Kathryn Wenham

Biography

Dr Kathryn Wenham is a lecturer in public health. The World Health Organization recognises inequity as a key determinant of health, causing a significant global burden on health and the economy. Dr Wenham works to address cultural and gender inequities to improve health for priority populations.

Specifically her research interests are in cross cultural health promotion, cultural safety, gender-based violence, and health and human rights. She has a strong interest in issues of social justice, equity, and human rights, and how these intersect with health and welcomes enquiries from potential research students and collaborators on projects related to cultural determinants of health, gender, and improving cultural safety in health and educational initiatives. She uses qualitative and mixed methods studies in her research and has a particular interest in using Indigenous methodologies and narrative analysis as culturally relevant tools for research. Enquiries from students from African or First Nations origins are welcome.

Dr Wenham conducted her PhD research with African immigrant communities in Chicago, investigating factors that impact on health, wellbeing, and intimate partner violence. She has worked on several cross-cultural health promotion projects, including a community food garden for refugees, health resources for new arrivals, and sexual health promotion for culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

She is currently involved in investigating the preparedness of academic staff to embed Indigenous perspectives into the curriculum and supervisory experiences between Indigenous students and non-Indigenous supervisors. She is also working on a project to grow Australian bushfoods on a university campus.

She teaches the Indigenous Wellbeing courses and in public health’s undergraduate and postgraduate programs, as well as a health research and evidence course.

Dr Wenham aims to improve health and wellbeing by addressing inequities associated with culture and gender by taking a strengths-based approach and using research methodologies appropriate to the research participants.

Teaching areas

• Indigenous Wellbeing Foundations
• Indigenous Wellbeing Practice
• Health Research and Evidence

Expert media commentary

Dr Kathryn Wenham's specialist areas of knowledge include cross cultural health promotion, cultural safety, gender-based violence, health and human rights.