Traveling Scholars Program Report
Jennifer Lowe, Ms.
Travel date: September 11, 2019
Name of Meeting/Event/Activity: Oceanic Palliative Care Conference 2019 (19OPCC)
Origin: Melbourne, Australia / Destination: Perth, Australia
How was this meeting/activity helpful to you?
As a PhD candidate in public health, my research focuses on community awareness of and consumer engagement with palliative care. With a background in marketing, I have a unique perspective on the following priorities, outlined in the National Palliative Care Strategy that was: 1) released by the Australian Government in 2018, 2) Consumers will be provided with information, 3) Raising awareness of the services available, and 4) People understand the benefits of palliative care. The challenges facing Australians at the end of life include a lack of awareness about the palliative care services available, how to access them and what the benefits are. at the core of community awareness, pathways to service access and understanding the benefits of palliative care services is the provision and interpretation of information. A preliminary research study conducted as part of my PhD indicates that theoretical marketing frameworks may prove useful in achieving palliative care priorities. Having the opportunity to present this research to a wider audience within the palliative care sector proved to be extremely useful in reiterating the importance of consumer views. Although I gained valuable insights from fellow delegates whilst presenting my poster and from international key note speakers over the course of the conference, the most immediate benefits were an expanded research network and an increased number of industry contacts. This included fellow marketing professionals and key stakeholders from national and state based palliative care peak bodies and local governments.
How will you new knowledge & acquired skills help in furthering your work in hospice and palliative care in your program/city/ or country?
Since I began attending palliative care conferences in 2015, it is apparent there is now an increasing awareness of the importance of the formal function of marketing within the palliative care sector as a means of communicating effectively with consumers. The formation of a strategic marketing campaign and implementation of high-quality marketing communications targeted at specific market segments is a promising and fruitful avenue for overcoming some of the challenges facing Australians. With an albeit limited understanding of the international challenges in palliative care, I do believe there is a place for the formal function of marketing to improve global public awareness of how palliative care can help people, their families and communities.
How IAHPC Traveling Scholars Program be improved in order to help other future traveling scholars?
Whilst the experience of being an IAHPC traveling scholarship recipient has been an overwhelmingly positive one, I do recognize an opportunity for future traveling scholars to gain more from the program. Although I have been an IAHPC member for 2 years, there are still many initiatives and advocacy projects that I am unaware of. It would have been beneficial to gain a better understanding of how I might be able to make a meaningful contribute to IAHPC moving forward. Having an opportunity to engage in a more detailed discussion with the IAHPC team over an informal coffee or social event may provide an additional benefit for future scholarship recipients to collaborate.
Narrative summary highlighting the needs and challanges you face
As a PhD candidate in public health with a background in marketing, my research focuses on community awareness of and consumer engagement with palliative care. The challenges facing Australians at the end of life include a lack of awareness about the palliative care services available, how to access them and what the benefits are. The formation of a strategic marketing campaign and implementation of high-quality marketing communications targeted at specific market segments is a promising and fruitful avenue for overcoming these challenges surrounding consumer engagement. With an albeit limited understanding of the international challenges in palliative care, I also believe there is a place for the formal function of marketing to improve global public awareness of how palliative care can help people, families and communities.