Deborah Loxton

Professor Deborah Loxton is co-director of the Research Centre for Generational Health and Ageing, a priority research centre of the University of Newcastle, and Deputy Director of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (ALSWH). Professor Loxton is a prolific researcher, expert in the impacts of violent relationships on women, as well as different aspects of reproductive health.

Professor Loxton’s research is largely undertaken using data from the ALSWH, a longitudinal survey that collects data from four age cohorts of over 57,000 Australian women. She has extensive experience in developing and conducting survey based research, including participant recruitment and retention in large cohort studies. In 2012-13, Professor Loxton led the ALSWH research team in recruiting the newest cohort of participants, which includes over 17,000 women born 1989-95.

In her role as Deputy Director of ALSWH, Professor Loxton oversees data collection and cohort maintenance, in addition to leading and contributing to publications and reports to the government that arise from the study. She has authored over 80 peer reviewed publications and has produced a further 15 government reports (six as lead author). Professor Loxton’s program of work has informed health policy in Australia, New Zealand and USA in the areas of domestic violence, superannuation, reproductive health and sole motherhood. In addition, her work has been used by the World Health Organisation to develop a screening tool for elder abuse.

Professor Loxton is also leading a program of research that investigates the health impact of abuse across the lifecourse. She is also currently facilitating a consortium which includes researchers from University of Newcastle, La Trobe University, Planning NSW, Victorian Assisted Reproductive Technology Association, the Jean Hailes Foundation, and the Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service to examine Aboriginal reproductive health. Recently, Professor Loxton has started working in the area of improving maternal mortality in developing nations.

She has been awarded over $24 million funding and has been involved in over 120 collaborations in Australia and internationally. Her international collaborations include the USA Academy of Violence and Abuse and the Korean Women’s Development Institute. Professor Loxton has initiated formal relationships between the Research Centre for Gender, Health and Ageing and these organisations.