Sex and gender equity in health systems is the focus for the newly created role at the George Institute-based centre.
Professor Bronwyn Graham has been appointed as the new national director of the Centre for Sex and Gender Equity in Health and Medicine.
A clinical psychologist and behavioural neuroscientist based at the School of Psychology in the Faculty of Science at UNSW Sydney, Professor Graham said she was “excited” to be the first national director of the centre, which was established in March of this year.
“I’m excited to join the team and to work with Deakin University and the Australian Human Rights Institute UNSW to realise the vision of the Centre,” said Professor Graham.
“I’m particularly looking forward to collaborating with the many people in Australia and around the world who have already been instrumental in integrating sex and gender considerations routinely across so many different areas, in research, practice, policy and at a community level.”
Professor Graham will be based at The George Institute for Global Health’s Sydney office and will lead the Centre’s establishment and growth.
She will be supported by two co-directors based at the Faculty of Health at Deakin University in Victoria – Professor Rachel Huxley, executive dean, and Dr Severine Lamon, deputy associate dean of research and ARC Future Fellow.
Professor Jane Hirst, global director of the women’s health program at The George Institute, said the Centre’s collaborators were fortunate to secure Professor Graham to take the helm.
“With her experience investigating sex and gender differences in the ways mental health manifests in women, and her passion for using that knowledge to educate others and ultimately change the system, Professor Graham is ideally suited to lead the establishment of the Centre,” she said.
“We are thrilled to have her on board to set the direction for the Centre’s future work.”
The Centre “seeks to address the biases in healthcare that cause significant disadvantage for people based on sex and gender differences”.
“These biases principally impact women and girls, people with variations of sex characteristics (intersex people), trans and gender-diverse people, but also men and boys,” said the announcement.
“A growing body of evidence shows sex and gender biases are baked into health systems, with far-reaching and devastating consequences for the health of individuals and society.
“When clinical guidelines and policies are based on trials that exclude whole groups of the population, people experience delayed or misdiagnoses, or inappropriate treatments, with significant personal, social and health budget implications.
Evidence and resources generated will directly inform government initiatives aimed at improving the health of women and the LGBTQIA+ community, including the activities of the National Women’s Health Advisory Council, the National Women’s Health Strategy, and the LGBTQIA+ 10-year National Action Plan (announced in 2023).”