Tessa Keegel

Research Fellow, McCaughey Centre, VicHealth Centre for the Promotion of Mental Health and Community Wellbeing

Telephone: +61 3 8344 0735
Facsimile: +61 3 9348 2832
Email: tgkeegel@unimelb.edu.au

An interest in work and health brought Tessa Keegel to the McCaughey Centre. Tessa’s introduction to population health was in 1998 when she worked as a research interviewer with the Australian Breast Cancer Family Study.

This sparked her desire to work in public health research and prompted her to add to her Masters degree in cultural theory with a graduate diploma in epidemiology and biostatistics.

At the time of joining the McCaughey Centre she was a PhD candidate on an NHMRC scholarship. “I thought it would be great to take my skills and use them in ways that were far more applied,” she says. Her first job in epidemiology was at the Occupational Dermatology Research and Education Centre at the Skin and Cancer Foundation, Melbourne. In this position Tessa worked on a range of research projects investigating occupational contact dermatitis across a number of industries. Tessa also worked on the development of policy recommendations regarding occupational dermal exposure.

In 2004 Tessa joined Associate Professor Tony LaMontagne at the University of Melbourne, working with him on the 2006 VicHealth report, ‘Workplace Stress in Victoria: Developing a Systems Approach’.

Tessa is continuing research on the health effects of exposure to an adverse psychosocial work environment with Associate Professor LaMontagne, who is Principal Research Officer at the McCaughey Centre.

Tessa raises the question of whether being employed could, in some situations, be more damaging to mental health than being unemployed.

“Australia is going through an economic boom at the moment, unemployment is low and one of the questions we need to consider is whether having any job at any cost is better than having no job at all,” she says. “There may be jobs that, because of conditions, may be worse for health than being unemployed.

“Particularly with the industrial relations changes that have come through recently, the expectation that people will have safe and secure work which is good for their health does not hold,” she says. 

“I think it’s really important to be tracking the health effects of what is happening in workplaces.”

Tessa is interested in the ways that policy can affect the relationship between work and health.

Tessa Keegel has worked as a researcher in work and health, as an epidemiologist, and as a research interviewer. Most of her experience has been gained in universities or public health organisations.

Qualifications

Doctorate of Philosophy candidate, the University of Melbourne (2003-present) 
Graduate Diploma of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, the University of Melbourne, 2002
Masters (Cultural Theory), Monash University, 1996
Bachelor of Arts (Hons), Monash University, 1991

Work history

2004-2006: Research Fellow, Centre for Health & Society, School of Population Health, the University of Melbourne
2004-present: Honorary Research Fellow, Occupational Dermatology Research and Education Centre, The Skin and Cancer Foundation, Melbourne
2002-2004: Epidemiology Research Fellow, Occupational Dermatology Research and Education Centre, The Skin and Cancer Foundation, Melbourne
2001: Research Assistant, Centre for Genetic Epidemiology, School of Population Health, the University of Melbourne
2001: Publication Officer, Department of General Practice, the University of Melbourne
1998-2000: Interviewer, Centre for Genetic Epidemiology, School of Population Health, the University of Melbourne
1996-1997: Resource Manager, Centre of Medical Informatics, Monash University
1992-1994: Research Assistant, Department of English and Cultural Studies, the University of  Melbourne

Prizes and awards

Travel Award from the European Society of Contact Dermatitis to attend the  8th Congress of the European Society of Contact Dermatitis 13-16 September Berlin, Germany (2006)

Special Commendation for Excellence in Research Achievement (Early Career Category) School of Population Health Research Awards, the University of Melbourne (2005)

Competitive student bursary,  Australasian Epidemiology Association, for oral presentation, (2005)

Travel Award National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH),
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) USA (2005)

Award winning poster 7th Congress of the European Society of Contact Dermatitis 9-12 June Copenhagen (2004)

Recent publications

Publications in refereed journals

Keegel T, Erbas B, Cahill J, Dharmage S, Noonan A, Nixon R. Occupational Contact Dermatitis in Australia: Diagnostic and Management Practices, and Severity of Worker Impairment. Contact Dermatitis (accepted: 27/1/2007)

Louie A, Ostry A, Quinlan M, Keegel T, Shoveller J, LaMontagne A.D. Empirical study of employment arrangements and precariousness in Australia. Relations Industrielles/Industrial Relations. 61(3):465-489 (2006)

Moyle M, Keegel T, Noonan A, Nixon R. Skin Care in Occupational Contact Dermatitis of the Hands. Australasian Journal of Dermatology
 47:97-101 (2006)

Keegel T, Cahill J, Noonan A, Dharmage S, Saunders H, Frowen K, Nixon R. Incidence and prevalence rates for occupational contact dermatitis in an Australian suburban area. Contact Dermatitis 52:254-259 (2005)

Cahill J, Keegel T, Dharmage S, Nugriaty D, Nixon R. Prognosis of occupational contact dermatitis in a group of workers allergic to epoxy resins. Contact Dermatitis 52(3):147-53. (2005)

 Keegel T, Saunders H, Milne R, Sajjachareonpong P, Fletcher A, Nixon R. Topical corticosteroid allergy in an urban Australian centre. Contact Dermatitis 50:6-14 (2004)

Sajjachareonpong P, Cahill J, Keegel T, Saunders H, Nixon R. Persistent post-occupational dermatitis.  Contact Dermatitis 51:278-283 (2004)

Cahill J, Keegel T, Nixon R. The prognosis of occupational contact dermatitis in 2004. Contact Dermatitis 51:219-226 (2004)

Saunders H, Keegel T, Nixon R, Frowen K. Career counsellors and occupational contact dermatitis. Contact Dermatitis 48:189-90 (2003)

Full conference papers

Keegel T, Fletcher AS, Cahill J et al. Exposure, communication and hazard: A case control study of skin sensitizers and worker sensitization. Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists, Occupational hygiene: A change in the air? Fremantle, Western Australia, (2004) ISBN: 0957770367

Reports

LaMontagne AD, Shaw A, Ostry A, Louie AM, and Keegel T (May 2006): Workplace Stress in Victoria: Developing a Systems Approach.  Melbourne: Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, 152 pages.  ISBN 0-9757335-3-2.  Freely available at www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/workplacestress. 

Report prepared by the Occupational Dermatitis Research and Education Centre, The Skin and Cancer Foundation. Occupational Disease Profiles: NOHSC paper number 2/8: Occupational Induced Dermatitis. ISBN:1920763333,
National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC), Canberra (2004)

Published conference abstracts

Louie AM, Ostry A, Shoveller J, Quinlan M, Keegel T, Radi S, LaMontagne AD. Psychosocial and other working conditions in relation to employment arrangements in a sample of working Australians Australasian Epidemiologist 13:3:117 (2006)

Keegel T, Erbas B, Dharmage S, Fletcher AS, Cahill J, Sakata S, Nixon RL, LaMontagne AD. Do accurate MSDS sensitizer warnings prevent worker sensitization? Contact Dermatitis 55: 1-60 (2006) Competitive travel grant 8th Congress of the European Society of Contact Dermatitis 13-16 September Berlin

Keegel T, Radi S, Ostry A, LaMontagne AD. Patterns of job strain in a representative sample of working Victorians: Enabling evidence-based policy and practice.  Australasian Epidemiologist September Vol 12.3:51-52  (2005) Competitive student bursary awarded

Moyle M, Keegel T, Noonan A, Nixon R. Patients’ reports of treatment for suspected occupational contact dermatitis. Australasian Journal of Dermatology  Vol 46:A2 (2005)

Keegel T, Fletcher AS, Cahill J et al. Material Safety Data Sheets: Reporting of skin sensitisers and skin sensitisation. Occupational and Environmental Medicine 61: 53 (2004)

Keegel T, Saunders H, Nixon R. The accuracy of material safety data sheets: reporting of skin irritants and skin sensitisers. Contact Dermatitis 50:192-193 (2004) Award winning poster 7th Congress of the European Society of Contact Dermatitis 9-12 June Copenhagen

Moyle M, Noonan A, Keegel T, Frowen K, Karton J, Nixon R. Tackling risk factors for contact dermatitis: An educational program providing information on high-risk careers to students and career counsellors. Australasian Journal of Dermatology 45:A4 (2004)

Nixon R, Sajjachareonpong P, Keegel T, Frowen K. Persistent post-occupational dermatitis: a case series. Contact Dermatitis 50:154 (2004)

Nixon R, Keegel T, Noonan A, Saunders H, Frowen K. A surveillance network for occupational contact dermatitis utilizing general practitioners. Contact Dermatitis 50:160-161 (2004)

Noonan A, Keegel T, Nixon R. Latex glove use in the food industry: a review. Australasian Journal of Dermatology 45:A21 (2004)

Keegel T, Saunders H, Frowen K, Nixon R. Spot: A surveillance network for occupational contact dermatitis. Australasian Journal of Dermatology 44:A21-22 (2003)

 Keegel T, Saunders H, Milne R, Nixon R. Development and validation of a disease severity index for occupational contact dermatitis. Australasian Journal of Dermatology 44:A20 (2003)

Sajjachareonpong P, Keegel T, Saunders H, Nixon R. What is persistent post-occupational dermatitis? Australasian Journal of Dermatology 44:A2-3 (2003)

Saunders H, Keegel T, Sajjachareonpong P, Milne R, Nixon R. Topical corticosteroid allergy: The Australian experience. Australasian Journal of Dermatology 44:A9-10 (2003)

Manuscripts in review

Louie AM, Ostry AS, Shoveller J, Quinlan M, Radi S, Best JA, Keegel T and LaMontagne AD: Psychosocial and other working conditions in relation to employment arrangements in a representative sample of working Australians. 

Moyle M. Dharmage S, Keegel T, Frowen K, Nixon R. Epidemiology of occupational contact dermatitis: a systematic review.

Keegel T, Ostry A, LaMontagne AD. Job strain exposures versus stress-related Workers’ Compensation claims in Victoria (Australia): Developing a public health response to job stress.

LaMontagne AD, Keegel T, Ostry A, Wolfe R. Estimation of job strain population attributable risks for cardiovascular disease and depression in a sample of working Australians.

LaMontagne AD, Keegel T, Louie A, Ostry A, Landsbergis P. A systematic review of the job stress intervention evaluation literature: Assessing the evidence of effectiveness for a systems approach.

Recent consultancies

Occupational contact dermatitis in Australia: Diagnostic and management practices, and severity of worker impairment, for the Occupational Dermatology Research and Education Centre, The Skin and Cancer Foundation, Melbourne