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Brett Tindall Memorial Lecture 2024 | Dr Louise Causer

22 October 2024
1.00pm – 2.00pm AEDT
The Kirby Institute, Level 6 Seminar Room, UNSW Kensington
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Achieving equitable access to diagnosis and cure for sexually transmissible infections in remote Australia


Young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in remote Australia face considerable barriers in accessing diagnosis and cure for sexually transmissible infections (STIs). These barriers lead to high rates of curable STIs, which when undiagnosed, can result in adverse reproductive and pregnancy consequences, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, infertility, and preterm and low birth weight babies.

Dr Causer will present her research that has contributed to the evaluation and scale-up of molecular point-of-care (POC) testing for curable STIs in Australia, demonstrating the significant clinical and public health benefits of STI POC testing in regional and remote primary care settings, and resulting in new national funding for STI POC testing, including a first-of-its-kind Medicare rebate.

 

*Please note this is a hybrid seminar with registration options for in-person and online attendance. Lunch will be provided from 12:00pm for in-person attendees, with the seminar to follow at 1pm.

Speakers
Dr Louise Causer

Dr Louise Causer

Senior Lecturer, Global Health Program & Surveillance and Evaluation Research Program, Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney

Dr Causer is a Senior Lecturer and medical epidemiologist at the Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney. Following her medical training in Australia, Louise has pursued a career in public health which has included an MSc in Public Health and a Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene from LSHTM, Epidemic Intelligence Officer training at the US CDC, and a PhD at the Kirby Institute, UNSW. The focus of her research over the past decade has been on achieving equitable access to diagnosis and cure for sexually transmitted infections in remote Australia.