School of Health and Human Sciences

Research projects and collaborations 2015

In 2015, staff of the School of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University were

involved in a wide range of research projects and collaborations with international and local

partners. The School received over one million dollars in research funding.

* School of Health and Human Sciences researchers are listed in bold. 

 Project Title: Victorian Allied Health Workforce Research Program  

Funding Body: Victorian Department of Health and Human Services  

Total Grant: $455,785 (plus an additional $180,000 optional) 

Investigators: Prof Susan Nancarrow, Dr Joanne Bradbury, Ms Gretchen Young, Ms Katy

O'Callaghan, Ms Kegan Barlow 

 

 Project Title: The Efficacy of a referral and physical activity program for survivors of prostate

cancer: the ENGAGE project (project continuing from 2011) 

Funding Body: Australian Research Council (ARC Linkage) and the Prostate Cancer Foundation of 

Australia 

Total Grant: $350,000 

Partner Institution/s: Deakin University, Southern Health, Eastern Health, Peter MacCallum Centre, 

Victoria University, Epworth Healthcare, North Eastern Metropolitan Integrated Cancer Service, 

YMCA Victoria 

Investigators: Prof Trish Livingstone, Dr Melinda Craike, Prof Jo Salmon, Prof Mari Botti, Dr Caderyn 

Gaskin, Dr Suzanne Broadbent, Dr Steve Fraser, Prof Kerry Courneya 

 

 Project Title: Applying a Montessori Model in Non‐Residential, Aged Care Respite Centres 

Funding Body: Hastings District Respite Care (HDRC) 

Total Grant: $100,000 (approximately) 

Partner Institution/s: Hastings District Respite Care (HDRC) 

Investigators: Dr James Donnelly 

 

 Project Title: Comparing intermittent to graded exercise and usual care in Chronic Fatigue

Syndrome (pilot study continuing from 2014) 

Funding Body: Mason Trust and Wicking Foundation 

Total Grant: $82,000 

Investigators: Dr Suzanne Broadbent, Dr Rosanne Coutts 

 

 Project Title: PhD Scholarship exploring coordination development of pre‐elite athletes 

Funding Body: Australian Institute of Sport 

Total Grant: $57,750 

Partner Institution/s: Australian Institute of Sport 

Investigators: A/Prof Wendy Gilleard, Dr Alison Alcock 

 Project Title: Skills training workshops and online resources 

Funding Body: Student Representative Council, Southern Cross University 

Total Grant: $50,000 

Partner Institution/s: Southern Cross Postgraduate Association, Inc. 

Investigators: Mr Craig Wilson, Dr Justin Gaetano 

 

 Project Title: A preliminary investigation on the effects of intermittent exposure to hypoxia on

glucose homeostasis 

Funding Body: Southern Cross University, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research 2015 Seed Grant 

Total Grant: $15,000 

Investigators: Prof Shi Zhou, A/Prof Allan Davie, Dr Suzanne Broadbent, Ms Yun Wang 

 

 Project Title: Adverse events from complementary therapies: An update from the Natural

Therapies Workforce Survey 

Funding Body: The Australian Traditional Medicine Society 

Total Grant: $10,000 

Partner Institution/s: The Australian Traditional Medicine Research Committee 

Investigators: Dr Thomas Harris, A/Prof Sandra Grace, Mr Stephen Eddey 

 

 Project Title: Framework for ethical experiential learning in health 

Funding Body: Southern Cross University, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research 2015 Seed Grant 

Total Grant: $9,800 

Partner Institution/s: Charles Sturt University 

Investigators: A/Prof Sandra Grace, A/Prof Ev Innes, Dr Narelle Patton, A/Prof Lynette Stockhausen 

 

 Project Title: Skin to skin breastfeeding 

Funding Body: Southern Cross University, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research 2015 Seed Grant 

Total Grant: $8,000 

Investigators: Prof Kathleen Fahy, Ms Carolyn Hastie 

 

 Project Title: Randomized controlled trial of intervention to promote the performance of daily

living tasks by children with neuro‐motor disorders: Pilot 

Funding Body: Southern Cross University, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research 2015 Seed Grant 

Total Grant: $7,500 

Partner Institution/s: Paediatric Therapy and Workshops, University of Sydney, University of 

Melbourne 

Investigators: A/Prof Michelle Donelly, Dr Kate Bain, Ms Suzanne Davis, Dr Chris Chapparo, Prof 

Dinah Reddihough, Mr Robert Heard, Ms Sue Treacy, Ms Laura Burritt 

 

 Project Title: Research report on Minerama 2015 

Funding Body: Funded in part by Glen Innes Severn Council (GISC) 

Total Grant: $6,000 

Partner Institution/s: Glen Innes Severn Council (GISC) 

Investigators: Dr James Donnelly, Dr Arianne Reis (Business and Tourism/SCU) 

 

 Project Title: "Patient Perspectives": Understanding and engaging with patient preferences for

different approaches to health care delivery using social media 

Funding Body: Southern Cross University, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research 2015 Seed Grant 

Total Grant: $5,000 

Investigators: Dr Joanne Bradbury, Prof Susan Nancarrow, Dr Cathy Avila, Dr Frances Doran, A/Prof

John Stevens 

 

 Project Title: Enhancing the Professional Development of Occupational Therapy Supervisors ‐

Assessment Moderation 

Funding Body: Southern Cross University Teaching and Learning Small Grant 

Total Grant: $5,000 

Investigators: Ms Maggie Scorey, Ms Margaret Neuss, Dr Keri Moore 

 

 Project Title: Practitioner‐only Products: A retrospective analysis of social media comments from

natural medicine practitioners 

Funding Body: The Australian Traditional Medicine Society 

Total Grant: $5,000 

Partner Institution/s: The Australian Traditional Medicine Research Committee 

Investigators: Ms Ann Vlass, A/Prof Sandra Grace, Mr Stephen Eddey, Dr Thomas Harris 

 

 Project Title: Attitudes of Australian GPs to chiropractic and osteopathy 

Funding Body: Macquarie University 

Total Grant: $5,000 

Investigators: Dr Roger Engel, Dr Robyn Beirman, A/Prof Sandra Grace 

 

 Project Title: Promoting valid and time efficient assessment of student teamwork skills:

Validation of a short form of the TeamUP Rubric for use by any health disciplines 

Funding Body: SCU Teaching and Learning Grant 

Total Grant: $5,000 

Investigators: Dr Jacqui Yoxall, Carolyn Hastie, Prof Kathleen Fahy, A/Prof Sandra Grace 

 

 Project Title: Midwifery decision‐making process when assisting women to maintain perineal

integrity during active second stage labour 

Funding Body: NSW Mid North Coast Local Health District (MNCLHD) and Southern Cross University 

Total Grant: $4,000 

Partner Institution/s: MNCLHD Coffs Harbour Base Hospital (Maternity) 

Investigators: Dr Elaine Jefford, Ms Frances Guy, Ms Belinda Newcombe 

 

 Project Title: Same‐day appointments for adults and seniors at Northern NSW GP clinics: how do

they measure up in terms of availability and costs? 

Funding Body: Southern Cross University, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research 2015 Seed Grant 

Total Grant: $3,500 

Partner Institution/s: North Coast Primary Health Network (NCPHN), University of Melbourne 

Investigators: Prof Susan Nancarrow, Dr Cathy Avila, Dr Joanne Bradbury, Dr Frances Doran, Mr 

Vahid Saberi, Professor Gary Freed 

 

 Project Title: Development of a National Fitness Survey 

Funding Body: Southern Cross University, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research 2015 Seed Grant 

Total Grant: $3,400 

Investigators: Dr Suzanne Broadbent, Prof Shi Zhou 

 

 Project Title: Increasing EEG Lab Capacity 

Funding Body: Southern Cross University, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research 2015 Seed Grant 

Total Grant: $3,000 (partial funding) 

Partner Institution/s: The Armidale School, Cogstate 

Investigators: Dr James Donnelly, Dr Steve Provost, Dr Tara Kocek 

 

 Project Title: Enhancing Student Midwifery Clinical Reasoning Processes and Decision‐Making

Skills 

Funding Body: Mid North Coast Local Health District 

Total Grant: $3,000 

Partner Institution/s: Hull University (UK), Buckinghamshire New University (UK), Australian College 

of Midwives 

Investigators: Dr Elaine Jefford, Prof Julie Jomeen, Prof Colin Martin 

 

 Project Title: The effects of six weeks training or recovery in a hypoxic chamber, on activity

states of HIF‐1α, key mRNA markers of adaptation, and physiological responses to an incremental

treadmill test in Thoroughbred horses (project continuing from 2014) 

Partner Institution/s: Pulford Air and Gas, Tianjin University of Sport (China) 

Investigators: A/Prof Allan Davie, Prof Shi Zhou, Prof Li Wen, Prof Yong Zhang, Mr Tom Fyfe 

 

 Project Title: Sex discrimination of point light walkers 

Investigators: Mr Graeme Hacker, Dr Anna Brookes, Dr James Donnelly 

 

 Project Title: Speech Development 

Investigators: Dr Debbie James 

 

 Project Title: Communication, speech and language development of late pre‐term babies 

Partner Institution/s: University of Adelaide 

Investigators: Dr Debbie James, Dr Julia Pitcher 

 

 Project Title: Internalising and externalising problematic behaviour: The role of executive

functioning and social information processing 

Partner Institution/s: Various schools in the Coffs Harbour region, Australian Catholic University, 

Headminder Inc, New York (USA) 

Investigators: Dr Tara Kocek, Dr James Donnelly, Dr Jeffrey Rogers (ACU), Dr Tony Yeigh 

(Education/SCU) 

 

 Project Title: Primary care as a clinical placement from student nurses' perspective: A Kidney

Camp experience 

Investigators: Dr Kolleen Miller‐Rosser, Ms June Colgrave, A/Prof Lynette Stockhausen 

 

 Project Title: Increasing Organ Donation Rates 

Partner Institution/s: Coffs Harbour Base Hospital, Mid North Coast Local Health District 

Investigators: Dr Gail Moloney, Dr Michael Sutherland (ICU and Organ donation specialist, CHBH), 

Ms Anne Judd (Clinical Nurse Specialist Organ and Tissue Donation, MNCLHD) 

 

 Project Title: Right Kids, Right Time, Right Services: Developmental Surveillance in Early

Childhood Education Settings 

Partner Institution/s: Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, La Trobe University 

Investigators: Ms Beth Mozolic‐Staunton, A/Prof Michelle Donelly, Dr Josephine Barbaro, Dr Jacqui

Yoxall 

 

 Project Title: Do time distortions occur during high level exercise?: The role of fitness and

exercise self‐efficacy 

Partner Institution/s: Coffs Harbour Health Club (CHHC) (includes in‐kind support) 

Investigators: Mr Jason Newcombe, Dr James Donnelly 

 

 Project Title: Symptoms of muscle dysmorphia, eating disorders, and body dysmorphic disorder 

Partner Institution/s: Tianjin University of Sport (China) 

Investigators: Dr Johanna Nieuwoudt, Prof Yahong Jin, Prof Shi Zhou 

 

 Project Title: Reliability of a viva examination of clinical reasoning 

Partner Institution/s: Victoria University 

Investigators: Mr Paul Orrock, Dr Brett Vaughan, A/Prof Sandra Grace, Mr Raymond Blaich 

 

 Project Title: Impaired practice effects following mild traumatic brain injury: An event‐related

potential investigation 

Partner Institution/s: Australian Catholic University 

Investigators: Dr Jeffrey Rogers, A.M. Fox, Dr James Donnelly 

 

 Project Title: The impact of parental responsiveness on their infants and toddlers' early

communication, speech and language development 

Partner Institution/s: University of Adelaide 

Investigators: Ms Melissa Saliba, Dr David Tivey, Dr Debbie James, Dr Melanie Attard 

 

 Project Title: Tobacco use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students:

Understanding 'the social' and the effects of indigeneity 

Partner Institution/s: University of Technology Sydney, University of Sydney, NSW Department of 

Education, Sydney Local Health District 

Investigators: Ms Tarunna Sebastian, A/Prof Toni Schofield, A/Prof Michelle Donelly, Dr Craig 

Anderson 

 

 Project Title: Avoiding compassion fatigue in healthcare providers 

Partner Institution/s: Local Healthcare District hospitals; Baringa Private Hospital, Coffs Harbour 

Investigators: Ms Jaeva Shelley, Dr James Donnelly 

 

 Project Title: Factors mediating dysphoric moods and help seeking behaviour among Australian

parents of children with autism 

Investigators: Mr Matthew Snow, Dr James Donnelly 

 

 Project Title: Peer physical examination in first year osteopathy students 

Partner Institution/s: Victoria University 

Investigators: Dr Brett Vaughan, A/Prof Sandra Grace 

 

 Project Title: Australian osteopathy students' perceptions of interprofessional relationships 

Partner Institution/s: Victoria University 

Investigators: Dr Brett Vaughan, Dr Keri Moore, Dr Chris Macfarlane, A/Prof Sandra Grace 

 

 Project Title: Effects and molecular mechanisms of acute and intermittent exposure to hypoxia

environment and endurance exercise on glucose homeostasis and insulin resistance in obese mice

with Type 2 diabetes 

Partner Institution/s: Tianjin University of Sport (China) 

Investigators: Ms Yun Wang, Prof Shi Zhou, A/Prof Allan Davie, Prof Yong Zhang, Prof Li Wen, Mr 

Xinhao Wang, Ms Youyu He 

 

 Project Title: Visiting Research Professor in 2015 

Partner Institution/s: Chulalongkorn University (Thailand) 

Investigators: Dr Heather Winskel, Dr Theeraporn Ratitamkul