Dr Heena Akbar
Dr

Heena Akbar

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Phone: 
+61 7 334 64920
Mobile: 
0423460211

Background

Dr Akbar is a Pacific Fijian academic and researcher with extensive experience in community development research and teaching and has contributed to the Australian and International higher education sectors. Dr Akbar’s teaching and research are shaping how Indigenous knowledge is used to address the health inequities and social determinants of health of First Nations Peoples, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Māori & Pasifika (collective term for Pacific diaspora in Australia) communities through co-designed solutions with the communities, and integrating community participatory action research and Indigenous perspectives and knowledge systems with social justice principles to promote equitable health and wellbeing. Heena's research addresses the social, cultural and economic burden of chronic conditions through a strength-based approach and impacts policy development that translates to better health outcomes for First Nations peoples, particularly Māori & Pasifika peoples in Australia and Internationally.

Availability

Dr Heena Akbar is:
Not available for supervision
Media expert

Qualifications

  • Bachelor (Honours), Queensland University of Technology
  • Masters (Research) of Public Health, The University of Queensland
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Queensland University of Technology

Research interests

  • Health and Wellbeing of Māori and Pasifika communities

    We are currently working with Māori and Pasifika communities to co-design and co-develop programs and initiatives that promote holistic health and wellbeing.

  • Women’s health with a particular focus on chronic condition prevention and management

    We are currently piloting the Pasifika Women's Wellness Program for Maori and Pasifika women living with type 2 diabetes. This program was co-developed with the Pasifika communities in Southeast Queensland.

  • Community- based participatory action research

    We use Pacific Indigenous frameworks (Pacific Health Models) and methodologies and approaches embedded within emancipatory and social justice principles.

  • Cultural and social determinants of health

    Health inequities and cultural and social determinants of health are foundational in my teaching and research. My teaching focuses on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, Public Health and Social Determinants of Health to address health inequities. I use my research and community development experiences with First Nations communities and share these in the teaching & learning space with my students.

  • Indigenous methodologies (Pacific Indigenous approaches)

  • First Nations Health and Wellbeing

Research impacts

Dr Akbar's work frames Pacific knowledge systems, Pacific Health models and Indigenous methodology to develop participatory co-designed solutions with First Nations, Maori and Pacific communities to address health inequities. As a Pacific researcher, Heena works with Maori and Pacific communities in Australia and internationally to promote health and wellness as well as bringing the Pacific researchers to lead Māori and Pacific research in Australia.

Search Professor Heena Akbar’s works on UQ eSpace

32 works between 2003 and 2025
All (32) Journal Article (11) Conference Publication (17) Book (1) Other Outputs (3)

21 - 32 of 32 works

2022

Conference Publication

"Feeding Our Manaâ": Exploring food insecurity with Maori and Pasifika communities

Akbar, Heena and Gallegos, Danielle (2022). "Feeding Our Manaâ": Exploring food insecurity with Maori and Pasifika communities. Dieticians Australia 2022 Conference , Adelaide, SA Australia, 14 – 16 August 2022. Adelaide, SA Australia:

"Feeding Our Manaâ": Exploring food insecurity with Maori and Pasifika communities

2021

Conference Publication

Feeding our Mana: food security for Pasifika communities

Gallegos, Danielle and Akbar, Heena (2021). Feeding our Mana: food security for Pasifika communities. Queensland Women’s Heath Forum, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 27-28 May 2021. Brisbane, QLD Australia: AHRA Women’s Health Research Translation Network.

Feeding our Mana: food security for Pasifika communities

2021

Conference Publication

Development of a Pasifika Women’s Diabetes Wellness Program: from the perspective of Māori and Pasifika women living in Queensland

Akbar, Heena, Chow, Iree, Nuimata, Winnie, Te Kani, Wynn , Langan, Violet and Gallegos, Danielle (2021). Development of a Pasifika Women’s Diabetes Wellness Program: from the perspective of Māori and Pasifika women living in Queensland. Queensland Women’s Heath Forum, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 27-28 May, 2021. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: The Australian Health Research Alliance (AHRA) WHRTN.

Development of a Pasifika Women’s Diabetes Wellness Program: from the perspective of Māori and Pasifika women living in Queensland

2020

Conference Publication

Sustaining research students’ support

Baguley, Graeme, Akbar, Heena, Wang, Christine, Baek, Youngnam and Song, Jun Seok (2020). Sustaining research students’ support. ISANA ONAIR: 2020 Online Conference – Turning challenges into opportunities, Virtual, 3-4 and 8-9 December 2020. Hobart, TAS Australia: ISANA: International Education Association.

Sustaining research students’ support

2020

Conference Publication

Exploring type 2 diabetes and medication adherence in the Maori and Pacific Islander population: participant interviews

Taufatofua, N., Cottrell, N., Akbar, H. and La Caze, A. (2020). Exploring type 2 diabetes and medication adherence in the Maori and Pacific Islander population: participant interviews. ASCEPT- APSA Joint Virtual Scientific Meeting 2020, Virtual, 24-26 November 2020. Brisbane, QLD Australia: Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association (APSA).

Exploring type 2 diabetes and medication adherence in the Maori and Pacific Islander population: participant interviews

2020

Conference Publication

Supporting medication adherence in the Maori and Pacific Islander community with type 2 diabetes in Australia

Natasha Taufatofua , Heena Akbar , Neil Cottrell and Adam La Caze (2020). Supporting medication adherence in the Maori and Pacific Islander community with type 2 diabetes in Australia. ASCEPT-APSA 2020 Joint Virtual Scientific Meeting: Oral Abstracts, Virtual, 24 -26 November 2020. Hamilton, QLD, Australia: ASCEPT Virtual .

Supporting medication adherence in the Maori and Pacific Islander community with type 2 diabetes in Australia

2019

Conference Publication

Socio-cultural factors influencing self-management of Australian Pacific Islander women with type 2 diabetes

Akbar, H. (2019). Socio-cultural factors influencing self-management of Australian Pacific Islander women with type 2 diabetes. International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Congress 2019, Busan, South Korea, 2nd December-6th December 2019. South Korea: IDF.

Socio-cultural factors influencing self-management of Australian Pacific Islander women with type 2 diabetes

2019

Conference Publication

Predictors of self-care for Australian Pacific women with type 2 diabetes

Akbar, H. (2019). Predictors of self-care for Australian Pacific women with type 2 diabetes. The 16th International Diabetes Epidemiology Symposium, Seoul, South Korea , 28th November-2nd December 2019. South Korea: IDEG.

Predictors of self-care for Australian Pacific women with type 2 diabetes

2019

Conference Publication

Using Talanoa to explore diabetes self-management of Australian Pacific Islander women with type 2 diabetes

Akbar, H. (2019). Using Talanoa to explore diabetes self-management of Australian Pacific Islander women with type 2 diabetes. Public Health Prevention Conference, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 12-14th June 2019. Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre: Public Health Association Australia.

Using Talanoa to explore diabetes self-management of Australian Pacific Islander women with type 2 diabetes

2018

Other Outputs

Socio-cultural context of managing type 2 diabetes in Australian Pacific Islander women living in Queensland

Akbar, Heena G. (2018). Socio-cultural context of managing type 2 diabetes in Australian Pacific Islander women living in Queensland. PhD Thesis, School of Exercise & Nutrition Sciences, Queensland University of Technology. doi: 10.5204/thesis.eprints.119162

Socio-cultural context of managing type 2 diabetes in Australian Pacific Islander women living in Queensland

2011

Journal Article

Multicultural melting pot: painting for the planet

Tindle, Elizabeth, McCarthy, Maria, Lincoln, Debbie, Lawson, Lynda and Akbar, Heena (2011). Multicultural melting pot: painting for the planet. Congruence, 10 (3), 28-31.

Multicultural melting pot: painting for the planet

2003

Other Outputs

Flexible Options for International Health in Australia

Riley, I. D., Rotem, A., Zwi, A., Marks, G., Hill, P. S., Mark, T. and Akbar, H. (2003). Flexible Options for International Health in Australia. Canberra, ACT Australia: Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing.

Flexible Options for International Health in Australia

Current funding

  • 2022 - 2025
    Preparing Australia for use of genomics in prevention of heart-disease: Focus on South Asian Australians
    NHMRC MRFF Genomics Health Futures Mission
    Open grant

Availability

Dr Heena Akbar is:
Not available for supervision

Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Dr Heena Akbar directly for media enquiries about:

  • Chronic Conditions prevention & management
  • cultural safety practice
  • Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities
  • culturally responsive healthcare and research
  • Decolonising research methods
  • Food Security
  • Food Sovereignty approach
  • health equity
  • health equity health care
  • Indigenising curriculum
  • Indigensou knowledge systems
  • Maori & Pasifika Peoples in Queensland
  • Pacific Indentity
  • Pacific Methods
  • Pacific talanoa
  • Pasifika Wellness Program
  • Women's Wellness

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