Dr Heidi Gilchrist
PhD, MPH (Hons), B. App Sci Physiotherapy (Hons1, University Medal)
​Senior Lecturer in Public Health, Academic Coordinator, Master of Public Health Program
Dr Heidi Gilchrist is an early career researcher at the Institute for Musculoskeletal Health in the "Physical activity, Healthy Ageing and Disability" research stream, as well as a public health educator and physiotherapist. She uses qualitative and mixed research methods to understand how to make physical activity relevant and accessible for everyone, particularly people aged 50+ and those with disabilities. She has expertise in conducting in-depth process evaluations in parallel with intervention trials. She has contributed to high impact research, such as the rapid review of physical activity programs and services for older people, commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO), which informed the development of the WHO international toolkit for promoting physical activity for older people. She is a Chief Investigator on Active Women over 50, an MRFF funded grant ($1,218,977) promoting physical activity to women over 50 in regional and remote areas and recently led 3 successful competitive ECR grants ($68,900) to develop a clinical trial of dance classes for older people and fall prevention. She has published over 20 peer-reviewed papers, 10 as first author.
KEY PUBLICATIONS​
Key Research Projects
Tailored Dance Pilot Trial
This study aims to test the feasibility, acceptability, and intervention impact of a tailored dance program for people aged 65+. The results will inform the design and methods for a planned large trial of tailored dance classes for older people, with falls as the primary outcome. Recruitment has finished, currently in the third of four rounds of a 10-week dance program. Funding for this project comes from the Physiotherapy Research Foundation and The Faculty of Medicine and Health Targeted Funding.
We hope the findings of this project lead to the implementation of a remotely delivered information and support program that is effective in improving physical activity and other physical and mental health outcomes in women aged 50+ years. The aim of this project is to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the Active Women over 50 program for increasing physical activity compared with a no intervention wait-list, among 1000 women aged 50+ in urban and rural/regional/remote NSW. Participants will be randomly allocated to one of two groups. Group one will receive access to the Active Women over 50 program including a tailored website, telephone health coaching, SMS/email-based messages and Facebook group, to provide support, motivation and guidance on increasing physical activity. Group two will be placed on a waitlist and receive access to the Active Women over 50 program after the 6 month follow-up. Principal Investigator: Professor Anne Tiedemann (IMH) Investigators: Professor Cathie Sherrington (IMH), Associate Professor Leanne Hassett (IMH), Professor Philayrath Phongsavan (University of Sydney), Emeritus Professor Adrian Bauman (University of Sydney), Dr Abigail Haynes (University of Sydney), Dr Marina de Barros Pinheiro (University of Sydney), Dr Dominika Kwasnicka (University of Melbourne), Professor Nehmat Houssami (University of Sydney), Associate Professor Simon Rosenbaum (University of New South Wales), Associate Professor Georgina Luscombe (University of Sydney), Dr Heidi Gilchrist (University of Sydney), Geraldine Wallbank (University of Sydney), Dr Grace McKeon (University of New South Wales), Professor Kirsten Howard (University of Sydney), Dr Raaj Kishore Biswas (SLHD), Susan Linney (consumer advisor), Trish Stabback (consumer advisor CWA NSW), Kamilla Haufort (consumer advisor COTA NSW). The sponsor of this trial is The University of Sydney. Funding is from the Medical Research Future Fund.
We hope the findings of this project lead to the development of a dance program that is effective in preventing falls among people aged 60+ years. RIPE Dance (Really Is Possible for Everyone), provides popular, long-running tailored dance programs, with a fall prevention focus, for over 100 older people in Southeast Queensland. We plan to conduct a pilot RCT of RIPE dance classes for community-dwelling people aged 60+. The objective is to test the feasibility, acceptability, and intervention impact of the RIPE dance classes. The results will inform the design and methods for a planned large trial of tailored dance classes for older people, with falls as the primary outcome. Principal Investigator: Dr Heidi Gilchrist (IMH) Investigators: Professor Anne Tiedemann (IMH), Professor Cathie Sherrington (IMH), Dr Abigail Haynes (University of Sydney), Dr Juliana Oliveira (IMH), Professor Dafna Merom (Western Sydney University). The sponsor of this trial is The University of Sydney. Funding is from the Physiotherapy Research Foundation.
The aim of this trial is to i) adapt and ii) test the impact of an effective group-based exercise mobility program across two hospitals in Sydney: St George Private Hospital and Prince of Wales Hospital. Stage 1 of this project will involve collaborative adaptation of the program with clinicians, consumers and managers. Stage 2 will involve a stepped wedge trial. We have submitted ethics application for Stage 1. Academic lead investigator: Dr Marina Pinheiro Clinician Lead investigator: Dr Peter Youssef, Prof Cathie Sherrington Our team comprises academics, clinicians, and consumers from both sites. This project is funded by a Ramsay Research Foundation Grant. For more information about this study please contact Dr Marina Pinheiro: marina.pinheiro@sydney.edu.au
TOP UP aims to provide an effective and scalable way to deliver tailored physiotherapist-prescribed exercise programs that improve mobility, reduce falls and enhance quality of life for aged care services users. The TOP UP program was co-designed in partnership with aged care providers, physiotherapists and aged care service users and their caregivers. A pilot trial found it to be acceptable, feasible and effective at increasing mobility and quality of life with reduced falls, including in people with moderate dementia, and those living at home as in residential aged care. We are now further developing the TOP UP website using ‘double diamond’ co-design methodology.