Impact & Research

True strives to ensure that all staff are research aware (understand and apply the foundations of research and evidence-based practice) or research active (engage as participants, collaborators or investigators in research projects).

The Impact and Research unit at True is responsible for building the evidence base of our services and staff research capacity at True. Our impact is evaluated through internal monitoring and research projects and through our external research partnerships. All programs and projects at True apply some form of research, evaluation and public reporting.

Internal Research

Staff in all programs monitor, review, and evaluate programs. Staff are encouraged to keep up to date with research and apply this to their work. 

Current internal projects:

  • 'Every Body Needs to Know' Evaluation Report: Evaluating True Relationships & Reproductive Health’s 'Every Body Needs to Know' program to enhance relationships and sexuality education for Queensland students with disabilities.

  • Health In My Language – Reproductive and sexual health education and resources for migrant and refugee groups and organisations. This project provides information either online or in-person on a number of health topics in multiple languages.

    Contact: Sarai Tafa at diversity@true.org.au 

  • Bilingual Health Workforce Evaluation Project (BHWEP) – Identifying the benefits of Queensland’s bilingual health and community care workforce including current career development pathways. This project will provide recommendations on how to facilitate sustainable career pathways for bilingual health and community care workers. Read final report.

    Contact: culturallyresponsive@true.org.au

  • True Support Services Hub – Specialist support service offering sexual violence and abuse support to victims and survivors. The service will monitor and respond to reproductive coercion and provide support through forensically trained female clinicians and a specialist sexual assault counsellor. This project is based at the Rockhampton True Clinic.

    Contact: A/Prof Heather Nancarrow at info@true.org.au

  • A study of Chlamydia trachomatis infection and reinfection in young adults – Longitudinal, prospective clinical trial operating out of our Rockhampton clinic. This study aims to estimate the incidence and prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and develop a case definition for Chlamydia trachomatis infection in young adults aged between 18 and 29 years.

    Contact: research@true.org.au

External Research Partnerships

  • Project: Building an Integrated Approach to Supporting Sexual Health Promotion and Education Among Young People – Partnership: Latrobe University 
  • Project: Maternal and Early Life Origins of Adolescent Menstrual Disorders and Pelvic Pain – Partnership: The University of Queensland
  • Project: Breaking the Stigma: Let's talk about sex – Research project led by Queensland University of Technology with True and other partners (2023-2025)

Final Review Report 2025: True Support Services Hub

This report outlines findings from the piloted True Support Services Hub (TSSH), focused on supporting victim-survivors presenting to the True clinic within 7 days of a sexual assault. The service co-located a forensic nurse practitioner, a sexual assault counsellor, and the Queensland Police Services' Criminal Investigation Branch in a community setting. A novel aspect of this approach was that it provided community-based medical clearance and forensic medical examination.

Two participant groups were involved in the review of the TSSH: service providers involved with the TSSH; and, due to low service usage, victim-survivors of sexual assault with experience of the mainstream service system. Thematic analysis of the data revealed three main themes around the outcomes and potential impact of the TSSH:

  • Timeliness: The TSSH offers timely care, with immediately available forensic medical examinations. This contrasts with hospital accident and emergency departments, which must prioritize life-saving activities over forensic examinations (leading to delays and interruptions in care). Of note, restricted hours of service (8 AM - 4 PM) within this model were highlighted as a barrier to accessibility.
  • Trauma-informed care: The TSSH offers trauma informed care through a safe, holistic, one-stop approach, avoidance of delays at hospitals, continuity of care, and reduced barriers to formal reporting of sexual assault. 
  • Diverse strategies to promote the TSSH: TSSH was primarily accessed through internal referrals, indicating a need for better promotion to reach survivors directly.

Overall, there was support and enthusiasm for the TSSH, though enhancements to the model should include extended hours and improved promotion and awareness to maximize its impact.

Read the report here.

Interested in having an impact?

Partnerships with academic institutions, non-government, corporate and philanthropic organisations are essential to impact and research at True. We welcome collaborative research partnerships and engagement with other researchers.

We can also provide guest lectures, talks and presentations on a range of sexual and reproductive health topics and contemporary research in this field.

We regularly engage in student projects and internships which see students assisting in research activities or resource development and can take a number of forms:

  • Work placement, fulfilling a requirement for undergraduate or master’s degree across a range of disciplines including public health and social sciences;
  • Career development, as part of a PhD program;
  • Internship (independent of a university program);
  • and Industry partner research project.

If you would like more information or to discuss potential research, partnership or engagement opportunities, please contact research@true.org.au.

Our recent research publications

Istiko SN, Remata S, Ndayizeye A, Moreno MEV, Kirunda V, Hollingdrake O, Osborne R, Hou JZ, Abell B, Mullens AB, Gu Z, Debattista J, Vujcich D, Lobo R, Parma G, Howard C & Durham J. 2023. Developing critical HIV health literacy: insights from interviews with priority migrant communities in Queensland, Australia. Culture, Health & Sexuality. DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2023.2265960

Aguilar Alonso R, Walsh K, van Leent L & Moran C. 2023. School-based relationships and sexuality education programmes in primary schools: contexts, mechanisms and outcomes. Sex Education. DOI: 10.1080/14681811.2023.2167816

Gregory G, Malaweera Arachchige S, Moran C, Gullo MJ, & Anderson LE. 2023. A pilot evaluation of a training programme on understanding and responding to sexual behaviours in children and young people. Sex Education. DOI: 10.1080/14681811.2023.2208523

Lilly K, Walsh AL, Foreman R, Moran C, & Taylor J. 2024. Communicating about sexual activity and intimacy after a heart attack: a cross-sectional survey of Australian health professionals. European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. DOI: 10.1093/eurjcn/zvad110

Lirios A, Mullens AB, Daken K, Moran C, Gu Z, Assefa Y, Dean JA. 2023. Sexual and reproductive health literacy of culturally and linguistically diverse young people in Australia: a systematic review. Culture, Health & Sexuality. DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2023.2256376

Moran C, Lilly K, Walsh AL, Foreman R, & Taylor J. 2023. Australian health professionals’ perspectives on discussing sexual activity and intimacy with people who have had a heart attack: a qualitative study. Australian Journal of Primary Health. DOI: 10.1071/PY23119

Song, J., Ghazal, M., Rolandsen, A., & Le Bagge, S. (2024). Bilingual Health Workforce Queensland – Evaluation Report. True Relationships and Reproductive Health and Ethnic Communities Council Queensland.