Ms Elisha Riggs

Research Fellow: Child Health Inequalities

Telephone: +61 3 8344 0911
Facsimile: +61 3 9348 2832
Email: eriggs@ unimelb.edu.au

Research Profile
Qualifications
Work History
Research Support
Publications
Awards
Professional Networks

Research Profile

Child oral health promotion, community based interventions, cultural competency in public health research

Qualifications

2005: Bachelor of Applied Science (Health Sciences) (Honours)
2004: Bachelor of Applied Science (Health Promotion)

Work history

2005: Research Assistant, Deakin University
2006-2007: Research Fellow, Deakin University
2007-current: Research Fellow, Melbourne University

Research support (grants)

• Riggs E. Teeth Tales: Socio-cultural determinants of child oral health. PHRPE Cluster Funding $5,180
• Kilpatrick N., Gussy M., Waters E., Riggs E. Country KIDS follow up. Australian Dental Research Foundation (ADRF) $3,850
• Waters E., Kulkens M., Van Gemert C., Riggs E., Kilpatrick N., Gibbs L., Cook K., Watt R., Gussy M. 2005 Development and trialing of an intervention to tackle social determinants of childhood oral health for new and emerging communities. Dental Health Services Vic.$50K
• Kilpatrick N, Waters E, Gussy M, Calache H, Riggs E. Making a difference to rural children’s oral health. The Helen Macpherson Smith Trust. $50K
• Kilpatrick N., Waters E., Goldfeld S., Gussy M., Riggs E. 2005 Country KIDS. Department of Human Services (DHS) $27,355.90.
• Waters E., Riggs E., Van Gemert C., Gibbs L., Kulkens M., Kilpatrick N., Gussy M., Cook K., Watt R. 2006 Social, cultural and environmental determinants of oral health in families with young children from new and emerging communities. Telstra Foundation Community Development Fund. $150K

Publications

• Gussy M, Waters E, Kilpatrick N, SK Lo, Riggs E, Parental knowledge, beliefs and behaviours for infant oral health of infants residing in rural Victoria. Australian Dental Journal, accepted June 2007

Manuscripts under review

• Riggs E., Gussy M., Waters E., Davis E., Gold L., Gleeson E., Kilpatrick N., Understanding Country KIDS: process and impact evaluation of a community-based child oral health promotion intervention in rural Victoria. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
• Priest N, Waters E, MacKean T, Davis E, Riggs E. A systematic review of Australian Indigenous child health research: scope, location and Indigenous involvement need attention. Medical Journal of Australia
• Renzaho AMN, Oldroyd J, Burns C, Waters E, Riggs E, Renzaho C., Obesity, undernutrition and Australian immigrants: assessing the influence of birthplace and language skills on the nutritional status among 4-5 year old children. Pediatrics
• Riggs E, Leong P, Waters E, Gussy M, Nicholson J, Dashper S, Byrne S, Kilpatrick N. Study design considerations to increase participation by at-risk rural population multi-component birth cohorts. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
• Waters E, Riggs E, Walsh O, Gussy M, Kilpatrick N, Davis E, Nicholson J. Annotation: Evidence of the Impact of Social Determinants Early in the Lifecourse on Oral Health Outcomes. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health
• Riggs E, Mahoney M. Evaluating Community Partnerships: A Case Study. Age and Ageing
• Mahoney M, Brijnath B, Townsend M, Hodder J, Riggs E. Developing Strategies for Successful Ageing – The Strathdon Community Partnership Initiative. Age and Ageing
• Cordwell L, Gunn J, Riggs E, Norden B. The Bangkok Charter for Health Promotion in a Globalised World: Impressions from Young Health Promoters in Victoria. Health Promotion Journal of Australia

Book Chapters under review

• Waters E., Gibbs L.,1Renzaho A., Riggs E, Kulkens, M, Priest N.Increasing cultural competence in public health and health promotion Encyclopaedia of Public Health

Conference presentations

• Riggs E, Gussy M, Waters E, Kilpatrick N, Gold L, Gleeson E. Understanding Country KIDS: Process and Impact evaluation of a community based child oral health promotion intervention in rural Victoria. PHAA September 2007
• Riggs E, Waters E, Kipatrick N, Gibbs L, Kulkens M, van Gemert C, Watt R. Socio-cultural determinants of children’s oral health in CALD communities – a systematic review. The 19th International Union of Health Promotion and Education 2007
• Cordewell L, Gunn J, Riggs E, Lewis K, Sirianni R, Abbott J. Strengthening the voice of young professionals and students: Victorian Youth Health Promotion Network (Australia). The 19th International Union of Health Promotion and Education 2007
• Gussy M, Waters E, Goldfield S, Riggs E, Lo SK, N Kilpatrick. The Epidemiology of Dental Decay in Rural Non-Fluoridated Areas of Victoria: Parental Knowledge, Beliefs and Behaviours for Infant Oral Health. Public Health Association of Australia 25th-27th September 2006
• Waters E, Gibbs G, Poljski C, Riggs E, Van Gemert C. Increasing cultural competency in public health research. Public Health Association of Australia 25th-27th September 2006
• Riggs E, Waters E, Kilpatrick N, Gussy M, Leong P, Dashper S, Byrne S, Nicholson J, Slack-Smith L, Battistutta D, SK Lo. New Study, Setting and Context: Why Pilot Studies are Essential. International Association of Dental Research June 28 – July1, 2006
• Gussy M, Kilpatrick N, Waters E, Riggs E. Dental health knowledge, beliefs and practices of a group of parents of children aged 1-2 years living in rural Victoria. International Association of Paediatric Dentistry International Congress31 Oct - 5 Nov 2005

Awards

• 2007 Public Health Association of Australia, Health Promotion Evaluation Student Award

Professional Networks