Senior Lecturer
Dr Ben Harris-Roxas
PhD (Public Health, UNSW) The impact and effectiveness of health equity impact assessment on health service planning
Master of Policy and Applied Social Research (Macquarie)
Bachelor of Social Work (UNSW)
Medicine & Health
School of Population Health
I am a health services researcher with more than twenty years of experience in universities, consulting and government.
I'm passionate about strengthening health organisations and systems of care to meet the needs of culturally diverse groups, people with disabilities, and carers.
E-mail
Location
School of Population Health
Level 3, Samuels Building
UNSW Sydney NSW 2052
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
Career research income
Total research funding $16.712 million
Category 1 Competitive peer-reviewed research funding programs $5.788 million
Category 2 Australian government funding $8.838 million
Category 3 International and industry funding $2.085 million
Grants in past five years
- Dawes, P., Scarinci, N., Newall, J., Ching, T., Armitage, C., Waite, C., Orlando, M., & Harris-Roxas, B. (2023). Improving access to the hearing services program for people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (NHMRC 2021 Hearing Health Evidence Based Support Services).
- Ford, J., Vohra, S., Purdy, J., Walton, H., Ekermawi, R., O’Mullane, M., Birley, M., Douglas, M., Stevenson, A., Haigh, F., Harris-Roxas, B., Green, L., Black, D., Cave, B., Holroyd, I., & Lynch, H. (2023). Health Impact Assessments – current state of play and future direction [Grant FR-0004051] (The Health Foundation England).
- O’Mullane, M., Smith, K., Archibong, U., McHugh, S., Mullally, G., Purdy, J., Pursell, L., Harris-Roxas, B., Kelly, I., Kavanagh, P., Daly, H., O’Mahony, T., Green, L., Ward, J., Burke, S., Connolly, B., & Cave, B. (2023). Development of a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) Implementation Model: Enhancing Intersectoral Approaches in Tackling Health Inequalities (Irish Health Research Board).
- Seale, H., Harris-Roxas, B., Goddard, C., Smith, M., Heinrichs, D., Bromhead, H., Macnamara, J., & Blazek, K. (2023). Community driven communication and engagement during health crisis periods: Co-designing enhanced and transferable strategies (NHMRC 2022 Ideas Grants).
- Hwang, Y., Withall, A., Harris-Roxas, B., Butler, T., Snoyman, P., Hampton, S., Elmer, S., & Cheng, C. (2022). "Turning on the HEADLITes”: Towards the first health and digital literacy intervention for older Australians leaving prison (UNSW Ageing Futures Institute 2022 Seed Funding Grant).
- O’Dea, B., Li, S., Whitton, A., & Harris-Roxas, B. (2022). While We Wait: Using digital technology to improve care for young people awaiting in-person mental health services (UNSW Medicine Neuroscience, Mental Health and Addiction Theme & SPHERE Clinical Academic Group (CAG).
- Dadich, A., Harris-Roxas, B., Ní Shé, É., Ní Chroinin, D., Kohler, F., & Boydell, K. (2021). What constitutes a brilliant model of aged care? (Sydney Partnership for Health Education, Research and Enterprise (SPHERE) Age and Ageing Clinical Academic Group).
- Haigh, F., Harris-Roxas, B., & Kanti Mistry, S. (2021). A rapid literature review to identify equity issues in access and delivery of telehealth interventions (Sydney Local Health District)
- Harris, Mark, Aslani, P., Levesque, J.-F., Barr, M., Sharma, A., Harris-Roxas, B., Wright, M., & Osborne, R. (2021). Community Health workers Extending Care in the Community (CHECC) (NHMRC Partnership Project Grants 2021, GNT1196912).
- Harris, M., Liaw, W., Chin, M., Knight, A., Harris, C., Goodger, B., Vuong, K., Harris-Roxas, B., & Taggart, J. (2021). Improving the quality of long term cancer survivorship care for colorectal and breast cancers (Avant Foundation)
- Harris-Roxas, B., Woodland, L., Freeman, B., McKenzie, R., El Haddad, N., Chan, L., & Sitas, F. (2021). Shisha No Thanks Phase 3: Raising awareness of the harms of waterpipe smoking (Cancer Institute NSW).
- McDonald, A., Harris, M., Simpson, A., Bailie, A., Spooner, C., Anderson, K., Cunich, M., Parcsi, L., Harris-Roxas, B., Hutchings, O., & Moore, M. (2021). Enhancing integration with primary care of patients with severe mental illness using a web-based shared care plan and telehealth solution (NSW Health Translational Research Grants Scheme)
- O’Dea, B., Li, S., Whitton, A., & Harris-Roxas, B. (2022). While We Wait: Using digital technology to improve care for young people awaiting in-person mental health services (UNSW Medicine Neuroscience, Mental Health and Addiction Theme & SPHERE Clinical Academic Group (CAG).
- Trollor, J., Hrris, M., Kavanagh, A., Fisher, K., Long, J., Reppermund, S., Harris-Roxas, B., Spooner, C., & Sharma, A. (2021). Developing a model of Preventative Healthcare for People with Intellectual Disability (NHMRC 2020 Partnership Projects PRC2).
- El Haddad, N., & Harris-Roxas, B. (2020). Promoting healthy eating and physical activity in young people from Chinese backgrounds—Evaluation (Chinese Australian Social Services (CASS, subcontracted from Australian Government Department of Health)
- Gonski, P., Hilman, K., Saunders, C., & Harris-Roxas, B. (2020). Empowering older, frail people to make their own end of life choices (Sydney Partnership for Health Education, Research and Enterprise (SPHERE) Age and Ageing Clinical Academic Group).
- Harris, M, Taggart, J., Harris-Roxas, B., & Spooner, C. (2020). Integrated Clinical Pathways Project 4: Electronic shared care (Mindgardens Neuroscience Network).
- Harris, P., Harris-Roxas, B., Adams, J., Bevan, W., Frawley, J., Freeman, E., Haigh, F., Hua, M., Mazumdar, S., McIntyre, E., Morrison, N., Prior, J., & Pry, J. (2020). Urban Planning and Design for the COVID-19 era: A rapid review for policy and practice (Sydney Partnership for Health Education, Research and Enterprise (SPHERE) Healthy Urban Environments Clinical Academic Group).
- Harrison, R., Dobbins, T., & Harris-Roxas, B. (2020). Clinical Experience Instrument and Findings (NSW Ministry of Health).
- Harris-Roxas, B., Woodland, L., Freeman, B., McKenzie, R., El Haddad, N., Chan, L., & Karezi, D. (2020). Raising awareness of the harms of waterpipe smoking Phase 2—Evaluation Component (Cancer Institute NSW).
- Barr, M., Comino, E., Harris, E., Harris-Roxas, B., Donnelly, D., Jackson, T., Blunden, L.A., Goodger, B., & Harris, M. (2019). Central and Eastern Sydney Primary and Community Health Data Linkage Project (Partnership of South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, Sydney Local Health District and Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network 2019-2021).
- Harris-Roxas, B., Woodland, L., Freeman, B., McKenzie, R., El Haddad, N., Chan, L., & Karezi, D. (2019). Raising awareness of the harms of waterpipe smoking—Evaluation Component (Cancer Institute NSW).
- Iqbal, M., Walpola, R., Harrison, R., Harris-Roxas, B., & Hall, J. (2019). Refugee Health Facilitator Program: Evaluating scope, scalability and outcomes (UNSW SPHCM Grant Building Support Scheme).
- Osborne, R., Harris, M., Kinsman, L., Batterham, R., Elmer, S., Spooner, C., Harris-Roxas, B., O’Callaghan, C., Li, X., Brown, G., & Thomas, N. (2019). Production, Delivery, and Evaluation of a Health Literacy Approach and Materials (Mental Health Commission of NSW).
- Sitas, F., Harris, M., Harris-Roxas, B., Haigh, F., Spooner, C., & Barr, M. (2019). A systematic literature review of the effectiveness of healthy lifestyle interventions to reduce alcohol consumption, increase physical activity and healthy eating and reduce overweight and obesity (Sax Institute).
- Harris-Roxas, B., Edwards, K., Woolfenden, S., Rimes, T., & Webster, A. (2018). Evaluation of the Rockdale Hub: An Early Childhood Collective Impact Initiative (South Eastern Sydney Local Health District).
- Harris-Roxas, B., Ingram, S., Croft Jagari, T., Webster, G., & Woodland, L. (2018). Aboriginal carers (South Eastern Sydney Local Health District).
- Harris-Roxas, B., Kearns, R., & Wood, T. (2017). Building primary care capacity to increase screening participation within local communities: Bowel, breast and cervical cancer screening project (Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network).
- Harris-Roxas, B., Woodland, L., Lloyd, J., Harris, M., & Corcoran, J. (2018). Research on machine translation in health care (NSW Ministry of Health and South Eastern Sydney Local Health District).
- Spooner, C., O’Shea, P., Taggart, J., Harris-Roxas, B., Bolton, P., Fisher, K., & Harris, M. (2018). Pathways to Preventive care for People with Severe Mental Illness (UNSW Disability Innovation Institute).
- UNSW School of Population Health Higher Degree Research Supervisor Award 2022
- UNSW Faculty of Medicine & Health Research Community Engagement Team Award 2022 for Shisha No Thanks (with Dr Nouhad el-Haddad, Dr Lilian Chan, Dr Ross Mackenzie and A/Prof Freddy Sitas and community partners from the Lebanese Muslim Association, NSW Health, the University of Sydney and the Cancer Institute for NSW)
- Honourable Mention, 2021 Scientia Education Academy Exemplary Teaching Award
- NSW Premier’s Multicultural Communications Awards CommBank Business Campaign of the Year for Shisha No Thanks, 2020 (with SESLHD Priority Populations Unit, the NSW Multicultural Communication Service, the Lebanese Muslim Association, the University of Sydney, and colleagues at the South Eastern Sydney Research Collaboration Hub)
- South Eastern Sydney Local Health District Health Awards (Keeping People Health Category) for Shisha No Thanks, 2020 (with SESLHD Priority Populations Unit, the NSW Multicultural Communication Service, the Lebanese Muslim Association, the University of Sydney, and colleagues at the South Eastern Sydney Research Collaboration Hub)
- International Association for Impact Assessment, Institutional Award, 2010 – NSW HIA Project (with colleagues at the UNSW Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity)
- Australian Health Promotion Association Ray James Memorial Award for excellence in health promotion research published in the Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 2010 (with Marilyn Wise, Patrick Harris, and Elizabeth Harris)
- NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship [GNT0510411]
My research activities have focused on primary health care, integrated care, and health impact assessment. Some examples of research I have led and its impact are listed below.
Shisha No Thanks
I led a group of researchers looking at attitudes and beliefs about waterpipe (shisha) use in Arabic-speaking communities. This research led to a Cancer Institute NSW-funded project on raising awareness of the harms of waterpipe use (2018-2020). This resulted in community partners and four Health Districts developing the “Shisha No Thanks” project. I led the evaluation of the project, which found a significantly higher proportion of Arabic-speaking young people reporting that they were aware of the harms of shisha smoking (pre: 45%, post: 68%, p=0.003). This research helped secure an extension of funding to focus on health care worker capacity and service responses (2020-2021). This research has also supported the collaboration with the NSW Ministry of Health and Cancer Institute NSW to embed shisha smoking into broader tobacco control policies and practices. The project won the 2020 South Eastern Sydney Local Health District Healthcare Award in the Keeping People Healthy category and the 2020 Business Campaign of the Year award in the NSW Premier's Multicultural Communications Awards.
Typology of health impact assessment
Health impact assessment’s (HIA) use has been called for by agencies including WHO and the World Bank. Early in the development of the field of HIA, there was debate about the extent to which methods for appraising health risks, quantification models, lived experience, and citizen science should inform assessments. There was also debate about the role government should play in commissioning and undertaking HIAs. In response to this colleagues at UNSW and I developed a typology that sets out different forms of HIA, based on an empirical study of the forms of HIA conducted internationally. The typology enabled a more informed debate about the position and role of HIA in government, and more clearly differentiates the roles of commissioning agencies, assessors, and approval agencies. The typology been cited more than 145 times and has been cited or reproduced in the national policy and health impact assessment guidance developed in the Republic of Korea, Thailand, and Bhutan. I've delivered plenary addresses on the typology at conferences in Dunedin, Seoul, Quebec City, Kobe, and Paris.
Influencing policy on the use of translation apps in NSW
Colleagues at UNSW, five NSW Local Health Districts and I undertook a survey on the use of translation and apps and websites. The survey of more than 1,500 staff found that a third had used a translation app or website in a clinical encounter, and of those, it was clinicians who initiated use in 66% of cases. These findings informed an update of the NSW Health Policy Directive on Interpreters in December 2017 to clarify that the use of machine translation is not allowed.
Conceptual framework for the impact and effectiveness of health impact assessment
Colleagues at UNSW and I developed and piloted a framework for evaluating whether HIAs have an impact on decision-making and implementation, which was the first of its kind. This conceptual framework was further refined through my PhD research and informed the development of a successful ARC Discovery Project. This project tested and refined the conceptual framework, and was one of the largest studies internationally to investigate the difference that HIAs make to decision-making and implementation. The framework has been used in evaluations in New Zealand and informed a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-funded review of HIA in the U.S.A. in 2013. I was an invited participant at a Pew Charitable Trusts HIA evaluation workshop in Washington DC in 2016.
Recent media
I'm a regular media commentator - list of recent media appearances.
Leadership roles
- 2023 – present Deputy Program Director, Master of Public Health
- 2023 – present Research Co-Lead, UNSW Academic General Practice Network
- 2022 – 2023 Lead, Academic Engagement, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney
- 2021 – 2023 Lead - Map, review and strengthen partnerships working group, Health25 Strategy Implementation, UNSW Faculty of Medicine & Health
- 2017 – 2021 Co-Convenor - Health System Integration and Primary Health Care Development Stream, UNSW Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity
- 2015 – 2017 Convenor - Global Working Group on Health Impact Assessment, International Union for Health Promotion and Education
- 2011 – 2015 Co-Convenor - Health Section, International Association for Impact Assessment
Editorial roles
- 2016 – present Editorial Board Member, Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal
- 2010 – present Editorial Board Member, Environmental Impact Assessment Review
- 2019 – 2022 Editorial Board Member, BMJ Integrated Healthcare Journal
- 2019 – 2022 Associate Editor, Australian Journal of Primary Health
- 2019 – 2020 Review Editor (Public Health Policy), Frontiers in Public Health
- 2010 – 2016 Associate Editor, BMC Public Health
Other current roles
- 2023 – present Member, UNSW Academic General Practice Network
- 2022 - present Adjunct Associate Professor, Centre for Health Services Management, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney
- 2021 – present Associate, UNSW Disability Innovation Institute
- 2021 – present Associate Investigator, UNSW Ageing Futures Institute
- 2021 – present Affiliate, Sydney Institute for Women, Children and their Families, Sydney Local Health District
- 2021 – present Executive and Accreditation working group member, People's Praxis international public health capacity building initiative
- 2019 – present Member, Carers Strategy Implementation Group, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District
- 2019 – present Member, Advocacy Committee, Australasian Association for Academic Primary Care
- 2019 – present Member, Age and Ageing Clinical Academic Group, SPHERE
- 2019 – present Member, Education Committee, UNSW School of Population Health
- 2019 – present Member, UNSW Digital Grid Futures Institute
- 2018 – present Member, Healthy Urban Environments Clinical Academic Group, SPHERE
- 2017 – present Member, Directors Executive, UNSW Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity
- 2011 – present Member, Global Working Group on Health Impact Assessment, International Union for Health Promotion and Education
My Research Supervision
- Abdi, Fatemah - Falls prevention in the elderly CALD (Middle Eastern) community (MPhil)
- Azer, Anthony - The role of general practice in supporting carers in Central and Eastern Sydney (Hons)
- Dove, Georgina - Implementation of effective public-private partnerships for primary health care (DrPH Future Health Leaders)
- Green, Jenny - Addressing education gaps amongst healthcare providers regarding long-term health risk after hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (PhD, UTS)
- Lilley, David - Housing policy and planning in Sydney (Scientia PhD)
- Khan, Rabia - Understanding the role of social norms and trust on compliance with public health guidance (PhD)
- Kim, Jinhee - Health equity in South Western Sydney (Scientia PhD)
- McGlynn, Anna - Spread and scale of integrated care initiatives (DrPH Future Health Leaders)
- Mirkovic, Nada - Supporting Integrated Rare Disease Care (PhD)
- Patterson, Karen - What matters to the person in integrated care health services (PhD, UTS)
- Wilson, Hester - Collaborative care between public specialist alcohol and other drug services and general practice (PhD)
My Teaching
My teaching interests are focused on primary health care, ways of supporting people who experience chronic conditions, and equitable health outcomes.
I convene PHCM9391 Health Organisations, Strategy and Change and PHCM9615 Principles and Practice of Primary Health Care within the School of Population Health's Masters programs. I am Deputy Director of the Master of Public Health Program also the Stream Convenor for the Primary Health Care Specialisation.
I contribute to PHCM9129 Prevention and Management of Chronic Disease, PHCM9612 Environmental Health, PHCM9626 Inequalities and Health, PHCM9628 Health Impact Assessment and PHCM9790 Digital Health.
I design activities and assessments that give students choice and control about the focus of their learning, and which allow them to draw on their prior learning and experiences. I'm committed to continuous educational improvement, and work in partnership with students to enhance courses.