2010 - General Practice and Primary Health Care Academic Centre

EMERGING THEMES
In addition to our established research programs we are developing research areas including complementary therapies,
sexual health, cancer and musculoskeletal problems. Our focus on complementary therapies is driven by the fact that over
40% of Australians use some form of complementary therapy every day, although for most of these therapies there is little or
no evidence of their effectiveness. Research in this area is seeking to develop an evidence-base for the safe and effective use
of complementary therapies in health problems commonly managed in general practice. Methods being used include
randomised controlled trials, epidemiological population and practitioner surveys and qualitative interviews.
RESEARCH TEAM
Emerging Theme Program Team
(Left to right)
Simon French, Kitty Novy, Kirsty Forsdike,
Meg Carter, Marie Pirotta, Cathy Watson
TEAM LEADER
Dr Marie Pirotta MB BS GDipEpid&Biostat MMed PhD DRANZCOG FRACGP is a practising GP and a
PHCRED senior research fellow whose research interests focus on complementary medicine in primary
care, women's health and randomised controlled trials.
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
Associate Professor Meredith Temple-Smith BSc DipAppChildPsych DipMov&Dance MPubHlth
MPHAA DHSc is the Director of Research Training. Her research interests are in the area of sexual health
and Hepatitis C.
RESEARCH FELLOWS
Dr Meg Carter BA PhD became a sociologist after working for many years with public sector agencies.
Her research interests include families and conflict, services for people diagnosed with mental illness, and
different ways in which people understand madness. A qualitative researcher, she has a particular interest
in the articulation between research methods and social policy.
Dr Simon French BAppSc MPubHlth PhD is a research fellow supported by an NHMRC Primary Health
Care Fellowship. His research interests include evaluating methods for the management of
musculoskeletal conditions and implementation research, which investigates ways of improving health
outcomes by enhancing the quality and effectiveness of health services. He has a clinical background in
chiropractic and so has a particular research interest in conducting research in this primary care setting.
Dr Ian Relf BMedSci MB BS MSc DRACOG FAMAC FRACGP is a practising GP and a research fellow
whose research interests focus on lasers in medical acupuncture, musculoskeletal pain and randomised
controlled trials in primary care.
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