Alexandra Whelan
Honorary Team Member / Co-Program Manager
BSc, MPH
alexandra.whelan@telethonkids.org.au
+61 8 6319 1618
Alex is a Co-Program Manager for the END RHD Program where she coordinates a large and growing portfolio of research projects with a particular focus in the field of skin health and infectious diseases, including in remote Aboriginal communities in WA.
Alexandra holds a bachelor of Biomedical Science and Masters of Public Health from the University of Western Australia. She previously has experience working in rural and remote community health projects. She has a passion for community engagement and knowledge translation.
Education and Qualifications
- BSc in Biomedical Science - University of Western Australia, Perth Australia
- Masters of Public Health - University of Western Australia
Projects
Koolungar (Children) Moorditj (Strong) Healthy Skin
The Koolungar (children) Moorditj (strong) Healthy Skin project is the first ever co-designed research-service Australian study to describe skin health in urban-living Aboriginal koolungar.
DETECT Schools
The DETECT-Schools Study was launched in May 2020 as a partnership between the WA Government Departments of Education and Health with The Kids Research Institute Australia.
July 2021
The Global Asthma Network: Understanding asthma in urban and regional Western Australia
Published research
Describing skin health and disease in urban-living Aboriginal children: co-design, development and feasibility testing of the Koolungar Moorditj Healthy Skin pilot project
Indigenous children in colonised nations experience high rates of health disparities linked to historical trauma resulting from displacement and dispossession, as well as ongoing systemic racism. Skin infections and their complications are one such health inequity, with the highest global burden described in remote-living Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (hereafter respectfully referred to as Aboriginal) children. Yet despite increasing urbanisation, little is known about the skin infection burden for urban-living Aboriginal children.
Skin Health in Northern Australia
Achieving healthy skin requires the prevention of infectious diseases that affect the skin. Prevention activities range from environmental health improvements to address inequities in living situations, through to community-wide treatment programs to reduce transmission and improve skin health.
December 2022
Acceptability of OP/Na swabbing for SARS-CoV-2: a prospective observational cohort surveillance study in Western Australian schools
When the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, Governments responded with lockdown and isolation measures to combat viral spread, including the closure of many schools. More than a year later, widespread screening for SARS-CoV-2 is critical to allow schools and other institutions to remain open.
Western Australian adolescent emotional wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020
The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been vast and are not limited to physical health. Many adolescents have experienced disruptions to daily life, including changes in their school routine and family’s financial or emotional security, potentially impacting their emotional wellbeing.