Background

Carol El-Hayek is an infectious diseases epidemiologist with a focus on surveillance and evaluation of public health interventions, and a special interest in women and migrant populations. Carol has over a decade of experience managing state and national surveillance systems monitoring blood borne viruses and sexually transmissible infections (BBV/STI) as well as conducting program evaluations using mixed methods.

Carol is a certified health informatician with extensive experience managing large public health datasets for epidemiological research and surveillance.

Carol is currently undertaking a PhD at the University of Melbourne which is focussed on implementing natural language processing and machine learning methods to improve the sentinel surveillance of BBV/STI.

Appointments

• Burnet Institute Fellow
• Adjunct Research Fellow, School of Population Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University

Positions

• Mar 2017 - Jul 2020: Co-Head, Surveillance and Evaluation, Burnet Institute
• Nov 2015 - May 2016: Epidemiologist, Epidemiology and Surveillance, Victorian Department of Health and Human Services
• Jul 2012 - Feb 2017: Manager Infectious Diseases Surveillance, Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute
• May 2008 - Jul 2012: Research and Surveillance Officer, Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute
• Mar 2004 - May 2008: Senior Data Manager, Cancer Epidemiology Centre, Cancer Council Victoria

Qualifications

• 2020: Certified Health Informatician Australasia, Australian Institute of Digital Health
• 2007: Master of Epidemiology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• 1999: Grad Dip Genetic Counselling, University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
• 1996: BSc (Biotechnology), University of New South Wales, Australia

Awards

• 2011: Oral Presentation Prize Winner for the Australasian HIV/AIDS Conference,

Projects (8)

Current (5)

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  ACCESS: The Australian Collaboration for Coordinated Enhanced Sentinel Surveillance of Blood Borne Viruses and Sexually Transmitted Infections

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  Evaluation of Malaria Case-Based Reporting using a mobile phone application in Myanmar

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  Evaluation of the Multicultural Drug and Alcohol Service

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  SRH survey of Chinese-speaking international students

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  TAIPAN: HIV cascade surveillance

Publications (50)

2023 (1)

• An evaluation of existing text de-identification tools for use with patient progress notes from Australian general practice.
  El-Hayek C, Barzegar S, Faux N, Doyle K, Pillai P, Mutch SJ, Vaisey A, Ward R, Sanci L, Dunn AG, Hellard ME, Hocking JS, Verspoor K, Boyle DI
  Int J Med Inform. 2023 Feb; 173:105021

2022 (4)

• Undetected serovars: leptospirosis cases in the Cairns region during the 2021 wet season.
  Taunton C, Hayek CE, Field E, Rubenach S, Esmonde J, Smith S, Preston-Thomas A
  Commun Dis Intell (2018). 2022 Nov; 46:70
• Hepatitis C incidence among patients attending primary care health services that specialise in the care of people who inject drugs, Victoria, Australia, 2009 to 2020.
  Wilkinson AL, van Santen DK, Traeger MW, Sacks-Davis R, Asselin J, Scott N, Harney BL, Doyle JS, El-Hayek C, Howell J, Bramwell F, McManus H, Donovan B, Stoové M, Hellard M, Pedrana A
  Int J Drug Policy. 2022 Mar; 103:103655
• Real-world monitoring progress towards the elimination of hepatitis C virus in Australia using sentinel surveillance of primary care clinics; an ecological study of hepatitis C virus antibody tests from 2009 to 2019.
  Wilkinson AL, Pedrana A, Traeger MW, Asselin J, El-Hayek C, Nguyen L, Polkinghorne V, Doyle JS, Thompson AJ, Howell J, Scott N, Dimech W, Guy R, Hellard M, Stoové M; EC Victoria Partnership and the Australian Collaboration for Coordinated Enhanced Sentinel Surveillance of blood borne viruses and sexually transmissible infections (ACCESS)
  Epidemiol Infect. 2022 Jan; 150:e7
• The Incidence of Hepatitis C Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men in Australia, 2009-2019.
  Harney BL, Sacks-Davis R, van Santen DK, Traeger M, Wilkinson AL, Asselin J, El-Hayek C, Fairley CK, Roth N, Bloch M, Matthews G, Donovan B, Guy R, Stoové M, Hellard ME, Doyle JS; Australian Collaboration for Coordinated Enhanced Sentinel Surveillance of Sexually Transmissible Infections and Blood-borne Viruses (ACCESS).
  Clin Infect Dis. 2022 Jan; 74(10):1804-1811

2021 (2)

• Improvements in transition times through the HIV cascade of care among gay and bisexual men with a new HIV diagnosis in New South Wales and Victoria, Australia (2012-19): a longitudinal cohort study.
  van Santen DK, Asselin J, Haber NA, Traeger MW, Callander D, Donovan B, El-Hayek C, McMahon JH, Petoumenos K, McManus H, Hoy JF, Hellard M, Guy R, Stoové M; TAIPAN investigators.
  Lancet HIV. 2021 Sep; 8(10):e623-e632
• Micro-elimination of hepatitis C among people with HIV coinfection: declining incidence and prevalence accompanying a multi-center treatment scale-up trial.
  Doyle JS, van Santen DK, Iser D, Sasadeusz J, O'Reilly M, Harney B, Traeger MW, Roney J, Cutts JC, Bowring AL, Winter R, Medland N, Fairley CK, Moore R, Tee B, Asselin J, El-Hayek C, Hoy JF, Matthews GV, Prins M, Stoové MA, Hellard ME
  Clin Infect Dis. 2021 Jan; 73(7):e2164–e2172

2020 (6)

• Improved capture of trans and gender-diverse people diagnosed with HIV infection in Victoria following refinement to notification form.
  Ryan KE, Wiggins J, Higgins N, El-Hayek C, Stoové M
  HIV Med. 2020 Sep; 21(10):E23-E24
• Phylogenetic clustering networks among heterosexual migrants with new HIV diagnoses post-migration in Australia.
  Sacks-Davis R, Chibo D, Peach E, Aleksic E, Crowe SM, El Hayek C, Marukutira T, Higgins N, Stoové M, Hellard M
  PLoS One. 2020 Sep; 15(9):e0237469
• The impact of universal access to direct-acting antiviral therapy on the hepatitis C cascade of care among individuals attending primary and community health services.
  Traeger MW, Pedrana AE, van Santen DK, Doyle JS, Howell J, Thompson AJ, El-Hayek C, Asselin J, Polkinghorne V, Membrey D, Bramwell F, Carter A, Guy R, Stoové MA, Hellard ME; EC Victoria Partnership and the Australian Collaboration for Coordinated Enhanced Sentinel Surveillance of Blood-borne Viruses and Sexually Transmitted Infections (ACCESS)
  PLoS One. 2020 Jun; 15(6):e0235445
• Privacy-Preserving Record Linkage of Deidentified Records Within a Public Health Surveillance System: Evaluation Study.
  Nguyen L, Stoové M, Boyle D, Callander D, McManus H, Asselin J, Guy R, Donovan B, Hellard M, El-Hayek C
  J Med Internet Res. 2020 Jun; 22(6):e16757
• Comparing sexual behaviours and knowledge between domestic students and Chinese international students in Australia: findings from two cross-sectional studies.
  Douglass CH, Qin C, Martin F, Xiao Y, El-Hayek C, Lim MS
  Int J STD AIDS. 2020 Jun; 31(8):781-790
• Gaps in the HIV diagnosis and care cascade for migrants in Australia, 2013-2017: A cross-sectional study.
  Marukutira T, Gray RT, Douglass C, El-Hayek C, Moreira C, Asselin J, Donovan B, Vickers T, Spelman T, Crowe S, Guy R, Stoové M, Hellard M
  PLoS Med. 2020 Mar; 17(3):e1003044

2019 (5)

• Two decades of surveillance data show late presentation among a diverse group of women diagnosed with HIV in Victoria, Australia.
  Moreira C, Boughey A, Ryan KE, Higgins N, Rotty J, West M, Hellard M, Stoové M, El-Hayek C
  Aust N Z J Public Health. 2019 Oct; 43(5):413-418
• Risk of Subsequent HIV Infection Following Sexually Transmissible Infections Among Men Who Have Sex With Men.
  Harney BL, Agius PA, El-Hayek C, Fairley CK, Chow EPF, Roth N, Tee BK, Leslie D, Tachedjian G, Hellard M, Stoové M
  Open Forum Infect Dis. 2019 Oct; 6(10):ofz376
• Pathology laboratory surveillance in the Australian Collaboration for Coordinated Enhanced Sentinel Surveillance (ACCESS) of sexually transmitted infections and blood borne viruses: Study Protocol.
  van Gemert C, Guy R, Stoove M, Dimech W, El-Hayek C, Asselin J, Moreira C, Nguyen L, Callander D, Boyle D, Donovan B, Hellard M
  J Med Internet Res. 2019 May; 8(8):e13625
• Association of HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis With Incidence of Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Individuals at High Risk of HIV Infection.
  Traeger MW, Cornelisse VJ, Asselin J, Price B, Roth NJ, Willcox J, Tee BK, Fairley CK, Chang CC, Armishaw J, Vujovic O, Penn M, Cundill P, Forgan-Smith G, Gall J, Pickett C, Lal L, Mak A, Spelman TD, Nguyen L, Murphy DA, Ryan KE, El-Hayek C, West M, Ruth S, Batrouney C, Lockwood JT, Hoy JF, Hellard ME, Stoové MA, Wright EJ; PrEPX Study Team
  JAMA. 2019 Apr; 321(14):1380-1390
• Estimating the syphilis epidemic among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in Australia following changes in HIV care and prevention.
  Wilkinson A, Scott N, Tidhar T, Luong P, El-Hayek C , Wilson D, Fairley C, Zhang L, Leslie D , Roth N , Tee BK , Hellard M , Stoové M
  Sex Health. 2019 Feb; 16(3):254-262

2018 (4)

• Monitoring the Control of Sexually Transmissible Infections and Blood-Borne Viruses: Protocol for the Australian Collaboration for Coordinated Enhanced Sentinel Surveillance (ACCESS).
  Callander D, Moreira C, El-Hayek C, Asselin J, van Gemert C, Watchirs Smith L, Nguyen L, Dimech W, Boyle DI, Donovan B, Stoové M, Hellard M, Guy R
  JMIR Res Protoc. 2018 Nov; 7(11):e11028
• Aiming for 90-90-90 - the importance of understanding the risk factors for HIV exposure and advanced HIV infection in migrant populations and other groups who do not report male-to-male sex.
  Peach E, Lemoh C, Stoové M, Agius P, El Hayek C, Higgins N, Hellard M
  Sex Health. 2018 Oct; 15(5):441-450
• Protocol for an HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Population Level Intervention Study in Victoria Australia: The PrEPX Study.
  Ryan KE, Mak A, Stoove M, Price B, Fairley CK, Ruth S, Lal L, Asselin J, El-Hayek C, Nguyen L, Batrouney C, Wilson D, Lockwood J, Murphy D, Cornelisse VJ, Roth N, Willcox J, Chang CC, Armishaw J, Tee BK, Penn M, Forgan-Smith G, Williams C, Montgomery J, Byron K, Coelho A, Allen B, Wiggins J, Kelsall J, Vujovic O, West M, Pierce AB, Gallant D, Bell C, de Wit JBF, Hoy JF, Wesselingh SL, Grant RM, Wright EJ
  Front Public Health. 2018 May; 6:151
• Eliminating hepatitis C virus as a public health threat among HIV-positive men who have sex with men: a multi-modelling approach to understand differences in sexual risk behaviour.
  Scott N, Stoové M, Wilson DP, Keiser O, El-Hayek C, Doyle J, Hellard M
  J Int AIDS Soc. 2018 Jan; 21(1):e25059

2017 (5)

• Anorectal swabs as a marker of male-to-male sexual exposure in STI surveillance systems.
  Ampt FH, El Hayek C, Agius PA, Bowring AL, Bartnik N, Van Gemert C, Fairley CK, Chow EPF, Bradshaw CS, Stephens N, Lim MSC, Hellard ME
  Epidemiol Infect. 2017 Sep; 145(12):2530-2535
• Wilkinson et al. Respond to "Latent Transition Analyses in Clinical Cohorts".
  Wilkinson AL, El-Hayek C, Fairley CK, Roth N, Tee BK, McBryde E, Hellard M, Stoové M
  Am J Epidemiol. 2017 Apr; 185(8):639-640
• Utility of risk-based chlamydia testing in primary care: analysis of retrospective surveillance data among women in Melbourne, Australia.
  Wilkinson AL, McNamee K, El-Hayek C, Chow EP, Bradshaw CS, Roth N, Tee BK, Stoové M, Hellard M
  Sex Health. 2017 Apr; 14(3):268-273
• Measuring transitions in sexual risk among Men Who Have Sex With Men: The novel use of latent class and latent transition analysis in HIV sentinel surveillance.
  Wilkinson AL, El-Hayek C, Fairley CK, Roth N, Tee BK, McBryde E, Hellard M, Stoové M
  Am J Epidemiol. 2017 Mar; 185(8):627-635
• Comparing non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis drug regimens for HIV: insights from a linked HIV surveillance system.
  Pierce AB, El-Hayek C, McCarthy D, Armishaw J, Watson K, Wilkinson A, Price B, Wright EJ, Hoy JF, Stoové MA
  Sex Health. 2017 Feb; 14(2):179-87

2016 (3)

• A 'test and treat' prevention strategy in Australia requires innovative HIV testing models: a cohort study of repeat testing among 'high-risk' men who have sex with men.
  Wilkinson AL, El-Hayek C, Spelman T, Fairley CK, Leslie D, McBryde ES, Hellard M, Stoové M
  Sex Transm Infect. 2016 Sep; 92(6):464-466
• Characteristics of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men testing and retesting at Australia’s first shop-front rapid point-of-care HIV testing service.
  Ryan KE, Wilkinson AL, Leitinger D, El-Hayek C, Ryan C, Pedrana A, Hellard M, Stoové M
  Sex Health. 2016 Aug; 13(6):560-567
• The Impact of a Social Marketing Campaign on HIV and Sexually Transmissible Infection Testing Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in Australia.
  Wilkinson AL, Pedrana AE, El-Hayek C, Vella AM, Asselin J, Batrouney C, Fairley CK, Read TR, Hellard M, Stoové M
  Sex Transm Dis. 2016 Jan; 43(1):49-56

2015 (6)

• Overview of viral hepatitis treatment research in China. (WHO Report)
  El-Hayek C, Zou H, Hua B, Cheah S, Majumdar S, Hellard M
  WHO China. 2015 Jul
• Clinic Network Collaboration and Patient Tracing to Maximize Retention in HIV Care.
  McMahon JH, Moore R, Eu B, Tee BK, Chen M, El-Hayek C, Street A, Woolley I8 Buggie A, Collins D, Medland N9, Hoy J and Victorian Initiative for Patient Engagement and Retention (VIPER) study group.
  PLoS One. 2015 May; 10(5):e0127726
• "Seek, Test, Treat" Lessons from Australia: A Study of HIV testing patterns from a cohort of men who have sex with men.
  Wilkinson AL, El-Hayek C, Spelman T, Fairley C, Leslie D, McBryde E, Hellard M, Stoové M
  J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2015 Mar; 69(4):460-465
• Routine feedback of test results to participants in clinic- and survey-based surveillance of HIV.
  Baggaley R, Johnson C, Calleja JMG , Sabin K, Obermeyer C, Taegtmeyer M, Zaba B, El-Hayek C, Singh JA
  Bull World Health Org. 2015 Mar; 93(5):352-355
• A new approach to estimating trends in chlamydia incidence.
  Ali H, Cameron E, Drovandi CC, McCaw JM, Guy RJ, Middleton M, El-Hayek C, Hocking JS, Kaldor JM, Donovan B, Wilson DP; on behalf of the Australian chlamydia incidence estimation group.
  Sex Transm Infect. 2015 Jan; 91(7):513-519
• Paying the price in an era of HIV treatment as prevention: a retrospective study of the cost burden of HIV treatment for people living with HIV in Victoria, Australia.
  Wilkinson AL, McMahon J, Cheah Y, Bradshaw CS, El-Hayek C, Stoové M
  Sex Health. 2015 Jan; 12(1):34-38

2014 (1)

• Trends in chlamydia positivity among heterosexual patients from the Victorian Primary Care Network for Sentinel Surveillance, 2007-2011.
  Lim MS, El-Hayek C, Goller JL, Fairley CK, Nguyen PL, Hamilton RA, Henning DJ, McNamee KM, Hellard ME, Stoove MA
  Med J Aust. 2014 Feb; 200(3):166-169

2013 (5)

• Opt-Out and Opt-In Testing Increases Syphilis Screening of HIV-Positive Men Who Have Sex with Men in Australia.
  Guy R, El-Hayek C, Fairley CK, Wand H, Carr A, McNulty A, Hoy J, Bourne C, McAllister J, Tee BK, Baker D, Roth N, Stoové M, Chen M
  PLoS One. 2013 Aug; 8(8):e71436
• Merging Australia's national HIV and AIDS registries: improving quality and completeness of data.
  Lucky TT, McDonald AM, Wand H, Lam M, El-Hayek C, Wilson DP
  Aust N Z J Public Health. 2013 Aug; 37(4):393-394
• Introduction of a sexual health practice nurse is associated with increased STI testing of men who have sex with men in primary care.
  Snow AF, Vodstrcil LA, Fairley CK, El-Hayek C, Cummings R, Owen L, Roth N, Hellard ME, Chen MY
  BMC Infect Dis. 2013 Jul; 13(1):298
• Increases in newly acquired HIV infections in Victoria, Australia: epidemiological evidence of successful prevention?
  Feigin A, El-Hayek C, Hellard M, Pedrana A, Donnan E, Fairley C, Tee BK, Stoové M
  Sex Health. 2013 Apr; 10(2):166-170
• Is rectal gonorrhoea a lead indicator of HIV transmission among men who have sex with men in Victoria, Australia?
  Wilkinson AL, Lim MS, Stoové M, Fairley CK, Chen M, El-Hayek C, Denham I, Hellard M
  Sex Health. 2013 Jan; 10(2):188-189

2012 (4)

• Epidemiology of chlamydia and gonorrhoea among Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, 2000-2009.
  Graham S, Guy RJ, Donovan B, McManus H, Su JY, El-Hayek C, Kwan KS, Dyda A, Wand HC, Ward JS
  Med J Aust. 2012 Dec; 197(11):642-646
• Stop the Drama Downunder: A Social Marketing Campaign Increases HIV/Sexually Transmitted Infection Knowledge and Testing in Australian Gay Men.
  Pedrana A, Hellard M, Guy R, El-Hayek C, Gouillou M, Asselin J, Batrouney C, Nguyen P, Stoovè M
  Sex Transm Dis. 2012 Aug; 39(8):651-658
• Prevalence survey of dermatological conditions in mountainous north India.
  Grills N, Grills C, Spelman T, Stoové M, Hellard M, El-Hayek C, Singh R
  Int J Dermatol. 2012 May; 51(5):579-587
• Incidence and risk factors associated with chlamydia in men who have sex with men: a cohort analysis of Victorian Primary Care Network for Sentinel Surveillance data.
  Wilkinson A, El-Hayek C, Fairley CK, Leslie D, Roth N, Tee BK, Hellard ME, Stoové M
  Sex Transm Infect. 2012 Feb; 88(5):319-324

2011 (1)

• Risk factors for HIV seroconversion in men who have sex with men in Victoria, Australia: results from a sentinel surveillance system.
  Guy RJ, Spelman T, Stoové M, El-Hayek C, Goller J, Fairley CK, Leslie D, Tee B, Roth N, Grulich AE, Hellard ME
  Sex Health. 2011 Sep; 8(3):319-329

2010 (3)

• The changing age distribution of men who have sex with men diagnosed with HIV in Victoria.
  El-Hayek C, Bergeri I, Hellard ME, Pedrana AE, Higgins N, Breschkin A, Stoové M
  Med J Aust. 2010 Dec; 193(11-12):655-658
• Establishing a linked sentinel surveillance system for blood-borne viruses and sexually transmissible infections: methods, system attributes and early findings.
  Goller JL, Guy RJ, Gold J, Lim MS, El-Hayek C, Stoové MA, Bergeri I, Fairley CK, Leslie DE, Clift P, White B, Hellard ME
  Sex Health. 2010 Dec; 7(4):425-433
• Does the frequency of HIV and STI testing among men who have sex with men in primary care adhere with Australian guidelines?
  Guy R, Goller JL, Spelman T, El-Hayek C, Gold J, Lim M, Leslie D, Tee BK, Roth N, Anderson J, Fairley CK, Kaldor J, Hellard M
  Sex Transm Infect. 2010 Oct; 86(5):371-376

News Articles (9)

2020 (2)

• 'Now More Than Ever' on World AIDS Day 2020
• HIV diagnosis and treatment for migrants lagging in Australia

2019 (1)

• Later HIV diagnoses for women

2018 (2)

• ACCESS a perfect ten
• Time to get tested for STIs

2017 (1)

• U=U addressing HIV stigma

2013 (2)

• 2013: Year in Review
• Chlamydia rates rise for younger girls

2010 (1)

• Study reveals worrying trend among young gay men