Research - Griffith University

Site Degrees

Risk Communication, Emergency Management and Climate Change Adaptation for Health (REACCH)

The vision of the REACCH consortium is to provide a bridge between practitioners (‘the users’) and researchers working in these key focus areas. Its purposes are to improve risk communication practices; develop methodologies, new knowledge and needs based strategies around climate change and public health adaptation; and support and build capacity for practitioners and researchers managing public health issues relating to emergencies and incidents associated with climate change and extreme weather events. Through Australian and overseas members sharing information, developing partnerships and jointly solving problems, the challenge of responding to the impacts of climate change on public health can better be met.

Through its existing partners, research collaborations and some preliminary work on climate change adaptation,CEPHstaff have already developed a broad international network interested in working together on these issues. Partners includeChinanational and provincial centres for Disease Control (CDCs) and the China Academy of Science. ICDDRB- Bangladesh, International Red Cross,Indonesia, MOH Vietnam and WHO.REACCH will also link to related work inAustraliathrough its links with the Griffith School of Environment, the Griffith University Climate Change Response Program and NCCARF. Through its strong collaboration with local State government agencies, the work of the Consortium will also be linked into the current knowledge, strategy and capacity ofQueensland’s public health workforce. The work of the consortium will build on core research areas of CEPH (Figure 1) by identifying, for each member country, areas of particular and strategic research need. It is expected that for each research project there will be a common theme of climate change adaptation and public health with one or more of the six core areas underpinning the research question. The research will largely be conducted by consortium PhD students and post-doctorate fellows, with the support, academic guidance, technical and leadership contributions from the GUCEPH academic team and other partners.

Workplace Health Research Program

Griffith University’s Centre for Environment and Population Health (CEPH) and The Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists jointly hosted an International Forum on Promoting Health at Work at the Griffith University Southbank campus on Monday, 6 September 2010. The forum - the first of its kind in Australia - brings together key players from China and Australia to address priority occupational health and safety issues across the Asia-Pacific region. Chief Health Officer of Queensland Dr Jeanette Young open the forum, alongside Griffith University Vice Chancellor Professor Ian O’Connor, and President of Guangdong Province Hospital of Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment Prof Hanlin Huang. “Both the developed and developing countries are faced with increasing workplace health challenges in the context of rapid industrialisation and globalisation,” said CEPH director Professor Cordia Chu. “This requires urgent attention to occupational health and safety education and training, and preventive measures to promote and protect workforce health and safety.”

Environment Health and Public Health Planning

CEPH provides health planning advice to many local government in Queensland and international cities in the Asia-Pacific Region. Using aspects of the WHO Healthy Cities Approach, CEPH academics engage with communities to implement municipal public health planning - a planning methodology to place "health on the agenda' at a community level. The Healthy Cities approach was initiated by the World health Organization. In order to cope with the adverse effects of an urban environment over health, the WHO has been promoting the approach worldwide. As an increasing population lives in cities amid global urbanization, we hope that our international network will improve the health of people living in the cities.

More information about Environment Health and Public Planning.

Gender and Population Health

CEPH is committed to advance understanding of gender and development and the promotion of population health particularly sexual and reproductive health for women. Key programs include migrant children's health, adolescent health, postnatal health, menopausal health and health ageing.

More information about Gender and Population Health.

Environment and Population Health Capacity Building Program

The Asia-Pacific Region is faced with pressing public health challenges involving the spread of new and old infectious diseases, industrial accidents, disasters stemming from environmental degradation and climate changes, and ageing of population. Arising from these challenges were crises which captured the world’s attention such as the rapid transmission of HIVAIDS, SARS, and Avian Bird Flu, mining accidents, floods and droughts. Capacity building for preparedness and effective risk management - particularly prompt and appropriate responses to public health risks - are vital.

CEPH is committed to build capacity and nurture future leaders in the Asia-Pacific Region to achieve:

Sustainable health development;
Improve equity and access to primary health care and health promotion;
Strategic planning for population health;
International links and partnership.

More information about Environment and Population Health Capacity Building program.