Deakin health research capabilities statements
Reforming aged care
The final report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care and Quality Safety laid bare the failures of Australia’s aged care system, calling for a ‘profound shift’ in which ‘the people receiving care are placed at the centre of a new aged care system’ and setting out comprehensive steps for reform of the sector.
Deakin University is already leading the way in improving the quality and safety of aged care, from cutting-edge and award- winning technology that makes life easier and safer for people with dementia and their carers, to the development and evaluation of new safety protocols and patient-centred care.
Supporting mental health
Almost half (45%) of Australians will experience a mental illness in their lifetime (AIHW 2021), with anxiety, depressive and substance use disorders the most common. Mental disorders, particularly depression, account for the highest burden of global disability, and increase the risk for many types of chronic health conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. More than $10.6 billion was spent on mental health
in Australia in 2018-19.
Our mental health researchers are ranked among the world’s best, and as pioneers in new fields of psychiatry and psychology. To increase our impact, we collaborate with leading national and international partners from universities, health care providers, community and advocacy groups, and philanthropic organisations.
Delivering tech for healthcare
Without medical technology, healthcare cannot be delivered.
At Deakin University, we’re contributing to Australia’s reputation as a prominent developer of medical technology worldwide.
Our health and engineering researchers are working hard
with industry partners to develop and test innovative and cost- effective medical devices that will provide new diagnostic tests and interventions in our communities.
Improving health for regional and rural Australians
Australians living in regional and rural areas (around seven million of us, according to the 2022 census) often have poorer health outcomes than people living in metropolitan areas, including higher rates of hospitalisations, deaths and injury.
They also have poorer access to, and use of, primary health care services than people living in major cities (AIHW 2022).
At Deakin University, our research is seeking to address these gaps in healthcare between country and city, to understand why access to good health is poorer in rural and regional areas and provide evidence-informed solutions.
Towards an accessible society
Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031 promotes an inclusive society where everybody has the same opportunities.
Deakin University’s research is supporting the Strategy’s vision for a more inclusive and accessible society where all people with disability can fulfil their potential as equal members of the community.
Digital Health at Deakin
Digital health technologies offer an equitable, inexpensive and accessible way to deliver health services and treatments.
From smart homes to smart apps, digital health at Deakin includes eHealth (health care practices supported by electronic processes and communication); mHealth (using mobile phones and tablets
for health services and information); remote patient monitoring; virtual health (where technology and patients are collaborators in healthcare delivery to overcome time and distance barriers); and other electronic health programs, including telehealth, telemedicine, electronic medical records and evaluation of digital health technologies.
Annual Reports
Applied Artificial Intelligence Institute (A²I²)
The Applied Artificial Intelligence Institute (A²I²) transforms industries and improves lives by developing and implementing safe, effective uses of AI and exploring new frontiers in AI research. The Institute has a mission to build AI systems that benefit Australian industries and society, including critical areas such as health, security, manufacturing and aged care.
Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation (ADI)
The Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation (ADI) creates cutting-edge knowledge about citizenship, diversity, inclusion and globalisation that informs scholarship, debate and policy. Our mission is to understand complex social issues associated with globalising processes through innovative, mixed-method multidisciplinary research.
Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM)
The Institute for Frontier Materials has a vibrant, internationally flavoured research culture. We seek to carry out research for the benefit of society by re-designing materials for a circular economy and by imparting materials with extraordinary functionality.
Institute for Health Transformation (IHT)
The Institute for Health Transformation (IHT) at Deakin University brings together the expertise of more than 200 researchers in determinants of health, obesity prevention, health economics and quality and patient safety to address the key challenges facing our health systems.
Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT)
IMPACT officially launched as an Institute in December 2019, merging two Deakin University Strategic Research Centres: the Centre for Molecular and Metabolic Research (CMMR) and the Centre for Innovation in Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Treatment (IMPACT).
Today, IMPACT is made up of a diverse team of over 200 researchers, led by Director Alfred Deakin Professor Michael Berk and Deputy Director Professor Ken Walder.
Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN)
The Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN) is a world-leading research institute committed to improving health and quality of life. It aims to reduce the rates of chronic disease through nutrition and physical activity research excellence while fostering the next generation of research stars.
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