SCHOOL OF MEDICINE FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES FLINDERS UNIVERSITY LIBRARY SEARCH

 

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Research Interests

• Social determinants of health and health inequities, specifically the role of government policy in addressing these and what would lead to greater policy uptake in Australia ;
• The role of the Internet in access to broader social and economic determinants of health, particularly for disadvantaged groups;
• Population geography, social geography, the spatial distribution of health and disadvantage, and the implications of changing population composition and mobility for health outcomes and health service provision
• Australian maternity care, the impact on maternal infant and family health and wellbeing of different models of maternity care and health policy (developed and developing countries), health equity issues in maternity care access and pregnancy/birth outcomes; social, cultural, psychological and spiritual influences on health and well-being and adjustment to major life events (currently includes research on The Mitsubishi Project)
• Mixed-method social research (quantitative and qualitative); multidisciplinary research; spatial analysis of quantitative data and use of large datasets (eg ABS Census); lay knowledge and health policy; gender and lifecourse perspectives in research and policy.

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Research Publications

Books & book chapters

Newman LA (forthcoming 2008) Reconsidering religion's influence in demographic fertility research: disciplinary beliefs, methods and focus , in B Spalek & A Imtoual (eds) Religion, Spirituality and Social Science Research, Policy Press, UK .

Newman LA & H Hancock (2006). Better Birth: The Definitive Guide to Childbirth . New Holland, Frenchs Forest NSW. View back page and contents. View/purchase book

Refereed articles

Newman LA & GJ Hugo (2006), Women's religion, fertility and education in a low-fertility setting: evidence from South Australia , Journal of Population Research, 23(1):41-66 www.jpr.org.au

Newman L, F Baum & E Harris (2006), Federal, state and territory government responses to health inequities and the social determinants of health in Australia , Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 17(3): 217-225. www.healthpromotion.org.au

Newman LA & Lawrence RE (1999). Hydrological history of the Willunga Basin , Proceedings, Living with Water Seminar, The Hydrological Society of South Australia, Adelaide , October 1999: 110-117.

Conference presentations

[Presenter of] MacDougall C, Newman L, Jolley G, Baum F & Ziersch A (2007), ‘The health and social impacts of redundancy on workers’ children and families’, 38th Public Health Association of Australia Annual Conference, Alice Springs, 23-26 September

Newman L, F Baum & E Harris (2007), What are Australian Governments and Health Departments doing to Build Health Equity? , Australian Health Promotion Association 17th National Conference, 1-4 May, Adelaide .

Baum F, G Zhang, G Jolley, A Ziersch & L Newman (2006), The health status of retrenched Mitsubishi workers in South Australia, Flinders University Symposium on The Social, Economic and Health Impacts of Restructuring in the Automotive Industry', McLaren Vale South Australia, November 29-30. Link to full report.

Baum F, G Zhang, G Jolley, A Ziersch & L Newman (2006), Health effects of job loss in an automotive plant , International Society for Equity In Health (ISEqH) 4th Biennial International Conference, Adelaide, September 11-13. Link to full report.

Newman L & G Hugo (2006), Women's religion, education and fertility in contemporary South Australia , 13th Biennial Conference of the Australian Population Association - Population, Policy & Australia's Destiny, Adelaide, December 8-12.

Newman LA (2004), Family size and fertility gaps in Australia : the influence of men's and women's experiences of conception, pregnancy, birth and early parenthood , paper presented to the 12th Biennial Conference of the Australian Population Association, 15-17 September, Canberra. View abstract

Newman LA (2004), Geographical differences in fertility rates in Adelaide: a reflection of the social conditions of parenting?, paper presented to the 2004 conference of the Institute of Australian Geographers, Glenelg, South Australia, 13-16 April. View Abstract

Other publications

Newman L, Biedrzycki K, Patterson J & Baum F (2007 ). A Rapid Appraisal Case Study of South Australia 's Social Inclusion Initiative. A report prepared for the Social Exclusion Knowledge Network of the World Health Organisation's Commission on Social Determinants of Health by the Australian Health Inequities Program (Dept of Public Health, Flinders University) and the Social Inclusion Unit (Dept of the Premier and Cabinet, Government of South Australia), Adelaide, Australia. View publication

Newman L (2007), Research on health inequalities and social determinants of health , SADI Statewide (Newsletter of the SA Divisions of General Practice), 3(2):10-12. View publication

Newman L, F Baum & E Harris (2006), Australian Governments & Health Inequities Project , Australian Health Inequities Program, Flinders University of South Australia View project and publications

A Beer, F Baum, H Thomas, D Lowry, C Cutler, G Zhang, G Jolley, A Ziersch, F Verity, C MacDougall and L Newman (2006). Report to SA Department of Health HSRIP, An Evaluation of the Impact of Retrenchment at Mitsubishi, Focussing on Affected Workers, their Families and Communities: Implications for Human Services Policies and Practices, Department of Public Health, Flinders University , South Australia. View full report and project overview.

Newman LA (2006). Images and Impacts of Parenthood: Explaining Fertility and Family Size in Contemporary Australia . Unpublished PhD thesis, Department of Geographical & Environmental Studies and Department of Gender Studies & Labour Studies, The University of Adelaide. View Contents and Abstract

Newman LA, T Smallwood & J Caines (2006), Having a homebirth in Australia ', Birth Matters. http://www.maternitycoalition.org.au

Johnston J & Newman L (2005), Maternity care: a human rights issue?, Birth Matters , 9 (1):3-5. View publication

Newman LA (2004) - Submission to the Legislative Council of South Australia Social Development Standing Committee for the first Inquiry into Postnatal Depression (and associated oral presentation, based on PhD research findings, April 2004). View report

Newman LA (1994). Environmental History of the Willunga Basin: 1830s to 1990s. Unpublished BA Honours thesis, Department of Geography, The University of Adelaide. View Abstract

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2000). Australian Mining Industry, 1998-99.
Cat. no.8414.0.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (1998). Electricity, Gas, Water & Sewerage Industries Australia 1995 96. Cat. no. 8208.0.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (1998). Australian Mining Industry, 1995 96.
Cat. no. 8414.0.

Arts Council of Australia (1996). The Arts: Some Australian Data. Compiled by the Australian Bureau of Statistics

Non-conference presentations

Invited expert on ‘Human rights and the health care system: the impact of the social, psychological and physical impacts of childbearing and childraising on people’s choice to have children’ to a Human Rights & Family Planning Study delegation from China, for HREOC 2007.

Invited speaker on ‘Models of maternity care – Consumer views’ for first year students, Flinders University B.Midwifery programme, 2007

Invited public health advisor to SA Department of Health’s Workshop on Broadband Useage in preparation for Health In All Policies State Conference, 2007

Invited population health advisor to SA Department of Health’s Workshop on Regional Population Levels in preparation for Health In All Policies State Conference, 2007

Invited group member for Low Birth Weight Target Working Group, SA Department of Health, 2007

Invited speaker on ‘What consumers want from midwifery care’ for first year students, Flinders University B.Midwifery programme, 2006

Invited speaker on Contemporary Influences on fertility in South Australia to Quarterly population Forum, organised by the Population Unit, Dept of Premier & Cabinet, SA Government, 2005.

Invited panel member for discussion on What women want from maternity services, Flinders University Bachelor of Midwifery Programme, 2005.

Invited presenter to Research Workshop on Cultural perceptions and experiences of postponing parenthood for Modern Reproduction: The Choices, a research day of the Healthy Development Adelaide Research Cluster, 2005.

Invited speaker on How parents' experiences of childbearing and childrearing impact on the birth rate to Adelaide Women's & Children's Hospital Continuing Education Seminar for staff, 2005.

Invited speaker for presentations to the general public on The financial costs of raising children at Preconception Seminars at Ashford and Flinders private hospitals, May, Aug, Oct 2002.

Media reports

• Better birth: experience matters, The Adelaidean , Apr 2006 (Journalist Candy Gibson). View article
• Family history dictates the next chapter, The Advertiser , 10 Apr 2006, page 9 (Journalist Lisa Allison).
• Foreword, The Weekend Australian Magazine , 30-31 Oct 2004 (Journalist Greg Callaghan).
• Baby finance weighs on dads, The Advertiser, 23 Sept 2004, page 34.
• Mums put off by pregnancy, The Daily Telegraphy (Sydney), 22 Sept 2004
• Parents think twice about more children, The Adelaidean 13(9), 21 Sept 2004, page 10. View article
• Suburbs doing their bit for population growth, The Advertiser, 17 Apr 2004, page 13 (Journalist Laura Anderson).

Media interviews

• ABC Far North Queensland, live to air interview 25 Mar 2006 on release of Better Birth .
• Radio Mama 10 minute recorded interview on Better Birth , 2 Mar 2006
• Radio 4VL ( Western Qld ), live to air interview on Better Birth with Rhonda Reid, 20 Feb 2006.
• The Weekend Australian, 20 minute recorded interview on PhD research with Editor Greg Callaghan, 27 Aug 2005 for October article (along with Prof Peter McDonald, Ms Ruth Weston, Dr Bob Birrell and Dr Leslie Cannold).
• 5AA , Dave Waterman show, 15 minute live to air interview on PhD research, 3 Oct 2004.
• University of Adelaide radio, 15 minute recorded interview on PhD research, aired 26 Sept 2004.
• National Radio News, recorded interview on PhD research, 22 Sept 2004.
• ABC Radio, Drive Time, Kevin Norton, 8 minute live to air interview on PhD research, 21 Sept 2004.
• SAFM radio, recorded interviewed on PhD research, first item on 6pm news 21 Sept 2004.

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Community Activity and Professional Membership

• Member, Flinders University Health & Society ASRI http://healthandsociety.flinders.edu.au/
• Member, Public Health Association of Australia
• Member, Australian Population Association
• Member, Royal Geographical Society (SA)
• Member, Institute of Australian Geographers
• Member, Research Synergies Working Group, Healthy Development Adelaide
• Co-presenter, Natural Birth & Waterbirth adult education course at WEA http://www.wea-sa.com.au/
• State President South Australia for the Maternity Coalition www.maternitycoalition.org.au
• Member, Birth Matters www.sabirthmatters.org.au consumer information and support group
• Member, Homebirth Network SA
• Consumer representative 2005-2007, SA Dept of Health Working Group, Policy on Planned Homebirth for the South Australian public sector.

Past Community Activity

• Consumer representative, Joint Advisory Committee for Bachelor of Midwifery Courses at South Australian universities
• Past Community Educator and Antenatal Class Presenter for the Australian Breastfeeding Association (1997-2001)

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