Economic Impact of Women's Health

Hosted by the Women in Economics Network (QLD Branch)

📅 Date: 22nd of October
🕕 Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
📍 Location: Function Room, The Ship Inn, Cnr Stanley & Sidon Streets, South Bank QLD 4101

Join the Queensland Women in Economics Network for an engaging after-work event focused on the economic implications of persistent disparities in women’s health research and funding.

Despite increasing awareness, women's health continues to be significantly underfunded in both medical research and healthcare services such as Medicare. These funding gaps not only affect individual and community health outcomes but also have far-reaching economic consequences — from reduced workforce participation and productivity to increased long-term healthcare costs.

What to Expect:

• Two short presentations highlighting key issues and data related to women’s health funding and its economic impact.
• A panel discussion with experts and professionals examining:
  • The systemic underfunding in women’s health research
  • The ripple effects on Australia’s economy
  • Strategies to address policy and funding gaps

This event offers a platform for learning, discussion, and networking around one of the most pressing equity and economic issues in healthcare today.

Speakers:

Dr Brenda Gannon

Professor Brenda Gannon is an international interdisciplinary leader providing evidence and solutions for health and social care systems, spanning across health economics, medicine and social science, in collaboration with academia and industry. She brings extensive experience and expertise in program and policy development related to health, social inclusion, and citizen science, fostering and advancing excellence at the intersection of many disciplines.

She is a Professor in the School of Economics and an Affiliate Professor at the Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland. She is former Director of Research in the School of Economics. Her work has been influential in the development of programs for falls preventions and informing policy on disability and social inclusion, and has positively impacted on the health of many older people across the world. Her research is funded by her position as chief investigator on projects from the Australian Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council, MRFF, EU H2020. She has provided advice to government at senior levels, and had a Ministerial appointment, on the Medical Services Advisory Committee Evaluation Sub-Committee 2017-2021. She sits regularly as a panel member of various NHMRC and MRFF grant review committees and has also previously appointed to the EU Commission grant panels. She has been invited to give several talks at international fora, most recently as an expert advisor the World Health Organisation, and a key note talk on ageing and longevity at the National Academy of Medicine, Global Roadmap to Healthy Longevity, in Washington DC. Professor Gannon was an elected Professorial member of the Academic Board at UQ 2018-2022. She is lead of the health economics and epidemiology theme within the Queensland Family Cohort Study governance team, led by Mater Research. She has been an invited speaker to the National Summit on Women’s Health 2018,  and the QFC symposium 2022 and to the Health and Wellbeing Queensland leadership board. In 2023, Professor Gannon was elected a Fellow of the Queensland Academy of Arts and Sciences. She has been elected as a Council Member of Queensland Academy of Arts and Sciences since 2024.

Prof Gannon leads the economics of women’s health program within the NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence on Women and Non-communicable diseases (CRE WaND):Prevention and Detection at UQ. She has published this work in Health Economics, Australian Health Review, Economics and Human Biology, Australian Economic Review, on topics of mental health, endometriosis and assisted reproductive technology. She has mentored PhD students and post-doctoral researchers in economics of women’s health. Most recently she has been funded by the Queensland Mental Health Commission to develop a linked database for perinatal mental health needs and develop projections of unmet needs. Her research has been reported in media interviews with ABC radio and Seven News.

Dr Robyn Littlewood

Dr Robyn Littlewood is Chief Executive Officer of Health and Wellbeing Queensland, the state’s prevention agency driving better health outcomes and a stronger health system.

With more than 25 years’ experience across clinical care, research and education, she is recognised as a national leader in paediatric healthcare, prevention and health reform.

She champions innovative, evidence-based approaches and cross-sector partnerships to reduce chronic disease and create lasting impact for Queensland communities.

Dr Littlewood is a Fellow of Dietitians Australia, a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and Adjunct Professor at three Queensland universities

Dr Emma Heard

Dr Emma Heard is a qualitative researcher and registered health promotion practitioner whose work focuses on equity, gender, and community well-being. She has a PhD in Public Health from the University of Queensland and has published on violence prevention, gender equity, and social connection. Emma is currently a Senior Health Promotion Practitioner at Queensland Health, where she leads practice and research initiatives to improve outcomes for women and girls. Her work highlights how investment in prevention and equity not only strengthens health outcomes but also delivers broader social and economic benefits through increased participation, safety, and community connectedness.

Who Should Attend

This event is ideal for anyone with an interest in health equity, economic policy, or gender-informed research. All are welcome! 

Whether you're working on the ground, shaping policy, or conducting research, this event offers valuable insights into how economic and gender disparities in health intersect — and what could be done to address them.

Light refreshments will be provided.

We look forward to welcoming you for an evening of insight and connection.