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Contact Details

Email
rebbecca.lilley@otago.ac.nz

University Links

Position
Senior Lecturer
Department
Department of Public Health (Dunedin)
Qualifications
DPH MPH PhD
Research summary
Public Health, Injury Epidemiology, Injury Prevention and Safety Control
Teaching

Dr Lilley teaches public health into both the University of Otago’s undergraduate programme of health sciences and the Master of Public Health programme. She convenes PUBH 303 Public and Global Health: Current Issues. Dr Lilley is a co-Director of Postgraduate Research within Preventive and Social Medicine.

Memberships

Dr Lilley is an Associate Investigator on the Te Hirangi Rū Quake CoRE program, interested in integrating injury prevention research into preparations for earthquakes events in Aotearoa New Zealand. She sits on the executive committee for the Australasian Injury Prevention Network. She is also a research member on the Australian and New Zealand Hip Fracture Registry (ANZHFR), New Zealand Implementation Management Committee, and the Fragility Fracture Registry New Zealand Implementation Committee.

Research

Dr Lilley's programme of research focuses on current and emerging issues in injury prevention and control, and investigates issues related to the surveillance and epidemiology of injury, and the evaluation of injury prevention and compensation policies and programs. She also has a special interest in using administrative data, including ambulance, hospitalisation, and compensation data, for population-based health research.

Dr Lilley supervises a range of Master’s and PhD students, exploring a diverse range of topics in injury and disability prevention and control. Student topics use quantitative and/or qualitative methods and span from the work-related fatal injury to inequities in access to emergency services to maxillofacial injuries in rugby players.

Current Health Research Council funded projects:

  • From health crisis to balance: evaluation of a national falls prevention pathway. Principal Investigator, Dr Rebbecca Lilley

Lay summary: As our population ages rapidly, falls in community-dwelling older persons, already highly prevalent, are expected to dramatically increase demand on New Zealand’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS). While non-transported fall-related calls can limit EMS resources available to respond to higher need cases, it can also present an opportunity for EMS referral pathways to preventive programmes, such as evidence-based strength and balance classes known to reduce the likelihood of falls in the community. This cohort study will evaluate the clinical and cost efficacy of a pilot EMS-referred Falls Prevention Pathway (FPP) with an uncertain future funding status. The evaluation will consider aspects of access, efficacy, acceptability and equity of the FPP for all vulnerable groups. Findings will influence future investments in EMS-referred FFP and improvements in a new model of service delivery.

Publications

Lilley, R., Harcombe, H., Ballantyne, P., Wyeth, E., & Derrett, S. (2026). Long-term follow-up of work participation among New Zealand workers following injury: A 12-year national cohort study. Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1097/jom.0000000000003780 Journal - Research Article

Lilley, R., McNoe, B., & Davie, G. (2026). Safety implications of cannabis use: Rates, characteristics, and circumstances of cannabis-related deaths in New Zealand, 2012-2016. Safety, 12, 32. doi: 10.3390/safety12020032 Journal - Research Article

Kitila, A. T., Lilley, R., Orchiston, C., & Davie, G. (2025). Workplace guidance for earthquake preparedness and injury prevention in Aotearoa-New Zealand: A document analysis. New Zealand Journal of Health & Safety Practice, 2(1). doi: 10.26686/nzjhsp.v2i1.9758 Journal - Research Article

Peace, C., Crawford, J., Anderson, D., Bourne, C., Cosman, M., Lilley, R., & Sissons, J. (2025). Fifteen years after Pike River: Time for leadership on workplace health and safety. The Briefing, (14 November). Retrieved from https://www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/fifteen-years-after-pike-river-time-leadership-workplace-health-and-safety Journal - Research Other

Campbell, N., Lilley, R., Davie, G., Morgaine, K., Dicker, B., & Kool, B. (2025). Prehospital advanced versus basic life support: A cohort study comparing survival to hospital for major trauma patients in New Zealand. Australasian Emergency Care. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.auec.2025.09.008 Journal - Research Article

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