Vicki Wade

First Nations Principal Research Fellow

Qualifications:

Doctorate at Charles Darwin University 2020- 2026 (current); Master of Nursing Studies, Deakin University, Victoria,1998; Bachelor of Health Science Nursing, University of Western Sydney Macarthur, 1993; Diploma of Applied Science Nursing, University of Western Sydney Milperra, 1989.

Location:

Sydney

Biography: 

Vicki Wade is a senior Noongar woman with over 40 years of experience in health at state and national levels. Vicki is a recipient of multiple national awards including the 2019 AHHA Sidney Sax medal and CSANZ Indigenous Health lifetime award for her contributions to Australian health services policy, delivery and research, particularly in relation to Indigenous heart health. Vicki is well known across Australia and is well respected for the work she has done in helping to close the gap. She sits on the National Close the Gap steering committee and a previous board member of the Congress of Aboriginal Nurses and Midwives.

Vicki sits on numerous national research projects providing a critical lens to the socio-cultural context with the aim to reduce research and evidence practice gaps. Vicki is a strong advocate for her people following her matriarchal lineage, Vicki’s grandmother was a healer and helped with the Noongar women in birthing on country in the mission and later reserves in south west of Perth, her mother was one of the first enrolled nurses in Perth and her daughter is carrying on the tradition as a doctor. Vicki hopes that the work she does will see her grandchildren have better opportunities that she and her family were afforded.
 

Vicki Wade
Email
Research Themes
  • Champions4Change
  • Rheumatic heart disease Endgame Strategy
  • Wyber R, Lizama C, Wade V, et al. (2022) Improving primary prevention of acute rheumatic fever in Australia: consensus primary care priorities identified through an eDelphi process, BMJ Open, 12:e056239. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056239
  • Vaughan, G., Dawson, A., Peek, M., Carapetis, J., Wade, V., & Sullivan, E. (2021). Caring for Pregnant Women with Rheumatic Heart Disease: A Qualitative Study of Health Service Provider Perspectives. Global heart, 16(1), 88. https://doi.org/10.5334/gh.1086
  • Vaughan, G., Dawson, A., Peek, M., Sliwa, K., Carapetis, J., Wade, V., & Sullivan, E. (2021). Rheumatic Heart Disease in Pregnancy: New Strategies for an Old Disease?. Global heart, 16(1), 84. https://doi.org/10.5334/gh.1079
  • Sivak, L, O’Brien, M, Paolucci, O, Wade, V, Lizama, C, Halkon, C, et al. (2021) Improving the well-being for young people living with rheumatic heart disease: A peer support pilot program through Danila Dilba Health Service. Health Promotion Journal Australia, 00: 1– 5. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.533
  • Wyber, R., Kelly, A., Lee, A.M., Mungatopi, V., Kerrigan, V., Babui, S., Black, N., Wade, V., Fitzgerald, C., Peiris, D., Ralph, A.P. (2021), Formative evaluation of a community-based approach to reduce the incidence of Strep A infections and acute rheumatic fever. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 45: 449-454. https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.13127
  • Wyber, R., Wade, V., Anderson, A., Schreiber, Y., Saginur, R., Brown, A., & Carapetis, J. (2021). Rheumatic heart disease in Indigenous young peoples. The Lancet. Child & adolescent health, 5(6), 437–446. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(20)30308-4
  • Bradshaw, P. J., Tohira, H., Marangou, J., Newman, M., Reményi, B., Wade, V., Reid, C., & Katzenellenbogen, J. M. (2020). The use of cardiac valve procedures for rheumatic heart disease in Australia; a cross-sectional study 2002-2017. Annals of medicine and surgery (2012), 60, 557–565. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amsu.2020.11.055 
  • Ralph, A.P., Noonan, S., Wade, V. and Currie, B.J. (2021), The 2020 Australian guideline for prevention, diagnosis and management of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. Medical Journal Australia 214: 220-227. https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.50851
  • Katzenellenbogen, J. M., Bond-Smith, D., Seth, R. J., Dempsey, K., Cannon, J., Stacey, I., Wade, V., de Klerk, N., Greenland, M., Sanfilippo, F. M., Brown, A., Carapetis, J. R., Wyber, R., Nedkoff, L., Hung, J., Bessarab, D., & Ralph, A. P. (2020). Contemporary Incidence and Prevalence of Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease in Australia Using Linked Data: The Case for Policy Change. Journal of the American Heart Association, 9(19), e016851. https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.120.016851
  • Paige, E., O'Donoghue Jenkins, L., Agostino, J., Pennings, S., Wade, V., Lovett, R., Daluwatta, A., McLoughlin, K., & Banks, E. (2020). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander absolute cardiovascular risk assessment and management: systematic review of evidence to inform national guidelines. Public health research & practice, 30(2), 29231910. https://doi.org/10.17061/phrp29231910
     
  1. Outdated medical phrase causing trauma for Indigenous patients

    Outdated medical phrase causing trauma for Indigenous patients

    Date

    A leading Indigenous heart health practitioner has labelled language standards used in medical notes as outdated and risking inflicting trauma on First Nations people.

  2. ABC Radio | Indigenous thinking combats heart disease and stroke

    ABC Radio | Indigenous thinking combats heart disease and stroke

    Date

    The risk factors for heart disease or stroke are often high blood pressure, cholesterol, and maybe smoking. But Indigenous people think that the wisdom of culture can help combat these negative elements.

  3. The number of people with rheumatic heart disease in Australia continues to grow

    The number of people with rheumatic heart disease in Australia continues to grow

    Date

    A report released today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has shown that the burden of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) continues to grow. in Australia.

  4. ABC Radio | Take Heart: Deadly Heart

    ABC Radio | Take Heart: Deadly Heart

    Date

    Senior Noongar woman Vicki Wade is the director of RHD Australia, and has 40 years of experience in healthcare. She's also a co-producer of Take Heart: Deadly Heart, a documentary that tells the story of how remote Aboriginal communities are adopting innovative strategies to eliminate rheumatic heart disease.

  5. Telethon Kids | Call for urgent funding boost for RHD in Australia

    Telethon Kids | Call for urgent funding boost for RHD in Australia

    Date

    Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, alongside non-Indigenous leaders from across the nation, are calling for a significant and urgent injection of $40 million in funding to tackle Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) following Monday night’s Four Corners episode.