HDR Scholarship - Addressing healthcare workers mental health

While many families were sheltering at home, healthcare workers (HCWs) continued to provide direct care to patients throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, often under considerable stress. Research amongst this population highlights fears regarding COVID-19 transmission, challenges navigating work-family balance, isolation from families due to workplace exposure and stigma and abuse within their communities. Consequently, HCWs have experienced significant declines in their mental health, subjective wellbeing and family functioning, resulting in unprecedented resignations and increased turnover intention amongst remaining staff.

Deakin University is offering a unique PhD scholarship opportunity to engage in the co-design and evaluation of a systemic intervention to improve the mental health and wellbeing of hospital-based healthcare workers and their families. The intervention will be piloted over a 6-month period in late 2025.

Applications close 5pm, Monday 28 October 2024.

This scholarship is available over 3 years.

• Stipend of $34,400 per annum tax exempt (2024 rate)

To be eligible you must:

• be a domestic candidate. Domestic includes candidates with Australian Citizenship, Australian Permanent Residency or New Zealand Citizenship.
• meet Deakin's PhD entry requirements
• be enrolling full time and hold an honours degree (first class) or an equivalent standard master's degree with a substantial research component.

Please refer to the research degree entry pathways page for further information.

Additional desirable criteria include:

• The scholarship is seeking candidates who are driven to make a substantial, positive impact within groups that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This project promises not only significant academic exploration but also practical, community-level impacts in the field of mental health. The research would suit students interested in mental health and wellbeing, systems thinking, mixed methods research and co-designed intervention. Some prior training in at least one of these areas would be an advantage. We welcome applications from candidates with relevant lived experience. The research student will be based primarily at Deakin University (Aus) but may be expected to travel within Victoria as part of the pilot evaluation (travel funding is included in the scholarship).