Background

Elissa is a medical doctor with a Master of Public Health specialising in international health (Monash University). She has more than a decade’s experience in global public health, with particular expertise in adolescent sexual and reproductive health research, policy, and programming in low- and middle-income countries.

Elissa has led and contributed to research examining adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health needs in various settings, including China, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste and Vanuatu. She has also conducted intervention studies and evaluations of programs aiming to improve adolescents’ access to sexual and reproductive health information and services. Her recent work has focused on prevention of early and unintended pregnancy, menstrual hygiene management, understanding gender inequality and its impacts on adolescents, and strengthening adolescent-responsive health systems.

She was a collaborator and co-author of the Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing published in 2016, most notably contributing to the analysis of global burden of disease data to identify priority health needs of 10 to 24-year-olds globally. Elissa also provides technical support to adolescent and maternal and child health policy and development projects in Asia, the Pacific and sub-Saharan Africa.

Prior to joining Burnet in 2009, Elissa worked in sub-Saharan Africa as a clinician and health advisor, contributing to primary health care programs related to women’s and children’s health, HIV prevention and care, and sexual and reproductive health. In addition to work focused on adolescent health, Elissa also contributes to postgraduate teaching in women’s and children’s health, adolescent health, and primary health care. She was coordinator of the Centre for International Health’s education and training program from 2013-2016.

Appointments

• Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University
• Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Honorary Fellow

Positions

• 2017: Co-Program Director, Maternal and Child Health; Co-Head Global Adolescent Health, Burnet Institute

Qualifications

• 2009: MPH, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
• 2003: MBBS (Hons), Monash University, Victoria, Australia

Projects (24)

Current (14)

• Addressing adolescent sexual and reproductive health in the Pacific
  Adolescents in the Pacific experience a significant burden of preventable poor sexual and reproductive health
• Developing vaccines against malaria
  This project aims to identify key antigens and specific epitopes that are targets of protective immunity.
• Development of a point-of-care test for neonatal sepsis
  Aimed at enabling healthcare workers to provide initial diagnosis in resource-constrained settings.
• Discovering the mechanisms and targets of immunity against malaria
  Identifying the key targets of protective immunity in people who live in malaria-endemic regions.
• Gender Counts
  A quantitative assessment of gender inequality and its impacts on children and adolescents in Asia and the Pacific.
• Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies
  A collaborative research program aimed at providing life-saving health care for women and children in PNG.
• HMHB - Health Services for Postnatal and Infancy Care
  Focuses on services during postnatal period and through the first 12 months in East New Britain, PNG.
• HMHB: The impact of nutrition, malaria and STIs on pregnant women and infants
  Determining the major preventable causes of poor maternal health and low birth weight of babies in PNG.
• Improved point-of-care test to eliminate congenital syphilis
  Optimising and validating an innovative test to enable immediate treatment at the point of care.
• IMSA: Improving SRH knowledge among young people in Magwey, Myanmar
  This formative study provides evidence of current knowledge and attitudes among adolescents.
• 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.
• Vaccines against Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum malaria
  This involves identifying and prioritising candidate antigens for vaccine development.

Past (10)

• Adolescent reproductive health in Myanmar: Formative research to support the delivery of life-skills education and hygiene improvements through monastic schools in Magway
  A study into reproductive health education through the Monastic Education System in Magway.
• Assessing adolescent friendly health services in Nepal
  Young people in Nepal have poor access to quality, non-discriminatory health services.
• 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
• Improving facility-based MCH services for women in the Rushinga District, Zimbabwe
  Reducing maternal and neonatal deaths via improved quality and uptake of facility-based MCH care.
• Increasing demand and uptake of quality, facility-based services, Zimbabwe
  Reducing maternal and neonatal deaths in Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe.
• Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing
  The Commission will consider the next steps needed to implement the available evidence in global adolescent health.
• Menstrual hygiene management in Indonesia
  Understanding the impact that menstrual hygiene practices can have on females in developing countries.
• MNCH support in Myanmar's Northern Shan State
  This project involves Namhsam, Namtu and Manton townships.
• Pathways to post abortion care in Myanmar
  Understanding women's perspectives on accessing post-abortion care at public hospitals.
• WHISPER and SHOUT - mHealth interventions among Kenyan sex workers
  Mobile phone-based health promotions sent to sex workers in Mombasa.

Publications (26)

2019 (1)

• 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

2018 (2)

• Youth-centred research to help prevent and mitigate the adverse health and social impacts of pregnancy amongst young Papua New Guineans.
  Bell S, Kennedy E, Black K, Vallely A, Vallely L, Mola G, Kaldor J, Bagita M, Ninnes C, Pomat W, Kelly-Hanku A
  Reprod Health Matters. 2018 Nov; 26(54):5-12
• Menstrual hygiene management and school absenteeism among adolescent students in Indonesia: evidence from a cross-sectional school-based survey.
  Davis J, Macintyre A, Odagiri M, Suriastini W, Cordova A, Huggett C, Agius PA, Faiqoh, Budiyani AE, Quillet C, Cronin AA, Diah M, Triwahyunto A, Luchters S, Kennedy E
  Trop Med Int Health. 2018 Oct; 23(12):1350-1363

2016 (3)

• Sexual and Reproductive Health of Unmarried Young People in Asia and the Pacific: A review of knowledge, behaviours and outcomes. (Burnet Institute Report)
  Kennedy E, Willenberg L, Mohamed Y, Luchters S
  Report prepared for UNFPA Asia Pacific Regional Office, UNESCO, WHO. 2016 Jul
• Our future: a Lancet commission on adolescent health and wellbeing.
  Patton GC, Sawyer SM, Santelli JS, Ross DA, Afifi R, Allen NB, Arora M, Azzopardi P, Baldwin W, Bonell C, Kakuma R, Kennedy E, Mahon J, McGovern T, Mokdad AH, Patel V, Petroni S, Reavley N, Taiwo K, Waldfogel J, Wickremarathne D, Barroso C, Bhutta Z, Fatusi AO, Mattoo A, Diers J, Fang J, Ferguson J, Ssewamala F, Viner RM
  Lancet. 2016 May; 387(10036):2423-78
• Global burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors for young people's health during 1990–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013
  Mokdad AH, Forouzanfar MH, Daoud F, Mokdad AA, El Bcheraoui C, Moradi-Lakeh M, Kyu HH, Barber RM, Wagner J, Cercy K, Kravitz H, Coggeshall M Chew A, O'Rourke KF, Steiner C, Tuffaha M, Charara R, Al-Ghamdi EA, Adi Y, Afifi RA, Alahmadi H, Al Buhairan F, Nicholas Allen N, Al Mazroa M, Al-Nehmi AA, Al Rayess Z, Arora M, Azzopardi P, Barroso C, Basulaiman M, Bhutta ZA, Bonell C, Breinbauer C, Degenhardt L, Denno D, Fang J, Fatusi A, Feigl AB, Kakuma R, Karam N, Kennedy E, Khoja TAM, Maalouf F, Obermeyer CM, Mattoo A, McGovern T, Memish ZA, Mensah GA, Patel V, Petroni S, Reavley N, Zertuche DR, Saeedi M, Santelli J, Sawyer SM, Ssewamala F, Taiwo K, Tantawy M, Viner RM, Waldfogel J, Zuñiga MP, Naghavi M, Wang H, Vos T, Lopez AD, Al Rabeeah AA, Patton GC, Murray CJL
  Lancet. 2016 May; 387(10036):2383-2401

2015 (3)

• Sexual and Reproductive Health of Young People in Asia and the Pacific: A review of issues, policies and programmes. (Burnet Institue Report)
  Kennedy E, Willenberg L, Mohamed Y, Luchters S
  UNFPA Asia Pacific Regional Office, UNESCO, WHO. 2015 Jul
• Sexual and Reproductive Health Knowledge, Contraception Uptake, and Factors Associated with Unmet Need for Modern Contraception among Adolescent Female Sex Workers in China.
  Lim MS, Zhang XD, Kennedy E, Li Y, Yang Y, Li L, Li YX, Temmerman M, Luchters S
  PLoS One. 2015 Jan; 10(1):e0115435
• Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (Book Chapter)
  Kennedy E, Mark AG, Brahmi D, Dhont N, Leye EMM
  in "Essential Clinical Global Health" Ed Brett D Nelson Wiley-Blackwell pp 171-92. 2015 Jan

2014 (2)

• "These issues aren't talked about at home": a qualitative study of the sexual and reproductive health information preferences of adolescents in Vanuatu.
  Kennedy EC, Bulu S, Harris J, Humphreys D, Malverus J, Gray NJ
  BMC Public Health. 2014 Jul; 14:770
• High rates of abortion and low levels of contraceptive use among adolescent female sex workers in Kunming, China: A cross-sectional analysis.
  Zhang XD, Kennedy E, Temmerman M, Li Y, Zhang WH, Luchters S
  Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care. 2014 Jul; 19(5):368-378

2013 (6)

• "Be kind to young people so they feel at home": a qualitative study of adolescents' and service providers' perceptions of youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services in Vanuatu.
  Kennedy EC, Bulu S, Harris J, Humphreys D, Malverus J, Gray NJ
  BMC Health Serv Res. 2013 Oct; 13:455
• The case for investing in family planning in the pacific: costs and benefits of reducing unmet need for contraception in Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands.
  Kennedy EC, Mackesy-Buckley S, Subramaniam S, Demmke A, Latu R, Robertson AS, Tiban K, Tokon A, Luchters S
  Reprod Health. 2013 Jun; 10(1):30
• Improving adolescent reproductive health in Asia and the Pacific: do we have the data? A review of DHS and MICS surveys in nine countries.
  Gray N, Azzopardi P, Kennedy E, Willersdorf E, Creati M
  Asia Pac J Public Health. 2013 Mar; 25(2):134-144
• Addressing early and unintended pregnancy in the Pacific: the information and service delivery needs of adolescents in Vanuatu.
  Kennedy E, Bulu S, Harris J, Humphreys D, Malverus J, Gray N
  Women’s and Children’s Health Knowledge Hub. 2013 Mar; Policy Brief
• Increasing adolescents’ access to sexual and reproductive health services in Vanuatu.
  Kennedy E, Bulu S, Harris J, Humphreys D, Malverus J, Gray N
  Women’s and Children’s Health Knowledge Hub. 2013 Mar; Policy Brief
• The quality of health research for young Indigenous Australians: systematic review.
  Azzopardi PS, Kennedy EC, Patton GC, Power R, Roseby RD, Sawyer SM, Brown AD
  Med J Aust. 2013 Feb; 199(1):57-63

2012 (3)

• Online chlamydia testing: an innovative approach that appeals to young people.
  Azzopardi PS, Kennedy EC, Brown AD
  Med J Aust. 2012 Dec; 197(11):621
• Improving adolescent reproductive: the importance of quality data.
  Kennedy E, Grey N, Azzopardi P, Creati M
  Pac Health Dialog. 2012 Apr; 18(1):140-141
• Human resources for health in maternal, neonatal and reproductive health at community level: a profile of human resources for health in ten countries in the Asia and Pacific Regions
  Angela Dawson, Tara Howes, Natalie Gray, Elissa Kennedy
  Women's and Children's Health Knowledge Hub: Discussion Paper. 2012 Jan

2011 (4)

• Improving adolescent reproductive health - the need to address adolescent fertility and access family planning
  Kennedy E, Gray N, Azzopardi P, Creati M
  Women's and Children's Health Knowledge Hub. 2011 Dec; Policy Brief
• Reaching emergency obstetric care: overcoming the 'second delay'.
  Holmes W, Kennedy E
  Women’s and Children’s Health Knowledge Hub. 2011 Sep; Briefing Paper
• Improving adolescent reproductive health - the importance of quality data
  Gray N, Azzopardi P, Kennedy E, Creati M, Willersdorf E
  Women's and Children's Health Knowledge Hub: Policy Brief. 2011 Jun
• Adolescent fertility and family planning in East Asia and the Pacific: a review of DHS reports.
  Kennedy E, Gray N, Azzopardi P, Creati M
  Reprod Health. 2011 May; 8:11

2010 (2)

• Reaching emergency obstetric care: overcoming the 'second delay'
  Wendy Holmes, Elissa Kennedy
  Women's and Children's Health Knowledge Hub: Briefing Paper. 2010 Jun
• Human resources for health in maternal, neonatal and reproductive health at community level: a synthesis of the literature with a focus on the Asia and Pacific Regions
  Angela Dawson, Tara Howes, Ponndara Ith, Natalie Gray, Elissa Kennedy
  Women's and Children's Health Knowledge Hub: Discussion Paper. 2010 Jan

News Articles (18)

2019 (3)

• This Mother’s Day, help us save mothers' lives
• The world's adolescents - unmet needs, growing inequality
• International Women's Day event focuses on young women most-at-risk

2018 (2)

• Tennis great casts spotlight on maternal and child health
• Landmark study into adolescent health in Myanmar

2017 (5)

• Investing in adolescent health
• Australia pledges more than $30 million for family planning in Pacific
• Burnet joins calls for govt funding boost for family planning
• On Mothers Day: A wish for healthy babies
• Health challenges for women in PNG focus of IWD lunch

2016 (4)

• Dr Elissa Kennedy wins Gust-McKenzie Medal
• Lancet focus on adolescent health
• HMHB attracts Principal Supporter
• Report finds gaps in Asia-Pacific sex education

2014 (2)

• AIDS 2014: Advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights
• WHO calls for stronger focus on adolescent health

2012 (2)

• Life saver: why Pacific women deserve contraceptive choice
• London Family Planning Summit: Australia to double aid