Project summary
- Program
- PhD
- Location
- Toowong
- Research area
- Health sciences, Indigenous studies
Project description
This project offers you the opportunity to work with leading researchers, including First Nations leaders, organisations and Communities, and to contribute to projects of national significance.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. You may also be eligible for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Scholarship.
The Deadly Fit Mums (DFM) is an Aboriginal community-led program delivered in greater Brisbane. It is an exercise and nutrition education program offered perinatally to women birthing an Indigenous baby through the Birthing into Our Community program. DFM is led by an accredited exercise physiologist and delivered in partnership with a multidisciplinary team of allied health professionals. DFM is tailored to the mums’ and families’ goals, needs and preferences.
Our objectives are to:
- Systematically scale up DFM services across greater Brisbane and measure the fidelity of the program.
- Implement a quantitative study to evaluate the efficacy of the DFM program by measuring and analysing clinical and behavioural indicators among participants of the program.
- Conduct qualitative research to determine the acceptability of DFM programs among participating families and the feasibility of implementing DFM among program staff.
We anticipate that participation in the DFM program will lead to an improvement in modifiable maternal and infant health determinants including healthy diet, physical activity, healthy weight and smoking cessation. This project will identify a best practice model of perinatal care for mums and their families, with a long-term vision to upscale DFM nationally.
Scholarship
This is an Earmarked scholarship project that aligns with a recently awarded Australian Government grant.
The scholarship includes:
- living stipend of $32,192 per annum tax free (2023 rate), indexed annually
- your tuition fees covered
- single overseas student health cover (OSHC).
Learn more about the Earmarked scholarship.
Supervisor
Principal supervisor
Preferred educational background
Your application will be assessed on a competitive basis.
We take into account your:
- previous academic record
- publication record
- honours and awards
- employment history.
A working knowledge of epidemiology and biostatistics, or mixed quantitative and qualitative methodologies, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island health and wellbeing, maternal and child health, public health nutrition and physical exercise would be beneficial to someone working on this project.
The applicant will demonstrate academic achievement in the field(s) of biostatistics, mixed quantitative and qualitative methodologies, Indigenous health research, epidemiology and the potential for scholastic success.
A background or knowledge of physical activity and nutrition education programs and/or First Nations-led health care is highly desirable.