Vice Chancellor's Research Fellow PhD Scholarship - Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes

The Centre for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Care Outcomes is excited to offer a PhD scholarship for the project "Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: Immediate and Long-Term Morbidity - A Life Course Approach", under the Vice Chancellor Research Fellowship. This project examines the influence of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes (APOs) and psychosocial factors across a woman's lifespan, with a focus on perinatal health, postpartum care, mental health and long-term conditions, particularly cardiovascular disease (CVD). The project leverages longitudinal, population-based linkage records in Australia along with large international pregnancy cohorts to address women’s health issues. Outcomes could shape policies, and guide preventive measures such as patient education via primary health care providers, including nurses and midwives. The successful PhD candidate will work under the supervision of leading researchers in these disciplines. The position is based at ECU, Joondalup, School of Nursing and Midwifery.

The project aims to deepen our understanding of how APOs, such as gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, impact maternal and neonatal health, postpartum healthcare utilization, and the development of subsequent mental health conditions. Furthermore, the project will explore factors influencing the relationship between APOs and long-term morbidity, particularly cardiovascular disease (CVD), by employing a life course perspective. This research project is designed to address critical health issues for women of reproductive age, and the outcomes from this project could shape policies, refine CVD risk assessments, and guide preventive measures such as patient education through primary health care providers, including nurses and midwives. The main research project will leverage longitudinal, retrospective cohorts’ data from population-based linked datasets in Australia (perinatal and hospital registries), alongside large international pregnancy cohorts, namely the Raine study, the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child (MoBa) cohort, and the AVON Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort.

Year 1: To synthesise the current evidence on the complex relationship between APOs, mental health conditions and later morbidities.

Year 2: To characterise the common APOs by clinical and sociodemographic factors and evaluate maternal, birth (including childbirth), and neonatal outcomes among women with previous APO or preexisting chronic conditions.

Year 3: Examine the association between APOs and healthcare use (inpatient hospitalisations), diseases risk within two years after giving birth, and the relationship between APOs and subsequent mental health conditions.

To be eligible for this scholarship applicants must:

• Meet the entry requirements for a PhD at ECU.
• For international applicants, an IELTS score of 7, with no band less than 7 is required or equivalent language test as per the requirements of the School of Nursing & Midwifery.

• The suitable candidate for this project must have completed a bachelor’s degree and should have a high level of achievement, including an honours degree or equivalent or demonstrated research experience such as peer reviewed publications.
• Master's degree is preferred (either by Research or Coursework) in Public Health, Epidemiology, Nursing, Midwifery, or a closely related field, with relevant research publications.
• Demonstrated experience in quantitative research with a strong interest and background in maternal, child, reproductive health, and health service research. Ideally, the candidate would also have some published work in this area.
• Demonstrated experience with quantitative data analysis (preferably using Stata or R software), interpretation, and presentation of complex and/or large health datasets.
• Meets the English language requirements Preferably, the candidate will also have experience in clinical settings, project management, and qualitative research.

Interested applicants are required to send expressions of interest, to Dr Amanuel Gebremedhin .  Please use “EOI-Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes_YOUR LAST NAME” in the email subject.

Your expression of interest should include the following:

• A brief description of how your skill set will contribute to the project addressing the selection criteria and describing your interest in the field (2 pages maximum);
• An up-to-date CV containing your contact details and preferred referee.
• All relevant academic transcripts,
• Relevant supporting documents of prior research (e.g., copy of up to five of your best publication with justification on why you choose and your specific role for each); and
• Evidence of English language proficiency.

Email Dr Amanuel Gebremedhin Vice Chancellor’s Research Fellow at *************@ecu.edu.au if you have any questions about this scholarship and/or the project.

Closing Date

This ad closes on the 21st July, 2024.