Hannah Jackson
Doctor of Philosophy
Hannah Jackson is a Ph.D. Candidate within the Faculty of Health at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) specialising in the field of pharmacoeconomics and its intersection with maternal healthcare.
Her thesis entitled "The pharmacoeconomics of medication use in pregnancy: An exploration of costs and equity", exemplifies her commitment to advancing our understanding of the economic factors influencing resource allocation decisions in pregnant populations.
Hannah's academic journey has been marked by a strong foundation in clinical pharmacy practice after obtaining her Bachelor of Pharmacy. Her passion for public health and a desire to bridge the gap between pharmaceuticals and societal well-being led her to pursue a Master of Public Health. This background equips her with a unique perspective to tackle the multifaceted challenges within her chosen field.
With an impressive track record of academic excellence and a penchant for rigorous research, Hannah has already contributed significantly to the discourse surrounding equitable access to medications during pregnancy. Her work not only delves into the economic implications but also addresses the crucial questions of fairness and justice in the distribution of healthcare.
Hannah's dedication to improving maternal health outcomes through her research, combined with her extensive educational and academic background, positions her as a promising scholar poised to make a lasting impact in the realm of pharmacoeconomics and maternal healthcare.
RESEARCH THESIS
The pharmacoeconomics of medication use in pregnancy: An exploration of costs and equity.
Background
Medication use during pregnancy is common, with evidence suggesting >80% of women take at least one medication during pregnancy. Moreover, women are entering pregnancy with higher rates of obesity and advanced maternal age, which contribute to the rising incidence of maternal chronic disease and pregnancy-related complications. Some of these medical conditions (e.g., diabetes, iron deficiency anaemia, pre-eclampsia) may require episodic or ongoing management with pharmaceutical agents. Despite a growing demand for medication use during pregnancy, pregnant women are commonly excluded from clinical studies, leaving them and their healthcare professionals with insufficient data to guide the safe, effective, and efficient use of medications during pregnancy. Overcoming the regulatory and legislative barriers to address this information gap is a complex challenge.
Objective
This body of research aims to analyse and describe the cost and equity implications associated with women’s access to medication during pregnancy.
Methods
The theoretical and conceptual framework is of this research is underpinned by economic evaluation and the provision of value-based health care. Initially, a review of the structural determinants of health inequities that impact access to medications during pregnancy will be undertaken to illuminate the highly upstream factors that act as barriers to medication access. Subsequently, a series of studies will explore the real-world costs and equity implications associated with women’s access to medications during pregnancy utilising a population-level linked administrative dataset, Maternity1000, which contains information on 250,000 women who gave birth in Queensland, Australia, between 1 January 2013 and 30th June 2018.
Expected Outcomes/ Impact
It is anticipated that gaining deeper insights into the structural factors influencing resource allocation decisions in maternal health care and describing the real-world economic and equity implications of these decisions will stimulate system-level changes that enable more efficient and equitable allocation of publicly funded resources for pregnant populations, ultimately enhancing maternal health outcomes.
Supervision team
- Professor Emily Callander
- Associate Professor Luke Grzeskowiak
- Associate Professor Joanne Enticott
- Dr Sarah Wise
Publications
- Jackson, H., Grzeskowiak, L. E., Enticott, J., & Callander, E. (2023). Pharmacoepidemiology and costs of medications dispensed during pregnancy: A retrospective population-based study. BJOG, 130(11), 1317-1327. doi:10.1111/1471-0528.17472
- Jackson, H., Grzeskowiak, L. E., Enticott, J., & Callander, E. (5-8 March 2023). Pharmacoepidemiology and costs of medications dispensed during pregnancy: A retrospective population-based study using routinely collected data in Australia [Paper presentation]. Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand (PSANZ) 2023 Annual Congress “Laneways to Better Perinatal Outcomes”, Melbourne Convention Centre, Melbourne, Victoria. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 59 Suppl 1, p.25. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpc.16356