M j spittal cv

Matthew J. Spittal
Contact Details:
Centre for Health Policy, Programs and Economics Melbourne School of Population and Global Health The University of Melbourne Victoria 3010, Australia Phone: 03 9035 8230 0401 712 354 E-mail: m.spittal@unimelb.edu.au
Qualifications

2006 – 2012
Master of Biostatistics, The University of Melbourne, Australia Doctorate of Philosophy in Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
Appointment history

Present positions:
Dec 2009
Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Health Policy, Programs and Economics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne Honorary Research Associate, The Cancer Council Victoria
Previous positions:

2005 – 2009
Research Fellow, Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council of Victoria, Australia Research Analyst, Centre for Social Research and Evaluation, Ministry of Social Development, New Zealand Teaching Assistant: Research Methods in Psychology, School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand Tutor, School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

Scholarships

2009
BCA Roche Annual Award for Excellence (AUD $4,586) BCA Pifzer Annual Award for Excellence (AUD $2,938) School of Psychology Postgraduate Scholarship (NZ$ 13,000 pa for 3 years) Grants

2011-2013
Pirkis, J., Spittal, M., Studdert, D., Gurrin, L., Miller, M. (Associate Investigator: Pinder, T.)
An individual-level study of suicide method substitution over time. Australian National Health
and Medical Research Council. AUD$ 211,440.
McClure, J., Spittal, M. J., Charleson, A., & Fischer, R. Clarifying why people take fewer
mitigating actions than survival actions. EQC Biennial Contestable Grant, NZ$ 30,000.
Wakefield, M., Durkin, S., White, V., Borland, R., Siahpush, M., Spittal, M. J., & Simpson,
J. How do media campaigns and tobacco-relevant news coverage influence adolescent and
adult smoking. Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, AUD$ 409,249.
Spittal, M. J. Earthquake Preparation: Psychological Factors. Science Faculty Research
Grant, Victoria University of Wellington, NZ$ 1,660.
Spittal, M. J. Consumer Decision Making. Science Faculty Research Grant, Victoria
University of Wellington, NZ$ 750.

Membership of committees and working parties

2011--
Member, Study Steering Group for Australian Longitudinal Study for Men’s Health (Ten to Men Study) Student Representative, Biostatistics Collaboration of Australia Teaching Committee Human Ethics Committee Student Representative, School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington
Reviewer for

Tobacco Control, Journal of Public Health, Addiction, Environment and Behavior, Suicide and Life-Threatening
Behavior, BMC Health Services Research

Ph.D supervision (completed)
1. Derek Yee Tak Cheung (2012) The application of geo-statistical techniques to explore spatial and temporal
patterns of suicide. Melbourne School of Population Health, The University of Melbourne.
Peer-reviewed original research publications

In Press:

1. Pirkis, J., Spittal, M. J., Cox, G., Robinson, J., Cheung, Y. T. D., Studdert, D. (in press, accepted Jan 2013) The
effectiveness of structural interventions at suicide hotspots: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Epidemiology. 2. Bismark, M. M., Spittal, M. J., Gurrin, L. C., Ward, M., Studdert, D. M. (accepted Jan 2013) Prediction of
medico-legal risk among doctors: A national study of health care complaints. BMJ Quality and Safety. 3. Kinner, S. A., Moore, E., Spittal, M. J., Indig, D. (accepted Jan 2013) Opiate substitution treatment to reduce in-
prison drug injection: A natural experiment. International Journal of Drug Policy. 4. Stevenson, D. G., Spittal, M. J., Studdert, D. M. (accepted Jan 2013) Does litigation increase or decrease health
care quality? A national study of negligence claims against nursing homes. Medical Care. 2013:

1. Cheung, Y. T., Spittal, M. J., Williamson, M. K., Tung, S. J., Pirkis, J. (2013) Application of scan statistics to
detect suicide clusters in Australia. PLOS ONE. 8(1): e54168. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0054168 Prior to 2013:
2. Machlin, A., Skehan, J., Sweet, M., Wake, A., Fletcher, J., Spittal, M. J., Pirkis, J. (2012) Interpreting media
guidelines on reporting of suicide. Australian Journalism Review, 34(2), 45-56. 3. Machlin, A, Pirkis, J, Spittal, M. J. (2012) Which suicides are reported in the media, and what makes them
‘newsworthy’? Crisis: The Journal of Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention, doi: 10.1027/0227-5910/a000177 4. Walter, S. J., Bugeja, L., Spittal, M. J., Studdert, D. M. (2012) Geographic variation in inquest rates in Australia.
Health & Place, 18, 1430-1435, doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2012.08.002 5. Cheung, Y.T., Spittal, M. J., Yip, P., Pirkis, J. (2012) Spatial analysis of suicide mortality in Australia:
Investigation of metropolitan-rural-remote differentials of suicide risk across states/territories. Social Science and Medicine, 75, 1460-1468. 6. Elkin, K., Spittal, M. J., Studdert, D. M. (2012) Risks of complaints and adverse disciplinary findings against
international medical graduates in Victoria and Western Australia. Medical Journal of Australia, 197(8), 448-452. 7. Spittal, M. J. Pirkis, J., Miller, M, Studdert, D. M. (2012) Declines in the lethality of suicide attempts explain the
decline in suicide deaths in Australia. PLoS ONE 7(9): e44565. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0044565 8. Elkin, K., Spittal, M. J. Elkin, D., Studdert, D. M. (2012) Removal of doctors from practice for professional
misconduct in Australia and New Zealand. BMJ Quality and Safety, 21 (12). 1027-1033. doi:10.1136/bmjqs-2012-000941 9. Wakefield, M. A., Bowe, S. J., Durkin, S. J., Yong, H, H., Spittal, M. J., Simpson, J. A., Borland, R. (2012)
Does tobacco mass media campaign exposure prevent relapse among recent quitters? Nicotine and Tobacco Research. doi:10.1093/ntr/nts134 10. Dobbinson, S., Wakefield, M., Hill, D., Girgis, A., Aitken, J. F., Beckmann, K., Reeder, A. I., Herd, N., Spittal,
M. J., Fairthorne, A., Bowles, K. A. (2012) Children’s sun-exposure and sun-protection: prevalence in Australia
and related parental factors. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 66(6), 938-947.
11. Walter, S. J., Bugeja, L., Spittal, M. J., Studdert, D. M. (2012) Factors predicting coroners’ decisions to hold
discretionary inquests. CMAJ, doi: 10.1503/cmaj.110865
12. Wakefield, M. Spittal, M. J., Yong, H-H, Durkin, S., Borland, R. (2011) Effects of mass media campaign
exposure intensity and durability on quit attempts in a population-based cohort study. Health Education Research, 26(6), 988-997. 13. Durkin, S. J., Wakefield, M. A., Spittal, M. J. (2011) Which types of televised anti-tobacco campaigns prompt
more quitline calls from disadvantaged groups? Health Education Research, 26(6), 998-1009. 14. Pirkis, J., Ftanou, M., Williamson, M., Machlin, A., Spittal, M. J., Bassilios, B., Harris, M. (2011) Australia’s
Better Access initiative: an evaluation. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 45(9), 726-739. 15. Bismark, M., Spittal, M. J., Gogos, A. J., Gruen, R. L., Studdert, D. M. (2011) Remedies sought and obtained in
health care complaints. BMJ Quality and Safety, 20(9), 806-810. 16. White, V. M., Warne, C., Spittal, M. J., Durkin, S., Purcell, K., Wakefield, M. A. (2011) What impact have
tobacco control policies, cigarette price and tobacco control program funding had on Australian adolescents’ smoking? Findings over a 15-year period. Addiction, 106, 1493-1502. 17. Bismark, M., Spittal, M. J., Studdert, D. M., (2011) Prevalence and characteristics of complaint-prone doctors in
private practice in Victoria, Australia. Medical Journal of Australia, 195(1), 25-28.
18. Elkin, K., Spittal, M. J., Elkin, D., Studdert, D. M. (2011). Doctors disciplined for professional misconduct in
Australia and New Zealand, 2000-09. Medical Journal of Australia, 194(9), 452-456.
19. Pirkis, J., Bassilios, B., Fletcher, J., Sanderson, K., Spittal, M. J., King, K., Kohn, F., Burgess, P., Blashki,, G.
(2011). Clinical improvement after treatment provided through the Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care (BOiMHC) program: Do some patients show greater improvement than others? Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 45(4), 289-298.
20. Studdert, D. M., Spittal, M. J., Mello, M. M., O’Malley, A. J., Stevenson, D. G. (2011). Relationship between
quality of care and negligence litigation in nursing homes. New England Journal of Medicine, 364, 1243-1250.
21. Cameron, M., Brennan, E., Durkin, S., Borland, R., Travers, M. J., Hyland, A., Spittal, M. J., Wakefield, M. A.
(2010). Secondhand smoke exposure (PM2.5) in outdoor dining areas and its correlates. Tobacco Control, 19, 19-
22. Anderson, J. O., Mullins, R., Siahpush, M., Spittal, M. J. and Wakefield, M. (2009). Mass media campaign
improves cervical screening across all socio-economic groups. Health Education Research, 24, 867-875.
23. Siahpush, M., Wakefield, M. A., Spittal, M. J., Durkin, S., and Scollo, M. (2009). Taxation reduces social
disparities in adult smoking prevalence. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 36(4), 285-291.
24. Spittal, M. J., McClure, J., Siegert, R. J., & Walkey, F. H. (2008) Predictors of two types of preparation: survival
activities and mitigation activities. Environment and Behavior, 40(6), 798-817.
25. Siahpush, M., Spittal, M. & Singh, G. K. (2008) Happiness and life satisfaction prospectively predict self-rated
health, physical health and presence of limiting long-term health conditions. American Journal of Health Promotion, 23(1), 18-25.
26. Wakefield, M. A., Durkin, S., Spittal, M., Siahpush, M., Scollo, M., Simpson, J. A., Chapman, S., White, V. and
Hill, D. (2008). Impact of tobacco control policies and mass media campaigns on monthly adult smoking prevalence: time series analysis. American Journal of Public Health, 98(8), 1443-1450.
27. Dixon, H., Lagerlund, M., Spittal, M., Hill, D., Dobbinson, S. & Wakefield, M. (2008). Use of sun protective
clothing at outdoor leisure settings from 1992 to 2002: serial cross-sectional observation survey. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, 17. 428-434.
28. Dobbinson, S., Wakefield, M., Jamsen, K., Herd, N., Spittal, M. J, Lipscomb, J., & Hill, D. (2008). Weekend sun
protection and sunburn in Australia: trends (1987-2002) and association with Sunsmart television advertising. (2008). American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 34, 94-101.
29. Siahpush, M., Spittal, M. & Singh, G. K. (2007) Smoking cessation and financial stress. Journal of Public

30. Siahpush, M., Spittal, M. & Singh, G. K. (2007) Smoking cessation curtails financial stress and enhances material
well-being: Results from a prospective study of a population-based National sample. American Journal of Public Health, 97 (12), 2281-2287.
31. Siahpush, M., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M. & Durkin, S (2007). Anti-smoking television advertising and socio-
economic variations in calls to Quitline. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 61, 298-301.
32. Durkin, S., Wakefield, M., & Spittal, M. (2006). Looking for boomerang effects: A pre-post experimental study
of the effects of exposure of youth to television advertising for nicotine replacement therapy and Zyban. Addictive Behaviors, 31, 2158-2168
33. Spittal, M. J., Walkey, F. H., McClure, J., Siegert, R. J., & Ballantyne, K. E. (2006). The Earthquake Readiness
Scale: The development of a valid and reliable unifactorial measure. Natural Hazards, 39, 15-29.
34. Lagerlund, M., Dixon, H. G., Simpson, J. A., Spittal, M., Taylor, H., & Dobbinson, S. J. (2006). Observed use of
sunglasses in public outdoor settings around Melbourne, Australia: 1993 to 2002. Preventive Medicine, 42, 291-296.
35. Spittal, M. J., McClure, J., Siegert, R. J., & Walkey, F. H. (2005). Optimistic bias in relation to preparedness for
earthquakes. Australasian Journal of Disaster and Trauma Studies, 2005-1.
36. Jensen, J., Spittal, M. J., Krishnan, V. & Sathiyandra, S. (2003). New Zealand living standards: Their
measurement and variation, with an application to policy. Social Policy Journal of New Zealand, 20, 72-97.
37. Jensen, J., Spittal, M. J., Krishnan, V. & Sathiyandra, S. (2003). Living standards and demographic
characteristics: An analysis using the New Zealand ELSI scale. Population and Social Policy, Special Issue of New Zealand Population Review, 29, 199-228.
38. Spittal, M. J., Siegert, R. J., McClure, J. L., & Walkey, F. H. (2002). The Spheres of Control scale: the
identification of a clear, replicable three factor structure. Personality and Individual Differences, 32, 121-131.
Book chapter
1. Jensen, J., Spittal, M. J., & Krishnan, V. (2005). Direct measurement of living standards in New Zealand:
Development and application of the ELSI scale. Excellence 2005 in International Research: Netherlands: ESOMAR.
Non-peered reviewed publications
1. Studdert, D. M., Elkin, K., Spittal, M. J. (in press, accepted Feb 2013). Letter to editor. Risks of complaints and
adverse disciplinary findings against internatonal medical graduates in Victoria and Western Australia. Medical Journal of Australia 2. Studdert, D. M., Stevenson, D. G., & Spittal, M. J. (2011). Letter to editor. Quality of care and negligence
litigation in nursing homes. New England Journal of Medicine, 365, 92-93. 3. Spittal, M. J. (2002). The New Zealand conference on database integration and linked employer-employee data.
Social Policy Journal of New Zealand, 18, 198-201.
Reports
1. Pirkis, J., Ftanou, M., Williamson, M., Machlin, A., Warr, D., Christo, J., Castan, L., Spittal, M. J., Bassilios, B.,
Harris, M. (2010). Evaluation of Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and GPs through the Medicare Benefits Schedule Initiative. Component A: A study of consumers and their outcomes. Final Report. Centre for Health Policy, Programs and Economics. The University of Melbourne. 2. Pirkis, J., Bassilios, B., Fletcher, J., Sanderson, K., Spittal, M. J., King, K., Kohn, F., Burgess, P., Blashki. G.
(2010). Evaluating the Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS) component of the Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care (BOiMHC) program. Clinical improvement after treatment provided through the ATAPS projects: Do some patients fare better than others? Centre for Health Policy, Programs and Economics, The University of Melbourne.
3. Hurley, S., Spittal, M., Scollo, M., Durkin, S. & Wakefield, M. (2009). Predicted impact of proposed tobacco
control strategies. Cancer Council of Victoria.
4. McClure, J., Fischer, R., Charleson, A., & Spittal, M. J. (2009). Clarifying why people take fewer damage
mitigation actions than survival actions: How important is cost? EQC Research Project 08-51. Victoria University of Wellington.
5. Machlin, A., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Hill, D. (2009). Cancer Related Beliefs and Behaviours in Eight
Geographic Regions. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria. 6. Machlin, A., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2009) Cancer Related Beliefs and Behaviours
Survey: Korea summary report. Prepared for: UICC and Min Kyung Lim: National Cancer Center Korea. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, The Cancer Council Victoria. 7. Machlin, A., Bayly, M., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Warne, C., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2009). Cancer Related
Beliefs and Behaviours Survey: Finland summary report. Prepared for: UICC and Dr Harri Vertio: The Cancer Society of Finland. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, The Cancer Council Victoria. 8. Machlin, A., Bayly, M., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Warne, C., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2009). Cancer Related
Beliefs and Behaviours Survey: United Kingdom summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, The Cancer Council Victoria. 9. Machlin, A., Bayly, M., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Warne, C., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related
Beliefs and Behaviours Survey: Ghana summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, The Cancer Council Victoria. 10. Machlin, A., Bayly, M., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Warne, C., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related
Beliefs and Behaviours Survey: India summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria. 11. Machlin, A., Bayly, M., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Warne, C., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related
Beliefs and Behaviours Survey: Kenya summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria. 12. Machlin, A., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related Beliefs and Behaviours
Survey: Austria summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria. 13. Machlin, A., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related Beliefs and Behaviours
Survey: Belgium summary report. Prepared for: UICC and Dr. Didier Vander Steichel - Fondation contre le Cancer / Stichting tegen Kanker. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria. 14. Machlin, A., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related Beliefs and Behaviours
Survey: Bolivia summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria. 15. Machlin, A., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related Beliefs and Behaviours
Survey: Canada summary report. Prepared for: UICC and Anne Vezina - Director of Corporate and International Affairs; Canadian Cancer Society. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria. 16. Machlin, A., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related Beliefs and Behaviours
Survey: China summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria. 17. Machlin, A., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related Beliefs and Behaviours
Survey: Côte d’Ivoire summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria. 18. Machlin, A., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related Beliefs and Behaviours
Survey: Czech Republic summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria. 19. Machlin, A., Bayly, M., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Warne, C., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related
Beliefs and Behaviours Survey: Georgia summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria. 20. Machlin, A., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related Beliefs and Behaviours
Survey: Germany summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria. 21. Machlin, A., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related Beliefs and Behaviours
Survey: Greece summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria. 22. Machlin, A., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related Beliefs and Behaviours
Survey: Guatemala summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria. 23. Machlin, A., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related Beliefs and Behaviours
Survey: Indonesia summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria. 24. Machlin, A., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related Beliefs and Behaviours
Survey: Italy summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria. 25. Machlin, A., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related Beliefs and Behaviours
Survey: Lebanon summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria. 26. Machlin, A., Bayly, M., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Warne, C., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related
Beliefs and Behaviours Survey: Mexico summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, The Cancer Council Victoria. 27. Machlin, A., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Warne, C., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related Beliefs and
Behaviours Survey: Nigeria summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, The Cancer Council Victoria. 28. Machlin, A., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related Beliefs and Behaviours
Survey: Panama summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria. 29. Machlin, A., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related Beliefs and Behaviours
Survey: Peru summary report. UICC Pf. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria. 30. Machlin, A., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Warne, C., Bayly, M., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related
Beliefs and Behaviours Survey: Serbia summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria. 31. Machlin, A., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related Beliefs and Behaviours
Survey: Spain summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria. 32. Machlin, A., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related Beliefs and Behaviours
Survey: Switzerland summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria. 33. Machlin, A., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related Beliefs and Behaviours
Survey: Turkey summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria. 34. Machlin, A., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Cameron, M., Hill, D. (2008). Cancer Related Beliefs and Behaviours
Survey: Ukraine summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria. 35. Machlin A, Wakefield M, Spittal M, Cameron M, Hill D. Cancer Related Beliefs and Behaviours Survey:
Venezuela summary report. Prepared for: UICC. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria, November 2008.
36. Dobbinson, S., Fairthorne, A., Bowles, K.A., Sambell, N., Spittal, M., & Wakefield, M. (2005). Sun Protection
and Sunburn Incidence of Australian Children: Summer 2003-04.
37. Jensen, J., Spittal, M.J., & Krishnan, V. (2005). ELSI Short Form Users Manual: A Tool for Measuring Living
Standards. Wellington: Centre for Social Research and Evaluation, Ministry of Social Development.
38. Jensen, J., Spittal, M., & Krishnan, V. (2005). Defining Poverty as an Inadequate Standard of Living: Using the
New Zealand ELSI Scale to Develop a Better Measure of Poverty and Deprivation. Centre for Social Research and Evaluation, Ministry of Social Development.
39. Jensen, J. Spittal, M. J., Krishnan, V., & Taylor, D. (2003). The Explanatory Model: An Analytic Framework for
Investigating Causes of Variation in Living Standards. Wellington: Ministry of Social Development.
40. Jensen, J., Spittal, M. J., Crichton, S., & Sathiyandra, S. (2002). Direct Measurement of Living Standards: The
New Zealand ELSI Scale. Wellington: Ministry of Social Development.
Presentations to scientific audiences

1. Studdert, D., Bismark, M., Spittal, M. J. Problem doctors. Melbourne School of Population Health Seminar,
2. Spittal, M. J. Studdert, D, Miller, M., Pirkis, J. Declines in the lethality of suicide attempts explain the decline in
suicide deaths in Australia. Suicide and Self-harm Conference, Cairns, June 2012. 3. Pirkis, J., Machlin, A., Spittal, M. J. 2012, The relationship between the quality of reporting of suicide and
potential copycat effects. Suicide and Self Harm Conference, Cairns, June 2012.

4. Spittal, M. J. Studdert, D, Miller, M., Pirkis, J. Recent suicide trends in Australia, Centre for Health Policy,
Programs and Economics Seminar Series 2012; Melbourne, April 2012.

5. Spittal, M. J., Pirkis, J., Studdert, D. Trends in suicide attempts and completions in Western Australia, 1980-
2007: An individual-level study. 26th World Congress on Suicide Prevention of IASP; Beijing, September 2011. 6. Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Borland, R., Yong, H., Durkin, S. The importance of recent exposure: effects of
televised anti-smoking advertising on quit attempts in a population-based cohort study. 10th Behavioural Research in Cancer Control Conference; Perth, April 2010. 7. Dobbinson, S., Jamsen, K., Dixon, S., Spittal, M., Lipscomb, J., Herd, N., Wakefield, M., Hill, D. Concordance
of self-reported and observed trends in sun protection behaviours from 1992-2001 in Melbourne. 10th Behavioural Research in Cancer Control Conference; Perth, April 2010.
8. Dobbinson, S., Dixon, H., Scully, M., Spittal, M. Shade availability and use in parks and gardens around
Melbourne from 1992 to 2009: serial cross-sectional observation survey. 10th Behavioural Research in Cancer Control Conference; Perth, April 2010.
9. Dobbinson S, Wakefield M, Jamsen K, Herd N, Spittal M, Lipscomb J, Hill D. Weekend sun protection and
sunburn in Victoria: Trends (1987-2002) and association with SunSmart television advertising. National Skin Cancer Awareness Campaign Reference Group meeting; Melbourne, September 20, 2007.
10. Siahpush M, & Spittal M. Smoking cessation curtails financial stress and enhances material well-being: Results
from a prospective study of a population-based national sample. Oceania Tobacco Control Conference: From Vision to Reality; Auckland, New Zealand, September 4-7, 2007. 11. Dobbinson S, Sambell N, Spittal M, Jamsen K, Wakefield M, Hill D. Effects of SunSmart advertising on skin
cancer prevention attitudes and behaviours in Melbourne: 1987 to 2002. 8th Biennial Behavioural Research in Cancer Control Conference; Brisbane, September 2006.
12. Wakefield M, Durkin S, Spittal M, Siahpush M. Trends in, and effects of, tobacco-related media exposure on
smoking prevalence in Australia. 8th Biennial Behavioural Research in Cancer Control Conference; Brisbane, September 2006.
13. Siahpush M, Wakefield M, Spittal M, Durkin S. Anti-smoking television advertising and socio-economic
variations in calls to Quitline. Paper presented at 13th World Conference on Tobacco or Health; Washington, DC, USA, July 2006.
14. Dobbinson S, Sambell N, Spittal M, Wakefield M, Hill D. Effects of SunSmart advertising on skin cancer
prevention attitudes and behaviours in Australia: 1987 to 2002. UICC World Cancer Congress; Washington, DC, USA, July 2006.
15. Dobbinson S, Sambell N, Spittal M, Wakefield M, Hill D. Effects of SunSmart television advertising on skin
cancer prevention attitudes and sun protection behaviour in Australia, 1987-2002. Paper presented at The Cancer Council Victoria Seminar Series; Melbourne, 6 June 2006.
16. Siahpush, M., Wakefield, M., Spittal, M., Durkin, S. Socioeconomic variations in responsiveness to tobacco
control advertising on TV. Paper presented at Third National Tobacco Conference, Sydney, Australia, 23-25 November 2005.
17. Jensen, J., Spittal, M. J., & Krishnan, V. Defining poverty as an inadequate standard of living: Using the New
Zealand ELSI scale to develop a better measure of poverty and deprivation. Paper presented at the Invited Paper Meeting of the 55th Session of the International Statistical Institute, Sydney, Australia, 5-12 April, 2005.
18. Jensen, J., Spittal, M. J., & Krishnan, V. Direct measurement of living standards in New Zealand: Development
and application of the ELSI scale. Paper presented at Public Sector Social Research: Connecting Policy Makers and the People – the Citizen Focus, Berlin, Germany 9-11 May, 2004.
19. Spittal, M. J., & McClure, J. Unrealistic optimism, building design information and earthquake fatalism. Paper
presented at the New Zealand Psychological Society’s Annual Conference, Palmerston North, New Zealand, August 2003.
20. Spittal, M. J., Jensen, J., Krishnan, V. & Sathiyandra, S. The measurement of living standards and identifying
factors associated with hardship amongst families with dependent children. Paper presented at the 2003 Population Association of New Zealand Conference, Christchurch, New Zealand, 3-4 July, 2003.
21. Jensen, J., Krishnan, V., Spittal, M. J. & Sathiyandra, S. New Zealand living standards: How they can be
measured, how they vary between different sections of the population and what that means for social policy. Paper presented at the Social Policy Research and Evaluation Conference, Wellington, New Zealand, 29-30 April, 2003.
22. Spittal, M. J. Demographic and psychological factors and preparation for earthquakes. Paper presented at the
School of Psychology Colloquium Series, 31 May 2002.
23. Spittal, M. J. How safe is this seminar? Risk taking and risk preparation. Paper presented at the School of
Psychology Colloquium Series, 12 March 1999

Source: http://peu.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/722932/matt.pdf