Overview
Background
Associate Professor Spurling works at The University of Queensland General Practice Clinical Unit (0.4 FTE) and at the Southern Queensland Centre of Excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care (Inala COE – 0.6 FTE). He has research interests in social determinants of health and access to primary health care, especially where his research skills can be of service to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. His other research interests are quality use of medicines and respiratory infections, with particular methodological interests in systematic reviews and mixed-methods research in general practice.
He completed medical training at the University of Queensland, did his junior doctor years in regional Queensland and completed a Diploma of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in London in 1998. In 2001, he spent 12 months working on a project in Central America with Médecins Sans Frontières. He completed general practice specialty training with the RACGP in 2004, which included an academic registrar term. In 2004, he was fortunate to meet Professor Noel Hayman, one of Queensland’s first Aboriginal medical graduates and Clinical Director of the Inala COE, who offered him a GP position in 2004. He has shared his full-time work as a GP academic at the Inala COE and UQ GPCU ever since.
Associate Professor Spurling has developed clinical interests in serving the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in Inala, serving Spanish-speaking refugees, diabetic retinopathy, and, most recently, addiction medicine. He has been mentoring GP registrars and medical students at the Inala COE since 2004. As a member of the UQ GPCU academic staff, he regularly takes tutorial groups and lectures in cardiovascular medicine, respiratory infections, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and social determinants of health for medical students doing their general practice rotation.
Associate Professor Spurling supervises five postgraduate students (PhD students). He has been awarded over A$10M in research grants and has published over 70 peer-reviewed papers.
Availability
- Dr Geoff Spurling is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery and Medical Science, The University of Queensland
- Masters (Coursework) of Public Health, The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy of General Practice, The University of Queensland
- Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
Research impacts
Associate Professor Spurling’s research has led to invitations to be primary editor for the Therapeutic Guidelines update on otitis media (2022-23); provide advice to Therapeutic Guidelines regarding their update of sore throat and rheumatic heart disease sections (2020-2021); serve as a committee member of the national RACGP expert committee on research (2018-2021); and serve as a GP representative on NPS Medicinewise’s prescribing and intervention expert advisory group (2011-2017).
Associate Professor Spurling’s research program, including doctoral research, contributed to: a new Medicare item number for retinal photography in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary care; remodelled national health assessments developed by RACGP and NACCHO, and published by the Department of Health in 2021; computerisation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health assessments at the Inala COE in Brisbane, Australia (2010-). In 2019, he was awarded an NHMRC Emerging Leader Fellowship with the aim of co-creating a youth health assessment to better meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people presenting to primary care.
Works
Search Professor Geoff Spurling’s works on UQ eSpace
2020
Journal Article
Visual impairment among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients attending an Australian Indigenous primary health service: a cross-sectional study
Lakhan, Prabha, Osuagwu, Uchechukwu L., Askew, Deborah, Hayman, Noel and Spurling, Geoffrey (2020). Visual impairment among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients attending an Australian Indigenous primary health service: a cross-sectional study. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 26 (4), 287-292. doi: 10.1071/PY19119
2020
Journal Article
Assessing fitness to drive in older people: the need for an evidence‐based toolkit in general practice
Wallis, Katharine A., Matthews, James and Spurling, Geoffrey K. (2020). Assessing fitness to drive in older people: the need for an evidence‐based toolkit in general practice. Medical Journal of Australia, 212 (9) mja2.50588, 396-398.e1. doi: 10.5694/mja2.50588
2020
Journal Article
General practice research: an investment to improve the health of all Australians
Manski-Nankervis, Jo-Anne E., Sturgiss, Elizabeth A., Liaw, Siaw-Teng, Spurling, Geoffrey K. and Mazza, Danielle (2020). General practice research: an investment to improve the health of all Australians. Medical Journal of Australia, 212 (9), 398-400.e1. doi: 10.5694/mja2.50589
2020
Journal Article
Information and promotional strategies by pharmaceutical companies for clinicians
Mintzes, Barbara, Fabbri, Alice, Grundy, Quinn, Spurling, Geoffrey K. P., Lexchin, Joel, McKenzie, Joanne E. and Bero, Lisa (2020). Information and promotional strategies by pharmaceutical companies for clinicians. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020 (3) CD013423, 1-17. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013423.pub2
2020
Journal Article
Identifying inequities in an urban Latin American population: a cross-sectional study in Australian primary health care
Sanchez, Luis, Johnson, Tracey, Williams, Suzanne, Spurling, Geoffrey and Durham, Joanne (2020). Identifying inequities in an urban Latin American population: a cross-sectional study in Australian primary health care. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 26 (2), 140-146. doi: 10.1071/PY19049
2020
Conference Publication
Identifying factors associated with thoughts of self-harm or suicide in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people presenting to urban primary care
Pandeya, Neha, Spurling, Geoffrey K. P., Tyson, Claudette, Schluter, Philip J., Hayman, Noel E. and Askew, Deborah A. (2020). Identifying factors associated with thoughts of self-harm or suicide in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people presenting to urban primary care. Australasian Association for Academic Primary Care (AAAPC) Annual Research Conference, Online, 14–15 August 2020. Clayton, VIC Australia: CSIRO.
2019
Journal Article
Adaptation of potentially preventable medication-related hospitalisation indicators for indigenous populations in Australia using a modified Delphi technique
Spinks, Jean Marie, Kalisch Ellett, Lisa M, Spurling, Geoffrey, Theodoros, Theo, Williamson, Daniel and Wheeler, Amanda J (2019). Adaptation of potentially preventable medication-related hospitalisation indicators for indigenous populations in Australia using a modified Delphi technique. BMJ Open, 9 (11) e031369, e031369. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-031369
2019
Journal Article
Information and promotional strategies by pharmaceutical companies for clinicians (protocol)
Mintzes, Barbara, Fabbri, Alice, Grundy, Quinn, Spurling, Geoffrey K. P., Lexchin, Joel, McKenzie, Joanne E. and Bero, Lisa (2019). Information and promotional strategies by pharmaceutical companies for clinicians (protocol). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2019 (9) CD013423. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013423
2019
Journal Article
Working together to improve the mental health of indigenous children: a systematic review
Lopez-Carmen, Victor, McCalman, Janya, Benveniste, Tessa, Askew, Deborah, Spurling, Geoff, Langham, Erika and Bainbridge, Roxanne (2019). Working together to improve the mental health of indigenous children: a systematic review. Children and Youth Services Review, 104 104408. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.104408
2018
Journal Article
Knowing our patients: A cross-sectional study of adult patients attending an urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary healthcare service
Askew, Deborah A., Jennings, Warren J., Hayman, Noel E., Schluter, Philip J. and Spurling, Geoffrey K. (2018). Knowing our patients: A cross-sectional study of adult patients attending an urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary healthcare service. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 25 (5), 449-456. doi: 10.1071/PY18090
2018
Journal Article
Unlocking the value of Cochrane reviews for general practitioners
Spurling, Geoffrey, Mitchell, Ben and van Driel, Mieke (2018). Unlocking the value of Cochrane reviews for general practitioners. Australian Journal of General Practice, 47 (6), 333-336. doi: 10.31128/AJGP-01-18-4477
2018
Journal Article
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health
Spurling, Geoffrey, Felton-Busch, Catrina and Larkins, Sarah (2018). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 24 (5), I-II. doi: 10.1071/PYv24n5_ED
2017
Other Outputs
Computerised Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health assessments in primary health care research
Spurling, Geoffrey (2017). Computerised Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health assessments in primary health care research. PhD Thesis, School of Medicine, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2017.902
2017
Journal Article
Delayed antibiotic prescriptions for respiratory infections
Spurling, Geoffrey K.P., Del Mar, Chris B., Dooley, Liz, Foxlee, Ruth and Farley, Rebecca (2017). Delayed antibiotic prescriptions for respiratory infections. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 9 (9) CD004417, CD004417. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004417.pub5
2017
Journal Article
Guidelines and systematic reviews: sizing up guidelines in general practice
van Driel, Mieke L. and Spurling, Geoffrey (2017). Guidelines and systematic reviews: sizing up guidelines in general practice. Australian Family Physician, 46 (6), 438-440.
2017
Journal Article
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander oral health and its impact among adults: a cross-sectional study
Schluter, Philip J., Askew, Deborah A., Spurling, Geoff K., Lee, Martin and Hayman, Noel (2017). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander oral health and its impact among adults: a cross-sectional study. Australian Dental Journal, 62 (1), 84-94. doi: 10.1111/adj.12439
2017
Journal Article
'I'm not sure it paints an honest picture of where my health's at' - identifying community health and research priorities based on health assessments within an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community: a qualitative study
Spurling, Geoffrey K., Bond, Chelsea J., Schluter, Philip J., Kirk, Corey I. and Askew, Deborah A. (2017). 'I'm not sure it paints an honest picture of where my health's at' - identifying community health and research priorities based on health assessments within an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community: a qualitative study. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 23 (6), 549-553. doi: 10.1071/PY16131
2017
Journal Article
The prevalence of depression and anxiety disorders in indigenous people of the Americas: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Kisely, Steve, Alichniewicz, Karolina Katarzyna, Black, Emma B., Siskind, Dan, Spurling, Geoffrey and Toombs, Maree (2017). The prevalence of depression and anxiety disorders in indigenous people of the Americas: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 84, 137-152. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2016.09.032
2016
Journal Article
A multi-centre open-label randomised non inferiority trial comparing watchful waiting to antibiotic treatment for acute otitis media without perforation in low-risk urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children (the WATCH trial): study protocol for
Abbott, Penelope, Gunasekera, Hasantha, Leach, Amanda Jane, Askew, Deborah, Walsh, Robyn, Kong, Kelvin, Girosi, Federico, Bond, Chelsea, Morris, Peter, Lujic, Sanja, Hu, Wendy, Usherwood, Tim, Tyson, Sissy, Spurling, Geoffrey, Douglas, Markeeta, Schubert, Kira, Chapman, Shavaun, Siddiqui, Nadeem, Murray, Reeion, Rabbitt, Keitha, Porykali, Bobby, Woodall, Cheryl, Newman, Tina and Reath, Jennifer (2016). A multi-centre open-label randomised non inferiority trial comparing watchful waiting to antibiotic treatment for acute otitis media without perforation in low-risk urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children (the WATCH trial): study protocol for. Trials, 17 (119) 119, 119.1-119.10. doi: 10.1186/s13063-016-1247-y
2015
Journal Article
Automated multi-lesion detection for referable diabetic retinopathy in Indigenous health care
Pires, Ramon, Carvalho, Tiago, Spurling, Geoffrey, Goldenstein, Siome, Wainer, Jacques, Luckie, Alan, Jelinek, Luckie4 , Herbert F. and Rocha, Anderson (2015). Automated multi-lesion detection for referable diabetic retinopathy in Indigenous health care. PLoS One, 10 (6) e0127664, e0127664-e0127664. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0127664
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Geoff Spurling is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Measuring equitable access to primary care services.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jason Pole
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Doctor Philosophy
Factors affecting clinician use of evidence in GP consultations
Associate Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Gram-negative bloodstream infections in Australian children
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Colleen Lau, Mr Mark Chatfield, Associate Professor Adam Irwin
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Doctor Philosophy
Rates and effects of hearing loss and middle ear dysfunction in an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adult population
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Wayne Wilson, Associate Professor Deborah Askew, Professor Roxanne Bainbridge
Completed supervision
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Can an integrated mHealth platform assist in the management of hypertension for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Ray Mahoney, Associate Professor Sheleigh Lawler
Media
Enquiries
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