Background

Peter Azzopardi MEpi FRACP PhD leads a program of research around global adolescent health, with a strong focus on health equity. He was a contributor to the Lancet Commission on Adolescent health and wellbeing, and has consulted on adolescent health to governments in Australia and the region, as well as DFAT, UNICEF, UNFPA and WHO.

A large focus of his work is the analysis of big data to identify priority health issues for adolescents at a global, regional, national and sub-national level. He co-chairs WHO’s Global Action for Measurement in Adolescent Health.

Pete also leads a number of projects that consider how best to respond to adolescent health needs- ranging from more inclusive policy, opportunities within schools, to realising opportunities for adolescent health gain in the health system.

Further to his role at Burnet, Pete is a clinical research fellow at the Wardliparingga Aboriginal Research Unit, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute and a team leader in the Population Health theme, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.

Pete leads a growing research group and is happy to discuss PhD and honours projects.

Projects (10)

Current (8)

• A profile of adolescent health in Myanmar
  Adolescents make up a significant proportion of the population in Myanmar, but their health needs remain poorly described.
• Addressing adolescent sexual and reproductive health in the Pacific
  Adolescents in the Pacific experience a significant burden of preventable poor sexual and reproductive health
• Engaging private sector for adolescent health service delivery in Asia and Pacific
  The aim of this research is to identify opportunities for public-private partnerships for adolescent health.
• Gender Counts
  A quantitative assessment of gender inequality and its impacts on children and adolescents in Asia and the Pacific.
• Inequalities in sexual and reproductive health in Asia and the Pacific
  Despite progress to improve sexual and reproductive health in the region, significant inequalities in health outcomes and access to essential care remain.
• Non-communicable diseases in adolescents in Indonesia
  An investigation of the burden of these diseases amongst Indonesian 16-18 year-olds.
• Sexual and reproductive health in Asia and the Pacific
  A review of issues, policies and programmes.
• TRYP: Transitions and Risk in Young People project
  Investigating the influence of peer groups on behaviour in the transition from adolescence to adulthood.

Past (2)

• Adolescent reproductive health in Myanmar
  Adolescent reproductive health in Myanmar
• Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing
  The Commission will consider the next steps needed to implement the available evidence in global adolescent health.

Publications (31)

2020 (2)

• Direct assessment of mental health and metabolic syndrome amongst Indonesian adolescents: a study design for a mixed-methods study sampled from school and community settings.
  Azzopardi PS, Willenberg L, Wulan N, Devaera Y, Medise B, Riyanti A, Ansariadi A, Sawyer S, Wiguna T, Kaligis F, Fisher J, Tran T, Agius PA, Borschmann R, Brown A, Cini K, Clifford S, Kennedy EC, Pedrana A, Pham MD, Wake M, Zimmet P, Durrant K, Wiweko B, Luchters S
  Glob Health Action. 2020 Mar; 13(1):1732665
• Investing in the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents: a foundation for achieving health equity.
  Azzopardi P, Blow N, Purcell T, Brown N, Ritchie T, Brown A
  Med J Aust. 2020 Feb; Epub ahead of print

2019 (8)

• Eating disorder symptoms across the weight spectrum in Australian adolescents.
  Hughes EK, Kerr JA, Patton GC, Sawyer SM, Wake M, Le Grange D, Azzopardi P
  Int J Eat Disord. 2019 Aug; 52(8):885-894
• The Global Action for Measurement of Adolescent health (GAMA) Initiative-Rethinking Adolescent Metrics.
  Guthold R, Moller AB, Azzopardi P, Ba MG, Fagan L, Baltag V, Say L, Banerjee A, Diaz T
  J Adolesc Health. 2019 Jun; 64(6):697-699
• WASH: a basic human right and essential intervention for child health and development.
  Russell F, Azzopardi P
  Lancet Glob Health. 2019 Apr; 7(4):e417
• 'Next Generation Youth Well-being Study:' understanding the health and social well-being trajectories of Australian Aboriginal adolescents aged 10-24 years: study protocol.
  Gubhaju L, Banks E, Ward J, D'Este C, Ivers R, Roseby R, Azzopardi P, Williamson A, Chamberlain C, Liu B, Hotu C, Boyle J, McNamara B, Eades SJ; ‘Next Generation’ investigator team.
  BMJ Open. 2019 Mar; 9(3):e028734
• Progress in adolescent health and wellbeing: tracking 12 headline indicators for 195 countries and territories, 1990-2016.
  Azzopardi PS, Hearps SJC, Francis KL, Kennedy EC, Mokdad AH, Kassebaum NJ, Lim S, Irvine CMS, Vos T, Brown AD, Dogra S, Kinner SA, Kaoma NS, Naguib M, Reavley NJ, Requejo J, Santelli JS, Sawyer SM, Skirbekk V, Temmerman M, Tewhaiti-Smith J, Ward JL, Viner RM, Patton GC
  Lancet. 2019 Mar; 393(10176):1101-1118
• Screening for depressive and anxiety disorders among adolescents in Indonesia: Formal validation of the centre for epidemiologic studies depression scale - revised and the Kessler psychological distress scale.
  Tran TD, Kaligis F, Wiguna T, Willenberg L, Nguyen HTM, Luchters S, Azzopardi P, Fisher J
  J Affect Disord. 2019 Mar; 246:189-194
• Cross-sectional associations between Ideal Cardiovascular Health scores and vascular phenotypes in 11- to 12-year-olds and their parents: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children.
  Liu RS, Wake M, Grobler A, Cheung M, Lycett K, Ranganathan S, Edwards B, Dwyer T, Azzopardi P, Juonala M, Burgner DP
  Int J Cardiol. 2019 Feb; 277:258-265
• Global, regional, and national burden of traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury, 1990-2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016.
  GBD 2016 Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury Collaborators (including Azzopardi PS)
  Lancer Neurol. 2019 Jan; 18(1):56-87

2018 (16)

• Global, regional, and national age-sex-specific mortality for 282 causes of death in 195 countries and territories, 1980–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017
  GBD 2017 Causes of Death Collaborators (including Azzopardi P)
  Lancet. 2018 Dec; 392(10159):1736-1788
• Global, regional, and national age-sex-specific mortality and life expectancy, 1950-2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.
  GBD 2017 Mortality Collaborators (including Azzopardi P)
  Lancet. 2018 Nov; 392(10159):1684-1735
• Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 354 diseases and injuries for 195 countries and territories, 1990-2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017
  GBD 2017 Disease and Injury Incidence and Prevalence Collaborators (including Azzopardi P)
  Lancet. 2018 Nov; 392(10159):1789-1858
• Global, regional, and national disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for 359 diseases and injuries and healthy life expectancy (HALE) for 195 countries and territories, 1990-2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.
  GBD 2017 DALYs and HALE Collaborators (including Azzopardi P)
  Lancet. 2018 Nov; 392(10159):1859-1922
• Measuring progress from 1990 to 2017 and projecting attainment to 2030 of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals for 195 countries and territories: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.
  GBD 2017 SDG Collaborators (including Azzopardi P)
  Lancet. 2018 Nov; 392(10159):2091-2138
• Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 84 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks for 195 countries and territories, 1990-2017.
  GBD 2017 Risk Factor Collaborators (including Azzopardi P)
  Lancet. 2018 Nov; 392(10159):1923-1994
• Population and fertility by age and sex for 195 countries and territories, 1950-2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.
  GBD 2017 Population and Fertility Collaborators (including Azzopardi P)
  Lancet. 2018 Nov; 392(10159):1995-2051
• Missing in the middle: measuring a million deaths annually in children aged 5-14 years.
  Patton GC, Azzopardi P
  Lancet Glob Health. 2018 Oct; 6(10):e1048-e1049
• Alcohol use and burden for 195 countries and territories, 1990-2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016
  GBD 2016 Alcohol Collaborators (including Azzopardi P)
  Lancet. 2018 Sep; 392(10152):1015-1035
• Measuring performance on the Healthcare Access and Quality Index for 195 countries and territories and selected subnational locations: a systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016.
  GBD 2016 Healthcare Access and Quality Collaborators (including Azzopardi P)
  Lancet. 2018 Jun; 391(10136):2236-2271
• Adolescent health in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: findings from the global burden of disease 2015 study.
  GBD 2015 Eastern Mediterranean Region Adolescent Health Collaborators. (including Peter Azzopardi, Karly Cini and Elissa Kennedy)
  Int J Public Health. 2018 May; 63(Suppl 1):79-96
• Bone health, activity and sedentariness at age 11-12years: Cross-sectional Australian population-derived study.
  Osborn W, Simm P, Olds T, Lycett K, Mensah FK, Muller J, Fraysse F, Ismail N, Vlok J, Burgner D, Carlin JB, Edwards B, Dwyer T, Azzopardi P, Ranganathan S, Wake M
  Bone. 2018 Apr; 112:153-160
• The age of adolescence...and young adulthood - Authors' reply.
  Sawyer SM, Azzopardi PS, Wickremarathne D, Patton GC
  Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2018 Apr; 2(4):e7
• The age of adolescence.
  Sawyer SM, Azzopardi PS, Wickremarathne D, Patton GC
  Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2018 Mar; 2(3):223-228
• Adolescence and the next generation.
  Patton GC, Olsson CA, Skirbekk V, Saffery R, Wlodek ME, Azzopardi PS, Stonawski M, Rasmussen B, Spry E, Francis K, Bhutta ZA, Kassebaum NJ, Mokdad AH, Murray CJL, Prentice AM, Reavley N, Sheehan P, Sweeny K, Viner RM, Sawyer SM
  Nature. 2018 Feb; 554(7693):458-466
• Health and wellbeing of Indigenous adolescents in Australia: a systematic synthesis of population data.
  Azzopardi PS, Sawyer SM, Carlin JB, Degenhardt L, Brown N, Brown AD, Patton GC.
  Lancet. 2018 Jan; 391(10122):766-782

2017 (5)

• Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 84 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990-2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016.
  GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators including Azzopardi P
  Lancet. 2017 Sep; 390(10100):1345-1422
• Measuring progress and projecting attainment on the basis of past trends of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals in 188 countries: an analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016.
  GBD 2016 SDG Collaborators including Azzopardi P
  Lancet. 2017 Sep; 390(10100):1423-1459
• Global, regional, and national disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for 333 diseases and injuries and healthy life expectancy (HALE) for 195 countries and territories, 1990-2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016.
  GBD 2016 DALYs and HALE Collaborators including Azzopardi P
  Lancet. 2017 Sep; 390(10100):1260-1344
• Child and adolescent mortality across Malaysia's epidemiological transition: A systematic analysis of global burden of disease data.
  Abdul-Razak S, Azzopardi PS, Patton GC, Mokdad AH, Sawyer SM
  J Adolesc Health. 2017 Aug; 61(4):424-433
• Healthcare Access and Quality Index based on mortality from causes amenable to personal health care in 195 countries and territories, 1990-2015: a novel analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015.
  GBD 2015 Healthcare Access and Quality Collaborators including Azzopardi P
  Lancet. 2017 Jul; 390(10091):231-266

News Articles (9)

2019 (4)

• Closer connections with Myanmar
• High-level support for Myanmar School Health Promotion Program
• Focus on adolescent health in Myanmar
• The world's adolescents - unmet needs, growing inequality

2018 (2)

• New insights into adolescence
• Landmark study into adolescent health in Myanmar

2017 (3)

• Investing in adolescent health
• Adolescence an opportunity for Indigenous Australians
• Burnet researchers share in NHMRC grants