Dr Jacqueline Stephens

Senior Lecturer

College of Medicine and Public Health

place Health Sciences (2.15)
GPO Box 2100, Adelaide 5001, South Australia

Dr Jacqueline Stephens is an epidemiologist who conducts research focused on access to healthcare and eliminating healthcare inequity, particularly for those living in rural and remote locations. In her research she contextualises data linkage and ‘big data’ outcomes with community narratives to give the epidemiological data meaning. Her research covers a range of topics in ear health, infectious disease, & kidney disease with a focus on eliminating their inequitable impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. ❤️💛🖤

Working closely with Aboriginal organisations and Aboriginal Health Workers, she is leading research to optimise current approaches to ear health screening programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

Her current research includes:

  • The Antecedents of Renal Disease in Aboriginal Children & Young People (ARDAC)
  • The Study of Environment, Aboriginal Resilience and Child Health (SEARCH)
  • Precision public health to eliminate sexually transmitted infections and control HIV in regional Australia (IMPACT-STI)
  • Optimising the early detection of ear disease among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children (OAE Study)
  • Hepatitis infection in South Australia and Northern Territory: A population-based data linkage study.

Dr Stephens is in interested in data linkage ethics and is currently a member of the SA Health HREC and the International Science Council's Committee on Data (CODATA) ECR Network committee. In addition, she is the Deputy Chair of the National Science Week (SA) committee, a member of the Public Health Association (SA Branch) committee, an ECR representative on the FHMRI Healthy Communities Theme executive committee, and a member of the South Australian Aboriginal Ear Health Reference Group (SAAEHRG).

She is a member of the Australasian Epidemiological Association Executive Council.

Qualifications

PhD, MPH, BSC(Hon), GradCertEmgDisMgmt

Honours, awards and grants
  • 2021 CMPH VPED Service Award
  • 2021 Healthy Development Adelaide Development Award
  • 2020 Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Early Career Researchers
  • 2018 Australian Academy of Science Research Data Science Winter School Scholarship
  • 2018 CRE in Ear and Hearing Health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children (CRE ICHEAR) Travel Grant
  • 2012 Australian Epidemiological Association Postgraduate Travel Award
  • 2012 Healthy Development Adelaide Travel Award
Teaching interests

Dr Stephens is the topic coordinator for the following topics:

She is part of the teaching team, or provides guest lectures, for the following topics:

  • PHCA9501, Social Determinants of Health
  • HLTH3108, Contemporary Issues in Health Service Management

She provides supervision for higher degree by research students (Hons, MPH, PhD), as well as MD Advanced Studies and FHMRI Summer Scholarship placements.

Supervisory interests
Aboriginal child health
Child health
Chronic ear disease
Disaster health
Epidemiology
Health data linkage
Health equity
Infectious diseases
Patient experience
Population health
Public health
Surgery
Higher degree by research supervision
Current
Principal supervisor: Data linkage: Kidney health (1), Maternal healthcare (1)
Associate supervisor: Patient decision making: Surgery (1), Epidemiology: STI screening (1)
Expert for media contact
Epidemiology
Public health
Rural and remote health
Data Linkage
Disaster & Emergency Risk Reduction
Infectious Disease
Mixed methods research
Otitis media / Ear Infection
Available for contact via
Or contact the media team
+61 8 82012092
0427 398 713
Media expertise
  • Epidemiology
  • Public health
  • Rural and remote health
Interests
  • Data Linkage
  • Disaster & Emergency Risk Reduction
  • Infectious Disease
  • Mixed methods research
  • Otitis media / Ear Infection
The Conversation