Working groups
Anna is a postdoctoral researcher and biostatistician specialising in the epidemiology and surveillance of blood-borne viruses and sexually transmissible infections. They have more than 10 years of research experience, building from more than 10 years of clinical experience as a nurse. Anna has expert skills in epidemiology and biostatistics, including complex analysis using Stata and R, and experience in large multidisciplinary research teams. Anna has experience mentoring and supervised junior staff and students, and teaching research skills nationally and internationally.
The purpose of Anna’s research is to generate epidemiological evidence for evaluation, identify gaps in the public health response, and highlight new opportunities to intervene, to achieve the aim of eliminating these infections as public health threats. Anna is passionate about integrity in research and improving the quality of science, through teaching and training to elevate the skill level of all researchers.
Anna's key research in infectious diseases epidemiology includes:
The fourth national report on Australia’s progress towards hepatitis C elimination. It collates national data, highlights knowledge gaps and informs future directions.
2022: Australia’s progress towards hepatitis C elimination annual reportThe third national report on Australia’s progress towards hepatitis C elimination. It collates national data, highlights knowledge gaps and informs future directions.
2021: Australia’s progress towards hepatitis C elimination annual reportLong COVID is estimated to be costing the Australian economy $3.6 billion annually.1 Partly because of the variation in the definition of long COVID
The Optimise Study: A rapid survey examining frequency, impacts of long COVID and associated concerns. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT)Hepatitis C poses a significant public health concern in Australia, with over 170,000 individuals estimated to be living with chronic hepatitis C infection as of the beginning of 2017. Until the availability of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for all Medicare-eligible Australians with hepatitis C infection on March 1st, 2016, there was a growing population of individuals living with hepatitis C. This trend was accompanied by an increasing burden of liver disease, rising rates of liver cancer, and premature deaths attributed to long-term hepatitis C infection.
2019: Australia’s progress towards hepatitis C elimination annual reportThe Optimise Study has followed a cohort of over 700 Victorians since September 2020. A rapid survey was conducted between 28 October and 4 November 2021 to assess optimise participants' views about the best ways to implement COVID-19 testing in schools.
COVID-19 testing in schools and attitudes and concerns about the current state of the pandemic. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT)The Optimise Study has followed a cohort of around 700 Victorians since September 2020. A rapid survey was conducted between 4 and 14 March 2022 to assess Optimise participants' concerns about children returning to school, COVID-19 testing in schools, views about COVID-19 prevention measures taken in schools, and the acceptability of closing schools under certain circumstances.
The Optimise Study: A rapid survey examining concerns about children returning to school in 2022. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT)PLoS ONE
Tianhui Ke, Zhang Yan-qin, Damian Pavlyshyn, Aimée Altermatt, Alexander Thomas, Thi Nguyen, Shelley Walker, Alisa Pedrana, Mark Stoové, Margaret Hellard
npj Digital Medicine
Carol El‐Hayek, Thi Nguyen, Margaret Hellard, M. David Curtis, Rachel Sacks‐Davis, Jason Asselin, Anna L. Wilkinson, Victoria Polkinghorne
Kidney International Reports
Anna L. Wilkinson
Partnering to eliminate hepatitis C as a public health threat by 2030.
Describing the impact of universal access to hepatitis C treatment on hepatitis C-related cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Work investigating non-fatal and fatal overdose among people who use drugs in Australia is important within the context of changing drug markets.
This project addresses critical knowledge gaps in Australian and global efforts to eliminate hepatitis C as a public health threat by 2030.
This project aims to find out how Victorians are experiencing COVID-19 and responding to the measures introduced to stop the spread of the virus.
A partnership aimed at increasing hepatitis C treatment uptake among people who inject drugs (PWID) using nurse-led models of care in community and prison settings.