L to R: Dr. Connie Musolino, Prof. Fran Baum, Dr. Toni Delany-Crowe
Not in photo: co-investigators Dr. Toby Freeman, Dr. Helen van Eyk, Prof. Jennie Popay (Lancaster University), Professor David Sanders (University of Western Cape), Ross Womersley (CEO, SACOSS) and Dr. Catherine Earl, (Senior Policy Officer, SACOSS).
Lead by Professor Fran Baum, a research team from the Southgate Institute for Health, Society and Equity were successful in the latest round of Flinders University Innovation Partnership Seed grants. Partnering with the South Australian Council of Social Services (SACOSS), the research collaboration will seek to explain why South Australia is experiencing an increase in health inequalities and how this can be reversed in the future.
Recently published longitudinal data from the Social Health Atlas suggests health inequities have increased Australia wide since the late 1980s. This South Australian case study is taking a mix-methods approach to understand what factors including social, political and economic have contributed to this growth in inequities.
A key focus for the Innovation Partnership Seed grants is to encourage long-term research engagement with partner organisations. SACOSS is the peak body for the non-government health and community services sector in South Australia. This work will enable Southgate to establish a direct working relationship SACOSS, who share the vision of working towards a fairer, healthier and more equitable society. This partnership will form a basis for future research collaborations and advance Flinders University College of Medicine and Public Health’s social vision.