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The core members of our Veterans' Health Epidemiology Research Group are based at the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine at Monash University. They are:
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Prof Malcolm Sim, Director, Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, BMedSc, MB BS, MSc (Lond), GDipOccHyg, PhD, FAFOM (RACP), FAFPHM (RACP), FFOM (RCP)
- Dr Helen Kelsall, Senior Research Fellow, MB BS, MPH, MHlthSc(PHP), FAFPHM
- A/Prof Andrew Forbes, Head, Biostatistics Unit, BSc(Hons), MSc, PhD
- Mr Dean McKenzie, Research Fellow, BA(Hons)
- Ms Jillian Blackman, Research Fellow, BA(Psych), GradDipBHlth, PhD Scholar
- Dr Deborah Glass, Research Fellow, MSc, DipOccHyg, PhD
Other members of the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine have been actively involved in particular aspects of the military and veteran health research program according to their area of expertise. They include:
- Prof Michael Abramson, Deputy Head of Department & Head, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, MB BS(Hons), BMedSc, PhD, FRACP, FAFPHM
- Professor John McNeil, Head of Department, Head, Preventive Medicine Unit, MB BS, MSc, PhD, FRACP, FAFPHM
- Dr Karin Leder, Head, Infectious Disease Epidemiology Unit, MB BS(Hons), FRACP, MPH
Our research support staff include Mr Peter Ittak, Research Assistant, BEc, BSc and Ms Christina Dimitriadis, Research Assistant, BAppSci.
We have also developed strong collaborative links with researchers based at other institutions in specialised fields:
- Prof Alexander MacFarlane,Professor of Psychiatry, Head of the University of Adelaide Node of the Centre for Military and Veterans’ Health, MB BS (Hons), MD, Dip.Psychother., FRANZCP
- Prof Mark Creamer, Director, Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, and Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, BA(Hons), MA(Clin), PhD, FAPS
- A/Prof Lin Fritschi, Head, Epidemiology Unit, Viertel Centre for Research in Cancer Control, Queensland Cancer Fund, MBBS, PhD, FAFPHM
A/Prof Richard Macdonell, Deputy Director Neurology, Department of Neurology, Austin Health, MB BS, MD, FRACP - Prof Andrew Mackinnon, Deputy Director, Centre for Mental Health Research, The Australian National University, BSc (Hons), PhD
- Prof Mary O'Connor A.M.,Inaugural Vivian Bullwinkel Chair in Nursing, Palliative Care, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Monash University DN (La Trobe), MN (RMIT), B.Theol (MCD), RN, FRCNA, AIMM
Core members of the Veterans Health Epidemiology Research Group
Professor Malcolm Sim, Director, Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, BMedSc, MB BS, MSc (Lond), GDipOccHyg, PhD, FAFOM (RACP), FAFPHM (RACP), FFOM (RCP)
Malcolm Sim is an Occupational Physician/epidemiologist who leads a team of about 20 research staff in the Unit of Occupational and Environmental Health. Apart from his other research interests, Malcolm was the Principal Investigator for the Australian Gulf War Veterans’ Health Study and the Health Study of the Australian Veterans of the Korean War. He is also a co-investigator on the Peacekeeper Grant application and the proposed Longitudinal Health Study of Defence Force Personnel. Malcolm is a member of the Research Advisory Group of the Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health and a member of the Occupational Medicine Consultative Group for the Department of Defence. He is also an Associate Editor of the journal, Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
Dr Helen Kelsall, Senior Research Fellow, MB BS, MPH, MHlthSc(PHP), FAFPHM
Helen Kelsall is a Public Health Physician who was a Senior Research Fellow on the Australian Gulf War Veterans' Health Study and took major responsibility for the clinical and preventive medical measures aspects of the study. In 2002, she was awarded an NHMRC Public Health Postgraduate Scholarship and has recently completed her PhD on the respiratory and neurological health, symptoms, medical conditions and chronic fatigue syndrome in Australian Gulf War veterans. Her research interests include physical health indicators and the relationship between physical health and psychological health in veterans.
Associate Professor Andrew Forbes, Head, Biostatistics Unit BSc(Hons), MSc, PhD
Andrew Forbes was a chief investigator for the Australian Gulf War Veterans' Health Study and the Health Study of surviving Australian Veterans of the Korean War, and has been responsible for overseeing the statistical analyses in these studies. He has interests in methodological research in applied statistics, and undertook and published the factor analysis of symptoms in the Gulf War Veterans’ Health Study.
Mr Dean McKenzie, Research Fellow, BA(Hons)
Dean McKenzie has a long background in psychiatric and psychological research and was a biostatistician on the Gulf War Veterans’ Health Study and the Korean War Veterans’ Health Study. His particular interest is in psychological screening instruments and has many publications in this area. He is currently undertaking a Staff PhD within the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, based on prior and continuing research into the development of psychological screening and diagnostic tests using classification methods, including application in veteran populations.
Ms Jillian Blackman, Research Fellow, BA(Psych), GradDipBHlth, PhD Scholar
Jill Blackman (nee Ikin) completed her PhD on 'War stressors, mental health and well-being outcomes in Australian veterans and service personnel' in 2007, after receiving a NHMRC Public Health Scholarship. She had a major role managing several aspects of the 2000-2003 Gulf War Veterans' Health Study, including the recruitment of participants, training of data collectors, development of the Military Service Experiences questionnaire and investigating psychological health outcomes. She was also a key investigator on the Korean War Veterans' Health Study. Dr Blackman has also been involved in the Healthwise Study of occupational disease in Australian Aluminium industry workers, an international study of mobile phone exposure in school children, and a study of the feasibility of establishing a national cohort study of the health of Australian Firefighters.
Dr Deborah Glass, Research Fellow, MA, MSc, DipOccHyg, PhD, CIH, FAIOH
Deborah Glass was a research fellow with the Gulf War Veterans’ Health Study and took prime responsibility for the exposure assessment aspects of this study. She is an occupational hygienist whose main research interests are in the field of exposure assessment for epidemiology, having completed her PhD in 1999 based on the benzene exposure of members of a case-control study of leukaemia in workers in the Australian petroleum industry (Health Watch study). Deborah was also a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee for the health study of aircraft deseal-resealers at Amberley Air Base (SHOAMP study), her main role being to advise on the exposure assessment in this study.
Other members of the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine
Professor Michael Abramson, Deputy Head of Department & Head, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, MB BS(Hons), BMedSc, PhD, FRACP, FAFPHM
Michael Abramson is a specialist physician in respiratory medicine at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, and worked on the respiratory health aspects of the Gulf War Veterans’ Health Study. His current research program covers the epidemiology of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including genetic and environmental risk factors such as air pollution, asthma mortality, patient education and adherence to asthma management plans.
Professor John McNeil, Head of Department, Head, Preventive Medicine Unit, MB BS, MSc, PhD, FRACP, FAFPHM
John McNeil was appointed as the head of the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine at Monash in 1986. His principal interests include cardiovascular epidemiology, drug safety and toxicology. John has been a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee for the three studies of Korean War veterans, investigating cancer, mortality and long term health effects, and was also a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee for the Dapsone study in Vietnam Veterans. He is also Chairman of the Sir Edward Dunlop Medical Research Foundation, which has a strong veteran health focus.
Dr Karin Leder, Head, Infectious Disease Epidemiology Unit, MB BS(Hons), FRACP, MPH
Karin Leder is an infectious diseases physician who worked on the infectious disease, chronic fatigue, immunological and laboratory investigations aspects of the Gulf War Veterans’ Health Study. Her other specific areas of interest include traveller’s health and vaccinations, health issues in immigrants and refugees, and waterborne infections.
Researchers based at other institutions in specialised fields
Professor Alexander MacFarlane,Professor of Psychiatry, Head of the University of Adelaide Node of the Centre for Military and Veterans’ Health, MB BS (Hons), MD, Dip.Psychother., FRANZCP
Sandy McFarlane is a psychiatrist who is a recognised international expert in the field of posttraumatic stress disorder. He was a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee for the Gulf War Veterans’ Health Study and has since contributed to a number of papers, further analyses and research proposals that have come out of this study. His professional affiliations and responsibilities include Specialist Adviser to the Australian Centre for Post Traumatic Mental Health and Chair, Mental Health Consultative Group for the Australian Defence Force.
Professor Mark Creamer,Director, Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, and Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, BA(Hons), MA(Clin), PhD, FAPS
Mark was a co-investigator and provided specialist advice on psychological health aspects of the Gulf War Veterans' Health Study. He has also been co-author on several papers to come out of this study.
Associate Professor Lin Fritschi, Head, Epidemiology Unit, Viertel Centre for Research in Cancer Control, Queensland Cancer Fund, MBBS, PhD, FAFPHM
Lin is a cancer epidemiologist who was involved in the cohort study of cancer and mortality for the Gulf War Veterans' Health Study. She has been a principal investigator on several other major occupational cohort studies of cancer and mortality including studies of workers in the aluminium (Healthwise), petroleum (Health Watch), textile and meatworking industries.
Associate Professor Richard Macdonell,Deputy Director Neurology, Department of Neurology, Austin Health, MB BS, MD, FRACP
Richard Macdonell is a specialist physician in neurology, with interests that include peripheral neuropathy and multiple sclerosis. He provided specialist advice on the neurological health aspects of the Gulf War Veterans’ Health Study and is co-author on the paper based on this aspect.
Professor Andrew Mackinnon,Deputy Director, Centre for Mental Health Research, The Australian National University, BSc (Hons), PhD
Andrew Mackinnon is a psychologist who provided expert advice on the factor analysis of symptoms for the Gulf War Veterans’ Health Study and is a co-author on the paper that was based on this analysis. His areas of interest include quantitative aspects of mental health research; including development and analysis of psychometric measures, screening and diagnosis tests, modelling longitudinal data, and the conduct and analysis of controlled trials and interventions in mental health.
Professor Margaret O’Connor A.M., Inaugural Vivian Bullwinkel Chair in Nursing, Palliative Care, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Monash University, DN (La Trobe), MN (RMIT), B.Theol (MCD), RN, FRCNA, AIMM
Margaret’s appointment to this Chair in 2003 has enabled her to combine her experience in clinical issues with research and education roles, in an effort to bring practice and theory closer together. The Chair encompasses three clinical partners – Peninsula Health, Peninsula Hospice Service and the Royal District Nursing Service - where Margaret is actively involved in developing staff research projects. Margaret has concentrated on 3 main areas of research: -service development, policy and ethical issues in end of life care. A current research project “End of Life Care: A study of the palliative care needs of veterans to improve their dying” currently being undertaken, has helped establish a link through a common interest in veteran health with the Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine.
