Dr Sarah Reedman

Research Fellow

Child Health Research Centre
Faculty of Medicine
s.reedman@uq.edu.au
+61 7 344 36411

Overview

Dr Sarah Reedman is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Queensland Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation Research Centre group within the UQ Child Health Research Centre. Sarah is passionate about enabling participation of young people with disabilities in sports and active recreation. She is interested demonstrating how paediatric physiotherapists, occupational therapists and exercise physiologists are well-placed to deliver effective physical activity promotion interventions in young people with disabilites. Sarah is also involved in the conduct of a large, multi-site randomized controlled trial of an intensive functional goal-directed motor training intervention in children with bilateral cerebral palsy (Hand Arm Bimanual Intensive Training Including Lower Extremity [HABIT-ILE]).

Sarah is experienced in the following research methods:

  • Design, conduct and administration of randomized controlled trials (including multi-site trials)
  • Cross-sectional and cohort studies
  • Validation of rehabilitation outcome measures
  • Objective measurement of physical activity behaviours, tri-axial accelerometry

Sarah is available as an associate supervisor for HDR students.

Research Interests

  • Cerebral palsy
    Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common physical disability arising in childhood. Around 34,000 people are living with CP in Australia. Adults with CP are more likely to have non-communicable diseases associated with low levels of physical activity compared to people without CP. These conditions include cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, fracture, persistent pain, osteoarthritis, depression and anxiety. Adults with CP also have a 3-fold increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. I am interested in early intervention to address risk factors for non-communicable diseases in people with CP. This means empowering children and young people with CP and their families to access and participate in inclusive physical activity opportunities.
  • Functional therapy, goal-directed motor training
  • Physical activity promotion in children with disability
    I'm interested in how allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, accredited exercise physiologists and occupational therapists can work with children and young people with disabilities and their families to promote physically active lifestyles. I primarily use a participation-focused approach, and understand physical activity as a health behaviour that is influenced by a multitude of factors, particularly the environment. For that reason, I use behaviour change frameworks to inform my intervention design, especially the Behaviour Change Wheel and COM-B model.
  • Disability sports and recreation

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
  • Bachelor (Honours), The University of Queensland

Publications

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Supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

  • Doctor Philosophy

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Publications

Featured Publications

Journal Article

Conference Publication

Other Outputs

PhD and MPhil Supervision

Current Supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor