DrBianca Kavanagh

Dr Bianca Kavanagh is a Research Fellow at Deakin Rural Health where her research focuses on rural health service access, mental health, and community-engaged approaches to improving health and social outcomes. Her role also includes being an embedded researcher at Brophy Family and Youth Services -- the primary place-based provider for family and youth services across South West Victoria. In this position, she leads research and evaluation initiatives aimed at strengthening organisational research capacity among practitioners based in Warrnambool, Hamilton, and Portland. This work has included supporting practitioners to develop foundational skills in data collection and use, as well as engaging in multi-year projects to build research and evaluation capability and capacity across the organisation. 

Dr Kavanagh has an emerging interest in maternity care, the importance of continuity of care, and perinatal mental health and wellbeing. Drawing on her experience across both university and community service settings, she is committed to translating research into practice and supporting organisations to use evidence to inform decision-making and improve outcomes. An overarching theme of her work is understanding the intersecting challenges faced by rural people with complex healthcare needs, the added burdens associated with living and accessing care in rural areas, and the organisational changes that can improve health, wellbeing, and everyday experiences of care.