Intellectual Disability
Who we are
The Faculty of Health and Medicine’s Intellectual Disability Research Group is located within the School of Rural Medicine. It works collaboratively with people with intellectual disability, their carers, and both government and non-government organisations in order to establish knowledge and best practices that lead to an improvement in individual quality of life.
The focus is to undertake research that informs state and national disability policy on a strategic level, but also recommends practical ideas to assist with the provision of support that promotes independence. We have close ties with other Australian and international universities, but we retain a strong focus on the issues relevant for people residing in rural areas.
What we do
Our research projects cover a broad range of issues including:
- Ageing & Dementia
- Mental Health
- Quality of Life
- Rurality
- Impact of the NDIS
- Carer Health
- Suicide
- Palliative Care (including end-of-life).
Current Projects in Intellectual Disability Research
We are currently undertaking research projects in conjunction with individuals, carers, local, state and national disability providers, and other interested stakeholders in the following areas:
- Mental health issues in younger people with intellectual disability
- Mental and physical health issues in adults ageing with intellectual disability
- Avoiding premature or inappropriate admissions to residential aged care
- End of life care
- The impact of the NDIS in rural NSW
- Burden of care in rural Australia
Academic Staff
The Faculty of Health and Medicine’s Intellectual Disability Research group is located in the School of Rural Medicine and led by Prof Stuart Wark, in conjunction with Dr Stuart Robertson and Sally Bristow from the School of Health. It is supported by School of Rural Medicine Adjunct Professors Rafat Hussain (ANU), Trevor Parmenter (U.Syd), Marie Knox (U.Syd) and Matt Janicki (University of Illinois at Chicago).
Contact
If you are interest in joining the Intellectual Disability Research Group as a student or collaborator please contact:
Phone: +61 2 6773 2204
Email: swark5@une.edu.au
