Dr Catherine Kirby

Research Fellow

BSocSci (Hons), PhD

Profile

Cath Kirby is a part-time Research Fellow with the Department of General Practice (Notting Hill) and the Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Berwick).

Cath has a particular interest in infant and early parental well-being, and is currently undertaking quantitative and qualitative research examining GP knowledge, attitudes and practices relating to infant gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

She is also involved in several other research programs, including: a randomised controlled trial of GP diabetes education, to examine outcomes at a population level; a qualitative study exploring the support needs of CALD men treated for localised prostate cancer and their partners; and an evaluation of a community nursing placement program.

Cath has been involved in the design, implementation and evaluation of a range of continuing professional development activities for GPs, including clinical audits, online education modules and clinical guidelines. These activities span across several health areas, including gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, type 1 diabetes, women’s osteoporosis, men’s sexual and reproductive health and smoking cessation.

Cath has conducted research and GP professional education in the field of men’s sexual and reproductive health for approximately 10 years, with a particular focus on psychosocial aspects of erectile dysfunction and prostate cancer.

Cath’s background training is in psychology and she was awarded her doctorate in the field of anxiety and cognition in 2006.

Journal publications

Davis SR, Robinson PJ, Bell RJ, Lanzafame A, Weekes A, Kirby C, Piterman L. The prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency and relationship with fracture risk in older women presenting in Australian general practice. Australasian Journal on Ageing. Published online July 2011 prior to print.

Davis SR, Kirby C, Weekes A, Lanzafame A, Piterman L. Simplifying screening for osteoporosis in Australian primary care: the Prospective Screening for Osteoporosis; Australian Primary Care Evaluation of Clinical Tests (PROSPECT) study.  Menopause, 2011;18(1):53-9.

Kirby CN, Piterman L. The impact of clinical audit and guidelines on GP management of erectile dysfunction. Australian Family Physician, 2009;38(8):637-641.

McKay-Brown L, Bishop N, Balmford J, Borland R, Kirby C, Piterman L. The impact of a GP clinical audit on the provision of smoking cessation advice. Asia Pacific Family Medicine, 2008;7(8).

Wijesinha SS, Kirby CN, Tasker C, Piterman L. GPs as medical educators. An Australian train-the-trainer program. Australian Family Physician, 2008;37(8):684-688.

Kirby CN, Piterman L, Nelson MR & Dent J. Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. Impact of guidelines on GP management. Australian Family Physician, 2008;37(1/2):73-77.

Borland R, Balmford J, Bishop N, Segan C, Piterman L McKay-Brown L, Kirby C, Tasker C. In-practice management vs referral for enhancing smoking cessation in general practice: A cluster randomised trial. Family Practice, 2008;25(5):382-9.

Andrews CN, Piterman L. Sex and the older male: GP perceptions and management. Australian Family Physician, 2007;36(10):867-869.

McKay-Brown L, Borland R, Balmford J, Segan CJ, Andrews C, Tasker C & Piterman L. The challenges of recruiting and retaining GPs in research: Findings from a smoking cessation  project. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 2007;13(1):61-67.

Holden CA, Poljski C, Andrews CN, Cock ML, Wolfe RSJ, De Kretser DM. The dynamics of community education in male reproductive health: Findings from an Australian study. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 2006;12:146-155.

Poljski C, Tasker C, Andrews C, Wijesinja S, Piterman L, de Kretser D. GP attitudes to male reproductive and sexual health education and promotion. A qualitative study. Australian Family Physician, 2003;32:462-465.

Conference presentations

Davis SR, Robinson PJ, Bell RJ, Lanzafame A, Segal L, Kirby C, Weekes A, Piterman L. Plain vertebral x-ray provides more effective screening than DXA for the identification of older women for fracture prevention in primary care. Australasian Epidemiological Association Conference: Combining Tradition and Innovation. Perth, September 2011.

Burney S, Kirby C, Kiropolous L, Wooten A, Fletcher J. Prostate cancer support needs of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) men and their partners. 12th Australiasian Prostate Cancer Conference. Melbourne, August 3-5 2011.

Piterman L, Kirby C. Depression and male sexual function. 2011 Pfizer Uroscience Forum, Melbourne, April 2011.

Davis, SR, Piterman L, Kirby C, Weekes A, Lanzafame A. Simplifying Screening for Osteoporosis in Australian Primary Care: the PROSPECT Study. 13th Australasian Menopause Society Congress. Canberra September 2009

Piterman L, Kirby C, Tasker C. Promoting evidence-based management of erectile dysfunction in general practice: evaluation of a clinical audit and GP practice guide. WONCA 2008 Asia Pacific Regional Conference. Melbourne, Australia, October 2008.

McKay-Brown L, Piterman L, Kirby C, Conaglen H, Conaglen JV. Erectile dysfunction and depression: Are anti-depressants getting you down? 3rd Australasian Sexual Dysfunction Conference. Gold Coast, QLD, April 2008.

Borland R, Balmford J, Bishop N, Segan C, Piterman L, McKay-Brown L, Andrews C, Tasker C. Mass disseminable approaches for enhancing smoking cessation in general practice – a cluster randomised trial. Oceania Tobacco Control Conference, Auckland New Zealand, September 2007.

Tasker C, Andrews C, Piterman L. Assessment and management of erectile dysfunction in general practice. 2nd Sexual Dysfunction Conference, April 2006, Queenstown, NZ.

Piterman L, Andrews C. Promoting evidence-based management of erectile dysfunction. NICS Using Evidence: Using Guidelines Symposium 20th October 2006, Melbourne.

Tasker C, Cock ML. Andrews C. Development of GP Summary Guides on Male Reproductive Health. NICS Using Evidence: Using Guidelines Symposium 20th October 2006, Melbourne.