Birthing in lutruwita Tasmania

Tasmanian woman's/peoples' experiences of birth trauma

Degree type

PhD

Closing date

1 June 2024

Campus

Hobart

Citizenship requirement

Domestic

About the research project

Access to safe and respectful maternity care is one of the greatest global and local challenges for women and health services. High-quality research evidence is urgently required to ensure that we meet this challenge so that equitable maternal health care is available for all Tasmanian women/people and their families. In lutruwita Tasmania, the maternal health service provision varies between social and geographical contexts and we face many challenges in meeting the diverse social, cultural, and contextual needs of women/people during their reproductive lives.

This interdisciplinary project will require a PhD candidate to build on Dr Ayton's current research project Giving Voice to Women (GVtW): exploring experiences and mistreatment during pregnancy birth and the postnatal period. The successful candidate will have access to the existing qualitative database from the GVtW project and be expected to extend and focus on birth trauma in the Tasmanian context.

Using a mixed methods approach, the objectives of this PhD project are to,

1) Investigate and estimate the prevalence and factors associated with birth trauma.  
2) Explore how women/people living in regional and remote areas experience birth trauma.
3) Work with maternal health consumers and relevant stakeholders to develop respectful inclusive strategies to prevent and support women/people who experience birth trauma.

This project aligns with national and global health initiatives to address the sustainable development goals to reduce gender and health service inequities and improve health outcomes through greater access to appropriate care.
As a Tasmanian project, the evidence from this research is essential to inform the Tasmanian Health Service policy and practice to improve contextually appropriate, safe quality care for Tasmanian women during the reproductive years.

Primary Supervisor

Meet Dr Jennifer Ayton

Funding

Applicants will be considered for a Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship or Tasmania Graduate Research Scholarship (TGRS) which, if successful, provides:

  • a living allowance stipend of $32,192 per annum (2024 rate, indexed annually) for 3.5 years
  • a relocation allowance of up to $2,000
  • a tuition fees offset covering the cost of tuition fees for up to four years (domestic applicants only)

If successful, international applicants will receive a University of Tasmania Fees Offset for up to four years.

As part of the application process you may indicate if you do not wish to be considered for scholarship funding.

Other funding opportunities and fees

For further information regarding other scholarships on offer, and the various fees of undertaking a research degree, please visit our Scholarships and fees on research degrees page.

Eligibility

Applicants should review the Higher Degree by Research minimum entry requirements.

Ensure your eligibility for the scholarship round by referring to our Key Dates.

Additional eligibility criteria specific to this project/scholarship:

  • First Class Honours, Masters in midwifery, research, medicine, sociology
  • Applicants must be able to undertake the project on-campus

Selection Criteria

The project is competitively assessed and awarded.  Selection is based on academic merit and suitability to the project as determined by the College.

Additional essential selection criteria specific to this project:

  • Clinical practice in midwifery or women's health, reproductive obstetrics health care

Additional desirable selection criteria specific to this project:

  • Experience in undertaking systematic reviews and/or working as a research assistant in the field

Application process

  1. Select your project, and check that you meet the eligibility and selection criteria, including citizenship;
  2. Contact Dr Jennifer Ayton to discuss your suitability and the project's requirements; and
  3. In your application:
    • Copy and paste the title of the project from this advertisement into your application. If you don’t correctly do this your application may be rejected.
    • Submit a signed supervisory support form, a CV including contact details of 2 referees and your project research proposal.
  4. Apply prior to 1 June 2024.

Full details of the application process can be found under the 'How to apply' section of the Research Degrees website.

Following the closing date applications will be assessed within the College. Applicants should expect to receive notification of the outcome by email by the advertised outcome date.

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