Gallipoli Medical Research is delighted to announce it will partner with RSL Australia on a Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO) Scoping Study, to further understand the needs of Australian veterans and their families.
Gallipoli will lead a consortium that also includes Griffith University and the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research to deliver this national project.
GMR CEO, Miriam Kent, said this inaugural partnership with RSL Australia reflected GMR’s reputation as a renowned leader for our research into the physical and mental health of veterans.
‘This project aligns perfectly to our expertise in, and commitment to, undertaking evidence-based research and translating findings into tailored, practical outcomes that tangibly improve the health of veterans and their families.’
‘Examining the long-term physical, mental and social impacts of MEAO deployments will deliver meaningful insights to inform future research and support service frameworks.’
The scoping study will run over the first six months of 2025, and will address key research questions and focus on the long-term physical and mental health outcomes for MEAO veterans and their families.
‘We will look at the specific health impacts of deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq on veterans and their families including the effects of deployment-related mTBI, how morally transgressive events have influenced veterans’ and their families’ health, and the factors from Middle East deployments that contribute to veterans’ separation from the ADF,’ GMR consortium lead, Dr Camilia Guindalini said.
‘We will also be looking at what Australian data already exists on personnel deployed to the MEAO through research studies such as the Military health Outcomes Program of Research (MILHOP) and the Transition and Wellbeing research Program to avoid duplicating previous work.’
RSL Australia National President Greg Melick spoke to the long-term benefits of the broader MEAO initiative:
‘The first phase of the project is the scoping study, which will lead into a much broader and ongoing study to examine and assess the issues and concerns identified in much greater detail. This broader study will recommend enhancements and national strategies to improve the range and level of services provided to today’s veterans and their families.’
The national MEAO Scoping Study is fully funded and led by RSL Australia. It is independent of government, however, is supported by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the Department of Defence and the Repatriation Commission.