicide Research Consortium

StandBy Response Service NSW Post Suicide Support (2020-2022)

Provision of an evidence-based after suicide support across NSW, including ongoing evaluation and quality improvement.

  • Lead Investigator: StandBy Response Service,
  • Co-Investigators: Jesuit Social Services, Roses in the Ocean & Professor Myfanwy Maple (UNE)
  • Funding body: NSW Ministry of Health

The use of eHealth in older people with chronic conditions within Hunter New England prior to and during COVID-19 Pandemic

Patient The overall aim of this project is to explore the usage of eHealth within the Hunter New England region of NSW and determine the access and availability prior to and during COVID-19. A mixed methods approach will be used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data in order to address the research aim and objectives.


Therapeutic Consequences of the Commonwealth Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Redress Scheme: Survivors’ Stories.

The project aims to develop an understanding of the emotional consequences for participants of the redress scheme, specifically whether it assisted them in their healing or recovery from the past trauma.