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. His most recent research interest concerns access to opioid dependence treatment 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$18M in research grants and has published over 80 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
2015
Journal Article
Saline nasal irrigation for acute upper respiratory tract infections (Review)
King, David, Mitchell, Ben, Williams, Christopher P. and Spurling, Geoffrey K. P. (2015). Saline nasal irrigation for acute upper respiratory tract infections (Review). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2015 (4) CD006821, CD006821. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006821.pub3
2014
Journal Article
Antibiotics for bronchiolitis in children under two years of age (Review)
Farley, Rebecca, Spurling, Geoffrey K. P., Eriksson, Lars and Del Mar, Chris B. (2014). Antibiotics for bronchiolitis in children under two years of age (Review). The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2014 (10) CD005189, CD005189. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD005189.pub4
2014
Journal Article
A different kind of treatment
Bond, Chelsea J., Spurling, Geoffrey K. and Askew, Deborah A (2014). A different kind of treatment. Medical Journal of Australia, 201 (1), 10-11. doi: 10.5694/mja14.00794
2014
Journal Article
From vision to reality: a centre of excellence for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care
Hayman, Noel E., Askew, Deborah A. and Spurling, Geoffrey K. (2014). From vision to reality: a centre of excellence for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care. Medical Journal of Australia, 200 (11), 623-624. doi: 10.5694/mja14.00766
2014
Journal Article
Wound care costs in general practice: A cross-sectional study
Whitlock, Elizabeth, Morcom, Jenny, Spurling, Geoffrey, Janamian, Tina and Ryan, Seamus (2014). Wound care costs in general practice: A cross-sectional study. Australian Family Physician, 43 (3), 143-146.
2014
Journal Article
Opioid conversion ratios used in palliative care: Is there an Australian consensus?
Syrmis, W., Good, P., Wootton, J. and Spurling, G. (2014). Opioid conversion ratios used in palliative care: Is there an Australian consensus?. Internal Medicine Journal, 44 (5), 483-489. doi: 10.1111/imj.12401
2014
Journal Article
Health and well-being of urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women at their first antenatal visit: A cross-sectional study
Maher, Clare M., Spurling, Geoffrey K. P. and Askew, Deborah A. (2014). Health and well-being of urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women at their first antenatal visit: A cross-sectional study. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 54 (1), 88-90. doi: 10.1111/ajo.12159
2013
Journal Article
Implementing computerised Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health checks in primary care for clinical care and research: a process evaluation
Spurling, Geoffrey K. P., Askew, Deborah A., Schluter, Philip J. and Hayman, Noel E. (2013). Implementing computerised Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health checks in primary care for clinical care and research: a process evaluation. Bmc Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 13 (1) 108, 108.1-108.7. doi: 10.1186/1472-6947-13-108
2013
Journal Article
Urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children’s exposure to stressful events: a cross-sectional study
Askew, Deborah A., Schluter, Philip J., Spurling, Geoffrey K. P., Bond, Chelsea J. R. and Brown, Alex D. H. (2013). Urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children’s exposure to stressful events: a cross-sectional study. Medical Journal of Australia, 199 (1), 42-45. doi: 10.5694/mja12.11716
2013
Journal Article
Household number associated with middle ear disease at an urban Indigenous health service: a cross-sectional study
Spurling, Geoffrey K.P., Askew, Deborah A., Schluter, Philip J., Simpson, Fiona and Hayman, Noel E. (2013). Household number associated with middle ear disease at an urban Indigenous health service: a cross-sectional study. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 20 (3), 285-290. doi: 10.1071/PY13009
2013
Journal Article
Delayed antibiotics for respiratory infections
Spurling, Geoffrey K. P., Del Mar, Chris B., Dooley, Liz, Foxlee, Ruth and Farley, Rebecca (2013). Delayed antibiotics for respiratory infections. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2013 (4) CD004417, CD004417. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004417.pub4
2013
Journal Article
Yarning about health checks: barriers and enablers in an urban Aboriginal medical service
Jennings, Warren, Spurling, Geoffrey K. and Askew, Deborah A. (2013). Yarning about health checks: barriers and enablers in an urban Aboriginal medical service. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 20 (2), 151-157. doi: 10.1071/PY12138
2012
Journal Article
Conventionally accepted risk factors do not explain higher rates of middle ear disease in remote Indigenous children: an ecological study
Spurling, Geoffrey K. P., Askew, Deborah A., Schluter, Philip J., Simpson, Fiona and Hayman, Noel E. (2012). Conventionally accepted risk factors do not explain higher rates of middle ear disease in remote Indigenous children: an ecological study. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 36 (5), 491-492. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2012.00921.x
2012
Journal Article
'It had to be my choice' Indigenous smoking cessation and negotiations of risk, resistance and resilience
Bond, Chelsea, Brough, Mark, Spurling, Geoffrey and Hayman, Noel (2012). 'It had to be my choice' Indigenous smoking cessation and negotiations of risk, resistance and resilience. Health, Risk and Society, 14 (6), 565-581. doi: 10.1080/13698575.2012.701274
2011
Journal Article
Pharmaceutical company advertising in The Lancet
Spurling, Geoffrey, Mansfield, Peter and Lexchin, Joel (2011). Pharmaceutical company advertising in The Lancet. Lancet, 378 (9785), 30-30. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(11)61019-2
2011
Journal Article
Nondiabetic retinal pathology Prevalence in diabetic retinopathy screening
Nielsen, Nathan, Jackson, Claire, Spurling, Geoffrey and Cranstoun, Peter (2011). Nondiabetic retinal pathology Prevalence in diabetic retinopathy screening. Australian Family Physician, 40 (7), 529-532.
2011
Journal Article
Antibiotics for bronchiolitis in children (Review)
Spurling, Geoff K.P., Doust, Jenny, Del Mar, Chris B. and Eriksson, Lars (2011). Antibiotics for bronchiolitis in children (Review). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (6), CD005189. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD005189.pub3
2011
Journal Article
Indigenous child health checks: the view from the city
Coleman, Justin J., Spurling, Geoffrey K., Askew, Deborah and Hayman, Noel E. (2011). Indigenous child health checks: the view from the city. Medical Journal of Australia, 194 (10), 535-536. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2011.tb03092.x
2010
Journal Article
Under the influence
Spurling, Geoffrey and Skepticism, Healthy (2010). Under the influence. Australian Doctor (3-DEC-2010)
2010
Journal Article
Self-rated health status in an urban indigenous primary care setting: Implications for clinicians and public health policy
Spurling, Geoffrey and Hayman, Noel (2010). Self-rated health status in an urban indigenous primary care setting: Implications for clinicians and public health policy. Australian And New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 34 (6), 598-601. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2010.00627.x
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Geoff Spurling is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
-
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
Principal Advisor
-
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
-
Doctor Philosophy
Gram-negative bloodstream infections in Australian children
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Colleen Lau, Mr Mark Chatfield, Associate Professor Adam Irwin
Completed supervision
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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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