Anthony Shakeshaft

Professor Anthony Shakeshaft is an expert in health behaviour and health services research. He is currently Professor of Indigenous health services research at the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, University of Queensland.

His primary interest is in partnering with health services, communities and governments to co-design, implement and evaluate the impact of services that are both best-evidence and highly adaptable to the characteristics of different service delivery ecosystems. He is interested in the development of research methods and processes that can be embedded into the routine delivery of services, with the aim of improving client and population-level outcomes in close to real-time. He has a particular focus on engaging with Indigenous services and developing Indigenous research capacity through active support of Indigenous higher degree researchers.

Professor Shakeshaft has previously been Deputy Director of the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at the University of NSW, and a Visiting Research Fellow at the Universities of London, Verona, Nijmegen, British Columbia, James Cook and Newcastle. He served on the Council of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) for the 2012-2015 triennium and was the International Assessor for the establishment of Scotland’s Drug Research Network Collaboration. He has been a member of the Executive Committee for the Drug and Alcohol Network of the NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation, a member of the public health grant review panel for New Zealand’s Health Research Council and a member of the Expert Advisory Network for the NSW Government’s Family and Community Services.

Selected current and research projects

1. Centre of research excellence in Indigenous health and alcohol CRE: Indigenous Health and Alcohol (gathering.edu.au)
2. Improving the cultural competence of non-Aboriginal alcohol and other drug treatment services when delivering care to Aboriginal clients.
3. Strengthening the evidence base for Aboriginal drug and alcohol residential rehabilitation services.
4. Improving alcohol treatment outcomes: the impact of client, treatment and system variables.
5. Evidence to inform policy and practice that promotes child health, development and wellbeing: the NSW Child E-Cohort Project.
6. Development of a Clinical Outcome and Quality Indicator (COQI) Framework.
7. The adaptation and pilot testing of Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) for Indigenous Health and Family Workers.
8. Reducing smoking rates among low-SES smokers.
9. Integrating substance abuse and mental health treatment through improved co-ordination of services and utilisation of medical records.
10. Monitoring and evaluation of the Australian Government’s kava importation pilot program.
11. Increasing our understanding of alcohol and other drug use and harms on Norfolk Island.
12. Prevention of harms from alcohol and other drugs in rural NSW.
13. Evaluation of Psychoeducation Modules for a Drug and Alcohol Support Service in South-West Sydney.
14. Using research to support Smart Recovery Australia.
15. The co-design of a system of care for Indigenous drug and alcohol services

Current PhD Supervision

1. Youth At-Risk Research Network (YARRN): integrating research into community-based youth services
2. An evaluation of the implementation of family-based therapy programs to enhance government responses to child physical abuse and neglect in New South Wales, Australia
3. Inclusion of Self-Determination By First Nations Australian Communities in Alcohol Related Policy Development In The Northern Territory
4. Evaluation of the Western NSW Youth Drug & Alcohol Clinical Support Network.
5. Improving the evidence for supported accommodation services working with people released from prison
6. A retrospective analysis of treatment provision and needs for incarcerated patients with Alcohol Use Disorders in NSW.
7. Exploring the influence of public policy on Aboriginal women’s health in NSW.