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Dr Jane Sims

Jane

Dr Jane Sims is Senior Research Fellow in the Healthy Ageing Research Unit (HARU), School of Primary Health Care at Monash University and Honorary Senior Fellow, Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne. Dr Sims has degrees in Human Biology, Occupational Health and Safety and Psychology.Dr Sims is currently Honorary Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Australian Association of Gerontology (Victoria), past President of the Australian Health Promotion Association (Victorian Branch) and a member of Kinect Australia’s Physical Activity Expert Advisory Committee and the Public Health Association’s Primary Care Special Interest Group.

Scientific discipline involvement:

  • VicFit Physical Activity Expert Advisory Committee 2003-
  • Active Script Program Advisory Group 2003-
  • Doctorate of Health Psychology Advisory Group 2003-
  • Bundoora Extended Care, GP Liaison Unit Steering Group 2003-2007
  • Lung Health Promotion Centre, Medical & Scientific Advisory Committee 1999-2004
  • Melbourne Division of General Practice, Population Health Board 2001-2003
  • Advisor to the national Joint Advisory Group during the development and implementation of the smoking, Nutrition, Alcohol and Physical Activity (SNAP) Framework 2001-2002

Research interests

Dr Sims has a long-standing research interest in older persons’ health, particularly interventions to promote physical activity in older people, and falls prevention. She recently completed a trial of strength training in the management of depression in stroke survivors. She has been CI/Project Manager on a range of primary care research programs.

Dr Sims has extensive experience in primary health care research, nursing and medical education and interprofessional education programs. She has published widely in international journals, with over 50 refereed articles and reviews, 8 book chapters and an edited book on Primary Health Care Sciences. She has contributed to 20 reports that have influenced primary care health policy and delivery and to evidence-based guidelines on physical activity in older people and palliative aged care. She has given 14 invited talks and workshops at both national and international conferences. She has secured over $1.5 million in competitive funding as a Chief Investigator.

Current Projects and activities

  • Manages the current phase of the Melbourne Longitudinal Studies of Healthy Ageing (MELSHA). The MELSHA program is concerned with the discovery of modifiable determinants of healthy ageing to inform population level and clinical interventions. The program is being conducted in partnership with the University of Sydney. MELSHA commenced in 1994 when a baseline survey of 1000 people aged 65 year and over living in non-institutional settings was conducted in Melbourne, Australia. The sample has been followed up annually since then. The team have an NHMRC grant to continue the study until 2010.
  • Contributor to HARU’s ‘Healthy Lifestyles and Enhancing Participation for Older People’ research program.

Recent Research Publications and conference presentations

Refereed journal article

  1. Browning C, Sims J, Kendig H, Teshuva K (2009). Predictors of physical activity behaviour in older community-dwelling adults.  (In press, Journal of Allied Health.  April, 2008).
  2. Browning C, Sims J, Kendig H, Teshuva K (2009). Predictors of physical activity behaviour in older community-dwelling adults.  Journal of Allied Health 38: 8-17.
  3. Sims J, Galea M, Taylor N, Dodd K, Jespersen S, Joubert J, Joubert L. (2009). Regenerate: assessing the feasibility of using a strength training program to enhance the physical and mental health of chronic post-stroke patients. Int J. Geriatric Psychiatry. 24:76-83.
  4. Sims J, Angus J, Feldman S, Radermacher H. (2008). Dementia’s disease burden and the potential role of community based interventions to inform risk reduction strategies. Chinese General Practice 11(9A):1528-1530.
  5. Angus J, Sims J, Radermacher H, Feldman S. (2008). Can community-based intervention strategies from other key national health priority areas inform strategies to reduce the risk of dementia? Chinese General Practice 11(10A): 1725-1730.
  6. Dow B, Black K, Scott P, Ratnayeke A, Wise K, Sims J, Hill K. (2008). Rural carers on line: A feasibility study. Australian Journal of Rural Health 16:221-225.

Symposium

Sims J, Radermacher H, Feldman S. Retail therapy: looking at access to shops through a food security lens. Symposium presented at the AAG Conference, Fremantle, November 2008.

Dr Jane Sims publications 2002-2007


Contact details:

Phone: 03 9501 2436
Fax: 03 8575 2233
Email: Jane.Sims@med.monash.edu.au