Overview
Background
Associate Professor Meredith Harris is a researcher in the field of mental health services research and evaluation. She is a Principal Research Fellow with the School of Public Health at the University of Queensland, based at the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research.
Meredith holds qualifications in psychology, policy and applied social research, and public health. She has over 25 years of experience in the management and administration of research projects, including systematic literature reviews, cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, studies based on epidemiological survey data, and evaluations of health programs and interventions using observational, quasi-experimental and experimental research designs.
Meredith's current role is with the Analysis and Reporting Component of the Australian Mental Health Outcomes and Classification Network (AMHOCN), which leads the design, analysis and reporting of the National Outcomes and Casemix Collection (http://www.amhocn.org/). In this role, she is leading a range of projects designed to improve the measurement of patient- and service-level outcomes in Australia's specialised public sector mental health services.
Availability
- Associate Professor Meredith Harris is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Arts, Macquarie University
- Masters (Coursework), Macquarie University
- Masters (Coursework) of Public Health, University of Sydney
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Investigating clinical and psychosocial outcomes of mental health treatment services and models
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Evaluating primary mental health care reforms
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Understanding population patterns of health service utilisation for mental health problems
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Using epidemiological and policy analyses to inform mental health service planning decisions
Research impacts
Meredith has led several major research projects that have directly informed mental health policy and service planning. For example, she undertook two empirical mental health planning studies that developed service planning targets for public sector mental health services and community support services funded by the Queensland government. The recommendations from these studies were taken up directly in the subsequent Queensland Mental Health Plan 2007-17 and informed the Queensland Department of Communities’ Supporting Recovery: Mental Health Community Services Plan 2011-2017.
She has led or contributed to a number of projects related to initiatives implemented under the National Mental Health Strategy. For example, she was an investigator on several components of a government-funded evaluation of the Better Access initiative; particularly, she led Component B which involved an in-depth analysis of patterns of use of mental health services delivered subsidised via the Medicare Benefits Schedule. The evaluation contributed evidence that has been widely used in ongoing national debate about access, equity and outcomes associated with this major national mental health reform, and informed refinements to the program guidelines.
Meredith’s research has involved novel applications of epidemiological survey data to answer policy-relevant questions about the performance of Australia’s mental health system. Using these data, for example, she published the first study to quantify minimally adequate treatment for affective and anxiety disorders in the Australian mental health system, the first published independent evaluation of a major primary mental health care initiative (the Better Access program), and the first study to examine the match between practice guideline recommendations and treatment of subthreshold depression in Australian primary care settings. Collectively, these studies have contributed to ongoing debates and efforts to understand the impact of policy and service impacts of measures of disease burden related to mental disorders.
Works
Search Professor Meredith Harris’s works on UQ eSpace
2018
Journal Article
A profile of Australian mental health carers, their caring role and service needs: results from the 2012 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers
Diminic, S., Hielscher, E., Harris, M. G., Lee, Y. Y., Kealton, J. and Whiteford, H. A. (2018). A profile of Australian mental health carers, their caring role and service needs: results from the 2012 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 28 (6), 1-12. doi: 10.1017/s2045796018000446
2018
Journal Article
Support for people bereaved or affected by suicide and for their careers in Queensland: quality of resources and a classification framework
Krysinska, Karolina, Finlayson-Short, Laura, Hetrick, Sarah, Harris, Meredith, Salom, Caroline, Bailey, Eleanor and Robinson, Jo (2018). Support for people bereaved or affected by suicide and for their careers in Queensland: quality of resources and a classification framework. Advances in Mental Health, 17 (2), 1-18. doi: 10.1080/18387357.2018.1502614
2018
Journal Article
Increased mortality among people with schizophrenia and other non-affective psychotic disorders in the community: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Oakley, Padraig, Kisely, Steve, Baxter, Amanda, Harris, Meredith, Desoe, Jocelyne, Dziouba, Alyona and Siskind, Dan (2018). Increased mortality among people with schizophrenia and other non-affective psychotic disorders in the community: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 102, 245-253. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2018.04.019
2018
Journal Article
Implementing cognitive remediation and social cognitive interaction training into standard psychosis care
Dark, Frances, Harris, Meredith, Gore-Jones, Victoria, Newman, Ellie and Whiteford, Harvey (2018). Implementing cognitive remediation and social cognitive interaction training into standard psychosis care. BMC Health Services Research, 18 (1) 458, 458. doi: 10.1186/s12913-018-3240-5
2018
Other Outputs
Understanding factors associated with Australian mental health carers’ employment
Diminic, Sandra, Hielscher, Emily and Harris, Meredith (2018). Understanding factors associated with Australian mental health carers’ employment. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland.
2018
Other Outputs
Floresco service model evaluation: final report 2018
Beere, Diana, Page, Imogen S., Diminic, Sandra and Harris, Meredith (2018). Floresco service model evaluation: final report 2018. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland, Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research.
2018
Journal Article
Measurement properties of the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS) family of measures: protocol for a systematic review
Harris, Meredith G., Sparti, Claudia, Scheurer, Roman, Coombs, Tim, Pirkis, Jane, Ruud, Torleif, Kisely, Steve, Hanssen-Bauer, Ketil, Siqveland, Johan and Burgess, Philip M. (2018). Measurement properties of the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS) family of measures: protocol for a systematic review. BMJ Open, 8 (4) e021177, e021177. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021177
2018
Journal Article
Health state utility values of high prevalence mental disorders in Australia: results from the National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing
Mihalopoulos, Cathrine, Engel, Lidia, Le, Long Khanh-Dao, Magnus, Anne, Harris, Meredith and Chatterton, Mary Lou (2018). Health state utility values of high prevalence mental disorders in Australia: results from the National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Quality of Life Research, 27 (7), 1815-1825. doi: 10.1007/s11136-018-1843-2
2018
Journal Article
The risk of developing major depression among individuals with subthreshold depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal cohort studies
Lee, Y. Y., Stockings, E. A., Harris, M. G., Doi, S. A.R., Page, I. S., Davidson, S. K. and Barendregt, J. J. (2018). The risk of developing major depression among individuals with subthreshold depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal cohort studies. Psychological Medicine, 49 (1), 1-11. doi: 10.1017/S0033291718000557
2018
Journal Article
Hours of care and caring tasks performed by Australian carers of adults with mental illness: Results from an online survey
Hielscher, Emily, Diminic, Sandra, Kealton, Jan, Harris, Meredith, Lee, Yong Yi and Whiteford, Harvey (2018). Hours of care and caring tasks performed by Australian carers of adults with mental illness: Results from an online survey. Community Mental Health Journal, 55 (2), 279-295. doi: 10.1007/s10597-018-0244-x
2018
Journal Article
Identifying characteristics and practices of multidisciplinary team reviews for patients with severe mental illness: a systematic review
Woody, Charlotte A., Baxter, Amanda J., Harris, Meredith G., Siskind, Dan J. and Whiteford, Harvey A. (2018). Identifying characteristics and practices of multidisciplinary team reviews for patients with severe mental illness: a systematic review. Australasian Psychiatry, 26 (3), 1039856217751783-275. doi: 10.1177/1039856217751783
2018
Journal Article
Systems levers for commissioning primary mental healthcare: A rapid review
Meurk, Carla, Harris, Meredith, Wright, Eryn, Reavley, Nicola, Scheurer, Roman, Bassilios, Bridget, Salom, Caroline and Pirkis, Jane (2018). Systems levers for commissioning primary mental healthcare: A rapid review. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 24 (1), 29-53. doi: 10.1071/PY17030
2018
Conference Publication
Patient-reported outcomes for depression among men who received government-subsidised psychological services: evidence from a prospective cohort study
Harris, M., Spittal, M., Currier, D., Burgess, P. and Pirkis, J. (2018). Patient-reported outcomes for depression among men who received government-subsidised psychological services: evidence from a prospective cohort study . Fourth Meeting on Patient Reported Outcomes and Person Centered Care, Washington, DC, United States, 21-23 September 2018.
2018
Conference Publication
A process evaluation of an integrated mental health service model
Page, I. S., Beere, D., Diminic, S. and Harris, M. (2018). A process evaluation of an integrated mental health service model. Society for Mental Health Research, Noosa, QLD, Australia, 28-30 November 2018.
2018
Conference Publication
Approach to developing a mental health planning framework
Gossip, K., Diminic, S., Harris, M., Fjeldsoe, K., Leitch, E., Wright, E. and Whiteford, H. (2018). Approach to developing a mental health planning framework . West Moreton Hospital and Health Service Research Day, Ipswich, QLD, Australia, 6 September 2018.
2018
Conference Publication
A Mixed Methods Service Evaluation of the Consumer Experience of Residential Rehabilitation Units in Queensland
Parker, S. and Harris, M. (2018). A Mixed Methods Service Evaluation of the Consumer Experience of Residential Rehabilitation Units in Queensland. BDHP Brain and Mental Health Conference , Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 28 August 2018.
2018
Conference Publication
Floresco Centre service model evaluation
Page, I. S., Beere, D., Diminic, S. and Harris, M. (2018). Floresco Centre service model evaluation. West Moreton Hospital and Health Service 2018 Research Day, Ipswich, QLD, Australia, 6 September 2018.
2018
Conference Publication
Link-me: Protocol for a randomised controlled trial of a systematic approach to stepped mental health care in Australian Primary Health Network Lead Sites
Fletcher, S., Gunn, J., Bassilios, B., Pirkis, J., Mihalopoulos, C., Wood, A., Harris, M., Palmer, V., Spittal, M. and Burgess, P. (2018). Link-me: Protocol for a randomised controlled trial of a systematic approach to stepped mental health care in Australian Primary Health Network Lead Sites. 2018 North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) Annual Meeting, Bethesda, MD, United States, 9-13 November 2018.
2018
Conference Publication
Perceived need for mental health care among Australian adolescents: do adolescents and their parents agree?
Schnyder, N., Lawrence, D., Sawyer, M., Whiteford, H., Burgess, P. and Harris, M. (2018). Perceived need for mental health care among Australian adolescents: do adolescents and their parents agree? . Society for Mental Health Research , Noosa, QLD, Australia, 28-30 November 2018.
2018
Conference Publication
Does the offer and completion of consumer-rated measures predict later clinical and functional outcomes among consumers of specialised public sector mental health care?
Burgess, P., Harris, M., Coombs, T. and Pirkis, J. (2018). Does the offer and completion of consumer-rated measures predict later clinical and functional outcomes among consumers of specialised public sector mental health care?. Fourth Meeting on Patient Reported Outcomes and Person Centered Care, Washington, DC, United States, 21-23 September 2018.
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Meredith Harris is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Mental Health Service Planning in Australia
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Harvey Whiteford, Dr Sandra Diminic
Completed supervision
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Australian Mental Health Court Liaison Services: developing an approach to performance measurement
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Philip Burgess
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Exploring the characteristics and service needs of carers for adults with mental illness to inform mental health service planning
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Dan Siskind, Professor Harvey Whiteford
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Who receives what, from whom, and to what effect at clinically operated, community-based residential mental health rehabilitation for Severe and Persistent Mental Illness in Australia?
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Dan Siskind, Professor Harvey Whiteford
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Decision-analytic modelling to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of interventions to reduce the burden of major depression in Australia
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Harvey Whiteford
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Cognitive remediation and social cognition interaction training:implementation and dessimination in a clinical setting
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Neal Ashkanasy, Dr Damian Santomauro, Professor Harvey Whiteford
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS): The performance of a major Australian primary mental health initiative
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Harvey Whiteford
Media
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