The University Centre for Rural Health (UCRH) conducts a vibrant research program focusing on the health care needs of rural populations around Australia while building research leadership and research capacity within the Northern Rivers region.
We seek to engage with policy makers, managers and clinicians in order to enhance the relevance of our research and the application of the findings in community settings.
The work of UCRH researchers has gained a national and international reputation, with funding support received on a regular basis from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Australian Research Council (ARC) and a range of other Government agencies and support bodies.
The following priority areas have been identified through consultative processes by UCRH as health research priorities for our region. These priorities will evolve over time in response to emerging community health needs.
Three high level priorities have been identified:
- Health systems and service research: health workforce, models of care, team-based approaches to care, quality of care, system and process development, effectiveness, efficiency and coordination of care.
- Population health and equity: understanding and influencing the determinants of population health.
- Medical and allied health education and workforce development: inter-professional learning and engagement with the community to support the delivery of training to students, service learning models and curriculum design.
UCRH conducts translational research that is implemented both to improve health outcomes for rural communities and to influence health policy and practices in these key areas:
- Health services
- Healthy start to life
- Chronic disease and co-morbidity
- Healthy ageing and care for an ageing population
- Mental health and social and emotional wellbeing
- Alcohol and other drugs
- Social and environmental health
- Health workforce and education
UCRH also hosts the Centre for Research Excellence: Strengthening Systems for Indigenous Health Care Equity (CRE-STRIDE).
Underpinning UCRH research projects is the knowledge that, in general, the health status of the nation’s Aboriginal peoples and rural communities is below that of their urban and/or non-Aboriginal counterparts.
There are many reasons for this, including poorer access to health services, greater socioeconomic disadvantage, and higher rates of adverse lifestyle behaviours. Our programs of research address these issues in ways designed to help improve the health and wellbeing of rural residents and Aboriginal communities.
To help enhance research capacity within the NSW Northern Rivers we supervise postgraduate research students and provide methodological support to rural practitioners undertaking research.
UCRH Researchers 2022
Emeritus Professor Lesley Barclay
Ms Danielle Cameron
Associate Professor Geoff Morgan
Dr Kazi Rahman
Dr Marcelle Townsend-Cross
Ms Kris Vine
Centre for Research Excellence: Strengthening Systems for Indigenous Health Care Equity … more information
Health services … more information
Mental health and wellbeing… more information
Social and environmental health… more information
Health workforce and education… more information