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Senior Implementation Science Research Fellow - Allied Health
Head of Department, Allied Health Research Unit, St Vincent's Health Network Sydney
Clinical Fellow, Australian Catholic University, Faculty of Health Sciences
Areas of expertise: stroke; traumatic brain injury; rehabilitation; upper limb; adl retraining; implementation science
Phone: 0436 853 797
Email: lauren.christie@acu.edu.au
ORCID ID: 0000-0003-4900-5614
Dr Lauren Christie is an occupational therapist, early career researcher, clinical fellow of Australian Catholic University and Senior Research Fellow of Allied Health at St Vincent's Health Network Sydney where she leads the Allied Health Research Unit. Dr Christie is a practicing occupational therapist with over 15 years clinical experience in neurological rehabilitation in Australia and the United Kingdom and is regularly invited to provide training in evidence based stroke rehabilitation and knowledge translation to clinicians in Australia and internationally. In her role at St Vincent's Allied Health Research Unit, she supports allied health clinicians to engage in embedded clinical research, enhancing research capacity on campus.
Her program of research focuses on the implementation of evidence based interventions across the continuum of stroke and acquired brain injury recovery to enhance equity of access to evidence based, high quality care and rehabilitation.
Christie LJ, Rendell R, Fearn N, Descallar J, McCluskey A, Pearce A, Wong L & Lovarini M. (2023). Increasing the delivery of upper limb constraint-induced movement therapy programs for stroke and brain injury survivors: evaluation of the ACTIveARM project, Disability and Rehabilitation, DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2023.2290687
Christie LJ, Rendell R, McCluskey A, Fearn N, Hunter A& Lovarini M. (2023). Development of a behaviour change intervention to increase the delivery of upper limb constraint-induced movement therapy programs to people with stroke and traumatic brain injury, Disability and Rehabilitation, DOI: 1080/09638288.2023.2290686
Sun J, Lam C, Christie L, Blair C, Li X, Werdiger F, Yang Q, Bivard A, Lin L and Parsons M. (2023). Risk factors of hemorrhagic transformation in acute ischaemic stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Neurology, 14:1079205. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2023.1079205
Fasugba O, Dale S, McInnes E, et al. (2023). Evaluating remote facilitation intensity for multi-national translation of nurse-initiated stroke protocols (QASC Australasia): a protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial. Implementation Science, 18, 2. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-023-01260-9
Sarkies MN, Hemmert C, Pang YC,… & Christie, LJ. (2022). The human impact of commercial delivery cycling injuries: a pilot retrospective cohort study. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 8, 116. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-022-01077-1
Nisbet G, Thompson T, McAllister S, Brady B, Christie L, Jennings M, et al. (2022). From burden to benefit: a multi-site study of the impact of allied health work-based learning placements on patient care quality. Advances in Health Sciences Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10459-022-10185-9
Christie, L, Rendell, R, McCluskey, A, Fearn, N, Hunter, A, & Lovarini, M. (2022). Adult experiences of constraint-induced movement therapy programmes: A qualitative study using the Theoretical Domains Framework and Capability, Opportunity, Motivation - Behaviour system. Brain Impairment, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1017/BrImp.2022.18
Christie LJ, Fearn N, McCluskey A, Lannin NA, Shiner CT, Kilkenny A, Boydell J, Meharg A, Howes E, Churilov L, Faux S, Doussoulin A and Middleton S. (2022). Remote constraint induced therapy of the upper extremity (ReCITE): A feasibility study protocol. Frontiers in Neurology, 13:1010449. https://doi.org.10.3389/fneur.2022.1010449
Hassett, L, Jennings M, Brady B, Pinheiro M, Haynes A, Sidhu B, Christie L, Dennis S, Pearce A, Howard K, Greaves C, & Sherrington C. (2022). Brief Physical Activity Counselling by Physiotherapists (BEHAVIOUR): protocol for an effectiveness-implementation hybrid type II cluster randomised controlled trial. Implementation Science Communications, 3(1), 39. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43058-022-00291-5
Christie LJ, Fearn N, McCluskey A, Lovarini M, Rendell R, & Pearce A. (2022). Cost-effectiveness of constraint-induced movement therapy implementation in neurorehabilitation: The ACTIveARM Project. PharmacoEconomics Open, 6, 437-450. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41669-022-00323-9
Cameron LJ, Wales K, Casey A, Pike S, Jolliffe L, Schneider EJ, Christie LJ, Ratcliffe J. & Lannin NA. (2022). Self-reported quality of life following stroke: a systematic review of instruments with a focus on their psychometric properties. Quality of Life Research, 31, 329-342. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-021-02944-9
Zhu S, Sherrington C, Jennings M, Brady B, Pinheiro M, Dennis S, Christie LJ, et al. (2021). Current Practice of Physical Activity Counselling within Physiotherapy Usual Care and Influences on Its Use: A Cross-Sectional Survey. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(9), 4762. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094762
Christie L, Egan C, Wyborn J, & Simpson GK. (2021). Evaluating client experience of rehabilitation following acquired brain injury: a cross-sectional study. Brain Injury, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699052.2020.1867768
Christie LJ, McCluskey A. & Lovarini M. (2021). Implementation and sustainability of upper limb constraint-induced movement therapy programs for adults with neurological conditions: an international qualitative study, Journal of Health Organization and Management, 35(7), 904-923. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHOM-07-2020-0297
Levy T, Christie LJ, Killington M, Laver K, Crotty M & Lannin NA. (2021). "Just that four letter word, "hope": stroke survivors' perspectives of participation in an intensive upper limb exercise program; a qualitative exploration. Physiotherapy theory and practice, 38(11), 1624-1638. https://doi.org/10.1080/09593985.2021.1875525
Christie L, McCluskey A. & Lovarini M. (2019). Constraint induced movement therapy (CIMT) for upper limb recovery in adult neurorehabilitation: An international survey of current knowledge and experience. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 66(3):401-412. https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1630.12567
Christie L, Bedford R. & McCluskey A. (2011). Task-specific practice of dressing tasks in a hospital setting improved dressing performance post-stroke: a feasibility study. Task-specific practice of dressing tasks in a hospital setting improved dressing performance post-stroke: a feasibility study. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 58(5): 364-369. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1630.2011.00945.x
Completed projects:
2016-2019 Christie L, McCluskey A, & Lovarini M. ACTIveARM: Implementation of a sustainable publicly -funded constraint induced movement therapy (CIMT) program to improve upper limb outcomes across multiple neuro-rehabilitation teams in SWSLHD. NSW Health Translational Research Grants Scheme Round 1($329,116)
2021 Lazar M, Christie, LJ. The Allied Health Research project: Improving outcomes from new models of allied health. St Vincent's Curran Foundation Endowment Grant($52,045)
Ongoing projects:
Christie, L.J., Fearn, N., Makroglou, K., Shiner, C., Mosalski, S., Blair, C., Lannin, N.A., Olsen, N. & Parsons, M. RAISE- Robotic Arm Intervention for Stroke rEcovery: A pilot feasibility randomised controlled trial. 2024 St Vincent's Clinic Foundation Multidisciplinary Patient Focussed Grant ($50,000).
Christie, L.J., Fearn, N., Makroglou, K., Shiner, C., Mosalski, S., Blair, C., Lannin, N.A., Olsen, N. & Parsons, M. RAISE- Robotic Arm Intervention for Stroke rEcovery: A pilot, feasibility randomised controlled trial St Vincent's Curran Foundation Endowment Grant 2024- ($106,128.10).
Simpson, H., O'Brien, T., Cook, M., Gillinder, L., Perucca, P., Christie, L., Marquina, C., Bulluss, K. 2022 MRFF Assessment of High-Cost Gene Treatments and Digital Health Interventions: Subscalp EEG Augmentation of Routine Care in Epilepsy ($749,970.90)
Hayward K, Lannin N, Fini N, Dalton E, Kramer S, Christie L, Hinman R, Churilov L. Standardising Competency in Outcomes of REcovery post-Stroke (SCORES). University of Melbourne Innovation Seed Grant. 2024.($40,000).
2022 Fearn N, Heneka N, Christie LJ, Dear R, Krasovitsky M, Chen V, Chambers S & Dunn J. SUppoRting PAtient-centred SurvivorShip (SURPASS) at St Vincent's Health Network: Adaptation and adoption of the 'My Personal Plan' Prostate Cancer Survivorship Care Plan for generic use. St Vincent's Curran Foundation 2022 Endowment Grant ($56,289)
2022 Jolliffe L, Christie L, Major B, Nicks R, and Lannin NA. Equitable education: educational videos for therapists to support skilled-delivery of complex upper limb interventions. OT Australia Victoria Prize ($11,000)
2022 Hall M, Christie LJ, Inglis S, Macdonald P, Plitt M, Liu Z. The impact of pre-operative nutrition support in heart and lung transplant patients: examining feasibility and acceptability. St Vincent's Clinic Foundation 2022 Multidisciplinary Patient Focused Research Grant ($25,000)
2022 Parsons M, Lange D, Behar J, Middleton P, Christie LJ. Stroke Smart Ambulance: The Ambulance of the Future. Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research - Technion Australia Competitive Grant Program ($350,000)
2021 Christie L, McCluskey A, Middleton S, Boydell J, Meharg A, Kilkenny A, Shiner C, Faux S. ReCITE: Remote Constraint Induced Therapy of the upper Extremity - An implementation study. Stroke Foundation - Early Career Seed Grant ($49,498)
2021 Christie LJ, Shiner C, Faux S, Boydell J, Meharg A, Kilkenny A, Doussoulin Sanhuez A, McCluskey A. ReCITE (Remote Constraint Induced Therapy of the upper Extremity): An implementation study. St Vincent's Clinic Foundation 2021 Multidisciplinary Patient Focused Research Grant ($25,000)
2021 Hart S, Christie LJ, Gawthorne J, Armstrong M, Lazar M, Gill K. Barriers and Facilitators to the Delivery of Evidence Based Care for People with Eating Disorders. St Vincent's Applied Medical Research Inclusive Health Research Grant ($30,000)
Training videos developed to support clinicians in the delivery of constraint induced movement therapy (CIMT) programs as part of the ACTIveARM project have been made freely available online:
CIMT: An introduction to shaping
https://youtu.be/liOyY5kr0h4?si=iZhEIXS_RoIR3oMq
CIMT: An introduction to shaping 2
https://youtu.be/_evKkyDFEmQ?si=e_2OPmewW_d4CtdX
An introduction to the Motor Activity Log (MAL):
https://youtu.be/H0KRUg2Hgxs?si=MG1Tx90D0qVTLI4V
Dr Christie is also a co-developer of the TeleCIMT.com website, providing clinicians, stroke survivors and their supporters with free learning and clinical resources to support the delivery of CIMT via telehealth: