Associate Professor Renae Kirkham

Principal Research Fellow, Lead Diabetes across the Lifecourse: Northern Australia Partnership

Qualifications:

PhD, University of Adelaide, 2015; Psychology Honours, University of Adelaide, 2008; Bachelor of Arts, University of Adelaide, 2007.

Approved level of HDR supervision at Charles Darwin University:

Principal Supervisor for PhD

Location:

Darwin – Royal Darwin Hospital campus

Biography:

Renae Kirkham is a leader in public health with expertise in Implementation Science research and qualitative research methodologies. As Lead of the Diabetes Across the Lifecourse: Northern Australian Partnership, Renae plays a key role in supporting a large program of research that aims to work in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to break the cycle of type 2 diabetes and related conditions. 

Since joining the Partnership in 2015, she has been successful in securing over $9 million in research funding. She has extensive experience in models of care research, particularly that focusing on increasing appropriateness and accessibility of health services to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Renae currently supervises three PhD students (two as primary) and two masters research project students. She has supervised multiple HDR students to completion (one PhD; five masters).

  1. MEDIA RELEASE | Experiences of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with type 2 diabetes
  2. ABC Radio National | Caring for Indigenous youth with type 2 diabetes
  3. Mix 104.9 | Diabetes Symposium in Darwin
  4. NT News | Diabetes given centre stage
  5. Media Alert | Health experts in Darwin to discuss diabetes in pregnancy
  6. Medi Alert | Youth Summit for health in Darwin
  7. Metformin appears safe in treating hyperglycemia during pregnancy
  8. Diabetes researcher wins 2017 Harry Christian Giese—Research into Action Award
  9. New research may help break the cycle of intergenerational diabetes
  1. Kirkham, R., Boyle, J., Whitbread, C., Dowden, M., Connors, C., Corpus, S., et al. on behalf of the NT Diabetes in Pregnancy Partnership (2017). Health services changes to address diabetes in pregnancy in a complex setting: perspectives of health professionals. BMC Health Services, 17(1):524.
  2. Kirkham, R., Whitbread, C., Connors, C., Moore, E., Boyle, J., Richa, R.et al. on behalf of the NT Diabetes in Pregnancy Partnership (2017). Implementation of a Diabetes in Pregnancy Clinical Register in a complex setting: findings from a process evaluation. PLOS ONE, 12(8):e0179487.
  3. Kirkham, R., Rumbold, A., Hoon, E., Stuart-Butler, D., Moore, V. (2017). Emotional Labour and Aboriginal Maternal Infant Care Workers: the invisible load. Women and Birth.
  4. Klein, J.*, Boyle, J.*, Kirkham, R., Connors, C., Whitbread, C., Oats, J., et al. on behalf of the NT Diabetes in Pregnancy Partnership (2017)(*These authors contributed equally). Preconception Care for Women with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Mixed-Methods Study of Provider Knowledge and Practice. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 129:105-115.
  5. Whitbread, C., Kirkham, R., Cheng, E., Thorbjornsen, E., Maple-Brown, L. (2017). Diabetes in Pregnancy in the Northern Territory. Australian Diabetes Educator Vol. 20, 1, 25-28.
  6. Kirkham, R., Hoon, E., Rumbold, A., Moore, V. (2017). Understanding the role of Australian Aboriginal maternal infant care workers: bringing a cultural dimension to a critique of the ideal worker concept. Community, Work & Family, 31:1-7.
  7. Thomas, K., Ellis, B., Kirkham, R. & Parry, L. (2014). Remote Indigenous Students: Raising their aspirations and awareness of tertiary pathways. Australian and International Journal of Rural Education 24 (2): 23-36.
  8. Stuart-Butler, D. & Kirkham, R. (2010). The Aboriginal Maternal Infant Care Story. Aboriginal & Islander Health Worker Journal 34(6): 9-11.