Associate Professor Megan SC Lim
Deputy Program Director, Disease Elimination; Head, Young People’s Health
Working groups
Background
Megan is deputy program director of Disease Elimination at Burnet Institute and leads the Young People's Health research group. Her primary area of interest is understanding how digital media impact on public health. She has led trials using these technologies (e.g. mobile phones, smartphone apps, and social media) for health promotion and behaviour change. She has conducted mixed methods research into the impact of digital media on young people's health and wellbeing.
Megan works with young people to centre their experiences and expertise in their own lives. Her work spans many health topics, including sexual and reproductive health, alcohol and other drug use, mental health and wellbeing, nutrition, and infectious diseases. She uses epidemiological methods, qualitative research, co-design, and health promotion research. Megan completed her PhD in 2008, with a thesis titled ‘Sex, Drugs, and Young People: Novel Research and Health Promotion Approaches'.
She was then awarded an NHMRC Sidney Sax Fellowship to complete her postdoctoral research in infectious disease epidemiology at the University College London Research Department of Infection and Population Health.
Qualifications
- 2008: PhD, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
- 2003: Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Hons), Monash University, Australia
Appointments
- Deputy Program Director, Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute
- Deputy Program Director, Behaviours and Health Risks, Burnet Institute
- Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, School of Population Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University
- Honorary Senior Research Fellow, Melbourne School of Global and Population Health, University of Melbourne
Reports and other work
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The Optimise Study: Vaccination knowledge, attitudes and beliefs. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT)
The Optimise Study: Vaccination knowledge, attitudes and beliefs. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT)
Burnet publications
View 137 moreRecruiting participants via social media for sexual and reproductive health research
Sexual Health
Jacqueline Coombe et al
A Digital Pornography Education Prototype Co-Designed With Young People: Formative Evaluation
JMIR Formative Research
Jake Turvey et al
Engaging end-users to inform the design and social marketing strategy for a web-based STI/BBV testing service for young people in Victoria, Australia: qualitative research (Preprint)
Journal of Medical Internet Research
Ethan T Cardwell et al
Current projects
View 5 more
Young people’s health in Australia: statistics from the Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll survey
Every year, we survey young people about their sexual health, drug use, mental health and wellbeing. That data informs public health policies and programs.
Supporting menstrual health, product choice and sustainability in Australia
An average menstruating person will use 5,000 to 15,000 disposable pads and tampons over their lifetime. Concerns about the environmental sustainability of these single-use products has seen increased attention to the opportunities presented by reusable technologies such as menstrual cups, reusable pads and period underwear.
Innovative futures for adolescent pregnancy prevention
In Papua New Guinea and Myanmar, we're changing responses to unintended pregnancy among girls and young women by exploring contraceptive self-care strategies.
Past projects
View 15 moreCo-designing digital technologies to reduce young people’s exposure to online pornography
We're working with young people and their caregivers to review digital technologies that reduce access to online pornography.
SHY: Sexual Health & Youth Project
This project aims to increase the sexual health knowledge of young people aged between 15 and 25 years old who live in Latrobe City or Baw Baw Shire.
Smartphone apps for alcohol health promotion
This pilot study aims to investigate the use of smart phone apps for health promotion.
