Timothy Charles Skinner

BSc Hons, MTEM, PhD

Head of School of Psychological and Clinical Sciences

Research Interests
My main area of interest and expertise is in the psychological aspects of diabetes care and management. My particular interests are in:

diabetes specific distress and depression - how to disentangle and treat these
diabetes during the teenage years
diabetes and chronic disease care for rural and remote communities
patient-provider communication and how it goes wrong
personal illness models, their structure and how they shape or emotionally respond to disease and how we choose to manage it.

Current Research Projects
CRC Bushfires
Morrison, D, Skinner, TC & McCleod, C, Information Processing Under Stress: Community Reactions. Commonwealth Department of Innovation, Industry Science and Research: CRC Bush Fires. $1,200,000.

MAGDA
Dunbar, J, Best, JD, Janus, ED, Carter, RC, Oats, J, Skinner, TC, Carnie, J & Phillips, P, Preventing Diabetes in Pregnancy from Progressing to Type 2 Diabetes: Macrolevel System Change in South Australia and Victoria. NHMRC 533956 $3,292,000.
This is a multi centre trial of a diabetes prevention program for women post Gestational Diabetes.

MILES (Diabetes Miles Study)
This study is led by the Australian Centre for Behavioural Research in Diabetes (ACBRD). I am working with Prof Speight and Dr Browne on the distinction between depression and diabetes distress, and the role of illness beliefs in shaping the way people choose to manage their diabetes.

FDS2
The Fremantle Diabetes Study Phase II: A community-based study of diabetes care, control, complications and cost NHMRC
As an AI in this study, I am looking at personality, depression and distress in a longitudinal cohort study, led by Prof Timothy Davies at UWA.

CRE
Centre of Research Excellence in Primary Health Care Microsystems. Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute.
As part of this CRE I am working with Prof Dunbar and Prof Eaking with Dr Lim, looking at delivery of a diabetes prevention program to women in rural and remote areas, following Gestational Diabetes.

PodFAR
This is in collaboration with La Trobe University (Dr Perrin), University of Tasmania (Prof Ellis) and the public podiatry services in Bendigo, North and North West Tasmania, looking at the presentation and outcomes of diabetes foot care in regional and rural Australia.