Odette Gibson

Odette Gibson

Adelaide Medical School

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

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

Odette is a Kuku Yalanji/Torres Strait Islander woman jointly appointed as a Senior Research Fellow with Wardliparingga Aboriginal Research Unit at South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute and the Sansom Institute for Health Research within University of South Australia. Her experience and post-doctoral training in Aboriginal health policy, health systems and inequity comprises a unique comprehensive skillset relevant to existing and emerging complexities of Aboriginal health and well-being. Specifically, Odette seeks to understand how institutional policies and practices drive health and social inequities experienced by Indigenous populations. Her novel approach is the use of community-level information to show and explore the reasons for variations in disadvantage both within the Aboriginal community and between the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal community. Integral to her research is the inclusion of Aboriginal communities in defining their health and wellbeing and how Indigenous data can be governed in the future to derive greater benefit for the population. Her work traverses evidence-based policy development, health services research and epidemiology to identify and address health and social disadvantage and strengths among the Aboriginal population. Odette has expertise in (1) primary health care contexts and systems and their linkages with health and social services (2) conceptual development of Aboriginal specific well-being frameworks and indicators, and (3) using social and epidemiological research to develop policy for chronic disease prevention and management. With strong community and cross sector engagement her current research activities focus on how to reduce disadvantage by improving health and social system responses to better meet the needs of Aboriginal people.

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2023 Co-Supervisor Improving the prediction, diagnosis and outcomes of autoimmune and statin-related muscle diseases affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Thomas Chong Khoo
    2019 Co-Supervisor The Care Project - Improving the Wellbeing of Older Kaurna Ngarrindjeri Women Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Dr Annapurna Nori
    2019 Co-Supervisor The Benefits and Burdens of Kidney Transplantation for First Nations Australians Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Dr Samantha Bateman

  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2019 - 2023 Co-Supervisor Knowledge to Action: Addressing the social determinants of health to promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social and Emotional Wellbeing Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Ms Tina Brodie

  • Board Memberships
    Date Role Board name Institution name Country
    2018 - 2021 Board Member Reconciliation South Australia Reconciliation SA Australia
    2018 - 2021 Board Member Adelaide Fringe Adelaide Fringe Australia

  • Committee Memberships
    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2019 - ongoing Member Principal Committee Indigenous Caucus National Health and Medical Research Council Australia
    2014 - ongoing Co-Chair Aboriginal Health Research Ethics Committee Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia Australia
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