Dr Lareen Newman
BA Hons (Geography), PhD (SocSc)
| Institution |
Flinders University |
| Department |
Public Health |
| Address |
Block G6, FMC Flats - Flinders Drive, Bedford Park |
| Telephone |
+61 8 8204 4277 |
| Email |
lareen.newman@flinders.edu.au |
Current Research
Dr Newman has recently completed her PhD at the University of Adelaide, which focused on how men's and women's experiences of childbearing and childrearing affect Australia's birth rate. Her supervisors were Prof Graeme Hugo (Department of Geographical & Environmental Studies) and Assoc Prof Barbara Pocock (Department of Gender & Labour Studies). The research included both quantitative and qualitative research methods (analysis of Census data and in-depth interviews) to examine differences in fertility rates and subjective perceptions of influences on fertility behaviour and likely future family size. It explored the impact of embodied experiences of conception, pregnancy, birth and early parenthood as well as work-related and financial issues. The research was conducted across four different socio-economic areas of Adelaide. Dr Newman has recently taken up a position at Flinders University's Department of Public Health where she is working on the multi-disciplinary Australian Health Inequities Program.
Areas of Interest
Dr Newman has a broad interest in population and public health, including social and physical access to services and primary health care. She also holds an interest in reproductive politics and is particularly focussed on how these issues impact on fertility behaviour and fertility rates. She is also interested in the social determinants of health related to parenthood, including levels of social support and services, as well as wider cultural and workplace attitudes and arrangements which may affect perceptions of the desirability and achievability of parenting one or more children. Associated with this is a general interest in the biological, evolutionary and cultural basis of human behaviour. Dr Newman's interest in multi-disciplinary research is shown in her involvement with HDA's Research Synergies Working Group.
Alongside her academic pursuits, Dr Newman is an active member of several state and national maternity consumer groups, and is Acting State President South Australia for the Maternity Coalition. She is a consumer representative on the Joint Advisory Committee for the Bachelor of Midwifery courses at South Australian Universities, and also on the SA Department of Health's working group to develop a Planned Homebirth Policy. She has recently been nominated for the Midwifery Advocate Award 2006 of the Australian College of Midwives' (SA Branch). She has also provided written and oral submissions to the SA Government's 2004 Inquiry into Postnatal Depression and to the Bishop Inquiry into Balancing Family & Work. Dr Newman has recently completed her first book which aims to help women and health professionals improve the experience of birth. Entitled "Better Birth: The Definitive Guide To Childbirth", the book was released in February 2006 by New Holland Publishers and has been widely distributed around Australia. It also has contributions from Dr Heather Hancock, a senior lecturer in midwifery at the University of South Australia.
Selected Publications, Conference Papers & Reports
Newman LA & H Hancock (2006). Better Birth: the Definitive Guide to Childbirth. New Holland, Frenchs Forest.
Newman LA (2004), 'Family size and fertility gaps in Australia: the influence of men's and women's experiences of conception, pregnancy, birth and early parenthood', paper presented to the 12th Biennial Conference of the Australian Population Association, 15-17 September, Canberra [online] available URL: http://acsr.anu.edu.au/APA2004/papers/2_Anewman.pdf
Newman LA (2004), 'Geographical differences in fertility rates in Adelaide: a reflection of the social conditions of parenting?', paper presented to the 2004 conference of the Institute of Australian Geographers, Glenelg, South Australia, 13-16 April.
Newman LA & Lawrence RE (1999). 'Hydrological history of the Willunga Basin', Proceedings, Living with Water Seminar, The Hydrological Society of South Australia, Adelaide, October 1999, pp110-117.
Newman LA (1994), 'Environmental History of the Willunga Basin: 1830s to 1990s', Unpublished thesis presented for the award of Bachelor of Arts Honours degree, University of Adelaide - examined the social and physical context of environmental change in this region on the edge of metropolitan Adelaide.
Ms Newman also worked on several national publications when she was an employee at the Australian Bureau of Statistics Adelaide office (1995-2000).
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