Disability and Health Unit
Centre for Health Policy
Centres and Programs
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Centre of Research Excellence in Disability and Health
The Centre of Research Excellence in Disability and Health aims to identify policies targeting the social determinants of health, to improve the lives of people with disability in Australia.
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NHMRC Synergy Grant
A new program of work developing interventions for life-time mental health outcomes for young Australians (aged 15 to 24 years) with disability.
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Centre for Research Excellence in Achieving Health Equity for All People with Disabilities (AHEAD)
AHEAD will enhance health equity by implementing sustainable, co-designed solutions that address the social determinants of health for people with disabilities and are shaped through our expanded research capacity and new innovative research infrastructure.
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The Lancet Commission on Disability and Health
The Lancet Commission will produce high-quality evidence on disability-inclusive health systems to inform policy and practice in ways that create lasting, tangible change. The aim is to create health systems that work better for people with disabilities, to truly achieve health for all.
Our research is about reducing the inequalities experienced by people with disability.
Research Areas
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COVID-19 and Inequality
We focus on the impact of COVID-19 in the immediate, adjustment and recovery phases of the pandemic.
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Gender Equality
We investigate how gender equity impacts on health and wellbeing, as well as current approaches to the measurement of gender equality in the workforce.
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Violence and Discrimination
This theme includes projects on attitudes and marginalisation of people with disability in Australia. We also look at prevalence data on the nature and extent of violence towards people with disability in Australia.
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Policy, Services and the NDIS
Our work in this theme is primarily concerned with linked data, the National Disability Insurance Scheme and major government policy reform.
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Paid and Unpaid Work
We conduct research on carers, support workers, working conditions, employment services, unpaid work, mental health outcomes, COVID-19 impacts and young people transitioning into the workforce.
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Mental health
This research program focuses on mental health in the workplace, mental health and disability, suicide prevention as well as gender and mental health.
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Health behaviours
This research is about understanding behaviour change and investigates behaviour change interventions in people with MS and disability in Australia.
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Access to Services
This research investigates access to social services for people with disability
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Disability and Healthcare
This research investigates access to health services for people with disability
Research Highlights
Centres and Programs
-
Centre of Research Excellence in Disability and Health
The Centre of Research Excellence in Disability and Health aims to identify policies targeting the social determinants of health, to improve the lives of people with disability in Australia.
-
NHMRC Synergy Grant
A new program of work developing interventions for life-time mental health outcomes for young Australians (aged 15 to 24 years) with disability.
-
Centre for Research Excellence in Achieving Health Equity for All People with Disabilities (AHEAD)
AHEAD will enhance health equity by implementing sustainable, co-designed solutions that address the social determinants of health for people with disabilities and are shaped through our expanded research capacity and new innovative research infrastructure.
-
The Lancet Commission on Disability and Health
The Lancet Commission will produce high-quality evidence on disability-inclusive health systems to inform policy and practice in ways that create lasting, tangible change. The aim is to create health systems that work better for people with disabilities, to truly achieve health for all.
Research Findings
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Media
Catch up on our opinion pieces, listen to our interviews or contact us directly for comment.
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Journal Articles
View our peer-reviewed journal articles published in recent years.
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Book Chapters
Read about our research findings in long form in these book chapters.
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Major Reports
Listed here is a selection of reports commissioned for policy makers, government departments and other organisations.
Welcome to the Disability and Health Unit
We aim to improve the health of people with disability through rigorous research and knowledge exchange. In Australia, people with disability are disadvantaged in many areas of their lives and the lack of evidence linking disability, socioeconomic contexts and health, means that there is much to be done to reduce disadvantage for people with disability.
Our unit is one of the few places worldwide where the health of people with disability is researched from a public health perspective. The team excels in data analysis and in issues related to mental health, gender studies, epidemiology, health promotion and policy analysis. Research focuses on social, behavioural, and environmental contexts of health for people with disability and their families and carers in Australia and internationally.
The unit hosts the world-first Centre of Research Excellence in Disability and Health, funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council, a collaboration with universities within Australia and internationally. We are based at the Centre for Health Policy at the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health at the University of Melbourne.
Our team
Please follow the links below to view each individual's research areas, recent publications and contact information.
