Research_
Engagement and Co-Design Research Hub (ECHO)
Improving the wellbeing of people living with chronic disease
Our transdisciplinary research aims to improve the welfare of populations and improve health outcomes of people living with chronic disease, with a focus on cancer and well-being, statistics and health inequity, and youth well-being.
Our research focuses on consumer and community engagement in health and medical research, co-design, translational and clinical research programs to reduce the burden of chronic disease and evaluate the impact of engagement in research.
Our team consists of a group of accomplished researchers who have received numerous prestigious awards for their contributions to health and medical research. Together, we have secured over $18 million in research funding over the past three years and our work has been widely cited and has resulted in tangible improvements in patient care and health outcomes.
We welcome collaborations with like-minded individuals who share our research interests and goals. We have research opportunities available for Higher Degree Research students and other research related positions, please reach out to us for more information. Join us as we continue to drive progress and advance the field of health and medical research through our innovative and impactful research programs.
Our research
Led by Professor Julie Redfern.
- QUEL: QUality improvement in primary care to prevent hospitalisations and improve effectiveness and efficiencyof care for people Living. QUEL is a cluster RCT funded by NHMRC to improve management of CVD by implementing a data-driven, practice-level Quality Improvement program in 52 Australian primary care practices, to inform government decision-making. It provides robust data about whether QI reduces hospitalisations and costs and about how it can be implemented in an efficient and sustainable way.
- SOLVE-CHD: Solving the long-standing evidence-practice gap associated with cardiac rehabilitation and secondary prevention of coronary heart disease. SOLVE-CHD is a $5 million 5-year NHMRC Synergy Grant, a national program that integrates data, technology, partnerships, and capacity building to transform post-hospital care for people with heart disease. Find out more.
- Heart2Heart: an implementation trial funded by MRFF designed to harness peer support to improve health and experience outcomes for people with heart disease. It is a community-led peer support program where survivors are empowered to support their peers through sharing their lived experiences and practical insights.
Led by Dr Anna Singleton.
- EMPOWER-SMS-RCT: EMPOWER-SMS is a co-designed (consumer reps, clinicians, researchers) text message program that aimed to improve women’s cardiac and cancer recurrence risk factors after breast cancer treatment, including physical and mental health outcomes (e.g. medication adherence, physical activity, diet, QOL). EMPOWER-SMS-RCT was a first-in-Australia randomised controlled trial (N=160) evaluating the effectiveness of EMPOWER-SMS compared to usual care. EMPOWER-SMS improved medication adherence compared to control and participants found it highly acceptable, useful and motivating.. EMPOWER-SMS was funded by the NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation.
- EMPOWER-SMS-COVID19: Adapted from the original EMPOWER-SMS program, EMPOWER-SMS COVID19 delivered support and education about breast cancer and COVID-19 regulations via text messages to women and men with breast cancer. To inform implementation and scale-up, this national implementation pilot (N=841) evaluated the reach (uptake), acceptability and utility of EMPOWER-SMS-COVID19 during COVID19 lockdowns and beyond. EMPOWER-SMS-COVID19 was funded by Sydney West Translational Cancer Research Centre.
- EMPOWER-SMS-GP is a national implementation-effectiveness randomised controlled trial (N=1450), aimed to improve continuity of breast cancer survivorship care by repurposing text message reminder systems in primary care. EMPOWER-SMS GP is funded by a World Cancer Research Fund Grant.
- TextMeHealthyNWT: international translation of EMPOWER-SMS, using a community-led implementation project aiming to support women who finished treatment for breast, colorectal, ovarian, cervical or lung cancers living in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities in Northwest Territories (NWT) Canada. In-kind funding provided by NWT Breast Health/Breast Cancer Action Group.
- Cancer Experience Survey & BCAT: Evaluating unmet healthcare needs of people with cancer in a Cancer Experience Survey: national cohort study (N=550) targeting Australians with breast, lung, ovarian, colorectal and prostate cancer and BCAT: a systematic evaluation of Tweets from people from historically marginalised communities (e.g. LGBTQIA+, CALD).
- CanAPP: Evaluating the quality of low-cost digital health tools using a systematic evaluation of breast cancer mobile applications.
Led by Dr Stephanie Partridge.
- TEXTBITES & Health4Me: Co-designing digital health interventions to improve nutrition and physical activity behaviours of adolescents by 2 randomised controlled trials: Health4Me, intended for a wide range of adolescents funded via an MRFF Primary Care Grant, and Textbites, targeted to adolescents in specific need of weight management support, funded by an NSW Health Cardiovascular Grant.
- DIGIFOOD: Understanding how meal delivery apps affect food accessibility and consumption so that protective policies can be implemented by 2 national-level prospective studies, funded by a National Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellowship.
- Youth Engagement: Transforming approaches to enable meaningful engagement of adolescent consumers in research that impacts them by using low-cost collaborative digital tools, funded by a MRFF Consumer-led Grant.
Led by Dr Karice Hyun.
- Gender, SES, ethnic and other health inequities in CVD: Understanding the gaps in care and management of CVD, partly funded by SOLVE-CHD PhD Scholarship and USYD Faculty of Medicine and Health Postgraduate Research Supplementary Scholarship.
- Influenza vaccination & cardiovascular events: Utilising big data to understand the relationship between influenza vaccination and reduction of cardiovascular events by using NPS MedicineInsight and state- and national-level linked data, funded by NHMRC Investigator Grant.
- INFLUENCE: A sub study of QUEL to improve influenza vaccination rate and reduce readmission rate by informing general practitioners of the protective effect of the vaccination on cardiovascular events, funded by NHMRC Partnership Grant and NHMRC Investigator Grant.
- Statistical consultations and analyses: Provision of statistical advice and support on project design, analyses and grant applications.
Our people
- Professor Julie Redfern
- Dr Karice Hyun
- Dr Stephanie Partridge
- Dr Anna Singleton
- Dr Georgia Chaseling
- Dr Matthew Hollings
- Dr Dean Picone
- Dr Niamh Chapman
- Dr Qiang Tu
- Julia Ning (Program Manager)
- Dr Erdahl Teber (Statistician)
- Shuang Liang (Research Administration Officer)
- Dr Emily Li (Research Officer)
- Ritu Trivedi (Research Officer)
- Allyson Todd (Research Assistant)
Contact Us
Reach out to us for research and collaboration (including PhDs) opportunities
Email
Susan Wakil Health Building
Address
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Susan Wakil Health Building (D18), University of Sydney, NSW 2006
Westmead Hospital
Address
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Level 6, Block K, Entrance 10, Westmead Hospital, Westmead NSW 2145