Overview
Background
Dr Helen Haydon is a Senior Research Fellow and Registered Psychologist at the University of Queensland. She has national standing, and an emerging international reputation, as a digital health researcher with a focus on aged and palliative care, psycho-oncology and carer wellbeing. She leads 3 applied nationwide digital health research programs: 1/ Palliative Care ECHO, a Federally funded National Palliative Care Project that connects services and upskills health professionals across Australia in palliative care; 2/ Elder ECHO, a telementoring program to support the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation’s (NACCHO) Elder Care Support workforce in the delivery of Culturally safe aged care and; 3/ Caring for the Carer, an online intervention for carers of people with brain tumour. http://caringforthecarer.org.au/
Other research includes: evaluation of telepalliative care services (e.g. patient/ carer outcomes and perceptions and staff perceptions); voluntary assisted dying; technology supported grief and bereavement support and; digital mental health.
She is a Registered Psychologist with clinical experience working with a range of issues and diverse populations and has over ten years’ experience teaching and facilitating workshops on psychology and health communication.
Availability
- Dr Helen Haydon is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Psychology, Queensland University of Technology
- Bachelor (Honours) of Psychological Science, Queensland University of Technology
- Doctor of Philosophy, Queensland University of Technology
- Graduate Diploma of Aged Health Care, University of Tasmania
Research interests
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PsychoOncology
I am involved in an Australian program of research, funded by the MRFF, to develop and evaluate an online intervention for caregivers of people with brain tumours. This program of research has several minor projects attached to it and resulted in my contrribution to the Psycho-Oncology Telehealth Recommendations.
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Palliative Virtual / Digital Health Services
I lead a program of telepalliative care projects including: implementation of a national telementoring program for non-specialist health professionals to upskill in palliative care and evaluation of Queensland telepalliative care services.
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Voluntary Assisted Dying
An emerging area of research, I am interested in the use of telehealth to assist with accessing Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) in Australia. Current federal legislation places some restrictions on the use of 'carriage services', including telehealth. These restrictions appear arbitrary and causes confusion and concern among health professionals delivering VAD. Problematically, it increases the inequity in access to VAD for potentially eligible people with a terminal illness who live in rural and remote areas. I am also examining the impact of implementation on the Australian health workforce.
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Grief Literacy and Compassionate Communities
There is a need to increase death and grief literacy in Australia, within communities and health professionals. Particularly within Residential Aged Care Homes, I am exploring ways in which to increase death and grief literacy, one of which is building Compassionate Communities.
Research impacts
Dr Haydon’s research expertise intersects digital/virtual health implementation and evaluation, palliative care, psychology, psycho-oncology, First Nations aged care and consumer-led digital health.
She leads two national programs which increase health professionals’ capacity to deliver care regardless of geographic location. 1/ Palliative Care ECHO, a National Palliative Care Project funded by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, has an average monthly attendance of 200 health professionals from all states and territories. Evaluation results show participants report increased palliative care knowledge, improved confidence to care for someone with a life-limiting illness in their community and decreased professional isolation – supporting a sustainable rural workforce. 2/ Approximately 70 Elder Care Support staff (from all states and territories) attend Elder ECHO monthly, with participants reporting strong peer support and enhanced aged care knowledge. Elder ECHO is delivered in partnership with the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO). The regular virtual sessions are fostering a meaningful communication channel between Elder Care Support staff working in communities and the federal government, supporting the rollout of Aged Care Reform.
Finally, Helen leads one of five streams of the national MRFF BRAINS program of work. Caring for the Carer, http://caringforthecarer.org.au/ is an online intervention providing psychoeducational support to carers of people with brain tumour.
Works
Search Professor Helen Haydon’s works on UQ eSpace
2020
Other Outputs
Redesigning hospitals for the digital revolution we just had: Australian healthcare workers’ experience of telehealth in 2020
Sheahan, Michaela, Thomas, Emma, Haydon, Helen and Smith, Anthony (2020). Redesigning hospitals for the digital revolution we just had: Australian healthcare workers’ experience of telehealth in 2020. Melbourne, VIC, Australia: Hassell.
2020
Journal Article
A systematic review of paediatric telediabetes service models
De Guzman, Keshia Rachel, Snoswell, Centaine L, Taylor, Monica L., Senanayake, Buddhika, Haydon, Helen Moyra, Batch, Jennifer, Smith, Anthony and Caffery, Liam J. (2020). A systematic review of paediatric telediabetes service models. Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics, 22 (8) dia.2019.0489, 623-638. doi: 10.1089/dia.2019.0489
2020
Conference Publication
Helping more people access cardiac rehabilitation: an overview of telehealth
Thomas, Emma, Haydon, Helen, Rawstorn, Jonathan and Gallagher, Robyn (2020). Helping more people access cardiac rehabilitation: an overview of telehealth. In: 30th Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) of the Australian Cardiovascular Health and Rehabilitation Association (ACRA), Online, (). 10-12 August 2020.
2019
Journal Article
The importance of external clinical facilitation for a perinatal and infant telemental health service
Taylor, Monica, Kikkawa, Naomi, Hoehn, Elisabeth, Haydon, Helen, Neuhaus, Maike, Smith, Anthony C and Caffery, Liam J (2019). The importance of external clinical facilitation for a perinatal and infant telemental health service. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 25 (9), 566-571. doi: 10.1177/1357633x19870916
2019
Journal Article
A cost-consequence analysis comparing patient travel, outreach, and telehealth clinic models for a specialist diabetes service to Indigenous people in Queensland
Snoswell, Centaine L, Caffery, Liam J, Haydon, Helen M, Wickramasinghe, Sumudu I, Crumblin, Kerry and Smith, Anthony C (2019). A cost-consequence analysis comparing patient travel, outreach, and telehealth clinic models for a specialist diabetes service to Indigenous people in Queensland. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 25 (9), 537-544. doi: 10.1177/1357633x19873239
2019
Other Outputs
Cairns and Hinterland HHS: review of current telehealth model of service and recommendations for telehealth service expansion
Smith, Anthony , Caffery, Liam , Haydon, Helen M. and Snoswell, Centaine (2019). Cairns and Hinterland HHS: review of current telehealth model of service and recommendations for telehealth service expansion. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: Centre for Online Health, The University of Queensland.
2019
Conference Publication
Fundamentals of telehealth - SFT19 workshop
Smith, A. C., Caffery, Liam and Haydon, Helen (2019). Fundamentals of telehealth - SFT19 workshop. Successes and Failures in Telehealth - 2019 (SFT19), Gold Coast, Australia, 20-22 October 2019.
2017
Journal Article
Examining women's alcohol consumption: the theory of planned behavior and self-identity
Haydon, Helen M., Obst, Patricia L. and Lewis, Ioni (2017). Examining women's alcohol consumption: the theory of planned behavior and self-identity. Substance Use & Misuse, 53 (1), 128-136. doi: 10.1080/10826084.2017.1327972
2016
Journal Article
Beliefs underlying women’s intentions to consume alcohol
Haydon, Helen M., Obst, Patricia L. and Lewis, Ioni (2016). Beliefs underlying women’s intentions to consume alcohol. BMC Women's Health, 16 (36) 36. doi: 10.1186/s12905-016-0317-3
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Helen Haydon is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Available projects
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The Role of Telehealth in Voluntary Assisted Dying or any Assisted Dying topic
Using strict eligibility criteria, Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) laws are now passed in all Australian states. VAD permits an eligible person with a terminal illness to end their life through either self-administration or practitioner-administration of a VAD medication. VAD enables “people who are suffering and dying to choose the manner and timing of their death”. Although choice is a central tenet of VAD, people living in rural and remote locations lack choice if local health services are not providers.
Telehealth effectively increases access to healthcare for such underserved populations. However, under federal legislation it may be a criminal offence for clinicians to discuss VAD via telehealth. Clinicians are uncertain about how to support people in rural and remote communities. Overseas, when appropriate, telehealth supports people to access VAD. This research investigates the impact of using (or not using) telehealth as a means of accessing VAD services on clinicians and consumers.
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Open to supervising in all things digital/virtual health, especially palliative care (including grief), aged care and psycho-oncology
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
The feasibility of the decentralised clinical trial model in Australia
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Nicole Hartley, Associate Professor Chelsea Dobbins
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Master Philosophy
Building grief literacy in residential aged care facilities in rural Far North Queensland as part of a virtual care model.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Centaine Snoswell
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Master Philosophy
Optimising cancer pharmacy care for patients with serious mental illness
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Centaine Snoswell
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Doctor Philosophy
AI companions: opportunities and risks for the wellbeing of Australian adolescent girls
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Liam Caffery, Dr Centaine Snoswell
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Doctor Philosophy
Integrating telehealth into allied health services
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Elizabeth Ward, Professor Liam Caffery, Dr Emma Thomas
Completed supervision
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the Risk and Protective Factors for Burnout and Wellbeing of Staff Working in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit: PICU Staff Wellbeing
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Anthony Smith
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Helen Haydon directly for media enquiries about:
- telehealth
- telehealth palliative
- telepalliative
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