Dr Caitlin Gray
Postdoctoral Researcher
BPsych MPH PhD
caitlin.gray@thekids.org.au
+61 63191000
Caitlin Gray is a Postdoctoral Researcher who works with the Child Disability Team. Caitlin is currently an investigator on the Intellectual Disability Exploring Answers (IDEA) database, one of the few population databases in the world dedicated to intellectual disability. She is particularly interested in the use of population-based data to examine sibling health outcomes, including hospital morbidity, mental health and mortality data; and she has trained in the advanced analysis of linked health data with the School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia.
Caitlin is also currently involved in a project with the National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health (NCEIDH), working to codesign an overarching Model of Care framework to improve the healthcare of people with intellectual disability.
Previously, Caitlin worked on The Sibling Project, which was supported by NHMRC funding. She was awarded an RTA/UTP PhD Scholarship (Paediatrics) and completed her PhD jointly at The Kids Research Institute Australia and the University of Western Australia. She explored the relationships and health outcomes of siblings of children with neurodevelopmental conditions, at the individual, family and population levels.
As part of her work examining sibling relationships in families with a child with disability, she designed the Sibling drawing study that allowed much younger children to participate in research. She also explored the social connection of adolescent siblings, and she was a co-investigator on an Embrace Grant focusing on the mental health supports sought by siblings of children with developmental disabilities.
Caitlin has worked on other long term follow-up studies including a longitudinal study of mothers and their preterm babies who are now young adults, collaborating with King Edward Memorial Hospital; and a registry-based study focusing on early mortality of mothers who have preterm deliveries.
Projects
IDEA (Intellectual Disability Exploring Answers) Database
IDEA is one of the few population-based resources in the world dedicated to intellectual disability. The IDEA database contains information on all children born in Western Australia since 1983 who have been identified with having an intellectual disability. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder, both with and without intellectual disability, are also included in the database. Deidentified information is accessed from the Department of Communities WA, the WA Department of Education, and the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to create the database. IDEA can be linked to other datasets to facilitate research into the determinants, outcomes and service needs of children and adults with intellectual disability. Researchers can apply for such linked data, available in a de-identified format under approval from an ethics committee.
Published research
Using Population Data to Explore Sibling Profiles in Families of Children With and Without Neurodevelopmental Conditions
Sibling profiles, including sibling status (only-child or sibling) and sibling characteristics (sibling size, birth order, and sex), can impact on lived experiences and social interactions, and operate as protective or risk factors for a wide range of health and well-being indicators and outcomes. Using population-based data linkage to disability-specific databases, sibling profiles were compared between families of children with and without neurodevelopmental conditions.
The application of population data linkage to capture sibling health outcomes among children and young adults with neurodevelopmental conditions. A scoping review
Siblings of children with neurodevelopmental conditions have unique experiences and challenges related to their sibling role. Some develop mental health concerns as measured by self-reported surveys or parent report. Few data are available at the population level, owing to difficulties capturing wide-scale health data for siblings. Data linkage is a technique that can facilitate such research.
Young adult reflections on life experiences following preterm birth: a cross-sectional descriptive study
Increasingly, preterm-born children are entering adulthood as survival at earlier gestational ages improves. However, there is little understanding of the lived experience in preterm-born adults.
Young adult outcomes following premature birth: A Western Australian experience
Childhood outcomes following preterm birth are widely published, however long-term adult outcomes are less well described. We aimed to determine the quality of life and burden of co-morbidities experienced by preterm-born young adults in Western Australia.
Down syndrome or Rett syndrome in the family: Parental reflections on sibling experience
Siblings of children with intellectual disability have unique family experiences, varying by type of disability.
Education and Qualifications
- Bachelor of Psychology
- Masters of Public Health
- PhD candidate
Awards/Honours
- [2020-2023] - RTA/UTP PhD Scholarship