Prof Kerrianne Watt ~ Adjunct Professor

Professor Watt (PhD; BSc(Hons)) is an Epidemiologist with a background in research methods and evidence-based practice, with specific expertise in injury epidemiology & the prehospital/emergency sector. She is Principal Research Manager  in the Information Support, Research and Evaluation unit within Queensland Ambulance Service. She holds an Adjunct Professor position with the College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, where she was formerly Associate Dean Research Education (3 years), and Team Leader of the Research Methods team (8 years) in the Discipline of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, responsible for teaching Epidemiology and Biostatistics to postgraduate and undergraduate students in the Health Sciences. Her research has a strong translational focus, in line with her ethos to increase the capacity of healht professionals in the prehospital/emergency sector to conduct, engage with and interpret high quality research to improve clinical practice, ultimately improving health and wellbeing of the community.   

 She has 100+ peer-reviewed publications (+several in press), which have attracted numerous citations (GoogleScholar: 29796); 9 monographs; 1 Encyclopaedia entry; and 90+ conference presentations (3 awards). Her H-index is 24. Her research has a strong translational focus, in line with her ethos to increase the evidence-base with high-quality research to improve health. She is a leading Investigator on several grants via competitively-funded schemes, & regularly engages in consultations. 

 Professor Watt was President of the Australian Injury Prevention Network (AIPN) for 4 years, and remains on the Executive. She was Co-Editor for the journal of the Australasian Epidemiology Association for 2 years. She has been a Board Member of Kidsafe QLD since 2016, and served on the Townsville Hospital and Health Services HREC for 3 years. She is a regular reviewer for NHMRC and EMF grants. 

 

Past PhD Students

As well as current PhD students (see "Supervision" tab for more details), Kerrianne has supervised students from other universities. These include:

• The Epidemiology and Characteristics of Low Speed Vehicle Run Over Incidents in Queensland Children aged 0-15 years, Between 1999-2009 (Secondary Advisor; UQ)
• The Psycho-social Impact of fatal Child Drowning in Queensland and the Availability and Use of Support (Secondary Advisor, UQ)
• Drowning In Queensland Children and Adolescents 0-19yrs 2002-2008: Incidence, Risk Factors and Interventions (Secondary Advisor, UQ)
• Environmentally-related health impacts of coal seam gas development: An impact assessment approach in Queensland, Australia (Secondary Advisor, UQ)
• Feedback and self-rated driving abilities among older adults: the impact of advanced driver assistance systems (Secondary Advisor, QUT). Recommended for Outstanding Thesis Award.  
• Preventing paediatric hot beverage scalds (Secondary Advisor. UQ).  

Interests

Research

• Injury Prevention/Epidemiology
• Prehospital/Emergency
• Epidemiology/Statistics
• Research Methods
• Alcohol/Substance Use
• Mental Health
• Paediatrics (especially injury)
• Public Health
• Factors Associated with Performance and Anxiety in Learning Research Methods subjects

Teaching

• Epidemiology
• Statistics
• Research Methods
• Injury Epidemiology / Prevention

Experience

• 2020 to present - Principal Research Manager, Queensland Ambulance Service (Brisbane)
• 2016 to 2020 - Associate Dean, Research Education, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University (Townsville)
• 2011 to 2020 - Associate Professor, Injury Epidemiology/Research Methods, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University (Townsville)
• 2012 to 2014 - Director, Research Training, School of Public Health, Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences, James Cook Univeristy (Townsville)
• 2009 to 2011 - Senior Lecturer, Injury Epidemiology, School of Population Health, University of Queensland (Brisbane)
• 2005 to 2009 - Clinical Research Co-ordinator, Australian Centre for Prehospital Research (Brisbane)
• 2003 to 2004 - Research Fellow, Violence Research Group; Department of Oral Surgery, Medicine and Pathology University of Wales College of Medicine (Cardiff, Wales, UK)

Research Disciplines

• Public health (4206)
• Clinical sciences (3202)
• Health services and systems (4203)

Awards

• 2019 - National Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning
• 2014 - Nominated for Australian Road Safety Community Program Award (Low speed vehicle run over multimedia education campaign)
• 2013 - National Road Safety Award – “”Low Speed Vehicle Runover project”
• 2012 - Ambassador, Kidsafe Queensland
• 2009 - • Queensland Emergency Medicine Research Foundation, Grant Review Panel
• 2008 - Australia Day Achievement Medallion for “Exemplary contribution to the research activity of the Australian Centre for Prehospital Research”
• 2004 - Joint Winner, Best Poster. Annual Symposium for the Society for the Study of Addiction, York, United Kingdom.
• 2003 - Runner up, Best Poster. Annual Symposium for the Society for the Study of Addiction, Leeds, United Kingdom
• 2001 - Student Bursary, Australian Injury Prevention Network, for attendance at National Injury Prevention Conference, Warrnambool, 2001
• 1996 - Finalist in Australian Red Cross Young Ambassador Awards

Memberships

• 2016 - Director, Kidsafe QLD Board (Social Inclusion Portfolio & Deputy Chair, Clinical Advisory Board, from August 2017)
• 2013 - Member, Ethics Committee, Townsville Hospital and Health Services
• 2012 - Global Burden of Disease, Injury Expert Group
• 2010 - ICE (International Collaboration on Injury Research Methods)
• 1999 - Australian Injury Prevention Network
• 2009 to 2014 - • Public Health Association of Australia (Injury Prevention Special Interest Group; & Executive Committee, QLD Branch)

Other

• 2013 to 2016 - President, Australian Injury Prevention Network
• 2013 to 2014 - Co-Editor, Journal for Australasian Epidemiological Association

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

• Miller L, Franklin R, Watt K and Leggat P (2022) Travel-weary to travel-worry: the epidemiology of injury-related traveller deaths in Australia, 2006-2017. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 46 (3). pp. 407-414
• Pemberton K, Franklin R, Bosley E and Watt K (2021) Long-term outcomes of adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Queensland, Australia (2002–2014): incidence and temporal trends. Heart, 107 (16). pp. 1310-1319
• King J, Franklin R, Devine S, Watt K and Leggat P (2020) Exploring Australian residents cycling engagement – differences in self‐reported cycling behaviour between urban and rural dwelling Queenslanders. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 31 (1). pp. 93-103
• Mudd J, Larkins S and Watt K (2020) The effect of excess alcohol consumption on clinical outcomes in regional patients with chronic disease: a retrospective chart audit. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 44 (6). pp. 451-456
• Mudd J, Larkins S and Watt K (2020) The impact of excess alcohol consumption on health care utilisation in regional patients with chronic disease – a retrospective chart audit. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 44 (6). pp. 457-461
• Nath K, Ganeshalingam V, Ewart B, Heyer E, Watt K, Birchley A, Casey J, Lai H, Morris E and Hodges G (2020) A retrospective analysis of the prevalence and clinical outcomes of vitamin D deficiency in myeloma patients in tropical Australia. Supportive Care in Cancer, 28. pp. 1249-1254
• Bates N, Callander E, Lindsay D and Watt K (2019) Patient co-payments for women diagnosed with breast cancer in Australia. Supportive Care in Cancer, 28. pp. 2217-2227
• Burgess J, Watt K, Kimble R and Cameron C (2019) Knowledge of childhood burn risks and burn first aid: cool runnings. Injury Prevention, 25 (4). pp. 301-306
• Franklin R, Watt K, Aitken P, Brown L and Leggat P (2019) Characteristics associated with first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation training and use in Queensland, Australia. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, 34 (2). pp. 155-160
• Land H, Gordon S and Watt K (2019) Effect of manual physiotherapy in homogeneous individuals with subacromial shoulder impingement: a randomized controlled trial. Physiotherapy Research International, 24 (2).
• Pemberton K, Franklin R and Watt K (2019) Strategies to improve out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes in the pre-hospital environment – Part A: pharmaceutical strategies. Australasian Journal of Paramedicine, 16.

Book Chapters

• Franklin R, Miller L, Watt K and Leggat P (2021) Tourist injury. In: Tourist Health, Safety and Wellbeing in the New Normal. Springer, Singapore, pp. 189-218

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 101+ research outputs authored by Prof Kerrianne Watt from 2012 onwards.

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

• Senior manager leadership competencies to promote and protect residential aged care, quality of care. (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
• Variance in Policy Adoption in the Pacific: The case for Context-Specific NCD Prevention and Control Measures and the role of the NCD Best Buys (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
• Patient Safety: Risk Management of Paramedic Initiated Non-Transport Cases. (Masters , Secondary Advisor)
• Paramedic paediatric readiness for trauma: self-efficacy, attitudes and confidence (PART SEAC) (Masters , Secondary Advisor/AM)
• Exploring the faecal microbiome of preterm infants (PhD , Advisor Mentor)
• Patient preferences and perspectives; and clinical considerations in motion monitoring during prostate radiation therapy treatment (PhD , Advisor Mentor)
• Aeromedical Retrieval of People with Acute Behavioural Disturbance (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
• Cannabis Withdrawal Among Indigenous Detainees/Inmates. (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
• Features of Primary Health Care Services in Remote Indigenous Communities that Contribute to Hospital Avoidance for Ambulatory Sensitive Chronic Conditions (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
• Psychological intervention for reducing emergency department (ED) representations ? A randomised controlled trial (RCT) (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
• Perils in Paradise: The epidemiology of tourist injuries in Queensland, Australia (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
• Improving the search: An exploratory study into locating disposed homicide victims. (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)

Completed

• Medicalised childbirth: variation in care and drivers of maternal health service provision in Queensland, Australia (2021, PhD , Advisor Mentor)
• Strengthening health promotion and research in practice: the experiences of an Aboriginal community controlled health service (2017, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Chronic low back pain: diagnostic classification, physical assessment and ultrasound imaging (2018, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Specific physiotherapy management for subacromial shoulder impingement (2018, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Addressing the impact of disasters on public health infrastructure and noncommunicable diseases (2018, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Preventing intrauterine growth restriction and improving infant growth outcomes in Bangladesh (2017, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Quantifying the cost of cancer in Australia, and the distribution of these costs by Indigenous status, remoteness, and socioeconomic disadvantage (2019, PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
• Centre of mass accelerations related to running performance and prospective study on running injuries (2020, PhD , Advisor Mentor)
• Disparities in experiences of access to care for Australians with mental health conditions (2020, PhD , Advisor Mentor)
• An investigation of the Impacts of excess alcohol Consumption on chronic Disease management in a Regional setting (2020, PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
• Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in Queensland, Australia – Epidemiology and predictors of outcome (2020, PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
• The paradox of informed consent issues in paediatric status epilepticus research (2019, PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)

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.