Dr Amy Peden | UNSW Research

My Expertise

I am an injury prevention researcher, recognised nationally and internationally as a leader in drowning prevention research and advocacy. My vision is to conduct meaningful research which amplifies attention on global drowning burden, identifies risk factors for drowning and promotes safe use of all aquatic locations. I have a strong focus on improving data collection methods and approaches to ensure global estimates of fatal and non-fatal drowning are accurate and inclusive, while also maintaining a strong focus on issues of equity, particularly injury risk among rural and remote communities and for people from low socio-economic backgrounds. I am passionate about translating research into action including through public education and awareness, and policy change.

Keywords

social determinants of health

risk factors

Fields of Research (FoR)

Public Health and Health Services, Epidemiology

SEO tags

Injury Control

Behaviour and Health

Biography

As an injury prevention researcher and advocate, I specialise in adolescent injury and specifically drowning prevention - epidemiology, risk factor identification and evaluation of drowning prevention interventions.

I am an NHMRC Emerging Leadership Research Fellow with the School of Population Health and convene PHCM9792 - Injury Epidemiology, Prevention and Control. I have a specific interest on regional communities, alcohol, and social determinants of health. I regularly appear in the media and hold adjunct appointments with Royal Life Saving Society - Australia, James Cook University, the George Institute for Global Health and the Health and Psychology Innovations (HaPI) lab at Griffith University. I am a co-founder of the UNSW Beach Safety Research Group and am interested in supervising Masters, PhD and ILP students on injury prevention and drowning prevention topics.

Research Interests: Public Health, Injury Prevention, Drowning Prevention, Epidemiology

My Grants

Peden AE, Smith S, Hamilton K. ‘When roads become rivers’ Request for Quotation: Local Social Research and Community Engagement Advice. Newcastle State Emergency Service (SES), 2021, $22,311.12
Thom O, Roberts K, Franklin RC, Leggat PA, Devine S, Peden AE ‘Emergency Department Treatment of the Drowning Victim’. Wishlist Foundation Sunshine Coast Health Foundation, 2020, $36,000
Thom O, Roberts K, Franklin RC, Leggat PA, Devine S, Peden AE ‘Emergency Department Treatment of the Drowning Victim’, Emergency Medicine Foundation (EMF), 2020, $91,468.00
Peden AE ‘Exploring water safety and drowning prevention beliefs and practices among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members: A qualitative study’, Royal Life Saving Society – Australia, 2020, $10,890.00
Peden AE, Franklin RC ‘Breathalysing and surveying inland waterway users: Developing and testing an ongoing program’, Royal Life Saving Society – Australia, 2020, $19,800

My Qualifications

Bachelor of Arts (Government and International Relations, Social Policy), Master of Public Policy, PhD (Health)

My Awards

Safety Young Investigator Award - 2020
Council of Academic Public Health Institutions in Australia (CAPHIA) Award for PhD Excellence in Public Health - 2020
Dean’s Award for Higher Degree by Research Excellence (awarded for PhD research, James Cook University) - 2020
Sax Institute Research Action Award Winner - 2019
International Drowning Researcher’s Alliance (IDRA) Young Researcher of the Year - 2019
Gold – International Safety Media Awards – Individual Print Category (River drowning prevention research and Respect the River) - 2018
Finalist – International Safety Media Awards – Campaign Category (Don’t Let Your Mates Drink and Drown) - 2018
Royal Life Saving Society Commonwealth Diploma - 2018
James Cook University Higher Degree Research Symposium (College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences) – Best Overall Presentation - 2017
Australasian Injury Prevention Network (AIPN) – Achievement in Practice in Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion – 2017
Australasian Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion Conference – Best Rapid Oral Presentation (Shortlisted) – 2017
Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) Spark of Life Conference: Best Poster Aquatic Safety - 2017
International Life Saving Federation (ILS) Citation of Merit – 2011

My Research Supervision

Supervision keywords

social determinants of health

rural and regional

Areas of supervision

I am interested in supervising HDR candidates, both Masters and PhD, in the following research areas:

Injury prevention:
- Epidemiology,
- Risk factors,
- Prevention strategies,
- Behaviour change
- Evaluation
Drowning prevention
Alcohol and its impact on injury
Health promotion
Behaviour change
Determinants of health, with a particular interest in:
- Rurality
- Socio-economic status

Currently supervising

PhD

William Koon - 'Characterization and analysis of human factors and environmental physical hazards as determinants of ocean rescue, surf-related trauma, and drowning events at surf beaches'
Nicholas Mulcahy - 'Analysing environmental and social risk factors to inform the prevention of drowning and injury in New Zealand'
Samuel Cornell - 'Investigating risky behaviour to improve water safety and drowning prevention at aquatic Instagram hotspots'

My Engagement

Commentaries

The Lancet Public Health 'Closing the gap for drowning prevention across Europe' https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(22)00193-1/fulltext

Sydney Morning Herald ‘How to Get Sydneysiders to wear masks” https://www.smh.com.au/national/how-to-get-sydneysiders-to-wear-masks-20201228-p56qjm.html

MJA Insight 'Condoms, lifejackets and face masks: examining factors that impact compliance and what we have learned to improve adoption', Insight+ (Medical Journal of Australia) https://insightplus.mja.com.au/2020/48/condoms-life-jackets-and-face-masks-compliance-and-adoption/

The Conversation

The 8 deadly days of Christmas https://theconversation.com/the-8-deadly-days-of-christmas-how-to-stay-safe-from-drowning-in-australia-this-summer-167440

When is the right time for children to learn to swim? https://theconversation.com/when-is-the-right-time-for-children-to-learn-to-swim-173144

When roads become rivers: forming a Plan B can stop people driving into floodwaters https://theconversation.com/when-roads-become-rivers-forming-a-plan-b-can-stop-people-driving-into-floodwaters-183036

Blog Posts

Peden AE (2021) Drowning among adolescents on the rise in Australia, Canada and New Zealand, Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne Centre for Adolescent Health https://blogs.rch.org.au/cah/2021/09/17/3978/

Peden AE, Franklin RC (2021) Global Drowning Prevention Day 2021: The start of a new era? Injury Prevention, https://blogs.bmj.com/injury-prevention/2021/07/22/global-drowning-prevention-day-2021-the-start-of-a-new-era/

Hamilton E, Peden AE, Franklin RC (2020) You’ll be surprised to know what we still don’t know about drowning. Injury Prevention, https://blogs.bmj.com/injury-prevention/2020/10/02/youll-be-surprised-to-know-what-we-still-dont-know-about-drowning/

Ma T, Peden AE (2020) Where is injury prevention in the Sustainable Development Goals? Injury Prevention, https://blogs.bmj.com/injury-prevention/2020/09/16/where-is-injury-prevention-in-the-sustainable-development-goals/

Letters to the Editor

Queiroga AC, Franklin RC, Marques O, Nascimento S, Peden AE (2022). Integrated Registry for Drowning and Aquatic Injuries in Portugal. Acta Med Port. 35(4): 303-312. https://actamedicaportuguesa.com/revista/index.php/amp/article/view/17973/6590

Media

The World Today - ABC Radio - https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/worldtoday/road-crashes-the-biggest-global-killer-of-young-people/13955018

Life Matters - ABC Radio - https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/lifematters/what-is-the-best-age-for-children-to-learn-to-swim/13720902

ABC Radio - https://www.abc.net.au/radio/sydney/programs/drive/learning-to-swim/13719280

Science Daily - https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/06/220629202950.htm

Sydney Morning Herald - Experts Push for 30km/hr speed limit as traffic incidents lead youth deaths https://www.smh.com.au/national/experts-push-for-30km-h-limit-as-traffic-incidents-lead-youth-deaths-20220627-p5ax05.html

2GB - https://www.2gb.com/podcast/what-is-the-recommended-age-to-teach-your-child-to-swim/