JCU > Research Portfolio > Dr Stephanie Topp

About

Dr. Stephanie Topp is a Senior Lecturer in Global Health and Development in the College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences and an Associate Research Fellow at the Nossal Institute for Global Health, University of Melbourne. She has 15 years’ experience working as a health systems practitioner and researcher with substantial experience in low-income settings, including in PNG, India, South Africa and Zambia. She was awarded a Masters in International Public Health (University of Sydney) in 2004; a MPhil in Development Studies as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University in 2006 and a PhD in Global Health (University Melbourne) in 2014.

Steph is the Associate Editor for Health Systems with BMJ Global Health and current co-chair of the Health Systems Global thematic working group on social science research (SHAPES). She is also a regular contributer to the International Health Policies Blog. She is a member of the Australian Institute for Tropical Health and Medicine and the Anton Breinl Centre for Health Systems Strengthening. She was previously a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Health Care Organization and Policy unit, School of Public Health, University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB).

Steph welcomes enquiries regarding PhD supervision in the field of health systems and policy research and global health.

BLOGS and MEDIA

Jul 2018 BuzzFeed: Australians With Mental Health Conditions Have a Really hard Time Accessing Medical Care Compared with Everyone Else
Jun 2017 International Health Policies: Preparation! Emergency! Recovery! Is resilience silently reshaping our approach to health system strengthening?
Jun 2017: International Health Policies: 'Lackeys or liberators' revisited: community health workers and health system accountability.
Mar 2017: International Health Policies - Where's the complexity: reflections on the aims of the Lancet Global Commission on High Quality Health systems.
Mar 2016: Health System Global Blogs - Critiquing the concept of resilience in health systems.
Feb 2016: International Health Policies - Working with what we've got - another reflection on human resources for health
Oct 2015: International Health Policies - We must move beyond the pay vs. no pay debate for community health workers
Feb 2016: Health Systems Global Blogs - The role of health systems and policy research in supporting reform for women prisoners.
Jul 2016: Health Policy and Planning Debated - Prisoner Health in Zambia: what does a systems-thinking approach reveal?
May 2015: Zambia Daily Mail - Zambia prisons health system receives boost
Feb 2014: Sydney Morning Herald - Containing infection in Zambian Prisons

Teaching

TM5501: Tropical Medicine (Level 5; TSV)
TM5502: Tropical Public Health (Level 5; TSV)
TM5506: Social Science in Public Health (Level 5; TSV)
TM5552: Global Health and Development (Level 5; TSV)

Interests

Professional

Associate Editor, Health Systems (2016-ongoing): BMJ Global Health
External Advisory Group (2017-2020): Optimizing Momentum Toward Sustainable Epidemic Control program, ICAP at Columbia
Elected Chair (2017-2019): Social Sciences Thematic Working Group, Health Systems Global
Expert Reviewer (2015-2018): STOP TB Key & Vulnerable Population Guides / and Guides to Effective Case Finding
Reviewer (2014-ongoing): UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre
Publication Mentor (2018): WHO Alliance for Health Systems and Policy Research - Women in Publication mentorship scheme
Accredited Abstract Mentor (2010-ongoing): International AIDS Society
Scientific Committee (2014/16/18): Health Systems Research symposium
Scientific Committee (2017): Fourth Global Forum on Human Resources for Health, Dublin.

Research

Associate Research Fellow (2014-ongoing): Nossal Institute for Global Health, University of Melbourne
Guest Editor (2017-2018): Special Issue on Social Sciences in Health Systems Research, IJEH (forthcoming)
Contributor (2014-Ongoing): International Health Policies Blogs

Teaching

Learning and Teaching Committee (2015-ongoing): Discipline of Public Health, James Cook University
Acting Graduate Academic Advisor (Mar-July 2018): Discipline of Public Health, James Cook University
Faculty / Curriculum Development Committee (2016-ongoing): Emerging Voices for Global Health Fellowship Program

Experience

2017 to 2019 - Consultant, University of North Carolina (UNC) (Townsville / Malawi)
2015 to 2018 - Senior Lecturer, James Cook University (Townsville)
2017 - Consultant, World Health Organisation (Townsville / Myanmar)
2012 to 2015 - Visiting Assistant Professor, University of Alabama (Birmingham) (Zambia)
2011 to 2012 - Doctoral Fellow, Population Council (Zambia)
2008 to 2010 - Program Manager, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (Zambia)

Research Disciplines

Socio-Economic Objectives

Honours

Awards

2004 to 2006 - NSW Rhodes Scholar

Fellowships

2014 to 2015 - Associate Research Fellow, Nossal Institute for Global Health, University of Melbourne
2013 - Emerging Voices for Global Health, Institute for Tropical Medicine (ITM), Antwerp.
2011 to 2012 - Doctoral Fellowship, Population Council Zambia
2007 to 2008 - HIVCorps Fellow, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia

Memberships

2016 to 2018 - Scientific Committee, 4th Global Symposium on Health Systems Research
2012 to 2018 - Health Systems Global
2008 to 2018 - International AIDS Society

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

Corscadden L, Callander E and Topp S (in press) International comparisons of disparities in access to care for people with mental health conditions. International Journal of Health Planning and Management,
Edelman A, Taylor J, Ovseiko P and Topp S (2018) The role of academic health centres in improving health equity: a systematic review. Journal Of Health Organization And Management, 32 (2). pp. 279-297
Hatwiinda S, Topp S, Siyambango M, Harris J, Maggard K, Chileshe C, Kapata N, Reid S and Henostroza G (2018) Poor continuity of care for TB diagnosis and treatment in Zambian prisons: a situation analysis. Tropical Medicine and International Health, 23 (2). pp. 243-250
Rabkin M, de Pinho H, Michaels-Strasser S, Naitore D, Rawat A and Topp S (2018) Strengthening the health workforce to support integration of HIV and noncommunicable disease services in sub-Saharan Africa. AIDS, 32 (Suppl 1). pp. S47-S54
Sriram V, Topp S, Schaaf M, Mishra A, Flores W, Rajasulochana S and Scott K (in press) 10 best resources on power in health policy and systems in low-and middle-income countries. Health Policy and Planning,
Topp S, Edelman A and Taylor S (2018) "We are everything to everyone": a systematic review of factors influencing the accountability relationships of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers (AHWs) in the Australian health system. International Journal for Equity in Health, 17 (67).
Topp S, Mwamba C, Sharma A, Mukamba N, Beres L, Geng E, Holmes C and Sikazwe I (2018) Rethinking retention: mapping interactions between multiple factors that influence long-term engagement in HIV care. PLoS One, 13 (3).
Topp S, Sharma A, Moonga C, Chileshe C, Magwende G and Henostroza G (2018) Evaluation of a health system strengthening initiative in the Zambian prison system. BMJ Global Health, 3.
Topp S, Abimbola S, Joshi R and Negin J (2018) How to assess and prepare health systems in low- and middle-income countries for integration of services: a systematic review. Health Policy and Planning, 33 (2). pp. 298-312
Mwanza M, Zulu J, Topp S, Musonda P, Mutale W and Chilengi R (2017) Use of lot quality assurance sampling surveys to evaluate community health worker performance in rural Zambia: a case of Luangwa district. BMC Health Services Research, 17. pp. 1-8
Schaaf M, Topp S and Ngulube M (2017) From favours to entitlements: community voice and action and health service quality in Zambia. Health Policy and Planning, 32 (6). pp. 847-859
Topp S, Moonga C, Luo N, Kaingu M, Chileshe C, Magwende G and Henostroza G (2017) Mapping the Zambian prison health system: an analysis of key structural determinants. Global Public Health, 12 (7). pp. 858-475

More: ResearchOnline@JCU stores 42+ research outputs authored by Dr Stephanie Topp from 2010 onwards.

Current Funding

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

Cancer Council NSW - Strategic Research Partnership Grant

Identifying the Out of Pocket costs of cancer care and the impact on healthcare access and patient outcomes - STREP Ca-CindaA

Indicative Funding: $121,160 (administered by Menzies School of Health Research)
Summary: AIM 1: Quantify the out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure of individuals who are diagnosed with cancer and compare it with their clinical outcomes. This will be done by building Australia?s first model of the out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure of cancer patients using administrative data. AIM 2: Identify the impact of out-of-pocket costs on decisions about health care utilisation. This qualitative research component will be undertaken, which aims to explore and explain how out-of-pocket costs (both anticipated and unanticipated) affect the health seeking decisions and behaviours of cancer patients and their families.
Investigators: Emily Callander, Sarah Larkins, Stephanie Topp and Sabe Sabesan (Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine, College of Medicine & Dentistry, College of Public Health and Medical & Vet Sciences)
Keywords: Health Economics; Patient costs; Cancer; Indigenous; Rural Health; Access

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - Grant

Differentiated care for improved health systems efficiency and health outcomes in Zambia (Efficient Health)

Indicative Funding: $118,491 over 3 years (administered by Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia)
Summary: Over the last decade, successful roll out of antiretroviral theraph (ART) for HIV infected individuals in Zambia has resulted in over 600,000 adults and children accessing treatment. However, continued scale-up of treatment services is severely straining already overburdened health centres and hospitals. Working with the Government of the Republic of Zambia, this project will conduct formative and operations research to build a body of evidence on the needs for preferences perceptions and feasibility of further decentralised, community-based ART services.
Investigators: Charles Holmes, Izukanji Sikazwe and Stephanie Topp in collaboration with Carolyn Bolton, Crispin Moyo, Bushimbwa Tambatamba, Mwanza wa Mwanza, Arianna Zanolini, Richard Mutemwa, Elvin Geng, Nancy Padian, Monika Roy, Henry Epino and Nancy Czaicki (Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Ministry of Health, GRZ, University of California - San Francisco, Harvard University, College of Public Health and Medical & Vet Sciences)
Keywords: HIV care and treatment; Health Services; Service delivery; Antiretroviral therapy; Engagement in care

Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia - Contract Research

Treatment as Prevention in Correctional Facilities in Southern Africa (TasP Prisons)

Indicative Funding: $72,176 over 3 years
Summary: Limited data from Southern Africa suggest that concentration of HIV-infected individuals and high-risk sexual behaviours in correctional facilities may be driving HIV transmission in incarcerated populations. Despite the implications of incarceration - related HIV transmission on individual and public health, little evidence exists to guide implementation of HIV prevention strategies in these settings. One such strategy, Treatment as Prevention (TasP), offers promise to: (1) prevent HIV transmission among incarcerated men having sex with men and people who use drugs; and (2) improve inmate health and tuberculosis control. In this project we will implement TasP in three correctional facilities - one in Zambia and two in South Africa - and evaluate TasP implementation as a strategy to coordinate the HIV care continuum and assure appropriate TB assessment among HIV-infected inmates.
Investigators: Stephanie Topp, Stewart Reid and Monde Myoyeta in collaboration with Michael Herce, Crispin Moyo, Chileshe Chisela, Sisa Hatwiinda, German Henostroza, Salome Charalambous and Katherine Fielding (College of Public Health, Medical & Vet Sciences, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Ministry of Health, GRZ, Zambia Prisons Service, University of Alabama - Birmingham, The Aurum Institute and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine)
Keywords: HIV Care & Treatment; Prison Health Services; Service Delivery; Antiretroviral Therapy; Anti-Tuberculosis Therapy

Supervision

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

Gender Equity in Health Services and the Economics of Childbearing (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
The role of Academic Health Science Centres in driving translational research to improve the health of underserved populations worldwide (PhD , Primary Advisor)
The Know-do gap: Exploringfactors Influencing the Integration of Risk Communication Principles into Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response in a High and Low Income Setting (PhD , Primary Advisor)
Measuring performance in mental health care with a focus on vulnerable groups in Australia (PhD , Secondary Advisor)

Collaboration

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.