Kenneth Pakenham

The impacts of Emeritus Professor Pakenham's research has been recognised through three research awards (UQ Trailblazer Award, 2010; UQ Partners in Research Excellence Award, 2016; UQ Faculty of Health & Behavioural Sciences Staff Award for Research Translation, 2017). His research on chronic illness and caregiving has informed key government policy and service developments. For example, his definitive report on adult caregiving (Pakenham, Stebbins et al, 2005), and his young carer research findings were presented to the Director Generals of Qld Health and Community Services and government working groups responsible for the implementation of the Qld Govt. Carer Recognition Policy (2003). Subsequently, this research informed the Carers Recognition Bill (2008). In 2018 he was nominated by the Board of MS Queensland as one of the 60 most influential people in MS Queensland’s 60-year history. He has also participated on Federal Government expert panels (e.g., Expert Reference Group to develop a Carer Payment assessment tool). His expertise has also been utilised internationally. For example, he was invited to give expert testimony on young caregiving in a high profile landmark trial in USA (July 2007).

Interventions he has developed have transformed services in the chronic illness field. For example, he and a colleague developed a resilience training program called READY, which Professor Pakenhm later modified for people with MS. He and a student developed the Mindfulness for MS Program. Both programs have received research awards and have become flagship services in peak MS frontline services in Australia and internationally. Evidence shows that both programs have enhanced the quality of life of patients and their carers and the morale of staff delivering them. His interventions have also been adopted internationally. For example, the READY for MS program is used in the UK, Germany, Greece and Italy, 2 carer interventions are listed on the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving (Georgia Southwestern State University, USA) catalogue of evidenced-based interventions for carers, and his young carer intervention is listed on the website of a carer Centre at Linnaeus University, Sweden and is being utilised by the MS Society of Canada.

The chronic illness and caregiving measures he has developed are extensively used in clinical and research endeavours internationally. Ten of his published measures are catalogued with international databases.

Through his RHD supervision he has also developed effective interventions that have impacted the work settings of his students. For example, a student employed by the Australian Defence Force and Prof Pakenham developed a psychological intervention for recruits undertaking basic military training, which has been incorporated into the recruit training schedule in all basic military training programs in Australia.