Background

Liz Comrie-Thomson is a trained social science researcher with expertise in qualitative and quantitative gender analysis for health in low- and middle-income countries. Her research and programming work includes a particular focus on engaging men and boys, and women and girls, together to address unequal gender relations that underpin poor health outcomes. She applies a gender-transformative family systems approach to support increased uptake of essential health services, as well as improved maternal-child nutrition, maternal and paternal mental health, and child development outcomes. In addition to her extensive work focused on gender relations and masculinity, her portfolio of work includes developing and rigorously testing interventions to support particularly vulnerable groups of women and girls navigate multiple gendered vulnerabilities in order to attain improved health.

Liz has provided consulting services directly to national governments, UN agencies and NGOs in Asia, the Pacific and sub-Saharan Africa to inform policy development and implementation. She is an active member of gender equality networks within the international NGO community in Australia, and through these networks provides advice to the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on ensuring Australian aid investments support improved gender outcomes. Liz is also an active member of the Burnet Institute’s Gender Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, responsible for developing and overseeing strategies to improve gender equality among her co-workers. She has worked at the Burnet Institute since 2013.

Appointments

• Women’s and Children’s Health Specialist, Burnet Institute
• Adjunct Lecturer, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University

Qualifications

• 2012: MPH, University of Melbourne, Australia
• 2009: PhB, Australian National University, Australia

Projects (15)

Current (5)

• Accelerating healthy agriculture and nutrition
  The overall objective of this multi-sectoral action is to create supportive conditions for enhanced household nutrition.
• Evaluating the WHO Labour Care Guide in clinical settings
  A mixed-methods study in six countries evaluating the “next generation” partograph for managing labour and childbirth.
• Gender Counts
  A quantitative assessment of gender inequality and its impacts on children and adolescents in Asia and the Pacific.
• Stakeholder experiences of father engagement interventions in low- and middle-income countries
  A qualitative review informing global guidance on how father engagement interventions can improve maternal and newborn health and gender equality.
• The Mbereko + Men Model: Rural Zimbabwe
  A community-based program to improve MNCH services, care and support in the home.

Past (10)

• China-Australia Health and HIV/AIDS Facility (2007-2012)
  A partnership between the governments of Australia and the People’s Republic of China.
• Compass: Women's and Children's Health Knowledge Hub
  To increase the effectiveness of aid for women’s and children’s health in Asia and the Pacific
• Increasing demand and uptake of quality, facility-based services, Zimbabwe
  Reducing maternal and neonatal deaths in Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe.
• Male participation in improving maternal and newborn health: A community based intervention in Myanmar
  Demonstrating the feasibility of increasing male involvement in Maternal, Newborn and Children's Health and to enable men to protect and promote the health of their families.
• Office of Development Effectiveness’ evaluation of child nutrition
  This program will assess how Australian aid policy and programming responds to child undernutrition and develop recommendations to improve its response.
• Preventing hepatitis B starts at birth – best practices and needs
  This project researched international evidence in birth-dose vaccination against hepatitis B, resulting in a WHO good practice guide, a global consultation and linked advocacy events.
• Promoting WASH-nutrition integration in Cambodia
  A stakeholder consultation to identify barriers to the efforts to improve WASH and nutrition.
• Systematic review of strategies for male involvement in maternal and newborn health
  Global evidence review to assess the effect of strategies to engage men in maternal and newborn health.
• Understanding the effects of programs to increase men’s engagement in maternal, newborn and child health
  A multi-country study of how women and men in diverse settings experience efforts to increase male engagement in maternal, newborn and child health.
• WHISPER and SHOUT - mHealth interventions among Kenyan sex workers
  Mobile phone-based health promotions sent to sex workers in Mombasa.

Publications (10)

2020 (1)

• Male involvement interventions and improved couples' emotional relationships in Tanzania and Zimbabwe: 'When we are walking together, I feel happy'.
  Comrie-Thomson L, Mavhu W, Makungu C, Nahar Q, Khan R, Davis J, Stillo E, Hamdani S, Luchters S, Vaughan C
  Cult Health Sex. 2020 Jan; Epub ahead of print

2019 (1)

• A mortality review of adult inpatients with tuberculosis in Mendi, Papua New Guinea..
  Vakadem K, Anota A, Sa'avu M, Ramoni C, Comrie-Thomson L, Gale M, Commons RJ
  Pub Health Act. 2019 Sep; 9(Supplement 1):S62-S67

2018 (2)

• Expectant fathers' participation in antenatal care services in Papua New Guinea: a qualitative inquiry.
  Davis J, Vaughan C, Nankinga J, Davidson L, Kigodi H, Alalo E, Comrie-Thomson L, Luchters S
  BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2018 May; 18(1):138
• Involving men to improve maternal and newborn health: A systematic review of the effectiveness of interventions.
  Tokhi M, Comrie-Thomson L, Davis J, Portela A, Chersich M, Luchters S
  PLoS One. 2018 Jan; 13(1):e0191620

2017 (1)

• WHISPER or SHOUT study: protocol of a cluster-randomised controlled trial assessing mHealth sexual reproductive health and nutrition interventions among female sex workers in Mombasa, Kenya.
  Ampt FH, Mudogo C, Gichangi P, Lim MSC, Manguro G, Chersich M, Jaoko W, Temmerman M, Laini M, Comrie-Thomson L, Stoové M, Agius PA, Hellard M, L'Engle K, Luchters S
  BMJ Open. 2017 Aug; 7(8):e017388

2015 (3)

• Challenging gender inequity through male involvement in maternal and newborn health: critical assessment of an emerging evidence base.
  Comrie-Thomson L, Tokhi M, Ampt F, Portela A, Chersich M, Khanna R, Luchters S
  Cult Health Sex. 2015 Jul; 17(Suppl 2):S177-S189
• Men Matter: Engaging Men in MNCH Outcomes.
  Comrie-Thomson L, Mavhu W, Makungu C, Nahar Q, Khan R, Davis J, Hamdani S, Stillo E, Luchters S
  Report prepared for Plan Canada. 2015 Jul
• A window of opportunity: Australian aid and child undernutrition. AUSAID Report
  Toole M, Marsh C, Comrie-Thomson L, Davis J, Brown M, Renzaho A
  Report for the Office of Development Effectiveness, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian Government. 2015 Apr

2014 (2)

• Fiji National Immunisation Coverage Survey - 2013
  Devi R, Volavola L, Jenkins K, Comrie-Thomson L, Chan G
  Fiji J Pub Health. 2014 Jul; 3(2):8-13
• Addressing Child Undernutrition : Evidence Review
  Comrie-Thomson L, Davis J, Renzaho A, Toole M
  Report for Office of Development Effectiveness, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian Government. 2014 Mar

News Articles (3)

2019 (1)

• PNG breaks new ground in tuberculosis research

2018 (1)

• Focus on male engagement for gender equality

2017 (1)

• New training for PNG TB response