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| Staff (Intranet) | Staff directory | A-Z index | Site map |
Newsletter #1, November 2009 - Department of Health Social ScienceContents1. Welcome message from the Head of Department Welcome message from Head of DepartmentWelcome to the spring newsletter of the Department of Health Social Science. Since our last newsletter, the Department has been restructured into the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, relocated to the Caulfield campus and rewritten the curriculum of the Bachelor of Health Science. We are appreciative of the support from the Faculty for our move and look forward to continued expansion of the Department in the months and years to come. Meanwhile, this newsletter provides an update on activities in the Department. I hope you enjoy reading about our wonderful staff and students. ************** Staff NewsADDRF WorkshopProfessor Helen Keleher travelled to Nairobi (Kenya) in September to participate in a 5-day training workshop for the African Population and Health Research Centre. The program was funded by the Canadian International Development Research Centre, which works in close collaboration with researchers from the developing world in their search for the means to build healthier, more equitable, and more prosperous societies. The African Doctoral Dissertation Research Fellowship (ADDRF) Fellowships were awarded to advanced doctoral students who are within two years of completing their doctoral thesis at an African university. The fellowships are particularly targeted at doctoral students whose research shows great promise of making cutting-edge contributions to governance, equity, health or population-related issues in the region. The current Fellows' research areas are in the broad fields of health and disease, sexuality, health systems strengthening as well as basic, clinical, and social sciences. 
Gambling issues in the mediaDr Charles Livingstone recent media coverage concerning gambling issues Dr Charles Livingstone has criticised the approval by the Victorian government of additional gaming tables at Crown Casino, which was given prior to the Victorian Commission for Gambling regulation undertaking an inquiry into the possible effects of such approval. He was particularly concerned at comments attributed to the Premier, in which he suggested that there was little evidence of harm associated with gambling on gaming tables, which is not correct. This was first reported in the Age but was picked up by a number of other media outlets including the ABC and commercial radio Dr Livingstone has also conducted a brief analysis of the ‘community benefit statements' lodged by Victorian AFL clubs for the year 2008-09. Under Victorian law, all clubs operating Electronic Gaming Machines are required to demonstrate that they have contributed to community benefits and these statements are the means by which this is enforced. However, despite this system being reformed for this statements period, the vast majority of such claims are associated with the operating expenses of the clubs - wages of staff, upkeep of their facilities, and the running costs of those facilities. Thus 'genuine' community benefits (charitable, philanthropic or educational purposes) constitute a tiny minority (~5%) of such claims. This was reported in the Sunday Age. The imminent release of the Productivity Commission's draft report on gambling has also caused a flurry of media interest. This has included canvassing the options for imposing limits on expenditure via some form of smart card system which allows limits to be set and enforced across a gambling network. This commentary first appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald but was subsequently picked up by radio in Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane and Melbourne. ************ Special feature on health equity in Health Promotion Journal of AustraliaAssociate Professor Ben Smith and Professor Helen Keleher, as Editors of the Health Promotion Journal of Australia, have prepared a special issue for this December on the theme of ‘Strategies for promoting health equity'. The issue is timely, following the release of WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health Report last year, and presents evidence that can guide action to improve health equity for a range of high needs groups. Topics addressed in the issue include tobacco control interventions for Indigenous Australians, addressing the social determinants of drug use, access to sexual health programs by young people and the promotion of healthy nutrition among remote Indigenous communities, among others. ************** ************* Research Fellow Tess Tsindos presented a paper at the Emerging Researchers in Ageing Conference on 24 October 2009 entitled Why friends matter for health. She is also presenting the same paper at the Australian Association of Gerontology on 25 November 2009. ************* Dr Nikos Thomacos presented a paper at the Emerging Researchers in Ageing Conference 24 October 2009 entitled Reconceptualising social support across the lifespan. ************* The Department has been host for the last 4 months to Ms Chebi Kipsaina, a fellow of the Victorian Public Health Training Scheme. Chebi has been working with Ms Jessica McCormick on an evaluation of a federally funded community development program for a community health service. Chebi is moving onto her next rotation and was farewelled with an international lunch. We are only saying adieu to Chebi as her DrPH supervisor is Helen Keleher so we will see her regularly in the Department. ************** Student NewsOxfam internship awardCongratulations to Sarai Dee, a Bachelor of Health Science/Bachelor of Social Work student who has been awarded a prestigious Oxfam internship for 2010. Sarai will undertake volunteer work with the other Monash Interns, in Oxfam's human rights and HIV/AIDS campaigns in South Africa from January to February 2010. More information is available at: http://www.monash.edu.au/news/monashmemo/stories/20090916/lead.html *********** Student wins financial support to Australian Health Promotion conference in PerthMarama Kufi won financial support from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences to travel to the Australian Health Promotion Conference in Perth during May 2009. Marama and his partner, Lensa presented a paper on the meaning of health for Oromo people. Marama and the Department of Health Social Science lecturers Dr Andrew Joyce and Ms Rhonda Garad have established the South Eastern Oromo Community Health Team, which takes a health promotion approach to the issues of mental health, family relationships, domestic violence, drug and alcohol use and the relationships between young people and their families. You can read Marama's story at: http://www.med.monash.edu.au/news/2009/communityleader.html. Marama and Lensa have also had their story profiled in the Cranbourne Journal, Dandenong Journal, Dandenong Star, and the careers section in the Age to promote the positive community contributions of people from a refugee background. ************** Course NewsNew Bachelor of Health Science degree at Caulfield in 2010Planning is well underway for the rollout of an expanded and revised curriculum for the Bachelor of Health Science at Caulfield campus. We will have both first and second year students at Caulfield campus in 2010 and have many plans for an exciting year of study for both first and second year students. ************** Bachelor of Health Science to be offered in Malaysia and South Africa from 2011Following a 3-day workshop at Monash Malaysia, it has been confirmed that the BHSc will begin at Monash University Sunway Campus (Kuala Lumpur) and Monash South Africa (Johannesburg) from 2011. The course will have an expanded theme of global health, and there will be opportunities for student mobility across the campuses. As the course develops, students will be able to take units via an expanded digitized curriculum providing wonderful opportunities for learning about public health and health promotion in diverse cultures and settings. This is the first course of its kind as far as we are aware, and we are excited about the opportunities that will open up for students. The next planning workshop is being hosted by Monash South Africa and will be attended by Associate Professor Ben Smith, Dr Tsharni Zazryn and Dr Emma Bruce. ************** Short CoursesHealth Promotion Short CourseThe next Southern Metropolitan Regional 5-day Health Promotion short course will be held on 18, 19, 24 November and 1, 3 December 2009. This course will be held at the Kingston City Hall, Moorabbin, with Dr Emma Bruce, Ms Sarah Hawkey, Ms Jessica McCormick, Dr Belinda Crockett and Dr Andrew Joyce as facilitators. ************** Research NewsEvaluation of VicHealth strategy to promote inclusive sports and recreationThe Active Participation Grants Program, funded by VicHealth, aims to increase participation in sport and recreation activities among socially disadvantaged and underrepresented groups, including people with disabilities and those from low socio economic, Indigenous and new arrival communities. There are 12 local councils, sporting and recreational organisations in the Melbourne metropolitan area that have been funded to undertake innovative programs to promote participation in sport and active recreation to achieve physical, mental and social health outcomes. Associate Professor Ben Smith has been contracted by VicHealth to undertake a comprehensive evaluation of the program over three years, and Ms Sarah Hawkey has been employed as Research Fellow to work on this project. The evaluation will investigate selected outcomes at the individual, community and organisational level in consultation with the funded projects, their partners and VicHealth staff. *********** Population health planning toolboxA team of researchers from the Department (Professor Helen Keleher, Dr Nikos Thomacos, Dr Tsharni Zazryn, Dr Charles Livingstone) are working on a population health planning toolbox for the Victorian Healthcare Association. Population health planning is set to be strengthened across Victoria but there are very few resources available for regional partnership to use to guide their work. This project will deliver a range of resources for cross government and intersectoral partnerships. A major forum is planned for mid-November to workshop the planning framework and resources with member agencies of the VHA. *********** Investigation of media debates about cyclingAssociate Professor Ben Smith is collaborating with colleagues from the Sydney South West Area Health Service, University of Technology Sydney and Macquarie University in a study of how cycling and cyclists have been represented in Australian newspapers over the past decade. Because of the importance of cycling, in health, transport, environmental and economic terms, the group wants to investigate the way that this has been framed in news media in recent years. The prominence and type of news coverage cycling receives is likely to be shaping public understandings of cyclists and cycling and is of importance to the uptake of cycling and public policy support for cycling. The study is examining the frequency of cycling related news stories in major metropolitan newspapers, the way cycling and cyclists are framed by news stories, and variations in the representations of cycling over time, by type of newspaper, and by geographical location. ************* Food and drink company sponsorship of children's sport: publicity or philanthropy?With an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant held with colleagues at the University of Sydney and NSW Cancer Council, Associate Professor Ben Smith is investigating the extent to which food and beverage companies use children's sporting organisations to promote unhealthy food and drinks. The perceptions of parents, sports organisers and young people about these sponsorship arrangements are also being explored. Currently food and beverage company sport sponsorship in Australia is unanalysed and unregulated. The proposed research may assist new programs and policies to support sporting organisations in promoting children's health in a consistent fashion. Veterans' Health Week - Enjoying the benefits of keeping activeVeterans' Health Week was reinstated after an eight year hiatus during the week of August 24th to 30th. This year's theme, physical activity, promoted the national physical activity guidelines and encouraged the veteran community to make exercise part of their daily routine. Over 5000 people from the veteran community attended nearly 100 local events across Australia including t'ai chi, ballroom dancing, health expos and even a mini Olympics. As part of the national coordination team, Nerida Joss (DVA's contracted National Health Promotion Adviser) was involved in the planning and coordination of events including the design of publications and resources for the week. She is currently managing the national evaluation which indicates the week was a great success. It is hoped that next year will be even bigger and better with a new theme! ************** Department NewsThe Department is now a Health Promoting Health Service!In an effort to establish the first Australian Health Promoting Hospitals and Health Services Network, the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine is now registered with the World Health Organisation as a Health Promoting Health Service. This is the first step in establishing a Victorian Network, which would form part of the international consortium of health promoting hospitals and health services. The network is being established in order to ensure that the health promotion work that is currently happening across Victorian health services is reinforced and the evidence for future work is established and supported. The Department of Health Social Science is currently working with a number of health services and this will ensure that we remain at the forefront of developments in this area. BEWARE smokers, one of the requirements of being a health promoting health service is the establishment of a smokefree environment..... That means, no smoking on campus!! For more information please contact Dr Emma Bruce (emma.bruce@med.monash.edu.au). ************* 10,000 steps challengeIn keeping with the spirit of promoting healthy lifestyles, the Department has entered two teams in the latest 10,000 Steps challenge. This is a free health promotion program that encourages the use of step-counting pedometers to monitor your daily physical activity levels. See: www.10000steps.org.au/. The teams are the ‘Divas' and the ‘Baby steps'. Participants walk a virtual walk starting from the Prato campus in Italy on 7 October and finish in London on Friday 13th November 2009. ************** Staff ProfilesMs Sarah HawkeyMs Sarah Hawkey has joined the Department as a lecturer and research assistant, where she is currently teaching a unit on healthcare management and undertaking an evaluation of VicHealth funded active participation projects (see Research news). Sarah has a background and strong links in the Victorian health promotion sector including community health and primary care partnerships, where she has previously worked in both health promotion capacity building and project management roles. 
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