Newcastle Graduate Named As NSW Woman of the Year

Friday 10 March 2006

One of the University of Newcastle's first Aboriginal Medical graduates has been named as the New South Wales Woman of the Year.

Announced at a recent Government House function to celebrate International Women's Day, Professor Sandra Eades was awarded the honour in recognition of her outstanding research in identifying the links between infant health in Aboriginal communities and prevailing social factors.

Professor Eades is a senior research fellow in Aboriginal health at the Sax Institute in Sydney and also a conjoint professor in the School of Medicine and Public Health within the University's Faculty of Health.

After graduating from the University of Newcastle with a Bachelor of Medicine in 1990, Professor Eades went on to become Australia's first Aboriginal medical practitioner and researcher to be awarded a Doctorate of Philosophy.

She has also been involved in medical research at the Menzies School of Health Research in Darwin.

Professor Eades found that the risk of poorer birth outcomes and significant illness in infants was much higher when associated with poor living standards, a high incidence of smoking and alcohol consumption in Aboriginal communities.

She is currently researching specific interventions for pregnant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who smoke and is conducting a major study concerned with medical services available for NSW Aboriginal children and families.

The University of Newcastle is a leader in the education of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors. An Indigenous Health and Education Unit within the University's Faculty of Health provides vital support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical students.

Currently there are 24 enrolled in the medical degree while 43 have graduated as doctors since the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students Medical Program was introduced in 1985.