Dr Karen Cheer ~ Adjunct Senior Research Fellow
Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences
- About
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- Culturally situating responses to menstrual health and hygiene for girls in Solomon Islands
- Exploring women's experiences of menopause in Solomon Islands
- Documenting traditional knowledge about climate and food security in Kwaio, Solomon Islands
- Culturally appropriate strategies for tuberculosis prevention, detection and treatment in East Kwaio, Solomon Islands
- Strengthening the role of women leaders in Papua New Guinea for improved sexual health and wellbeing
- Interests
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- Research
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- Social and cultural determinants of health
- Health of people in Solomon Islands
- Health of people in Papua New Guinea
- Maternal health
- Research capacity strengthening
- Decolonising research
- Experience
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- 2019 to present - Research Fellow, James Cook University (Cairns)
- 2020 to 2022 - Cohort Doctoral Studies Program Mentor, James Cook University (Cairns)
- Research Disciplines
- Socio-Economic Objectives
Karen is a public health researcher using decolonising and participatory approaches to address health issues in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. A focus of her research is understanding how social, cultural and spiritual factors influence understandings of health and inform health service delivery. Karen actively supports research education and research capacity strengthening activities in all her work. In her role with the Graduate Research School, Karen provides support to higher degree by research (HDR) students, including pastoral care. Karen also provides higher degree research supervision to students at JCU and at UQ, where she is an Honorary Research Fellow in the School of Public Health.
Karen was awarded her PhD cum laude in 2019, where she identified the processes midwifery students in Papua New Guinea use to manage the provision of care to women following stillbirth. Karen’s current research with Australian and international partners the Australian Museum, the Australian National University, Baru Conservation Alliance, Pacific Adventist University, and the Smithsonian Institute involves:
- Honours
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- Awards
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- 2020 - Medal for Excellence in Higher Degree Research
- 2016 - Joan Hardy Scholarship for Postgraduate Nursing Research (NTEU)
- 2015 to 2018 - Postgraduate Research Scholarship (APA)
- Fellowships
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- 2019 - Adjunct Research Fellow, The Cairns Institute
- 2015 to 2018 - Postgraduate Fellow, The Cairns Institute
- Memberships
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- 2019 - International Stillibirth Alliance
- Publications
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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
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- 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,
- 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
- Grainger D, Watkin-Lui F and Cheer K (2021) The value of informed agency for Torres Strait climate change. Ecological Economics, 180.
- 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).
- Menadue C and Cheer K (2017) Human culture and science fiction: a review of the literature, 1980-2016. SAGE Open, 7 (3). pp. 1-15
- Cheer K (2016) Asia-Pacific women's experiences of stillbirth: a metasynthesis of qualitative literature. Health Care for Women International, 37 (8). pp. 889-905
- Cheer K, MacLaren D and Tsey K (2015) The use of grounded theory in studies of nurses and midwives’ coping processes: A systematic literature search. Contemporary Nurse, 51 (2-3). pp. 200-219
- Book Chapters
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- Esau D, Redman-Maclaren M, Wheeler S, Harrington R and Cheer K (2023) Grassroots action for improved menstrual health and educational justice with girls in East Kwaio, Solomon Islands. In: Sex and Gender in the Pacific: Contemporary Perspectives on Sexuality, Gender and Health. Taylor & Francis, London, United Kingdom, pp. 81-93
- Other research outputs
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- Cheer K, Timothy-Harrington R, Esau D, Foroasi E and Redman-MacLaren M (2022) Women’s understanding and experiences of menopause in low-income and middle-income countries in the Asia Pacific region: a scoping review protocol. BMJ Open, 12.
- Cheer K, Watkin Lui F, Shibasaki S, Harvey A, Grainger D and Tsey K (2020) The case for a Torres Strait Islander‐driven, long‐term research agenda for environment, health and wellbeing. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 44 (3). pp. 177-179
- Klieve H, Cheer K, Whiteside M, Baird L, MacLean S and Tsey K (2019) “A safe haven to support me”: an evaluation report on the Central Coast Family Wellbeing Program. Cairns Institute, Cairns, Queensland [Report]
- Current Funding
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Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.
Palladium Pty Ltd - Australia Pacific Climate Partnership
Knowledge Brokering from the Bottom Up: Co-designing Climate Information Products with the Kwaio people of Malaita Province, Solomon Islands
- Indicative Funding
- $50,000 over 1 year
- Summary
- Baru Conservation Alliance (BCA) and JCU successfully implemented the APCP funded ?Traditional Knowledge about Climate and Food Security in Kwaio, Malaita, Solomon Islands? in 2021/22. This current ?Knowledge Brokering from the Bottom Up: Co-designing Climate Information Products with the Kwaio people? project strengthens capacity built in 2021/22 to inform climate information products based on Kwaio traditional knowledge. The project will create communication products that utlise both western scientific and traditional Kwaio knowledge about the weather, how the weather is changing and what this means for people living on Malaita, Solomon Islands.
- Investigators
- David MacLaren, Michelle Redman-MacLaren, Karen Cheer, Dorothy Esau and Foofafimae Kekeubata (College of Medicine & Dentistry and Baru Conservation Alliance)
- Keywords
- Conservation; Kwaio; Climate Change; Solomon Islands
Australian Respiratory Council - ARC Research Support Grant
Understanding the experience of women in a tuberculosis hot spot in Solomon Islands to effectively find, treat and care for people with tuberculosis.
- Indicative Funding
- $20,000 over 1 year
- Summary
- ? TB remains at unacceptable rates in East Kwaio, Malaita, Solomon Islands. There still are many more undiagnosed cases, or new cases, known to occur amongst people living in mountainous areas. ? Women are central to the care of children and family members, including being responsible for growing food. They experience tuberculosis, and care of people with tuberculosis, differently to men and children because of these responsibilities. ? Barriers to finding, testing and treating TB remain due to social and cultural challenges faced by women, health system exclusion and geographic isolation. The aim of this qualitative study is to explore and describe women's experience of tuberculosis in East Kwaio, Solomon Islands to determine how to effectively test, treat and support people with tuberculosis.
- Investigators
- Michelle Redman-MacLaren, Dorothy Esau, Peter Massey, David MacLaren, Sue Devlin and Karen Cheer (College of Medicine & Dentistry, Baru Conservation Alliance and NSW Health)
- Keywords
- Health Services Research; Solomon Islands; Tuberculosis; Gender
Palladium Pty Ltd - Australia Pacific Climate Partnership
Traditional Knowledge about Climate and Food Security in Kwaio, Malaita, Solomon Islands
- Indicative Funding
- $95,000 over 1 year
- Summary
- This project will be implemented in conjunction with Baru Conservation Alliance in Malaita, Solomon Islands. Traditional Knowledge and experience of weather, the seasonal interaction of plants, animals and people will be explored and documented. The use of tradiitional 'disaster food' after natural disasters will also be documented. The local scale production of flour from locally grown fuits and vegetables will be piloted; usage and spoilage monitored, and dishes made from flour trialled for acceptability and feasibility with Kwaio tribal groups. The project links food security, health and ecological sustainability to inform local level disaster and climate resilience measures in Malaita, Solomon Islands.
- Investigators
- David MacLaren, Karen Cheer, Michelle Redman-MacLaren, Colin MacGregor and Darren Crayn in collaboration with Tommy Esau, Esau Kekeubata, Dorothy Esau, Maasafi Alabai, Paul Flemons, Tyrone Lavery and Rebecca Johnson (College of Medicine & Dentistry, College of Science & Engineering, Australian Tropical Herbarium, Baru Conservation Alliance, Australian Museum, Australian National University and Smithsonian Institute)
- Keywords
- Solomon Islands; Baru Conservation Alliance; Climate Resilience; Food Security; Disaster Preparedness; Traditional Knowledge
- Supervision
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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
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- Palliative Medicine Pioneers: A Window into the History and Development of Palliative Care in Australia (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
- Completed
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- Family planning service provision in Solomon Islands: a case study approach (2023, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
- Collaboration
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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.- 5+ collaborations
- 4 collaborations
- 3 collaborations
- 2 collaborations
- 1 collaboration
- Indicates the Tropics (Torrid Zone)
My research areas
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