Program Head, Population Health
BEc
Areas of research knowledge: Indigenous life course outcomes, child and adolescent mental health, economics of disadvantage, program evaluation, public health, survey design
Associate Professor Francis Mitrou is currently Program Head – Population Health, where he oversees population health themed research occurring under several research teams at Telethon Kids Institute. He is also Team Head of the Human Capability Team.
Francis has followed a non-traditional research career path, coming to academia via a 14-year career in the Commonwealth Public Service which intersected with high level consulting to the academic sector via his employer. He is an economist initially trained at the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) in the 1990s on a range of economic and social survey vehicles before entering research full-time in the early 2000s via an ABS consultancy to Telethon Kids Institute. He has many years of experience in the design, conduct and management of large-scale population surveys of adults, children and their families, including Indigenous families. He has expertise in the use of linked administrative data for research, Indigenous health and wellbeing, and economic evaluation, with a focus on child and adolescent mental health, social disadvantage, and life course trajectories.
Francis has close involvement in the national discussion around use of Commonwealth data for research and policy across the health and human services and has sat on the design committees of several national surveys of health and social wellbeing run by ABS. Francis Chairs the Telethon Kids Institute Linked Data Committee and has a leading role in the ARC Life Course Centre’s Data for Policy program which engages Commonwealth human services and data agencies in research activity. Francis was a member of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Closing the Gap Refresh Technical Advisory Group, which reset the parameters around Closing the Gap for the next decade. His research goal is to make a positive difference in the lives of disadvantaged children and families through the application of a life course approach to human capability research, whereby targeted, evidence-based population intervention can help prevent entrenchment of costly disadvantage.
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Projects
The DETECT-Schools Study was launched in May 2020 as a partnership between the WA Government Departments of Education and Health with the Telethon Kids Institute.
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Publications
June 2015
Ethnic differences in the quality of the interview process and implications for survey analysis
Comparable survey data on Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians are highly sought after by policymakers to inform policies aimed at closing ethnic...
Published research Aboriginal Health Human CapabilityJanuary 2015Is headspace making a difference to young people’s lives?
This report presents the evaluation findings of headspace, a service to improve the mental health and social and emotional wellbeing of young people
Published research Human CapabilityApril 2023The impact of weather on time allocation to physical activity and sleep of child-parent dyads
Previous studies showed that unfavourable weather conditions discourage physical activity. However, it remains unclear whether unfavourable weather conditions have a differential impact on physical activity in children compared with adults.
Published research Early Childhood Development Human Capability Child Physical Activity, Health and DevelopmentMarch 2023Investigating the Validity of the Australian Early Development Census
This article continues evaluation of the construct validity of the Australian Early Development Census through comparison with linked data from a sample of 2216 4-5 year old children collected as part of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children.
Published research Early Childhood Development Human CapabilityJuly 2014Risk factors for low receptive vocabulary abilities in the preschool and early school years in the longitudinal study of Australian children
Receptive vocabulary development is a component of the human language system that emerges in the first year of life and is characterised by onward expansion...
Published research Language Development Human CapabilityFebruary 2014Gaps in Indigenous disadvantage not closing: A census cohort study of social determinants of health in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand from 1981-2006
Australia, Canada, and New Zealand are all developed nations that are home to Indigenous populations which have historically faced poorer outcomes than their...
Published research Aboriginal Health Human CapabilityJanuary 2014Evidence for the use of an algorithm in resolving inconsistent and missing Indigenous status in administrative data collections
We found that algorithms reduced the amount of missing data and improved within‑individual consistency.
Published research Aboriginal Health & Wellbeing Aboriginal Health Human CapabilityNovember 2013A three generation study of the mental health relationships between grandparents, parents and children
It is well known that children of parents with mental illness are at greater risk of mental illness themselves.
Published research Depression and Anxiety Human CapabilitySeptember 2013Factors for Children's Receptive Vocabulary Development from Four to Eight Years in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children
Variation in receptive vocabulary ability is associated with variation in children's school achievement, and low receptive vocabulary ability is a risk...
Published research Early Childhood Development Language Development Human CapabilitySeptember 2013Food sources of saturated fat and the association with mortality: A meta-analysis
There is an ongoing need for improvement in assessment tools and methods that investigate food sources of saturated fat and mortality to inform dietary...
Published research Nutrition Human CapabilityJuly 2013Trends in sugar supply and consumption in Australia: is there an Australian Paradox?
High consumption of refined carbohydrate, in particular sugar, has been identified as a possible contributory factor in greater risk of excess weight gain.
Published research Nutrition Human CapabilityMay 2013Smoking, mental illness and socioeconomic disadvantage: Analysis of the Australian National survey of mental health and Wellbeing
There are strong socioeconomic and psychosocial gradients in both current smoking and smoking cessation.
Published research Human CapabilityFebruary 2013Tackling overweight and obesity: does the public health message match the science?
Public health weight-loss interventions seem to be based on an outdated understanding of the science.
Published research Human CapabilitySeptember 2012Socioeconomic disparities in the mental health of Indigenous children in Western Australia
The burden of mental health problems among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children is a major public health problem in Australia.
Published research Aboriginal Health & Wellbeing Depression and Anxiety Aboriginal Health Human CapabilityJuly 2012Adjusting for under-identification of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander births in time series produced from birth records
Statistical time series derived from administrative data sets form key indicators in measuring progress.
Published research Aboriginal Health & Wellbeing Aboriginal Health Human CapabilityMay 2012Early mental health morbidity and later smoking at age 17 years
We examined the relationship between the onset and pattern of childhood mental health disorders and subsequent current smoking status at age 17 years.
Published research Depression and Anxiety Human CapabilityApril 2012Premature to conclude no genetic basis to the association between smoking and major depressive disorder
We analyzed two large-scale surveys, and found high rates of smoking in people with mood disorders and both with and without substance dependence disorders.
Published research Depression and Anxiety Human CapabilityJanuary 2012The association between playgroup participation, learning competence and social-emotional wellbeing for children aged four-five years in Australia
This study provides evidence that continued participation in playgroups is associated with better outcomes for children from disadvantaged families.
Published research Human Capability PlaygroupsDecember 2011Sugar sweetened beverage consumption by Australian children: Implications for public health strategy
High consumption of sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) has been linked to unhealthy weight gain and nutrition related chronic disease.
Published research Nutrition Human CapabilityDecember 2011The potential impact of smoke-free facilities on smoking cessation in people with mental illness
The aim of this paper was to estimate the degree to which smoke-free facilities may facilitate smoking cessation in smokers with mental illness by estimating...
Published research Depression and Anxiety Human CapabilityNovember 2011Early mental health morbidity and later smoking at 17 years of age
We examined the relationship between the onset and pattern of childhood mental health disorders and subsequent current smoking status at age 17 years.
Published research Depression and Anxiety Human Capability Youth HealthSeptember 2011Maternal death and the onward psychosocial circumstances of Australian Aboriginal children and young people
This study sought to determine the social and emotional impact of maternal loss on Aboriginal children and young people using data from the Western...
Published research Depression and Anxiety Aboriginal Health Human CapabilityApril 2011Non-specific psychological distress, smoking status and smoking cessation: United States National Health Interview Survey 2005
It is well established that smoking rates in people with common mental disorders such as anxiety or depressive disorders are much higher than in people...
Published research Depression and Anxiety Human CapabilityMarch 2011Global research neglect of population-based approaches to smoking cessation
It has been argued that the preponderance of studies into individual smoking cessation therapies seems grossly out of proportion to the number of people...
Published research Depression and Anxiety Human CapabilityOctober 2010Antecedents of hospital admission for deliberate self-harm from a 14-year follow-up study using data-linkage
A prior episode of deliberate self-harm (DSH) is one of the strongest predictors of future completed suicide. Identifying antecedents of DSH may inform strategi
Published research Depression and Anxiety Human CapabilityJune 2010Anxiety disorders and cigarette smoking: Results from the Australian Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing
The aim of this study was to describe current and daily smoking rates, and smoking cessation rates in adults with anxiety disorders
Published research Depression and Anxiety Human CapabilityFebruary 2010Antecedents of teenage pregnancy from a 14-year follow-up study using data linkage
This study identified possible antecedents of teenage pregnancy using linked data from administrative sources to create a 14-year follow-up from a cross-sect...
Published research Human CapabilityJanuary 2010Common mental disorders: missed opportunity for smoking prevention and cessation
Common mental disorders: missed opportunity for smoking prevention and cessation
Published research Depression and Anxiety Human CapabilityJanuary 2010Indigenous well-being in four countries
Canada, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand consistently place near the top of the United Nations Development Programme's Human Development Index...
Published research Aboriginal Health Human CapabilityMarch 2022Transfers of disadvantage across three generations using latent class associations within families
There is a large volume of research on the persistence of advantage and disadvantage across generations. Intergenerational studies typically address family resources as independent factors, which ignores how risks cluster together and accumulate over time.
Published research Human CapabilityJanuary 2022Western Australian adolescent emotional wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020
The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been vast and are not limited to physical health. Many adolescents have experienced disruptions to daily life, including changes in their school routine and family’s financial or emotional security, potentially impacting their emotional wellbeing.
Published research School Attendance Youth Health Healthy Skin and ARF Prevention Social and Emotional Wellbeing of Aboriginal Young People Geospatial Health and Development COVID-19 School and Community WellbeingAugust 2022Gender differences in time allocation contribute to differences in developmental outcomes in children and adolescents
Using over 50 thousand time-use diaries from two cohorts of children, we document significant gender differences in time allocation in the first 16 years in life. Relative to males, females spend more time on personal care, chores and educational activities and less time on physical and media related activities. These gender gaps in time allocation appear at very young ages and widen overtime.
Published research Child Health, Development & Education Early Childhood Development Human CapabilityJune 2022Causal Impact of Physical Activity on Child Health and Development
The relationship between physical activity and child health and development is well-documented, yet the extant literature provides limited causal insight into the amount of physical activity considered optimal for improving any given health or developmental outcome.
Published research Early Childhood Development Human Capability Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Child Physical Activity, Health and DevelopmentFebruary 2021DETECT Schools Study Protocol: A Prospective Observational Cohort Surveillance Study Investigating the Impact of COVID-19 in Western Australian Schools
Amidst the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, understanding the transmission dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is key to providing peace of mind for the community and informing policy-making decisions. While available data suggest that school-aged children are not significant spreaders of SARS-CoV-2, the possibility of transmission in schools remains an ongoing concern, especially among an aging teaching workforce. Even in low-prevalence settings, communities must balance the potential risk of transmission with the need for students' ongoing education.
Published research Academic Biostatistics Influenza Infectious Diseases Human Capability Subsite: Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Healthy Skin and ARF Prevention Child Physical Activity, Health and Development Social and Emotional Wellbeing of Aboriginal Young People Geospatial Health and DevelopmentSeptember 2021Not in employment, education or training (NEET); more than a youth policy issue
Australians who are Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) and receive income support span a wide spectrum of working ages. Australian research has concentrated on NEETs aged 15-29 years, in line with international standards. This paper investigates extending the NEET concept to include all working age persons 15-64 years and the value added to welfare policy through analysis of a new linked dataset.
Published research Human CapabilityJuly 2021The impact of weather on time allocation to physical activity and sleep of child-parent dyads - Life Course Centre Working Paper Series 2021
This study explores the differential impact of weather on time allocation to physical activity and sleep by children and their parents. We use nationally representative data with time use indicators objectively measured on multiple occasions for more than 1,100 child-parent pairs, coupled with daily meteorological data.
Published research Human Capability Child Physical Activity, Health and DevelopmentMay 2021Associations Between Developmental Risk Profiles, Mental Disorders, and Student Absences Among Primary and Secondary Students in Australia
This study assessed if the association between mental disorders and higher student absences varies across different profiles of risk factors, and estimated the proportion of student absences associated with mental disorders. Data included responses from a nationally representative Australian survey of child and adolescent mental health.
Published research Human Capability School Attendance Youth HealthMay 2020Pets Are Associated with Fewer Peer Problems and Emotional Symptoms, and Better Prosocial Behavior: Findings from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children
Pets may protect children from developing social-emotional problems and should be taken into account when assessing child development and school readiness
Published research Human Capability Child Physical Activity, Health and DevelopmentApril 2020Tobacco smoking and mental disorders in Australian adolescents
This study aimed to (1) examine the strength of the association between mental disorders/mental health problems, risk behaviours and tobacco smoking among Australian adolescents, (2) compare rates of tobacco smoking among Australian adolescents with major depressive disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and/or conduct disorder in 2013/14 vs 1998, and (3) identify the extent to which an association between tobacco smoking and mental health problems among adolescents can be attributed to non-mental health risk factors.
Published research Human CapabilityJuly 2019The Contribution of Geogenic Particulate Matter to Lung Disease in Indigenous Children
The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between dust levels and health in Indigenous children in Western Australia
Published research Aboriginal Health & Wellbeing Human Capability Airway Epithelial Research Bacterial Respiratory Infectious Disease GroupMarch 2018Educational inequality across three generations in Australia
Using a dataset of Australian children, we have the opportunity to not only investigate the transfer of educational resources across 3 generations in Australia.
Published research Human CapabilityFebruary 2018The Diverse Risk Profiles of Persistently Absent Primary Students: Implications for Attendance Policies in Australia
Understanding variations in risk profiles among persistently non-attending children will inform the development of absence interventions.
Published research Human Capability School AttendanceMarch 2017Associations between school absence and academic achievement: Do socioeconomics matter?
School attendance should therefore be a priority for all schools, and not just those with high rates of absence or low average achievement.
Published research Aboriginal Mental Health & Wellbeing Human Capability Youth Mental HealthAugust 2017Parents’ interest in their child's education and children's outcomes in adolescence and adulthood: Does gender matter?
We found no evidence of gender-specific effects for the outcomes of academic achievement, educational expectations or educational attainment in adulthood.
Published research Human Capability -
Education and Qualifications
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Awards/Honours
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Active Collaborations