| Dr Lisa Gibbs |
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Senior Research Fellow: Community Partnerships and Health Equality Research |
| Biography |
Lisa Gibbs has extensive experience in community research, project management, and program evaluation. She is skilled in both quantitative and qualitative research methods, with a particular focus on qualitative methodologies. Her current focus is on child obesity prevention and cultural competent approaches to community intervention research studies. Lisa is part of a team that was recently awarded an NHMRC Capacity Building Grant - Capacity Building in Childhood and Adolescent Obesity Prevention- 2007-2011.
She is currently managing a large and complex research and intervention study - fun ‘n healthy in Moreland!. This study is being conducted in partnership with a community organisation and involves 24 primary schools in an inner-urban area of Melbourne. The target population is characterized by cultural and linguistic diversity, low socio-economic status and low levels of literacy and numeracy, and for one of the schools – a student population with intellectual and learning disabilities. It is a mixed method study incorporating an economic evaluation. The research protocol of the study is guided by a strong commitment to protection of positive body image. Lisa is also an investigator on a research study exploring the transfer of sensitive body composition knowledge to adolescents in a school setting. In addition to this, Lisa is Principal Investigator for the Evaluation of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Project. The aim of the program is to provide children with a pleasurable introduction to food education through growing, harvesting, preparing and cooking fresh, seasonal, healthy and delicious food. Addressing children’s food attitudes and behaviours and self esteem is recognised as a critical element of child obesity prevention. The mixed method evaluation will involve 6 intervention and 6 matched comparison schools.
Lisa is responsible for managing Teeth Tales, a study exploring the social and cultural determinants of child oral health. She is also involved in a wider range of child health research projects working in partnership with other leading agencies and community organisations: child injury prevention targeting CALD communities; health and social considerations in high rise public housing; and understanding child social exclusion. Lisa’s previous research interests include gender and chronic illness.
Lisa belongs to a Qualitative Research Methods Group involving representatives from leading research institutions, promoting an understanding and application of rigour in qualitative research techniques.
For more information including Lisa's qualifications, publications, research grants and classifications, visit Find an Expert.