A world renowned health research team led by Distinguished Professor Richard Osborne has joined La Trobe University’s Rural Health School.
This prestigious appointment strengthens La Trobe’s commitment to advancing global health research, particularly in the areas of health equity, health literacy, and community-based intervention development.
Professor Osborne and his team are pioneers in developing methods and processes for community co-design and intervention development. Many of the research breakthroughs from his team improve people’s access to and use of health and community services.
His work, which includes the development of the Ophelia (Optimising Health Literacy and Access) process and numerous health questionnaires, has been implemented in over 85 countries to improve health outcomes and equity.
He holds Australia’s most prestigious health research leadership award, the NHMRC Investigator Grant (L3) and ranks among the top one per cent of most influential researchers worldwide.
La Trobe Rural Health School Dean Professor Jane Mills said Professor Osborne would be a significant addition to the University.
“We are delighted to welcome Richard and his team of excellent researchers who will join the Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research,” Professor Mills said.
“Richard Osborne is a world leader in equity research that has a direct relationship to rural health and wellbeing.”
Professor Osborne said he was excited to join La Trobe and collaborate with researchers to help reduce the gap in health outcomes between rural and metropolitan Australians.
“I look forward to working closely with my peers at the Rural Health School to further health research and find new ways in which we can promote health literacy in rural and regional parts of Australia,” he said.
“My team and I are ambitious for rural health and equity, through La Trobe’s outstanding relationships and reputation, we are now set to partner with communities to codesign and advance health and equity like we have seen before.
Professor Osborne and his team have completed a wide range of assignments for the World Health Organization (WHO). He was the health literacy consultant for the Independent High-Level Commission on Non-Communicable Diseases (Health Literacy). He is the lead author of the report WHO Health Literacy Development for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, which has been classified as a Global Public Health Good.
