Pete Azzopardi
Head, Adolescent Health and Wellbeing
PhD, FRACP, MEpi, MBBS, GDipBiostats, BMedSci
Professor Pete Azzopardi leads an international program of research focusing on adolescent health and well-being. His research is informed by experience working as a paediatrician in Australia (including in youth justice, the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health sector, tertiary referral services, youth homeless services) and across health services in the Asia Pacific region.
Pete’s program of research is approached in partnership with young people. He has expertise in using data to describe adolescent health needs, and expertise in the codesign and implementation of responsive programs for adolescent and wellbeing. At The Kids Research Institute Australia, his work is in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia. He also leads a research group at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute where his work focuses on global adolescent health. Ensuring health equity is a cross cutting theme.
Pete is a Commissioner on the current Lancet Commission for Adolescent Health and Wellbeing. He co-chairs WHO’s Global Action for Measurement of Adolescent health expert group, and co-chairs the adolescent wellbeing work stream at the Partnership for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescent’s health (PMNCH). Pete has also recently joined WHO’s Strategic Technical Advisory Group of Experts (STAGE). These engagements provide an opportunity to contribute to - and learn- from best practice globally.
Education and Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) (The health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents, University of Melbourne, Australia.
- Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP) Paediatrics and adolescent medicine
- Master of Epidemiology (MEpi) (Thesis: BCG vaccination in children with HIV), University of Melbourne, Australia
- Bachelor of Medicine / Bachelor of Science (MBBS), University of Melbourne, Australia
- Graduate Diploma in Biostatics (GDIPBiostats), University of Melbourne, Australia
Active Collaborations
- Faculty member, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide Australia (honorary)
- Deputy director, Centre for Adolescent Health (Global adolescent health), Population health theme; and leadership group member, Melbourne Children’s Global Health, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
- Professor, College of Health and Medicine, Australian National University
Projects
WA Aboriginal Child Health Survey (WAACHS) Data Linkage Study
This study is a partnership between researchers, the Aboriginal community and government to provide evidence for policy and practice addressing high priority health and wellbeing issues for Aboriginal children and families.
Published research
Advancing Impactful Research for Adolescent Health and Wellbeing: Key Principles and Required Technical Investments
Substantial progress in adolescent health research has been made over recent decades, but important knowledge gaps remain.
Generating evidence to inform responsive and effective actions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescent health and well-being: a mix method protocol for evidence integration 'the Roadmap Project'
Australia does not have a national strategy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescent health and as a result, policy and programming actions are fragmented and may not be responsive to needs. Efforts to date have also rarely engaged Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in co-designing solutions. The Roadmap Project aims to work in partnership with young people to define priority areas of health and well-being need and establish the corresponding developmentally appropriate, evidence-based actions.
From ‘Pen Sao’ to ‘Tue Pa’: Understanding diverse pathways to adolescent pregnancy in Lao People’s Democratic Republic through qualitative investigation with girls in Vientiane Capital, Vientiane Province, and Luang Namtha
Adolescent birth rates in Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR) remain the highest in Southeast Asia. There is growing recognition that adolescent pregnancy in Lao PDR is occurring within and outside marriage, but there is a lack of robust qualitative evidence to understand girls' pathways to adolescent pregnancy and contributing factors, especially outside of union (cohabitation or marriage).
Health and well-being needs of Indigenous adolescents: A protocol for a scoping review of qualitative studies
Improving the health of Indigenous adolescents is central to addressing the health inequities faced by Indigenous peoples. To achieve this, it is critical to understand what is needed from the perspectives of Indigenous adolescents themselves. There have been many qualitative studies that capture the perspectives of Indigenous young people, but synthesis of these has been limited to date.
Towards Harmonized Adolescent Health Measurement: Assessing Alignment Between Current Recommendations and the Global Action for Measurement of Adolescent Health–Recommended Indicators
This study identified alignment of indicators across different initiatives and data collection instruments as a foundation for future harmonization of adolescent health measurement.
Contemporary pathways to adolescent pregnancy in Indonesia: A qualitative investigation with adolescent girls in West Java and Central Sulawesi
In the last decade, reduction in adolescent fertility rates in Indonesia has slowed despite national programmes and policies focused on addressing child marriage. Indonesia currently has the highest number of births to adolescent girls aged 15-19 years in Southeast Asia. There is a need to develop a more nuanced understanding of the drivers of adolescent pregnancy in Indonesia to inform programmes and policies tailored to young people's needs and priorities.
Aragung buraay: culture, identity and positive futures for Australian children: Dharawal language: aragung = shield for war, protection; buraay = child
Monitoring the physical and mental health of Australian children and young people: a foundation for responsive and accountable actions
Safeguarding youth sexual and reproductive health and rights in the context of increasing climate-related disasters in the Pacific: A scoping review of policies and responses
Pacific youth (15–24 years) experience multiple challenges to realising their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Climate-related disasters compound pre-existing social and health inequities, including for youth SRHR. Meaningful youth engagement is crucial to understand their risks and inform inclusive disaster responses.
Exploring a Preliminary Set of Indicators to Measure Adolescent Health: Results From a 12-Country Feasibility Study
To explore data availability, perceived relevance, acceptability and feasibility of implementing 52 draft indicators for adolescent health measurement in different countries globally.
Protocol for the Adolescent Menstrual Experiences and Health Cohort (AMEHC) Study in Khulna, Bangladesh: A Prospective cohort to quantify the influence of menstrual health on adolescent girls' health and education outcomes
Menstrual health is essential for gender equity and the well-being of women and girls. Qualitative research has described the burden of poor menstrual health on health and education; however, these impacts have not been quantified, curtailing investment.
Cardiometabolic health markers among Aboriginal adolescents from the Next Generation Youth Wellbeing Cohort Study
The objective of this study was to investigate cardiometabolic health markers among Aboriginal adolescents aged 10-24 years and relationships with age, gender, and body composition.
Prevalence of Eating Disorder Symptoms in Transgender and Gender Diverse Adolescents Presenting for Gender-Affirming Care
To describe the prevalence of eating disorder symptoms among adolescents seeking gender-affirming care.
Changing climates, compounding challenges: A participatory study on how disasters affect the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people in Fiji
Pacific youth are at the forefront of the climate crisis, which has important implications for their health and rights. Youth in Fiji currently bear a disproportionate burden of poor experiences and outcomes related to their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). There is limited information about how the increasing climate impacts may affect their SRHR, and what the implications may be for climate action and disaster risk reduction.
Towards responsive policy and actions to address non-communicable disease risks amongst adolescents in Indonesia: insights from key stakeholders
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, mental disorder and chronic lung conditions are the leading cause of death and disability in Indonesia. Adolescence is when risks for NCDs emerge and it is also an important life stage for intervention, yet young people are often at the margins of NCD policy and actions.
Health behaviours associated with healthy body composition among Aboriginal adolescents in Australia in the ‘Next Generation: Youth Well-being study’
This study described the distribution of healthy body composition among Aboriginal adolescents in Australia aged 10-24 years and examined associations with health behaviours and self-rated health.
Cardiometabolic Risk Markers for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Youths: A Systematic Review of Data Quality and Population Prevalence
Cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus are leading contributors to the health inequity experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and their antecedents can be identified from early childhood. We aimed to establish the quality of available data and the prevalence of cardiometabolic risk markers among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and youths (0-24-year-olds) to inform public health approaches.