Sandra Walsh

Research Interests

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing Higher Education Mental Health Rural and remote area health Rural and remote health services

Ms Sandra Walsh

Research Associate

Department of Rural Health

College of Health

Available For Media Comment.

Sandra is a rural health researcher with the UniSA Department of Rural Health, engaged with research activities across rural South Australia, examining a wide range of health issues. She is leading two clinical trials in rural South Australia, one with the South Australian Prison Health Service and the other with Centacare Catholic Country SA. Sandra has led and co-led several evaluations in Aboriginal suicide prevention, disabilities, and rehabilitation.
Sandra was the Coordinator of the Foundation Studies program, across the Whyalla Campus and the Mount Gambier Regional Centre. She was involved in teaching the Foundation Studies program since it began at the UniSA Whyalla Campus. Prior to returning to Whyalla, Sandra worked in Melbourne at General Practice Divisions - Victoria as the state Mental Health Program Manager; representing General Practitioner stakeholders at a state level. Sandra worked in project and program management at the Wagga Wagga and Districts Division of General Practice, across a number of program areas including mental health, drug and alcohol, aged care, and continuing medical education.
Having worked and lived in remote, regional and rural Australia most of her life, Sandra is committed to these areas in pursuing sustainable community engagement and development. She completed degrees at James Cook University of North Queensland in Townsville, and began an academic teaching career there. Sandra is proud to be involved in regional university education.
AWARDS
2016 South Australian Adult Learners' Week Awards - South Australian Adult Educator/Mentor of the Year
2015 South Australian Regional Awards - Finalist Award (Education)
2014 South Australian Regional Awards - Finalist Award (Education)
2012 Lecturer of the Year - UniSA Rank 4
2010 University of South Australia - Chancellors Award for Community Engagement
QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor of Psychology
Bachelor of Arts (Sociology - Honours)
Graduate Certificate Education (Academic Practice)
Graduate Certificate Career Development
Master of Education (Leadership & Management)
Master of Evaluation
Master of Aboriginal Studies

Check out our published protocol for Behavioural activation for people in custody with depression - a feasibility randomised controlled study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38870235/

Health workforce distribution in regional Australia icnluding recruitment and retention.  Higher education student placements. Student wellbeing and placements.  Placement poverty.

Date Position Institution name
2009 - 2017 Foundation Studies Coordinator (Regional) / Lecturer University of South Australia
2000 - 2000 Primary Mental Health Care (PMHC) Development Officer General Practice Divisions – Victoria
1999 - 2000 Program Manager – Mental Health / Drug & Alcohol / Aged Care Wagga Wagga & District Division of General Practice
1997 - 1999 Projects Officer, Enhancing Mental Health Care & Shared Mental Health Care Wagga Wagga & District Division of General Practice

Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
2016 Award South Australian Adult Educator/Mentor of the Year Government of South Australia Australia -
2015 Recognition South Australian Regional Awards - Finalist Award (Education) Government of South Australia Australia -
2014 Recognition South Australian Regional Awards - Finalist Award (Education) Government of South Australia Australia -
2010 Award Chancellors Award for Community Engagement University of South Australia Australia -

Date Institution name Country Title
2019 - 2021 University of Melbourne Australia Master of Evaluation
2019 - 2021 Queensland University of Technology Australia Master of Education (Leadership and Management)
2018 - 2022 University of South Australia Australia Master of Aboriginal Studies
2014 - 2016 James Cook University Australia Graduate Certificate in Career Development
2011 - 2012 University of South Australia Australia Graduate Certificate in Education (Academic Practice)
1990 - 1993 James Cook University Australia Bachelor of Arts with Honours (Sociology)
1989 - 1992 James Cook University Australia Bachelor of Psychology

Date Title Institution Country
2023 - 2023 Discrete Choice Analysis Course University of Sydney Australia

Year Citation
2025 Grant, A. R., Westhorp, G., Murray, C. M., De La Perrelle, L., Dettwiller, P., Davey, A., . . . Moseley, G. L. (2025). Increasing access to pain care services to improve rural pain management: a realist review investigating factors affecting uptake, implementation, and sustainability. Pain, 166(6), 1250-1267.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC1
2025 Yisma, E., Jones, M., Pauh, L. S., Walsh, S., Jones, S., May, E., & Gillam, M. (2025). Impact of rurality on health care utilization among Australian residents from 2009 to 2021. Journal of Rural Health, 41(2), e12884.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC2
2025 Yisma, E., Muyambi, K., Walsh, S., Othman, S., Gray, R., Tan, K. L., . . . Jones, M. (2025). Efficacy and safety of behavioural activation on depression in people with co-occurring non-communicable diseases: systematic review and meta-analysis. BJPsych Open, 11(2), e70-1-e70-12.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC1
2024 Yisma, E., Walsh, S., Hillier, S., Gillam, M., Gray, R., & Jones, M. (2024). Effect of behavioural activation for individuals with post-stroke depression: systematic review and meta-analysis. Bjpsych Open, 10(5, article no. e134), 1-10.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC4
2024 Yisma, E., Walsh, S., Steen, M., Gray, R., Dennis, S., Gillam, M., . . . Jones, M. (2024). Effect of behavioral activation for women with postnatal depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nursing Reports, 14(1), 78-88.
DOI Scopus1 WoS2 Europe PMC2
2024 Walsh, S., Jones, M., & Gray, R. (2024). Comment on: Ferreira, M. G., et al. (2022) Effects of group Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on anxiety and depressive symptoms in adults: a meta-analysis. J Affect Disord, 309, 297-308. Journal of Affective Disorders, 356, 71.
DOI
2024 Walsh, S., Dettwiller, P., Puah, L., Beks, H., Versace, V., & Jones, M. (2024). Decentralised clinical trials in rural Australia: opportunities and challenges. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 32(3), 415-607.
DOI Scopus4 WoS5 Europe PMC4
2024 Muyambi, K., Walsh, S., Dettwiller, P., Tan, K. L., Dennis, S., Bressington, D., . . . Jones, M. (2024). Australian trial of behavioural activation for people with schizophrenia experiencing negative symptoms: a feasibility randomised controlled trial protocol. BMJ Open, 14(5), 1-11.
DOI
2024 Walsh, S. M., Muyambi, K., Dennis, S., Hutchinson, S., Turnbull, T., Tan, K. L., . . . Jones, M. F. (2024). Behavioural activation for people in custody with depression: a protocol for a feasibility randomised controlled study. PLoS ONE, 19(6), 1-16.
DOI
2024 Beks, H., Walsh, S. M., Wood, S., Clayden, S., Alston, L., Coffee, N. T., & Versace, V. L. (2024). Application of the Australian Bureau of Statistics Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas in cardiovascular disease research: a scoping review identifying implications for research. Australian Health Review, 48(4), 414-454.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC3
2024 Beks, H., Walsh, S., Clayden, S., Watson, L., Zwar, J., & Alston, L. (2024). Financial implications of unpaid clinical placements for allied health, dentistry, medical, and nursing students in Australia: a scoping review with recommendations for policy, research, and practice. Bmc Health Services Research, 24(1, article no. 1407), 1-24.
DOI Europe PMC5
2023 Walsh, S. M., Versace, V. L., Thompson, S. C., Browne, L. J., Knight, S., Lyle, D. M., . . . Jones, M. (2023). Supporting nursing and allied health student placements in rural and remote Australia: a narrative review of publications by university departments of rural health. Medical Journal of Australia, 219(S3), 14-19.
DOI Scopus25 WoS27 Europe PMC17
2023 Muyambi, K., Walsh, S., Dan Bressington., Gray, R., Dennis, S., Brown, E., . . . Jones, M. (2023). Efficacy of behavioural activation in the treatment of negative symptoms in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: A systematic review. International Journal of Nursing Studies Advances, 5(100132), 11 pages.
DOI Scopus3 WoS3 Europe PMC3
2023 Yisma, E., Versace, V. L., Jones, M., Walsh, S., Jones, S., May, E., . . . Gillam, M. (2023). The distribution of registered occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and podiatrists in Australia. PLoS ONE, 18(9 September), 1-14.
DOI Scopus9 WoS9 Europe PMC7
2023 Puah, L. S., Gillam, M., Walsh, S., Jones, M., & Yisma, E. (2023). Do undertaking rural placements and place of origin inform where allied health graduates work in South Australia?. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 31(3), 575-579.
DOI Scopus4 WoS2 Europe PMC2
2022 Beks, H., Walsh, S., Alston, L., Jones, M., Smith, T., Maybery, D., . . . Versace, V. L. (2022). Approaches used to describe, measure and analyze place of practice in dentistry, medical, nursing and allied health rural graduate workforce research in Australia: A systematic scoping review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(3, article no. 1438), 1-15.
DOI Scopus22 WoS20 Europe PMC14
2022 Walsh, S., Moseley, G. L., Gray, R. J., Gillam, M., Gunn, K. M., Barker, T., . . . Jones, M. (2022). Use of behavioural activation to manage pain: a systematic scoping review. BMJ Open, 12(6), e056404-1-e056404-13.
DOI Scopus7 WoS5 Europe PMC4
2022 Muyambi, K., Dennis, S., Parange, N., Walsh, S. M., Gray, R., Martinez, L., . . . Jones, M. (2022). Rural health workers' perspectives and experience with an online educational program in behavioural activation: A thematic analysis.. Health & social care in the community, 30(6), e5539-e5548.
DOI Scopus3 WoS2 Europe PMC3
2022 Muyambi, K., Gardiner, F., Sollid, S., Hyldmo, P. K., Yisma, E., Spring, B., . . . Gillam, M. (2022). Aeromedical retrieval services characteristics globally: a scoping review. Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine, 30(1, article no. 71), 1-11.
DOI Scopus11 WoS8 Europe PMC6
2021 Leach, M. J., Sangalli, M., Breakspear, I., & Walsh, S. (2021). Essential oils for agitation in dementia [rELOAD]: a pragmatic, cluster-randomized, placebo-controlled, pilot feasibility trial. Integrative Medicine Research, 10(4, article no. 100747), 1-8.
DOI Scopus7 WoS4 Europe PMC3
2021 Leach, M. J., Walsh, S., Muyambi, K., Gillam, M., & Jones, M. (2021). Expressed Demand for Health Care Services in Regional South Australia: A Cross-sectional Study. Journal of Rural Health, 37(3), 645-654.
DOI Scopus5 WoS5 Europe PMC3
2021 Leach, M. J., Gillam, M., Gonzalez-Chica, D. A., Walsh, S., Muyambi, K., & Jones, M. (2021). Health care need and health disparities: Findings from the Regional South Australia Health (RESONATE) survey.. Health Soc Care Community, 29(4), 905-917.
DOI Scopus6 WoS7 Europe PMC4
2021 Walsh, S., Jones, M., Gray, R. J., Gillam, M., Gunn, K. M., Barker, T., . . . Moseley, G. L. (2021). Use of behavioural activation to manage pain: a scoping review protocol. BMJ Open, 11(6), e041036-1-e041036-5.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC3
2021 Jones, M., Versace, V., Lyle, D., & Walsh, S. (2021). Return of the unexpected: rural workforce recruitment and retention in the era of COVID-19. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 29(5), 612-616.
DOI Scopus12 WoS9 Europe PMC7
2021 Jones, M., Walsh, S., Lyle, D., Schlicht, K., & Gray, R. (2021). Behavioural activation for depression in rural Australia: challenges and opportunities. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 29(3), 477-480.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC1
2021 Leet, A., Dennis, S., Muller, J., Walsh, S., Bowen Salter, H., & Kernot, J. (2021). Demonstrating the processes and outcomes of a rural Community Mental Health Rehabilitation Service: a realist evaluation. PLoS ONE, 16(11, article no. e0260250), 1-18.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC2
2021 Beks, H., Walsh, S. M., Binder, M. J., Jones, M., & Versace, V. L. (2021). Contribution of nurse leaders to rural and remote health research in Australia: a non-systematic scoping review. Collegian, 28(6), 652-684.
DOI Scopus7 WoS8
2021 Yisma, E., Gillam, M., Versace, V. L., Jones, S., Walsh, S., May, E., & Jones, M. (2021). Geographical distribution of 3 allied health professions in South Australia: A summary of access and disadvantage. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 29(5), 721-728.
DOI Scopus13 WoS13 Europe PMC9
2020 Walsh, S., Jones, M., Bressington, D., McKenna, L., Brown, E., Terhaag, S., . . . Gray, R. (2020). Adherence to COREQ reporting guidelines for qualitative research: a scientometric study in nursing social science. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 19, 1-9.
DOI Scopus47 WoS43
2020 Walsh, S., Lyle, D. M., Thompson, S. C. T., Versace, V. L., Brown, L. J., Knight, S., . . . Jones, M. (2020). The role of national policies to address rural allied health, nursing and dentistry workforce maldistribution. Medical Journal of Australia, 213(11), 18-22.
DOI WoS30
2020 Gillam, M., Leach, M., Muller, J., Gonzalez-Chica, D., Jones, M., Muyambi, K., . . . May, E. (2020). Availability and quality of publicly available health workforce data sources in Australia: a scoping review protocol. BMJ Open, 10(1), e034400-1-e034400-5.
DOI Scopus5 WoS5 Europe PMC7
2020 Leach, M., Gillam, M., Walsh, S., Jones, M., & Muyambi, K. (2020). Community pulse—Conversations in health. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 28(2), 159-160.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC1
2020 Marin, T. S., Walsh, S., May, N., Jones, M., Gray, R., Muir Cochrane, E., & Clark, R. A. (2020). Screening for depression and anxiety among patients with acute coronary syndrome in acute care settings: a scoping review. JBI Evidence Synthesis, 18(9), 1932 1-1932 1969.
DOI Scopus7 WoS7 Europe PMC4
2020 Osborne, S. R., Alston, L. V., Bolton, K. A., Whelan, J., Reeve, E., Wong Shee, A., . . . Holliday, S. (2020). Beyond the black stump: rapid reviews of health research issues affecting regional, rural and remote Australia. Medical Journal of Australia, 213(S11), S3-S32.e1.
DOI Scopus22 WoS15 Europe PMC17
2020 Gillam, M. H., Leach, M. J., Gonzalez-Chica, D. A., Muyambi, K., Jones, M., Walsh, S., . . . May, E. (2020). Availability and characteristics of publicly available health workforce data sources in Australia. MEDICAL JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIA, 213(11), S23-+.
DOI WoS7
2019 Muyambi, K., Leach, M., Martinez, L., Cronin, K., McPhail, R., Dennis, S., . . . Jones, M. (2019). Rural and metropolitan South Australian mental health workers' views about nurse prescribing: A thematic analysis.. Health & social care in the community, 27(2), 356-365.
DOI Scopus5 WoS4 Europe PMC1
2018 Harvey, H., & Walsh, S. (2018). Challenges and opportunities in the introduction of a tertiary education program in regional South Australia: a case study. Australian journal of teacher education, 43(12), 1-11.
DOI
2018 Jones, M., Ferguson, M., Walsh, S., Martinez, L., Marsh, M., Cronin, K., & Procter, N. (2018). Perspectives of rural health and human service practitioners following suicide prevention training programme in Australia: a thematic analysis. Health & social care in the community, 26(3), 356-363.
DOI Scopus20 WoS18 Europe PMC10
2016 Jones, M., Kruger, M., & Walsh, S. M. (2016). Preparing non-government organization workers to conduct health checks for people with serious mental illness in regional Australia. Journal of psychiatric and mental health nursing, 23(5), 247-254.
DOI Scopus9 WoS10 Europe PMC8

  • Co-delivery of tele trial Behavioural Activation in people with negative symptoms of schizophrenia: a feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial, Unknown, 02/10/2023 - 31/12/2026

  • Co-delivery of Tele-trial Behavioural Activation in people experiencing depression and financial distress: a feasibility study, MRFF - Clinical Trials and Registries, 02/10/2023 - 30/06/2026

  • Mount Gambier Hospice Care Feasibility Study, Stand Like Stone Foundation, 24/01/2025 - 30/06/2025

  • Effects of Mental Health Alternative Care Service on rates of regional emergency department presentations: interrupted time series analysis, Yorke and Northern Local Health Network Incorporated, 06/06/2024 - 31/05/2025

  • Co-delivery of tele trial Behavioural Activation in people in custody with depression: a Randomised Controlled Trial, MRFF - Clinical Trials and Registries, 02/10/2023 - 30/06/2024

Date Title Engagement Type Institution Country
2020 - ongoing Chairperson Public Community Engagement Whyalla FM Public Broadcasting Assoc Inc Australia

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