David is a public health researcher with two decades experience in addressing community health issues in remote areas of Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. His work focuses on understanding the complex interplay between biomedicine, health service provision and socio-cultural understandings of health.

David uses participatory research methods with a range of partners from laboratory scientists, health service professionals and community leaders to address health issues of importance to local communities. His collaborative projects include investigating culturally appropriate TB services, locally appropriate sanitation and traditional use of medicinal rainforest plants in Malaita, Solomon Islands. In Papua New Guinea, he is collaborating with a range of partners to investigate the acceptability and feasibility of male circumcision for HIV prevention and faith-based responses to HIV. David enthusiastically supports research capacity building and incorporates capacity building across all research activities. He is a founding member of the Atoifi Health Research Group in Solomon Islands. David works in partnership with the Australian Museum and the Kwainaa'isi Cultural Centre in remote mountains of Malaita Province, Solomon Islands on a range of culture and conservation projects. 

David is convenor of the International Strategy Committee within the College of Medicine and Dentistry.  

David is currently chief investigator on grants worth over $5.5 million. These include

• $750,000 NHMRC funded "Resolving Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) transmission" working with partners in Australia, Papua New Guinea and the United States to investigate viral transmission across the human foreskin.

• $2million DFAT funded "Tropical partnerships to strengthen health systems responses to infectious disease threats" working with partners across Fiji, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and Eastern Indonesia to strengthen operational research skills in the region to respond to infectious disease in the tropics.

• $2.5 million NHMRC funded "Australian Centre for the Control and Elimination of Neglected Tropical Disease" of which David is co-convenor of the Pacific Hub.

 

Teaching

• MD3012: Introduction to Clinical Healthcare Part 2 of 2 (Level 3; TSV)

Research Disciplines

• Health services and systems (4203)
• Public health (4206)
• Epidemiology (4202)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Public health (2004)
• Pacific Peoples health (2111)

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Nunn P, Kumar R, Barrowman H, Chambers L, Fifita L, Gegeo D, Gomese C, McGree S, Rarai A, Cheer K, Esau D, Fa'anunu ', Fong T, Fong-Lomavatu M, Geraghty P, Heorake T, Kekeubata E, Korovulavula I, Kubunavanua E, Lui S, MacLaren D, Malsale P, Nemani S, Plotz R, Puairana G, Rantes J, Singh-Petersen L and Waiwai M (in press) Traditional knowledge for climate resilience in the Pacific Islands. WIREs Climate Change,
• Devlin S, Ross W, Widders R, McAvoy G, Browne K, Lawrence K, MacLaren D, Massey P and Judd J (2022) Tuberculosis care designed with barramarrany (family): Participatory action research that prioritised partnership, healthy housing and nutrition. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 33 (3). pp. 724-735
• Russell T, Horwood P, Harrington H, Apairamo A, Kama N, Bobogare A, Maclaren D and Burkot T (2022) Seroprevalence of dengue, Zika, chikungunya and Ross River viruses across the Solomon Islands. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 16 (2).
• Sparke V, Maclaren D, Esau D and West C (2022) Exploring infection prevention and control knowledge and beliefs in the Solomon Islands using Photovoice. PLOS Global Public Health, 2 (11).
• Alabai M, Esau T, Kekeubata E, Esau D, Waneagea J, Lobotalau L, Alick J, Silas J, Solome L, Waneagea J, Mousisi K, Cutajar T, Portway C, Maclaren D and Rowley J (2021) Apparent absence of the amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) in frogs in Malaita Province, Solomon Islands. Pacific Conservation Biology, 27 (3). pp. 251-255
• Carlisle K, Larkins S, Whittaker M, MacLaren D and Delai M (2021) Research capacity training for surveillance and response in the Indo-Pacific: a case study of implementation. Public Health Action, 11 (2). pp. 61-68
• Cheer K, Simeon L, Tommbe R, Kelly J, MacLaren D and Tsey K (2021) Balancing it out: a grounded theory of how midwifery students at a faith-based university in Papua New Guinea provide care to women following stillbirth. Health Care for Women International, 42 (4-6). pp. 895-912
• Goulolo N, Bugoro H, Whittaker M, Larkins S, Harrington H, Carlisle K, MacLaren D and Evans R (2021) Perspectives of nurses about factors affecting quality of care at the Solomon Islands National Referral Hospital during the 2016-2017 dengue outbreak: a qualitative study. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health, 33 (6-7).
• Neuendorf N, Cheer K, Tommbe R, Kokinai C, Simeon L, Browne K, MacLaren D and Redman-MacLaren M (2021) Sexual health and wellbeing training with women in Pacific Island Countries and Territories: a scoping review. Global Health Action, 14 (1).
• Larkins S, Carlisle K, Harrington H, MacLaren D, Lovo E, Harrington R, Alves L, Rafai E, Delai M and Whittaker M (2020) From the frontline: strengthening surveillance and response capacities of the rural workforce in the Asia-Pacific region. How can grass-roots implementation research help? Frontiers in Public Health, 8.
• Lavery T, Alabai M, Esau T, Fuiberi S, Furina D, Johnson R, Kekeubata E, MacLaren D, Waneagea J and Flannery T (2020) Integrating traditional knowledge, science and conservation in the search for undescribed mammals on Malaita, Solomon Islands. Pacific Conservation Biology, 26 (4). pp. 404-411
• Marks M, Gwyn S, Toloka H, Kositz C, Asugeni J, Asugeni R, Diau J, Kaldor J, Romani L, Redman-Maclaren M, MacLaren D, Solomon A, Mabey D, Steer A and Martin D (2020) Impact of community treatment with ivermectin for the control of scabies on the prevalence of antibodies to Strongyloides stercoralis in children. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 71 (12). pp. 3226-3228

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ResearchOnline@JCU stores 82+ research outputs authored by A/Prof David MacLaren from 2007 onwards.

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

• The Engagement and Participation of Faith based Organizations in the Health System Reforms in Soloman Islands (PhD , Secondary Advisor)

Completed

• Improving infection control at Atoifi Adventist Hospital, Solomon Islands: a participatory action research approach (2022, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Balancing it out: the process by which midwifery students provide care to women following stillbirth in Papua New Guinea (2019, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• An investigation of health system capacity to provide medical male circumcision for HIV prevention in high burden settings in Papua New Guinea (2021, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• When worlds collide: where and when anophelines and humans interact (2020, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Medical circumcision integrated within traditional male initiation ceremonies for HIV prevention in Yangoru-Saussia, Papua New Guinea (2020, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Developing understanding with Aboriginal Communities about tuberculosis for system change: participatory action research (2023, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Health systems research capacity building in Solomon Islands: a multiple case study approach (2022, PhD , Primary Advisor)

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.