Dr Mary O’Loughlin RN, BN, MPH, PhD, is a public health teaching academic at James Cook University (JCU). Her teaching includes health and the health care system in Australia; health promotion; qualitative and mixed methods research approaches; and program evaluation. In addition, she coordinates the postgraduate public health placement program. 

Mary's PhD project focused on the Health Care Homes model of primary health care, exploring the model implementation from the consumer perspective. Her Master's research project explored the health of Australian hairdressers. In 2023 she joined JCU's Cohort Doctoral Studies Program as a Cohort Mentor.

Mary is the co-convenor of the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) primary health care special interest group; and a member of the Consumer Health Forum (CHF) research and data special interest group.

Using quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods approaches to research, Mary has experience in a range of research projects including literature reviews, surveys, large-scale data linkages, interviews and focus groups. Areas of research interest include: consumer health; health service delivery and models of care; occupational epidemiology; oral health and health promotion; program evaluation; and approaches to learning and teaching.

Teaching

• HS1401: Health and Health Care in Australia (Level 1; TSV)
• HS2406: Health Promotion in Dentistry (Level 2; CNS)
• PC2208: Pharmaceutical Public Health and Primary Healthcare for Pharmacists (Level 2; CNS & TSV)
• TM5571: Public Health Placement (Level 5; TSV)

Interests

Research

• Consumer perspectives of health services
• Oral health promotion
• Public health and prevention
• Primary health care

Research Disciplines

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

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Provision of health and support services (2003)

Awards

• 2023 - JCU Digital Learning Initiative Grant, for HS1401 Health and Health Care in Australia
• 2020 - JCU Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning, awarded to the HS1401 Health and Health Care in Australia team
• 2020 - JCU Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning, awarded to the HS2406 Health Promotion in Dentistry team
• 2015 to 2018 - Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (AITHM) PhD scholarship

Other

• 2023 - Cohort Mentor (current), JCU Cohort Doctoral Studies Program
• 2022 to 2023 - Co-convenor (current), Primary Health Care Special Interest Group, Public Health Association of Australia

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

• Allen T, O'Loughlin M and Croker F (2022) Teaching health promotion competencies in undergraduate dentistry training: A unique pedagogical approach. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 33 (S1). pp. 35-38
• O'Loughlin M, West C and Mills J (2022) Medical homes and chronic care: consumer lessons for regional Australia. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 28 (2). pp. 97-103
• O'Loughlin M, Mills J, McDermott R and Harriss L (2020) Exploring the measure of potentially avoidable general practitioner-type presentations to the emergency department in regional Queensland using linked, patient-perspective data. Australian Health Review, 45 (1). pp. 90-96
• Harriss L, Thompson F, Lawson K, O'Loughlin M and McDermott R (2019) Preventable hospitalisations in regional Queensland: potential for primary health? Australian Health Review, 43 (4). pp. 371-381
• O'Loughlin M, Harriss L, Thompson F, McDermott R and Mills J (2019) Exploring factors that influence adult presentation to an emergency department in regional Queensland: a linked, cross‐sectional, patient perspective study. Emergency Medicine Australasia, 31 (3). pp. 67-75
• O'Loughlin M, Mills J, McDermott R and Harriss L (2017) Review of patient-reported experience within patient-centered medical homes: insights for Australian health care homes. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 23 (5). pp. 429-439

Other research outputs

• O'Loughlin M, Harriss L, Mills J, Thompson F and McDermott R (2020) Validating Indigenous status in a regional Queensland hospital emergency department dataset with patient‐linked data. Medical Journal of Australia, 212 (5). pp. 230-231

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