Rigorous research, informed decisions and better health for diverse communities

We are a research group at the University of Sydney School of Public Health. Our mission is to give all people the opportunity to have the best health outcomes for themselves and their families. This means building health literacy skills and capacities in the population and ensuring the healthcare environment is sensitive to the needs of the whole community. Our goal is to support empowered patients and consumers to make better health decisions and achieve better health outcomes for all.

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Our research seeks to

Understand

Understand the diverse needs of the community.

Develop & Test

Develop and test new knowledge or solutions to address those needs.

Implement

Implement these effectively in the community and health system.

View Our Current projects

We believe in collaboration

The Sydney Health Literacy Lab is located within the Sydney School of Public Health (University of Sydney) and the Westmead Health Literacy Hub. This ensures our work is conducted to the highest academic standards yet is firmly embedded within the community at Western Sydney – engaged with a network of clinical practices and community groups. We work in the areas of cancer, primary care, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, endocrinology, women’s health, and maternal health.

Meet the team

Recent publications

Implementing cardiovascular disease prevention guidelines to translate evidence-based medicine and shared decision making into general practice: theory-based intervention development, qualitative piloting and quantitative feasibility – Carissa Bonner et al

The use of cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention guidelines based on absolute risk assessment is poor around the world, including Australia. Behavioural barriers amongst GPs and patients include capability (e.g. difficulty communicating/understanding risk) and motivation (e.g. attitudes towards guidelines/medication). This paper outlines the theory-based development of [...]

Pharmacists’ and older adults’ perspectives on the benefits and barriers of Home Medicines Reviews – a qualitative study – Kristie Weir et al

Conducting a medication review is one way to optimise medications and support older people to reduce the burden of polypharmacy. In Australia, a service called a Home Medicines Review (HMR) is conducted by pharmacists as part of a nationally funded program. HMRs aim to identify [...]

Recent publications

Implementing cardiovascular disease prevention guidelines to translate evidence-based medicine and shared decision making into general practice: theory-based intervention development, qualitative piloting and quantitative feasibility – Carissa Bonner et al

The use of cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention guidelines based on absolute risk assessment is poor around the world, including Australia. Behavioural barriers amongst GPs and patients include capability (e.g. difficulty communicating/understanding risk) and motivation (e.g. attitudes towards guidelines/medication). This paper outlines the theory-based development of [...]

News & Events

Sydney Ideas – Precision Medicine: Can it live up to the hype? 6:00-7:30 pm, Wednesday 2 October 2019, CPC Auditorium, University of Sydney

Hilary Cox2019-08-12T16:25:13+10:00August 12th, 2019|

Free and open to all with online registration essential. The promise of precision medicine is that it could offer better health outcomes by targeting patients’ genetic and biochemical make-up to pinpoint, predict, prevent and treat [...]

Watch the Plenary talks, New Frontiers in Health Literacy Research Symposium, 4 December 2018

shlladmin2019-05-16T13:12:49+10:00May 15th, 2019|

Professor Michael Paasche-Orlow (Boston University), Innovations in health literacy research. Professor Jo Protheroe (Keele University), Health literacy research in the UK. [...]

News & Events

Sydney Ideas – Precision Medicine: Can it live up to the hype? 6:00-7:30 pm, Wednesday 2 October 2019, CPC Auditorium, University of Sydney

Hilary Cox2019-08-12T16:25:13+10:00August 12th, 2019|

Free and open to all with online registration essential. The promise of precision medicine is that it could offer better health outcomes by targeting patients’ genetic and biochemical make-up to pinpoint, predict, prevent and treat [...]