About

Dr Janelle James-McAlpine is a registered midwife and Women’s Health Research Capacity Building Fellow with the Tropical Australia Academic Health Centre (TAAHC). Instrumental in the coordination and development of a comprehensive and collaborative women's health research network from Mackay to Mount Isa, Janelle also complements her strong early-career research profile with project management and clinical practice experience across multiple jurisdictions in urban, regional, and remote locations. These foundations have resulted in an understanding of the challenges faced by pregnant women and practitioners in terms of continuity of health assessment and the implementation of primary health strategies to improve maternal health and birth outcomes. Responsible for the foundational research relating to nutrition and birth outcomes in pregnant women of South-East Queensland, Janelle’s research is now underway in women of Queensland’s Far North, encompassing strategic partnerships between TAAHC, James Cook University, the Cairns and Hinterland Health Services and Mookai Rosie Bi-Bayan, a Cairns landmark facility providing maternity care by mob, for mob to women from Cape York communities.

Teaching
  • NS5133: Healthy Labour, Birth and the Puerperium (Level 5; TSV)
  • NS5201: Research Design: Theory and Application (Level 5; TSV)
Interests
Research
  • Perinatal health, women's health, pregnancy nutrition, birth outcomes, research education and development models.
Research Disciplines
Socio-Economic Objectives
Honours
Awards
  • 2022 to 2024 - Arthur Wilson Memorial Scholarship, RANZCOG
  • 2021 to 2024 - Full Academic Title Holder - Research Fellow, College of Medicine and Dentistry.
  • 2021 to 2022 - TAAHC Women's Health Research Capacity Building Fellow
  • 2021 to 2022 - Early Career Researcher Award, Women's Health Research Translation Network, AHRA
Publications

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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ResearchOnline@JCU stores 13+ research outputs authored by Dr Janelle James from 2015 onwards.

Current Funding

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

Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre Limited - Research Assistance Scheme

Application, evaluation and validation of the Nutrition Education and Screening Tool in Mookai Rosie Bi Bayan; nutrition profiles, their determinants, and associations with birth outcomes.

Indicative Funding
$20,000 over 1 year
Summary
This study takes a participatory action approach to inquiry using mixed traditional/weste rn and quantitative/qualitative methods. To understand the determinants of nutrition-rel ated health outcomes of pregnant Australian Aboriginal women and babies, we must not only be able to empirically measure their dietary intake but seek to understand the motives underlying their dietary decision-making and the cultural factors that influence their dietary decision-making. We aim to determine these factors using a novel digital Nutrition Education and Screening Tool (NEST) and yarning circles.
Investigators
Janelle James, Ian Wright and Karen Yates (College of Medicine & Dentistry and College of Healthcare Sciences)
Keywords
Nutrition; Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islanders; Child health

Australian Health Research Alliance - Women's Health Research Translation Network (WHRTN)

The Far North Queensland My Body, My Baby Project.

Indicative Funding
$15,000 over 2 years
Summary
This project examines nutrition, its determinants and associations with birth outcomes in pregnant First People of Far North Queensland (FNQ) using the Maternal Outcomes and Nutrition Tool (MONT). Successfully piloted in South-East Queensland, the MONT offers a digital data collection tool suitable for use in culturally and linguistically diverse and low-literacy populations. In conducting this research, we aim to establish the nutrition and supplementation patterns exhibited by FNQ?s pregnant First People, identify those at risk of nutrition-related adverse outcomes, inform the development of primary health strategies to mitigate their risk and validate the MONT for use in pregnant First People.
Investigators
Janelle James, Ian Wright and Karen Yates in collaboration with Anthony Perkins and Theresa Simpson (College of Medicine & Dentistry, College of Healthcare Sciences, Griffith University and Mookai-Rosie Bi Bayan)
Keywords
Pregnancy; Nutrition; Birth outcomes; Health Literacy

Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation - Research Grant

The Far North Queensland My Body, My Baby Project.

Indicative Funding
$10,000 over 1 year
Summary
This project examines nutrition, its determinants and associations with birth outcomes in pregnant First People of Far North Queensland (FNQ) using the Maternal Outcomes and Nutrition Tool (MONT). Successfully piloted in South-East Queensland, the MONT offers a digital data collection tool suitable for use in culturally and linguistically diverse and low-literacy populations. In conducting this research, we aim to establish the nutrition and supplementation patterns exhibited by FNQ?s pregnant First People, identify those at risk of nutrition-related adverse outcomes, inform the development of primary health strategies to mitigate their risk and validate the MONT for use in pregnant First People.
Investigators
Janelle James, Ian Wright, Karen Yates and Theresa Simpson in collaboration with Anthony Perkins (College of Medicine & Dentistry, College of Healthcare Sciences, Griffith University and Mookai-Rosie Bi Bayan)
Keywords
Pregnancy; Nutrition; Birth Outcomes; Health Literacy

Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation - Research Grant

Implementation of a Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Design support model in the Cairns Clinical Research Unit.

Indicative Funding
$5,000 over 1 year
Summary
This project aims to introduce a biostatistics, epidemiology and research design (BERD) support model into research education and development activities via the CHHHS Clinical Research Unit (CRU). The CRU has historically been central to the conduct of research incubator workshops, monthly drop-in clinics and research cohort support programs. However, researchers at the Cairns Hospital campus don?t yet benefit from an incumbent bio-statistician and epidemiologist. This project aims to provide clinicians access to high-level biostatistics and epidemiology assistance, enhance the capability of the Research Officer through collaborative consultation and assess the efficacy of the BERD model in FNQ clinical research.
Investigators
Janelle James, Ian Wright, Edward Strivens and Susan Richmond (College of Medicine & Dentistry and Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service)
Keywords
Biostatistics; Research Design; Research Education
Supervision

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a 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
  • Understanding the Assessment of Midwifery Students' Competence to provide Woman-centred Care (Masters , Secondary Advisor)

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