Sally Sargeant

Biography

Dr. Sally Sargeant is Associate Professor of Psychology and Health Communications at SCU. With a PhD in Health Psychology from Loughborough University, she began her academic career at Keele University before relocating to Australia in 2012 to lead health psychology curriculum development at Bond University. She joined SCU in 2017 and served as Deputy Dean of Health and Human Sciences (2017–2020). Since 2020, she has held a part-time academic role focused on teaching and research.

Sally's work contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals

Research

Sally's primary research interests are language, communication in healthcare, and the psychological principles underpinning interactions. This covers many areas, ranging from conversations in clinical care with patients to the training of health professionals and institutional processes. She uses qualitative and quantitative methods and works with clinicians, health professions educators, and community members. Her recent work focuses on Internet forum communication about health and illness, decision-making, and health workers' preparedness for practice.

Supervision

Sally is a registered principal HDR supervisor at SCU with experience supervising Doctoral, Masters, and Honours students. She welcomes inquiries and is committed to high-quality research training. Her supervision spans critical health psychology and health professional education.

Other

Grants

• 2017 Domestic Violence Screening in the Emergency Department. Gold Coast Emergency Medicine Foundation, $61 000 (CI)
• 2018 Community perceptions and misperceptions about local organic food and farming; a collaboration between SCU Centre for Organics Research and Santos Organics
• 2016 Vice Chancellors Award, Bond University, Shared decision making and prostate cancer
• 2012: Vice Chancellors Award, Bond University, Investigation of medical students' professional identity
• 2011 Marie Curie Intra European Fellowship Award (IEF-7), Paediatric Medical Psychology and Interpersonal Trust, € 180 000 (CI)
• 2011 Action on health literacy in Stoke-on-Trent: NHS Stoke-on-Trent and Stoke City Council

Awards

• 2014 Best Applied Science Poster, Gold Coast Health and Medical Research Conference (w/Alicia Olsen and Justin Keogh)
• 2013 Australasian Society for Behavioural Health in Medicine – Best conference poster (w/ Neda Mahmoodi)