16 September 2004

Charles Darwin University’s Chair of Health Services Development, Professor Lesley Barclay, will lead a $1.6 Million collaborative research program aimed at helping the Chinese health system reduce that country’s birth morbidity and mortality.

Professor Lesley Barclay, Chair of Health Services at Charles Darwin University

The program involves researchers at the University of Technology in Sydney and Curtin University in Perth and has been boosted with a three year $370, 000.00 Australian Research Council linkage grant with partners from three Chinese Provincial Governments.

“Since the 1970s China has undergone market economy transformation with rising household incomes and economic development,” Professor Barclay, an internationally recognised leader in education and health system improvement, explained.

“This economic reform has produced disparities between the rich and poor and those living in urban and rural locations.

“Maternal mortality is now ten times higher in the poor rural sectors and excessive morbidity is attached to caesarean birth in wealthy populations.

“The demise of the local midwife also seems to coincide with problems in providing excellence in care around normal birth in modern China.”

Professor Barclay’s research team will evaluate current health systems and explore new measures of health service performance to ultimately improve safety and the use of human and monetary resources.

As part of the project, two Chinese doctoral students will be trained through Charles Darwin University in health services research.

“Other than developing relationships and providing support to the Chinese health system, this research will develop innovative techniques and advice on the worldwide problem of maternal and infant morbidity attached to inappropriate rates of caesarean birth.

“This work can lead the way for further investigation in Australia which also shows high rates of difference between insured and non insured women and remote indigenous and urban populations in Australia.”

Professor Barclay specialises in developing skills in people working in health areas in non-metropolitan settings. Professor Barclay has designed, tendered and managed successfully large projects for international organisations such as the World Bank and AusAID. She was awarded an AO in this year’s Australia Day Honours list in recognition of these contributions.