Honorary
BSc (Occ Ther) BSc Hons (Epidemiol) MSc PhD
Areas of research expertise: Cardiovascular epidemiology (atrial fibrillation, ischaemic heart disease, heart failure, rheumatic heart disease, stroke), Aboriginal Health, linked data, burden of disease
Originally trained as an occupational therapist, Judy Katzenellenbogen's interest in epidemiology has underpinned a public health career comprising broad professional experience in South Africa, New Zealand and Western Australia. She completed a PhD thesis through the University of WA in 2009 on the burden of stroke utilising the WA Data Linkage System.
Subsequently she worked at Curtin University and the WA Centre for Rural Health (University of Western Australia) in the area of Aboriginal chronic disease, particularly in applying linked data methods to the study of Aboriginal heart disease, building capacity in Aboriginal health and using the research to advocate for changes to improve Aboriginal health outcomes.
At Telethon Kids she leads the RHD linked data study to determine the burden of rheumatic heart diseas, also contributing to a broad range of research and translational activities in group A streptococcal diseases with a particular focus on rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease.
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Publications
October 2023
A Review of Cardiac Surgical Procedures and Their Outcomes for Paediatric Rheumatic Heart Disease in Western Australia
Surgical intervention is an important treatment modality for advanced rheumatic heart disease (RHD). This study aimed to describe patient characteristics and outcomes from cardiac surgery for RHD in patients referred to the only tertiary paediatric hospital in Western Australia.
Published research Rheumatic Heart Disease Aboriginal Health Vaccine Trials Group Subsite: Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Strep A Pathogenesis and DiagnosticsMarch 2023Rheumatic heart disease mortality in Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians between 2010 and 2017
To generate contemporary age-specific mortality rates for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians aged <65 years who died from rheumatic heart disease between 2013 and 2017, and to ascertain the underlying causes of death of a prevalent RHD cohort aged <65 years who died during the same period.
Rheumatic Heart Disease Aboriginal Health Subsite: END RHD Implementation, Epidemiology & New HorizonsMarch 2022The Allure of Big Data to Improve Stroke Outcomes: Review of Current Literature
To critically appraise literature on recent advances and methods using "big data" to evaluate stroke outcomes and associated factors.
Published researchApril 2021Can the CHA2 DS2 -VA schema be used to decide on anticoagulant therapy in Aboriginal and other Australians with non-valvular atrial fibrillation?
The Australasian guidelines recommend use of the CHA2 DS2 -VA schema to stratify ischaemic stroke risk in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (N-VAF) and determine risk thresholds for recommending oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy. However, the CHA2 DS2 -VA score has not been validated in a representative Australian population cohort with N-VAF, including in Aboriginal people who are known to have a higher age-adjusted stroke risk than other Australians.
Published research Aboriginal HealthMarch 2021Occurrence and timely management of problems requiring prompt intervention among Indigenous compared with non-Indigenous Australian palliative care patients: A multijurisdictional cohort study
Anticipation and prompt relief of symptoms among patients with a life-limiting illness is a core element of palliative care. Indigenous Australians commonly encounter cultural barriers in healthcare that may impair outcomes. The Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration collects patient care data for the purposes of continuous quality improvement and benchmarking, with each recorded care episode divided into phases that reflect a patient's condition.
Published research Aboriginal HealthJanuary 2021Understanding valvular heart disease in the dental setting
Limited evidence is available regarding dentists' knowledge and interpretation of infective endocarditis (IE) prophylaxis guidelines. The aim of this study was to determine understanding and management of rheumatic and non-rheumatic valvular heart disease (VHD) in the dental setting in Western Australia (WA).
Published research Subsite: END RHDNovember 2020Ending rheumatic heart disease in Australia: the evidence for a new approach
The RHD Endgame Strategy: the blueprint to eliminate rheumatic heart disease in Australia by 2031 (the Endgame Strategy) is the blueprint to eliminate rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in Australia by 2031. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people live with one of the highest per capita burdens of RHD in the world.
Published research Rheumatic Heart Disease Aboriginal Health Subsite: END RHDApril 2020Symptom-related distress among indigenous Australians in specialist end-of-life care: Findings from the multi-jurisdictional palliative care outcomes collaboration data
These findings provide reassurance of reasonable equivalence of end-of-life outcomes for Indigenous patients who have been accepted for specialist palliative care
Published research Aboriginal Health Group A Streptococcal & Rheumatic Heart DiseaseApril 2020Rheumatic heart disease in pregnancy: Profile of women admitted to a Western Australian tertiary obstetric hospital
This retrospective study assessed maternal and perinatal outcomes for women with rheumatic heart disease admitted to the largest tertiary obstetric hospital
Published research Rheumatic Heart Disease Group A Streptococcal & Rheumatic Heart DiseaseMarch 2020Differences in stroke risk and cardiovascular mortality for Aboriginal and other Australian patients with atrial fibrillation
Stroke risk and cardiovascular mortality are markedly higher for Aboriginal than non-Aboriginal patients with atrial fibrillation, particularly for patients under 60
Published research Aboriginal HealthFebruary 2020Factors Associated With 90-Day Readmission After Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack: Linked Data From the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry
Apart from comorbidities and patient-level characteristics, readmissions after stroke/transient ischemic attack were associated with discharge destination
Published researchJanuary 2020Priorities for improved management of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease
The results suggest that timely injection and patient education are priorities for managing ARF and RHD, particularly focusing on child-to-adult transition care
Published research Rheumatic Heart Disease Group A Streptococcal & Rheumatic Heart DiseaseDecember 2019General practitioners’ perceptions of their communication with Australian Aboriginal patients with acquired neurogenic communication disorders
GPs report difficulty recognising acquired communication disorders and their lack of prioritising assessment and treatment of communication ability after brain injur
Published research Aboriginal HealthNovember 2019The end rheumatic heart disease in Australia study of epidemiology (ERASE) project: Data sources, case ascertainment and cohort profile
The ERASE Project has created an unprecedented linked administrative database on acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in Australia
Published research Rheumatic Heart Disease Infectious Diseases Group A Streptococcal & Rheumatic Heart DiseaseSeptember 2019Public health and economic perspectives on acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease
Efforts to eliminate ARF and RHD in Australia over the past decade have so far been unsuccessful, but this can change
Published research Rheumatic Heart Disease Infectious Diseases Group A Streptococcal & Rheumatic Heart DiseaseMay 2019Indigenous compared with non-Indigenous Australian patients at entry to specialist palliative care: Cross-sectional findings from a multi-jurisdictional dataset
Indigenous patients are substantially underrepresented in care by services participating in the nationwide specialist palliative care
Published research Aboriginal Health Group A Streptococcal & Rheumatic Heart DiseaseMarch 2019Low positive predictive value of International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision codes in relation to rheumatic heart disease: a challenge for global surveillance
We outline a series of research initiatives to improve identification of RHD in administrative data thereby contributing to monitoring the RHD burden globally
Published research Academic Biostatistics Rheumatic Heart Disease Group A Streptococcal & Rheumatic Heart DiseaseJanuary 2019Environmental and social determinants of acute rheumatic fever: a longitudinal cohort study
Prevention strategies in ARF endemic settings may be enhanced by targeting new members entering a community and children in environments of close contact
Published research Academic Biostatistics Rheumatic Heart Disease Group A Streptococcal & Rheumatic Heart DiseaseDecember 2018Delay in commencement of palliative care service episodes provided to Indigenous and non-Indigenous patients
Although the timeliness benchmark is being met for Indigenous Australians in palliative care, they may experience delayed initiation of care episodes
November 2018Missing Voices: Profile, Extent, and 12-Month Outcomes of Nonfatal Traumatic Brain Injury in Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal Adults in Western Australia
These findings suggest an urgent need for multisectoral primary prevention of traumatic brain injury
Published research Aboriginal HealthOctober 2018Excess stroke incidence in young Aboriginal people in South Australia: Pooled results from two population-based studies
The excess stroke incidence in Aboriginal South Australians appears substantial, especially in those aged <55 years
Published research Aboriginal HealthNovember 2017Rheumatic heart disease: infectious disease origin, chronic care approach.
Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a chronic cardiac condition with an infectious aetiology, causing high disease burden in low-income settings.
Published research Rheumatic Heart Disease Group A Streptococcal & Rheumatic Heart DiseaseOctober 2017The rationale for action to end new cases of rheumatic heart disease in Australia
The choice of RHD is telling: the disease is a marker of inequality, a novel lens for considering health systems and a feasible target for disease control.
Published research Aboriginal Health & Wellbeing Group A Streptococcal & Rheumatic Heart DiseaseJune 2017Development of the Aboriginal Communication Assessment After Brain Injury (ACAABI): A screening tool for identifying acquired communication disorders in Aboriginal Australians.
Acquired communication disorders (ACD), following stroke and traumatic brain injury, may not be correctly identified in Aboriginal Australians
Published research Aboriginal HealthJanuary 2017Rheumatic heart disease across the Western Pacific: not just a Pacific Island problem
We aimed to review RHD burden in Western Pacific Region outside Oceania to identify countries with high RHD burden
Published research Rheumatic Heart Disease Group A Streptococcal & Rheumatic Heart DiseaseDecember 2016Secondary preventive medication use in a prevalent population-based cohort of acute coronary syndrome survivors
Longer time since last acute coronary syndrome admission was associated with dispensing fewer medications types and combinations in 2008
Published research Group A Streptococcal & Rheumatic Heart DiseaseNovember 2016Improving cardiovascular outcomes among Aboriginal Australians: Lessons from research for primary care
Primary care practitioners have an important role in improving Aboriginal cardiovascular care outcomes
Published research Aboriginal Health Group A Streptococcal & Rheumatic Heart DiseaseOctober 2016Addressing the challenges of cross-jurisdictional data linkage between a national clinical quality registry and government-held health data
Describing the challenges of obtaining state and nationally held data for linkage to a non-government national clinical registry
Published research Group A Streptococcal & Rheumatic Heart DiseaseJuly 2016Knowledge translation lessons from an audit of Aboriginal Australians with acute coronary syndrome presenting to a regional hospital
This audit is used as a case study of translating knowledge processes in order to identify the factors that support equity-oriented knowledge translation.
Published research Aboriginal Health Group A Streptococcal & Rheumatic Heart DiseaseJanuary 2016Missing voices: Profile and extent of acquired communication disorders in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal adult stroke survivors in Western Australia
The needs of Aboriginal stroke patients with acquired communication disorder should inform appropriate service design for speech pathology and rehabilitation
Published research Aboriginal Health Group A Streptococcal & Rheumatic Heart DiseaseJanuary 2015Study Protocol: Missing Voices – Communication Difficulties after Stroke and Traumatic Brain Injury in Aboriginal Australians
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians experience stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI) with much greater frequency than non-Aboriginal Australians
Published research Aboriginal Health Group A Streptococcal & Rheumatic Heart Disease -
Awards/Honours