Ashley Whitehorn

Dr Ashley Whitehorn

Grant Funded Researcher (B)

School of Public Health

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.


Dr Ashley Whitehorn is an innovative researcher who is passionate about promoting and supporting evidence-based healthcare around the world. Her passion extends to all areas of healthcare, but her specific focus is in reproductive health, pregancy and childbirth and paediatrics.

Ashley has a keen interest in evidence synthesis, transfer and implementation methodologies and her role within the JBI Transfer Science team has enabled her to not only contribute to these methodologies but also to apply them within her areas of interest. she has also developed strong relationships with clinical experts, bringing together expert reference groups including national and international members in reproductive health, pregnancy and chldbirth, neonatal and paediatrics allowing for greater collaboration.

Dr Whitehorn completed her PhD at the University of South Australia, under the guidance of A/Prof Alison Coates, Dr Alison Hill, Prof Marie Willaims and Prof Peter Howe, completing her doctoral thesis in 2016. Her PhD in nutrional physiology focused on long chain omega-3 fatty acid (fish oil) supplementation in people with chronic respiratory diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

While undertaking her postdoctoral research Ashley became interested in evidence synthesis methodologies such as systematic reviews and the role of evidence in the delivery of healthcare. 

After completing her PhD she secured a position at JBI, University of Adelaide, in the Implementation Science team where she was able to explore her passion in evidence-based health care in the areas of cancer and burns.

Ashley later became part of the JBI Transfer Science team, where she continues to advance and utilise methodolgies in evidence synthesis, transfer and implementation. In moving to the Transfer Science team Ashley was also able to focus on evidence-based health care in reproductive health, pregnancy and childbirth and paediatrics.

Ashley is a member of key evidence-based health care groups including:

  • JBI Evidence Based Point-of-Care Methodology group (Convenor)
  • Guidelines International Network (GIN)
  • JBI Adelaide GRADE Centre
  • Research in Integrity and Predatory Publishing in Evidence Reviews (RIPPER)

Ashley's current research includes the development and dissemination of evidence-based point of care resources and a pilot study investigating the effectiveness and feasibility of using Really Simple Syndication (RSS) to survey literature in real time to enable point-of-care resources to be updated as new research is published.

  • Journals

    Year Citation
    2024 Pollock, D., Barker, T. H., Stone, J. C., Aromataris, E., Klugar, M., Scott, A. M., . . . Munn, Z. (2024). Predatory journals and their practices present a conundrum for systematic reviewers and evidence synthesisers of health research: A qualitative descriptive study. Research Synthesis Methods, 15(2), 257-274.
    DOI Scopus1
    2024 Symeonides, C., Aromataris, E., Mulders, Y., Dizon, J., Stern, C., Barker, T. H., . . . Dunlop, S. (2024). An Umbrella Review of Meta-Analyses Evaluating Associations between Human Health and Exposure to Major Classes of Plastic-Associated Chemicals. Annals of Global Health, 90(1), 52.
    DOI Scopus3 Europe PMC2
    2024 Whitehorn, A., Lockwood, C., Hu, Y., Xing, W., Zhu, Z., & Porritt, K. (2024). Methodological components, structure and quality assessment tools for evidence summaries: a scoping review. JBI Evidence Synthesis.
    DOI
    2024 Barker, T. H., McBride, G. M., Ross-White, A., Pollock, D., Stern, C., Hasanoff, S., . . . Munn, Z. (2024). Tools, techniques, methods, and processes for the detection and mitigation of fraudulent or erroneous data in evidence synthesis: a scoping review protocol.. JBI Evid Synth.
    DOI
    2021 Whitehorn, A., Fu, L., Porritt, K., Lizarondo, L., Stephenson, M., Marin, T., . . . Lockwood, C. (2021). Mapping Clinical Barriers and Evidence-Based Implementation Strategies in Low-to-Middle Income Countries (LMICs). WORLDVIEWS ON EVIDENCE-BASED NURSING, 18(3), 190-200.
    DOI Scopus12 WoS6 Europe PMC9
    2020 Schneider, J., Ye, D., Hill, A. M., & Whitehorn, A. S. (2020). Continued post-retraction citation of a fraudulent clinical trial report, 11 years after it was retracted for falsifying data. Scientometrics, 125(3), 2877-2913.
    DOI Scopus51 WoS30
    2019 Fulton, A. S., Baldock, K. L., Coates, A. M., Williams, M. T., Howe, P. R. C., Haren, M. T., . . . Hill, A. M. (2019). Polyunsaturated fatty acid intake and lung function in a regional Australian population: A cross-sectional study with a nested case-control analysis. Journal of Nutrition and Intermediary Metabolism, 18, 100102.
    DOI Scopus3
    2018 Fulton, A. S., Coates, A. M., Williams, M. T., Howe, P. R. C., & Hill, A. M. (2018). Persistent Citation of the Only Published Randomized Controlled Trial of Omega-3 Supplementation in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Six Years after Its Retraction.. Publ., 6, 35.
    2018 Fulton, A. S., Coates, A. M., Williams, M. T., Howe, P. R. C., & Hill, A. M. (2018). Correction: Persistent citation of the only published randomized controlled trial of omega-3 supplementation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease six years after its retraction [Chin. J. Clin. Nutr., 19, (2011), (400-403)]doi 10.3390/publications3010017. Publications, 6(3), 1 page.
    DOI Scopus2 WoS2
    2017 Tomkinson, G., Daniell, N., Fulton, A., & Furnell, A. (2017). Time changes in the body dimensions of male Australian Army personnel between 1977 and 2012. Applied Ergonomics, 58, 18-24.
    DOI Scopus16 WoS15 Europe PMC4
    2017 Fulton, A., Coates, A., Williams, M., Howe, P., Garg, M., Wood, L., . . . Hill, A. (2017). Fish oil supplementation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 3(1), 66-1-66-9.
    DOI Scopus6 Europe PMC3
    2015 Whitehorn, A. S., Coates, A. M., Williams, M. T., Howe, P. R. C., & Hill, A. M. (2015). Persistent Citation of the Only Published Randomised Controlled Trial of Omega-3 Supplementation in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Six Years after Its Retraction.. Publications, 3(1), 17-26.
    DOI Scopus7 WoS6
    2015 Fulton, A., Hill, A., Williams, M., Howe, P., & Coates, A. (2015). Paucity of evidence for a relationship between long-chain omega-3 fatty acid intake and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A systematic review. Nutrition Reviews, 73(9), 612-623.
    DOI Scopus23 WoS21 Europe PMC14
    2013 Fulton, A. S., Hill, A. M., Williams, M. T., Howe, P. R. C., Frith, P. A., Wood, L. G., . . . Coates, A. M. (2013). Feasibility of ω-3 fatty acid supplementation as an adjunct therapy for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials, 14(1), 107.
    DOI Scopus10 WoS9 Europe PMC5
  • Report for External Bodies

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2024 Co-Supervisor Competencies in Evidence-Based Practice for Health Care Professionals Master of Philosophy (Public Health) Master Part Time Mr Vincent Pearson
    2023 Principal Supervisor Effectiveness and safety of enhanced postoperative care units for non-cardiac surgery Master of Philosophy (Clinical Science) Master Full Time Dr Liem Tran
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2022 - 2024 Principal Supervisor Effectiveness of suture button fixation versus screw fixation for the management of acute distal tibiofibular syndesmotic injuries: A systematic review and meta-analysis Master of Clinical Science Master Full Time Mr Matthew Gaetano Cehic
    2021 - 2024 Co-Supervisor Clinical Outcomes of Microvascular Clipping Compared to Endovascular Coiling for Ruptured Anterior Communicating Artery Aneurysms Master of Clinical Science Master Full Time Dr Jake Nowicki
    2019 - 2020 Co-Supervisor Accuracy of core needle biopsy compared to fine needle biopsy for the diagnosis of malignancy in patients with suspected head and neck cancers: A systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy and comparison of adverse effects Master of Clinical Science Master Full Time Miss Soumya .
  • Position: Grant Funded Researcher (B)
  • Phone: 83132517
  • Email: ashley.whitehorn@adelaide.edu.au
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Norwich House, floor 3
  • Org Unit: JBI

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