Dr Shaouli Shahid
Shaouli Shahid is a social scientist, academic, researcher and has completed her PhD from the Centre for International Health, Curtin University. She has a strong academic background having also previously completed two Masters Degrees. She has been involved in research in diversified areas. As part of Master’s degree, Shaouli undertook policy research in the area of HIV/AIDS and sexuality in Bangladesh. Since joining the WACCPC in 2010, Shaouli has been working with Professor Samar Aoun on the ‘Waist Disposal Challenge’, a chronic disease self-management program at the community level, and has been developing effective local and national collaborations with several institutions and key stakeholders in the area of health promotion.
Shaouli has over 6 years experience in working with Aboriginal Australians in Western Australia. Her PhD research focused on exploring beliefs and understanding of Aboriginal people about cancer and their experiences with cancer services in WA. This project identified gaps in knowledge and understanding and a lack of support services within Aboriginal communities and in cancer treatment services as barriers for Aboriginal patients to access treatment during their cancer journey. With support from Shaouli’s project, a local Aboriginal woman from Midwest region of WA has established the Midwest Indigenous Women’s Cancer Support Group.
Shaouli is a promising researcher who has won two early career research grants to expand her work on improving cancer and palliative care outcomes and services for Aboriginal people in WA. Shaouli was also a team member on a NHMRC capacity building grant, ‘Making a difference: building research capacity for health interventions to improve Aboriginal health’.
She has excellent understanding of cross-cultural communication that has been developed through her studying and working experience in cross cultural contexts. She has strong interpersonal and communication skills and an ability to interact empathically with a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds. Shaouli has very strong background in research and is familiar with a variety of methodological approaches. She has extensive experience to work with local communities, government and non-government organisations. She has skills and knowledge about writing both responsibly and appropriately for the audience, and has published papers in peer-reviewed journals.
Her research interests include Indigenous health; participatory action research methodology; health promotion and preventative health; sexuality, gender and health; holistic approach to health and health care and; other health services research.
