Overview
Background
Ruth E. Hubbard is a Consultant Geriatrician at the Princess Alexandra Hospital and in October 2020 was appointed as the Masonic Chair of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Queensland.
She qualified from St Mary’s Hospital Medical School in London and trained in general internal medicine and geriatric medicine in Cardiff, Wales. As a clinical academic, she has always combined hospital practice with research and teaching. She has completed an MSc in Medical Education, an MD on pathophysiological changes in frail older people and a post-doctoral fellowship in Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia with Professor Ken Rockwood. Here, she was able to test hypotheses regarding the determinants and manifestations of frailty through the interrogation of large datasets. She has published widely on the inflammatory aetiology of frailty, the difficulties of measuring frailty in clinical practice and the relationships between frailty and obesity, smoking, socioeconomic status and exercise. Based on the impact of her publications, she is currently ranked number 4 in a list of frailty experts worldwide (http://expertscape.com/ex/frail+elderly).
In the last 5 years, she has generated $24.5M in grant income including as CIA on the following: MRFF Dementia Ageing and Aged Care Mission ($5M), a Centre for Research Excellence in Frailty ($2.5M), an Ideas Grant ($1.6M) and the NHMRC Targeted Call for Frailty Research ($1.5M). As Founder and Director of the Australia Frailty Network (AFN), she has established a team of consumer partners, multidisciplinary clinical academics, behavioural psychologists and statisticians answering critical questions relating to the measurement and management of frailty.
Availability
- Professor Ruth Hubbard is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Medicine Surgery, Imperial College
- Masters (Coursework) of Science, Cardiff University
- Doctoral Diploma of Medicine, Cardiff University
- Bachelor of Science, Imperial College
Research interests
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The Australian Frailty Network
The Australian Frailty Network (AFN) was established in 2023 to address frailty across the Australian population. This pioneering initiative integrates research, education, policy advocacy, and practice into a cohesive strategy to improve health outcomes for people living with frailty. This research is funded by an MRFF Dementia Ageing and Aged Care Grant ($5M) Funding period: 2022 - 2027 Role: Lead, Chief Investigator A
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FITTEST Trial
The AFN’s flagship clinical trial FITTEST will test if a multi-domain approach to the care of mildly frail older adults will be better than a self-directed program in attenuating the progress of frailty. The trial aims to recruit 390 participants from geriatric medicine clinics across Australia. Ethics approval was obtained in early November, with the first participant expected to be randomised in July 2024.
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Derivation, Validation and Implementation of a Digital Frailty Index for Acute Care Settings in Queensland
Older people in hospital are at high risk of adverse outcomes, a vulnerability commonly referred to as frailty. In community-dwelling older people, frailty status can be measured precisely with a Frailty Index score. We are currently leading a research programme to develop a Frailty Index from hospital electronic medical records. This would assist clinicians to identify vulnerable older inpatients, improving their care in the acute setting. This research is funded by an NHMRC Partnership Grant ($1.5M) with Queensland Health Funding period: 2024 - 2029 Role: Lead, Chief Investigator A
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The ReFIT Study: Reversing Frailty through Transplantation
This program will provide new insights into the causes of frailty by comparing biological data in older people who are frail, with younger people before and after a kidney transplant. The study is a collaboration between several clinical units at the Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH) and aims to recruit 100 transplant candidates from the PAH Kidney Transplant Service, and 50 older participants from PAH outpatient clinics. This research is funded by an NHMRC Ideas Grant ($1.6M) Funding period: 2023 - 2026 Role: Lead, Chief Investigator A
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Frailty ADD: Improving Hospital Outcomes for Frail Patients Across Different Disciplines
This Centre of Research Excellence unites four nodes (in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth) where Australia's strongest academic geriatricians have partnered with discipline experts to build clinical and research programs. lt will investigate the relationship between frailty, medication utilisation and global health outcomes and develop a core outcome set of patient-important outcomes that can be used for all frailty research in any discipline. This new knowledge will be transferred to policy and practice by championing practice change initiatives, piloting implementation studies across different disciplines that will be nested in our Frailty Research and Translation Framework and providing frailty education and training for health care professionals. The CRE will establish a cutting-edge capacity building scaffold to train the next generation of health and medical researchers with the potential to become leaders in their fields. This research is funded by an NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence ($2.5M) with additional strategic funding from UQ ($500k) Funding period: 2022 - 2027 Role: Lead, Chief Investigator A
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The GOAL Trial
This cluster randomised controlled trial will test whether Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment by a geriatrician can help frail older patients with CKD improve their health and wellbeing and achieve their own goals. Uniting geriatricians and nephrologists in a cross-disciplinary collaboration for the first time at 15 hospital sites across Australia, the last participant was recruited mid-2023. Follow up is for 12 months and results will be reported in 2025. This research is funded by an NHMRC Targeted Call for Research ($1.6M) Funding period: 2020 - 2025 Role: Lead, Chief Investigator A
Works
Search Professor Ruth Hubbard’s works on UQ eSpace
2014
Journal Article
Prescribing for older people discharged from the acute sector to residential aged-care facilities
Hopcroft, P., Peel, N. M., Poudel, A., Scott, I. A., Gray, L. C. and Hubbard, R. E. (2014). Prescribing for older people discharged from the acute sector to residential aged-care facilities. Internal Medicine Journal, 44 (10), 1034-1037. doi: 10.1111/imj.12553
2014
Journal Article
Multiple medication use in older patients in post-acute transitional care: a prospective cohort study
Runganga, Maureen, Peel, Nancye M. and Hubbard, Ruth E. (2014). Multiple medication use in older patients in post-acute transitional care: a prospective cohort study. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 9, 1453-1462. doi: 10.2147/CIA.S64105
2014
Journal Article
Assessment of older adults by emergency medical services: methodology and feasibility of a care partner comprehensive geriatric assessment (CP-CGA)
Travers, Andrew, Hubbard, Ruth, Moorhouse, Paige, Andrew, Melissa K. and Rockwood, Kenneth (2014). Assessment of older adults by emergency medical services: methodology and feasibility of a care partner comprehensive geriatric assessment (CP-CGA). Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine, 16 (5), 370-383. doi: 10.2310/8000.2013.130937
2014
Conference Publication
Potentially Inappropriate Prescribing in Older People Discharged to Residential Aged Care Facilities
Poudel, A., Peel, N. M., Nissen, L., Mitchell, C., Gray, L. C. and Hubbard, R. E. (2014). Potentially Inappropriate Prescribing in Older People Discharged to Residential Aged Care Facilities. NEW YORK: ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2014.07.118
2014
Journal Article
Frailty, financial resources and subjective well-being in later life
Hubbard, Ruth E., Goodwin, Victoria A., Llewellyn, David J., Warmoth, Krystal and Lang, Iain A. (2014). Frailty, financial resources and subjective well-being in later life. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 58 (3), 364-369. doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2013.12.008
2014
Journal Article
Use of Benzodiazepines and Association with Falls in Older People Admitted to Hospital: A Prospective Cohort Study
Ballokova, Anna, Peel, Nancye M., Fialova, Daniela, Scott, Ian A., Gray, Leonard C. and Hubbard, Ruth E. (2014). Use of Benzodiazepines and Association with Falls in Older People Admitted to Hospital: A Prospective Cohort Study. Drugs and Aging, 31 (4), 299-310. doi: 10.1007/s40266-014-0159-3
2014
Journal Article
Gait Speed in Ambulant Older People in Long Term Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Kuys, Suzanne S., Peel, Nancye M., Klein, Kerenaftali, Slater, Alexandra and Hubbard, Ruth E. (2014). Gait Speed in Ambulant Older People in Long Term Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 15 (3), 194-200. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2013.10.015
2014
Conference Publication
Polypharmacy in older patients discharged from hospital: a descriptive analysis
Runganga, Maureen, Peel, Nancye and Hubbard, Ruth E. (2014). Polypharmacy in older patients discharged from hospital: a descriptive analysis. Australian and New Zealand Society for Geriatric Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 28–30 May 2014. Richmond, VIC, Australia: Wiley-Blackwell. doi: 10.1111/ajag.12177
2014
Conference Publication
Enhancing dignity for older inpatients: the photograph next to the bed study
Bak, Melissa, Peel, Nancye, Lynch, Angelica and Hubbard, Ruth E. (2014). Enhancing dignity for older inpatients: the photograph next to the bed study. Australian and New Zealand Society for Geriatric Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting, Melbourne Australia, 28–30 May 2014. Richmond Australia: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia. doi: 10.1111/ajag.12179
2014
Conference Publication
Risk stratification of older inpatients using a Frailty Index
Hubbard, Ruth E., Peel, Nancye, Gray, Len, Mitnitski, Arnold and Rockwood, Kenneth (2014). Risk stratification of older inpatients using a Frailty Index. Australian and New Zealand Society for Geriatric Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 28–30 May 2014. Richmond, VIC, Australia: Wiley-Blackwell. doi: 10.1111/ajag.12177
2014
Journal Article
A pragmatic triage system to reduce length of stay in medical emergency admission: Feasibility study and health economic analysis
Subbe, C.P., Kellett, J., Whitaker, C.J., Jishi, F., White, A., Price, S., Ward-Jones, J., Hubbard, R.E., Eeles, E. and Williams, L. (2014). A pragmatic triage system to reduce length of stay in medical emergency admission: Feasibility study and health economic analysis. European Journal of Internal Medicine, 25 (9), 815-820. doi: 10.1016/j.ejim.2014.06.001
2014
Conference Publication
Feasibility and construct validity of a frailty index for patients with chronic kidney disease
Smith, Morgan, Peel, Nancye, Dawson, Blake, Lambat, Zahed, Bak, Melissa, Johnson, David W. and Hubbard, Ruth E. (2014). Feasibility and construct validity of a frailty index for patients with chronic kidney disease. Australian and New Zealand Society for Geriatric Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 28–30 May 2014. Richmond, VIC, Australia: Wiley-Blackwell. doi: 10.1111/ajag.12177
2014
Conference Publication
The impact of frailty and polypharmacy on adverse outcomes in older inpatients
Poudel, A., Peel, N. M., Nissen, L., Mitchell, C., Gray, L. C. and Hubbard, R. E. (2014). The impact of frailty and polypharmacy on adverse outcomes in older inpatients. Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Geriatrics Society, Orlando Fl, 15-17 May 2014. Hoboken, NJ United States: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc.. doi: 10.1111/jgs.12870
2014
Conference Publication
Physical independence in centenarians - better or worse than expected? A systematic review
Macdonald, James, Peel, Nancye and Hubbard, Ruth (2014). Physical independence in centenarians - better or worse than expected? A systematic review. Australian and New Zealand Society for Geriatric Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 28–30 May 2014. Richmond, VIC, Australia: Wiley-Blackwell. doi: 10.1111/ajag.12177
2014
Journal Article
Patient frailty: the elephant in the operating room
Hubbard, R. E. and Story, D. A. (2014). Patient frailty: the elephant in the operating room. Anaesthesia, 69 (Supplement s1), 26-34. doi: 10.1111/anae.12490
2014
Conference Publication
Potentially inappropriate prescribing in older patients admitted to acute care hospitals and discharged to residential aged care facilities
Poudel, A., Nissen, L., Mitchell, C., Peel, N. M., Gray, L. C. and Hubbard, R. E. (2014). Potentially inappropriate prescribing in older patients admitted to acute care hospitals and discharged to residential aged care facilities. Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Geriatrics Society, Orlando Fl, 15-17 May 2014. Hoboken, NJ United States: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc.. doi: 10.1111/jgs.12870
2014
Journal Article
Attitudes to Ageing and to Geriatric Medicine
Chan, Kah Wai and Hubbard, Ruth E. (2014). Attitudes to Ageing and to Geriatric Medicine. Turkish Journal of Geriatrics-Turk Geriatri Dergisi, 17 (1), 90-94.
2014
Journal Article
Predicting outcome after hip fracture: using a frailty index to integrate comprehensive geriatric assessment results
Krishnan, Manju, Beck, Sue, Havelock, Will, Eeles, Eamonn, Hubbard, Ruth E. and Johansen, Antony (2014). Predicting outcome after hip fracture: using a frailty index to integrate comprehensive geriatric assessment results. Age and Ageing, 43 (1) aft084, 122-126. doi: 10.1093/ageing/aft084
2013
Journal Article
Letter to the editor: Are prescribing indicators essentially representing the frail older population?
Poudel, A., Hubbard, R. E., Nissen, L. and Mitchell, C. (2013). Letter to the editor: Are prescribing indicators essentially representing the frail older population?. Journal of Frailty and Aging, 2 (4), 217-1. doi: 10.14283/jfa.2013.32
2013
Journal Article
Frailty: a key indicator to minimize inappropriate medication in older people
Poudel, A., Hubbard, R. E., Nissen, L. and Mitchell, C. (2013). Frailty: a key indicator to minimize inappropriate medication in older people. QJM: An International Journal of Medicine, 106 (10) hct146, 969-975. doi: 10.1093/qjmed/hct146
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Ruth Hubbard is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Addressing frailty in older people with haematological malignancies
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Peter Mollee, Associate Professor Emily Gordon, Dr Natasha Reid
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Doctor Philosophy
Engaging consumers in frailty and ageing research
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Adrienne Young, Dr Natasha Reid
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Doctor Philosophy
Addressing Frailty in Older Adults with Solid Organ Malignancies
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Natasha Reid
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Doctor Philosophy
Organ transplantation and frailty
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Emily Gordon, Professor Mark Morrison
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Doctor Philosophy
Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment: How does it work and what are the key active ingredients?
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Monika Janda
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Doctor Philosophy
Sleepless in the GARU?
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Adrienne Young, Associate Professor Claire Ellender
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Doctor Philosophy
CHAMP: a co-creation of a comprehensive health assessment and management plan for younger people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Emily Gordon, Dr Kristiana Ludlow
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Doctor Philosophy
The development, validation and implementation of an electronic frailty index (eFI)
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr David Ward
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Doctor Philosophy
A life course approach to frailty: its biopsychosocial determinants and impact on dementia and other ageing-related outcomes
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Emily Gordon, Dr David Ward
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Doctor Philosophy
Improving emergency care for older people
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Frederick Graham
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Doctor Philosophy
Core outcomes in frail inpatients.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Emily Gordon, Dr Kristiana Ludlow
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Doctor Philosophy
Organ transplantation as a model for reversible frailty (ReFIT): robustness and resilience.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Ross Francis, Professor Mark Midwinter, Associate Professor Emily Gordon
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Doctor Philosophy
Transitions from mild cognitive impairment to dementia: sex and gender differences in risk factors and health information needs
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Natasha Reid, Dr David Ward, Associate Professor Emily Gordon
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Master Philosophy
Pharyngolaryngectomies: reconstructive options, short and long-term patient outcomes, and the impact of pre-operative frailty
Associate Advisor
Completed supervision
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2025
Doctor Philosophy
Frailty and goals of care in older people living with moderate to severe chronic kidney disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Andrea Viecelli
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Increasing Adherence for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Usage in Vulnerable Australian Populations with Sleep Apnoea.
Principal Advisor
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Sex differences in frailty: The Frailty Index and the male-female health-survival paradox.
Principal Advisor
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2019
Master Philosophy
Gait speed and frailty status in relation to adverse outcomes in geriatric rehabilitation
Principal Advisor
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2025
Doctor Philosophy
Analysis of Microcirculatory Health Measures and Frailty in Potential Renal Transplant Recipients: A Machine Learning Approach
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Emily Gordon, Professor Mark Midwinter
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2015
Doctor Philosophy
Optimising prescribing in frail older people
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lisa Nissen
Media
Enquiries
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