Dr Samantha Thomas (Senior Research Fellow)

Email: Samantha.thomas@med.monash.edu.au     

Phone: +61 (03) 990 30016
             +61 (03) 04167 95840

Dr Samantha Thomas is a medical sociologist and methodologist who joined Monash University from King’s College London in November 2005. She has trained in both qualitative and quantitative methods (with a qualitative PhD in Community Health from the University of Auckland, and with subsequent training in epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine). Samantha has a unique skill mix and a wide range of practical, policy and research experience in health care.

Samantha initially worked at addressing social problems and health inequalities at the grassroots and policy levels internationally in the Pacific, Africa and Eastern Europe, before working at the WHO HQ (Geneva) in Health and Human Rights, Mental Health, and Indigenous Peoples Health. She was a contributing author to the World Health Report on Mental Health in 2001. Samantha joined King’s College in 2001 where she undertook a wide range of qualitative and epidemiological studies at the Institute of Psychiatry. These included an examination of the Human Rights Act on people with mental illness; the pathways of black and ethnic minority populations in forensic mental health care; the health and social wellbeing of military service personnel deploying to the Iraq War, and of wives and children of those deployed. Her work exploring the experiences of embedded and unilateral media personnel in Iraq received praise from media organisations. Most notably, her research with unaccompanied refugee children received wide recognition both academically, at the UNHCR and in the media – resulting in high impact academic articles and a BBC television documentary about unaccompanied refugee children in the United Kingdom.

At Monash, Samantha helps to coordinate the teaching of clinical ethics, qualitative research methods, and is actively involved in supervision. Her research involves the social and cultural dimensions of health and wellbeing. In particular her research on the lived experience of obesity has attracted wide media and government interest, and is currently being prepared for publication.

Publications

Komesaroff, P. and Thomas, S.L. (Accepted Jan 2007 in press) Combating the obesity epidemic: Cultural problems demand cultural solutions. Internal Medical Journal. 

Thomas S.L, Thomas SDM, Komesaroff P. (Accepted Sept 2006 in press) Displaced Populations. Encyclopedia of Public Health

Thomas, S. Lam, K. Komesaroff, P. (Accepted August 2006 in press) Complementary medicine use among people living with HIV/AIDS in Victoria, Australia: Practices, attitudes and perceptions. International Journal of STD & AIDS

Thomas, S.L. Palmer, I. Dandeker, C. Wessely, S. (2006) “Serving in Bosnia made me appreciate living in Bristol” Stressful experiences, attitudes and psychological needs of members of the United Kingdom Armed Forces. Military Medicine  May;171(5):376-80.

Thomas SD, Dolan M, Shaw J, Thomas S.L., Thornicroft G, Leese M. (2005) Redeveloping secure psychiatric services for women. Med Sci Law.  Oct;45(4):331-9.

Dolan, M., Thomas, S.D., Thomas, S.L., & Thornicroft, G. (2005) The needs of males detained under the legal category of ‘psychopathic disorder’ in high security: Implications for policy and service development. The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, 16(3): 523 – 537

Thomas, S.L. Thomas, S.D.M. Nafees, B. Bhugra, D. (2004) “I was running away from death.” The Pre-Flight Experiences of Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children in the United Kingdom. Child: Care, Health and Development Mar;30(2):113-22

Thomas, S.L. and Thomas S.D.M. (2004) Displacement and health. British Medical Bulletin. 69: 115-127.

Thomas, S.L. Thomas, S.D.M. (2004) Speculation versus reality: the impact of the Human Rights Act 1998 on mental health care. Ethics in Psychiatry. Psychiatry. March. 3(3): 20-23.

Greenberg, N. Thomas, S. Iversen, A. Unwin, C. Hull, L. Wessely, S. (2003) Perceived Psychological Support of UK Peacekeepers on return from deployment. Journal of Mental Health. 12 (6). 565 – 573.

Thomas, S. Byford, S. (2003) Researching Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children – Ethical Issues. British Medical Journal. Dec 13;327(7428):1400-2.

Bindman, J. Maingay, S. Szmukler, G. (2003) The Human Rights Act and Mental Health Legislation. The British Journal of Psychiatry 182: 91-94

Maingay, S. (2003) Community Pharmacy: A Relationship too Precious to Lose. TheIrish Pharmacy Journal. Vol 10. No. 3. Feb. 2002

Thornicroft, G. Maingay, S. (2002) The Global Response to Mental Illness. British Medical Journal 2002;325:608-609

Whitehorn, J. Ayonrinde, O and Maingay, S. (2002) Female genital mutilation: cultural and psychological implications. Sexual and Relationship Therapy. Vol 17 (2). May. 161-170.

Maingay, S. Thornicroft, G, Huxley, P. Jenkins, R. Szmukler, G. (2002) Mental Health and Human Rights. International Review of Psychiatry. Vol 14. 19-25

Other Publications

Department of Health and NIMHE (2003) ‘Inside Outside’ Improving Mental Health Services for Black and Ethnic Minority Communities in England. DOH/NIME, March. (collaborating author)

Maingay, S. Nafees, B. User Viewpoint: Prison Healthcare. The Prisons Handbook 2003. Mark Leach Associates

Dandeker, C. Thomas, S. Dolan, M. Ross, J. Chapman, F. Birtles, C. (June 2004) Final Report on the Feasibility Study On Homeless Ex-Service Personnel in England.Report to the Veterans Policy Unit, Ministry of Defence and Homeless Directorate, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Thomas, S. Dandeker, C. Wessely, S. (April 2004) Preliminary Findings of Health and Wellbeing of Media Personnel Deployed to Iraq 2003. Report to the BBC and Reuters News Organisations.