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Dr Kristen Beek

Dr Kristen Beek

Lecturer

PhD (Public Health): University of Technology Sydney

Master of International Public Health: University of Sydney

Master of Applied Anthropology and Development Studies: Macquarie University

Bachelor of Arts: Macquarie University

Medicine & Health
School of Population Health

Kristen Beek is a social scientist and public health researcher from the School of Population Health at UNSW. She has a background in applied anthropology and development studies, humanitarian health research and capacity development, and public health research and practice in Australia and internationally. Her areas of particular research interest are disaster risk reduction and health; health workforce training and capacity development; sexual, reproductive, maternal, adolescent and child health; health in humanitarian settings; and strengthening health systems to respond to health needs across the life course.

Kristen has researched and worked with United Nations agencies, international and local non-governmental organisations, and academic institutions in this field across the Asia-Pacific region. She has developed training packages on responding to sexual and reproductive health needs in complex humanitarian settings and is currently involved in producing online training for operational research to support vector surveillance and control for ԻAnopheles-borne diseases in Pacific Island countries.

As an early career researcher, Kristen has an emerging record of publications on important areas of public health research including prevention and response to violence in crisis contexts; reproductive health, rights and justice; health systems support for universal health coverage; and health workforce capacity development.

Kristen currently convenes the following courses for the Bachelor of International Public Health program:

  • Women's and Children's Health
  • Applied Public Health Practice
E-mail
k.beek@unsw.edu.au
  • Book Chapters | 2022
    Burry K; Beek K; Haire B; Worth H, 2022, 'Infanticide and Reproductive (In)Justice in the South Pacific: The Construction of Pacific Women in Criminal Trials', in Sexual and Reproductive Justice From the Margins to the Centre, Lexington Books
  • Journal articles | 2024
    Burry K; Beek K; Vallely L; Worth H; Haire B, 2024, 'The experience of abortion for Cook Islands women: exploring the socio-cultural dimensions of abortion safety', Culture, Health & Sexuality, 26, pp. 1 - 16,
    Journal articles | 2024
    Thapa P; Narasimhan P; Beek K; Hall JJ; Jayasuriya R; Mukherjee PS; Sheokand S; Heitkamp P; Shukla P; Klinton JS; Yellappa V; Mudgal N; Pai M, 2024, 'Unlocking the potential of informal healthcare providers in tuberculosis care: Insights from India', BMJ Global Health, 9, pp. e015212,
    Journal articles | 2023
    Burry K; Beek K; Vallely L; Worth H; Haire B, 2023, 'Illegal abortion and reproductive injustice in the Pacific Islands: A qualitative analysis of court data', Developing World Bioethics, 23, pp. 166 - 175,
    Journal articles | 2023
    Burry K; Beek K; Worth H; Vallely L; Haire B, 2023, 'Framings of abortion in Pacific Island print media: qualitative analysis of articles, opinion pieces, and letters to the editor', Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters, 31, pp. 2228113,
    Journal articles | 2023
    Craig A; Beek K; Godinho M; Ansari S; Jonnagaddala J; Asgari-Jirhandeh N; Linhart C; Hall J; Liaw T, 2023, 'Digital health and universal health coverage: opportunities and policy considerations for low- and middle-income Pacific Island countries and territories', Pacific Health, 6,
    Journal articles | 2023
    Thapa P; Narasimhan P; Jayasuriya R; Hall JJ; Mukherjee PS; Das DK; Beek K, 2023, 'Barriers and facilitators to informal healthcare provider engagement in the national tuberculosis elimination program of India: An exploratory study from West Bengal', PLOS Global Public Health, 3, pp. e0001390,
    Journal articles | 2022
    Baffsky R; Beek K; Wayland S; Shanthosh J; Henry A; Cullen P, 2022, '“The real pandemic’s been there forever”: qualitative perspectives of domestic and family violence workforce in Australia during COVID-19', BMC Health Services Research, 22, pp. 337,
    Journal articles | 2022
    Borgelt K; Siose TK; Taape IV; Nunan M; Beek K; Craig AT, 2022, 'The impact of digital communication and data exchange on primary health service delivery in a small island developing state setting', PLOS Digital Health, 1, pp. e0000109,
    Journal articles | 2022
    Craig A; Beek K; Gilbert K; Soakai TS; Liaw T; Hall J, 2022, 'Universal Health Coverage and the Pacific Islands: An Overview of Senior Leaders’ Discussions, Challenges, Priorities and Solutions, 2015–2020', International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19, pp. 4108,
    Journal articles | 2022
    Govindasamy S; Beek K; Yates K; Jayasuriya R; Reynolds R; de Wit JBF; Harris M, 2022, 'Experiences of overweight and obese patients with diabetes and practice nurses during implementation of a brief weight management intervention in general practice settings serving Culturally and Linguistically Diverse disadvantaged populations', Australian Journal of Primary Health, 29, pp. 358 - 364,
    Journal articles | 2022
    Thapa P; Hall JJ; Jayasuriya R; Mukherjee PS; Beek K; Das DK; Mandal T; Narasimhan P, 2022, 'What are the tuberculosis care practices of informal healthcare providers? A cross-sectional study from Eastern India', Health policy and planning, 37, pp. 1158 - 1166,
    Journal articles | 2022
    Thapa P; Jayasuriya R; Hall JJ; Mukherjee PS; Beek K; Briggs N; Das DK; Mandal T; Narasimhan P, 2022, 'Are informal healthcare providers knowledgeable in tuberculosis care? A cross-sectional survey using vignettes in West Bengal, India.', International Health, 15, pp. 389 - 396,
    Journal articles | 2022
    Walker N; Beek K; Chen H; Shang J; Stevenson S; Williams K; Herzog H; Ahmed J; Cullen P, 2022, 'The Experiences of Persistent Pain Among Women With a History of Intimate Partner Violence: A Systematic Review', Trauma, Violence, and Abuse, 23, pp. 490 - 505,
    Journal articles | 2021
    Beek K; Drysdale R; Kusen M; Dawson A, 2021, 'Preparing for and responding to sexual and reproductive health in disaster settings: evidence from Fiji and Tonga', Reproductive Health, 18,
    Journal articles | 2021
    Brink J; Cullen P; Beek K; Peters SAE, 2021, 'Intimate partner violence during the COVID-19 pandemic in Western and Southern European countries', European Journal of Public Health, 31, pp. 1058 - 1063,
    Journal articles | 2021
    Thapa P; Jayasuriya R; Hall JJ; Beek K; Mukherjee P; Gudi N; Narasimhan P, 2021, 'Role of informal healthcare providers in tuberculosis care in low- And middle-income countries: A systematic scoping review', PLoS ONE, 16, pp. e0256795,
    Journal articles | 2020
    Setio K; Pardosi J; Beek K; Razee H, 2020, 'The risk and protective factors for risky sexual behaviors among school-aged adolescents in Indonesia', EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, 30,
    Journal articles | 2019
    Beek K; McFadden A; Dawson A, 2019, 'The role and scope of practice of midwives in humanitarian settings: A systematic review and content analysis', Human Resources for Health, 17,
    Journal articles | 2017
    Beek K; Dawson A; Whelan A, 2017, 'A review of factors affecting the transfer of sexual and reproductive health training into practice in low and lower-middle income country humanitarian settings', Conflict and Health, 11,
    Journal articles | 2014
    Tran NT; Portela A; De Bernis L; Beek K, 2014, 'Developing capacities of community health workers in sexual and reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health: A mapping and review of training resources', PLoS ONE, 9,
  • Reports | 2022
    Craig A; Beek K; Godinho M; Ansari S; Jonnagaddala J; Linhart C; Hall J; Liaw T, 2022, Digital health and universal health coverage: opportunities and policy considerations for Pacific Island health authorities, WHO, New Delhi, India, ,
    Reports | 2022
    Linhart C; Craig A; Rosewell A; Beek K; Pardosi J, 2022, Investing in our future: building strong and resilient health systems in the Indo-Pacific region
    Preprints | 2021
    Beek K; Drysdale R; Kusen M; Dawson A, 2021, Preparing for and Responding to Sexual and Reproductive Health in Disaster Settings: Evidence From Fiji and Tonga,
    Preprints | 2021
    Craig AT; Beek K; Gilbert K; Suakai TS; Liaw S-T; Hall J, 2021, Universal Health Coverage and The Pacific Islands: Challenges Faced and Priority Responses, 2015-2020, ,
    Reports | 2021
    Cullen P; Baffsky R; Beek K; Wayland S, 2021, How frontline domestic and family violence workforce in Australia kept connected to their clients and each other through the pandemic, UNSW Sydney, Kensington,
    Conference Presentations | 2020
    Beek K; Dawson A, 2020, 'The impact of capacity building for an effective sexual and reproductive health response in humanitarian settings: A comparative study', presented at Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights (Postponed- dates to be confirmed), Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 01 December 2020
    Conference Presentations | 2020
    Beek K, 2020, 'Capacity to deliver sexual and reproductive health in humanitarian crises: Preparedness, localisation and sustainability', presented at Inter-Agency Working Group on Reproductive Health in Crises 18th Annual Meeting (Postponed- dates to be confirmed), Bangkok, Thailand, 02 December 2020 - 17 July 2020
    Reports | 2019
    Beek K; Dawson A, 2019, Capacity to deliver sexual and reproductive health in humanitarian crises in the Philippines: Lessons for preparedness before and after Typhoon Yolanda, ISBN: 9780992419134
    Reports | 2019
    Beek K; IPPF I, 2019, International Planned Parenthood Federation/ Inter-agency Working Group on Reproductive Health in Crisis Minimum Initial Service Package Training Package for Policy Makers,
    Reports | 2019
    Beek K; IPPF I, 2019, International Planned Parenthood Federation/ Inter-agency Working Group on Reproductive Health in Crisis Minimum Initial Service Package Training Package for Program Managers
    Reports | 2019
    Beek K; IPPF I, 2019, International Planned Parenthood Federation/ Inter-agency Working Group on Reproductive Health in Crisis Minimum Initial Service Package Training Package for Service Providers,
    Conference Presentations | 2019
    Beek K, 2019, 'Capacity to Deliver Sexual and Reproductive Health in Humanitarian Crises in the Philippines: Lessons on preparedness, governance & localisation', presented at Humanitarian Leadership Conference, Melbourne, Australia, 22 May 2019 - 24 May 2019
    Conference Presentations | 2018
    Beek K, 2018, 'Sexual and Reproductive Health in humanitarian emergencies: Preparing, responding and recovering from natural disasters in the Asia Pacific Region', presented at IUSTI AP Sexual Health Congress, Auckland, New Zealand, 01 November 2018 - 03 November 2018
    Conference Presentations | 2017
    Beek K, 2017, 'Transferring learning into practice: a framework for maximizing training efforts for sexual and reproductive health in humanitarian settings', presented at Inter-Agency Working Group on Reproductive Health in Crises 17th Annual Meeting, Athens, Greece, 08 November 2017 - 10 November 2017
    Reports | 2013
    Beek K; Chynoweth S; Hickling C; Watts A; Zwi AB; Whelan A; Dawson A, 2013, Stories and Strategies - Public Health Emergencies: Lessons Learned from Pilot Phase of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Program in Crisis and Post-Crisis Settings in the Asia Pacific Region (SPRINT Initiative), Human Resources for Health Knowledge Hub, UNSW, Sydney, Australia, Stories and Strategies: Public Health Emergency Workers (PHEW), web:%20www.hrhhub.unsw.edu.au,
    Reports | 2013
    Zwi A; Beek K; Chynoweth S; Hickling C; Watts A; Whelan A; Dawson A, 2013, Stories and Strategies - Public Health Emergencies: Lessons Learned from Pilot Phase of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Program in Crisis and Post-Crisis Settings in the Asia Pacific Region (SPRINT Initiative), Human Resources for Health Knowledge Hub, UNSW, Sydney, Australia,

My Research Supervision

Currently supervising two PhD students, investigating the areas of:

  • Reproductive justice 
  • Child marriage

My Teaching

Kristen currently convenes the following courses for the Bachelor of International Public Health program:

  • PHCM3004 Women's and Children's Health
  • PHCM3007 Applied Public Health Practice
  • PHCM3003 Public Health Capstone