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Dying with dignity: caring for people without a home at the end of life

Project summary

Program
PhD
Location
St Lucia
Research area
Human society

Project description

This ethnographically informed DECRA project aims to produce knowledge to improve end-of-life care for people experiencing homelessness.

Using Brisbane’s interlinked housing, health and social care sectors as a case study, the research aims to identify:
(1) barriers to dying with dignity on the system (e.g., funding priorities or place-based clinical guidelines), interpersonal (e.g., care encounters) and individual level (e.g., psychosocial issues); and
(2) opportunities to effectively support people without a home in dying well.

The DECRA project will:

  • reconceptualise and visualise the ‘the good death’ in the context of homelessness;
  • move beyond place-centric approaches to death and dying;
  • redefine end-of-life care as enacted collectively spanning individual, interpersonal and system levels;
  • foster dialogue between people experiencing homelessness, civil society, and government by employing participant-produced photography to promote shared understandings of good end-of-life care.

People who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander are over-represented among people experiencing homelessness and using specialist housing support services. Understanding their experiences at the end of life is of great significance to promote better care for the dying overall within Australian health and social care systems.

For this reason, the project will include a nested study to develop research questions in consultation with Indigenous communities and implement a research design to address these questions. You will lead this nested study as your PhD project. 

Research environment

You will be able to access resources made available through project funds to progress your research. In turn, their findings will greatly enhance the knowledge produced through the DECRA at large complementing important Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander priorities, perspectives and experiences.

You will greatly benefit from engaging with the innovative qualitative methodologies proposed in this project, while furthering our knowledge on end-of-life care for people who are unstably housed. You will also build your capacity in knowledge transfer mechanisms beyond the academic text by contributing to stakeholder consultation and public engagement activities.

Scholarship

This is an Fellowship support scheme scholarship project that aligns with a recently awarded Australian Government grant.

The scholarship includes:

  • living stipend of $39,220 per annum tax free (2026 rate), indexed annually
  • your tuition fees covered.

Learn more about the Fellowship support scheme scholarship.

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 health and social care systems, specialist housing services, applied clinical care would be of benefit to someone working on this project.

You will demonstrate academic achievement in the fields of sociology or cognate disciplines and the potential for scholastic success.

A background or knowledge of photography or creative arts is highly desirable.

How to apply

This project requires candidates to commence no later than Research Quarter 3, 2027. You can start in an earlier research quarter.

You must submit an expression of interest (EOI) by the closing date for the research quarter (RQ) you want to start in:

  • RQ 1 (January): 30 September
  • RQ 2 (April): 31 December
  • RQ 3 (July): 31 March
  • RQ 4 (October): 30 June.
  • RQ 1 (January): 30 June
  • RQ 2 (April): 30 September
  • RQ 3 (July): 31 December
  • RQ 4 (October): 31 March.

Before you apply

  1. Check your eligibility for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
  2. Prepare your documentation.
  3. If you have any questions about whether the project is suitable for your research interests, contact Dr Stefanie Plage (s.plage@uq.edu.au).

When you apply

To apply, submit an expression of interest (EOI) for the program. You don't need to apply separately for the project or scholarship. How to submit an EOI

In your EOI, complete the 'Scholarship/Sponsorship' section with the following details:

  1. Are you applying for an advertised project: 'Yes'
  2. Project: 'Fellowship project scholarship'
  3. Scholarship Code Listed in the Advertisement: DIGNITY-PLAGE
  4. Link to Scholarship Advertisement: https://study.uq.edu.au/study-options/phd-mphil-professional-doctorate/projects/dying-dignity-caring-people-without-home-end-life

Submit an EOI

This project is not available to international students

Do you have questions?

The Graduate Research School is here to help.

Contact us