Shakira Onwuka

Shakira Onwuka

Graduate Research Topic

Title: Trial of a decision aid to support informed decision-making about aspirin to prevent bowel cancer and other chronic conditions.
Years: 2020 - 
Supervisors: Prof Jon Emery, A/Prof Jennifer McIntosh, Prof Finlay Macrae and A/Prof Patty Chondros

Brief background and research interests

I'm from the United States and have been residing on Wurundjeri Country in the Kulin Nation (Melbourne) since 2015. Since then, I've worked across various clinical trials in primary care. My PhD is also a trial in general practice settings. I am interested in building a career that focuses on health equity and supporting the health of Australia's most vulnerable and under-served communities. I am both a mixed-methods researcher and implementation scientist who is passionate about making real-world change in public health.

What led you to this research?

My experiences during my PhD, particularly while leading a randomised controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of aspirin in preventing bowel cancer and chronic illnesses, illuminated the profound gaps in healthcare delivery to vulnerable populations. My background as an African American researcher has further sensitised me to the nuances required in delivering health interventions across diverse communities. Although the decision aids were developed collaboratively with community input, the majority of this input came from comparatively privileged groups. This realisation has not only reinforced my commitment to health equity but also driven me to refine these tools to better serve all community segments, including the most under-served.