Ally Gibson is a research fellow in the School of Public Health and Community Medicine (SPHCM) at UNSW Sydney, Australia. She is primarily involved in managing the Qualitative Research Network Hub in SPHCM, a new initiative providing expertise in qualitative research methodology to researchers both at UNSW and beyond through consultation services, seminars, and workshops.
Ally has ten years' experience conducting a range of qualitative research projects relating to health, illness, and the practice of medicine. She is particularly interested in: people's experience and responses to pressing health challenges or global health risks (e.g., antimicrobial resistance, cancer); sexual and reproductive health; issues of gender, sexuality and identity; concerns and experiences of inequity, marginalisation, and vulnerability in health.
Ally welcomes the opportunity to share knowledge and experience in conducting qualitative research in health. She has presented widely on different forms of data collection (e.g. interviews, focus groups, visual methods) and methods of analysis (with particular expertise in discourse analysis and discursive psychology).
Working across disciplinary lines, she has published in the areas of sociology, infectious diseases, health psychology, women's health, and nursing. Her primary aim in research is to critically analyse understandings and experiences of health, illness and health care, in order to tackle global health concerns affecting society today.
Ally currently holds an honorary research fellow position at the University of Queensland. She is also the co-convenor for The Australian Sociological Association Health Thematic Group and is an Early Career Representative for the International Society of Critical Health Psychology. She is interested in collaborating with advocates, practitioners, and other researchers in health.
Journal Articles (26 since 2012):
26. Staneva, A. A, Beesley, V. L., Niranjan, N., Gibson, A. F., Rowlands, I., & Webb, P. M. (in press). "I wasn't gonna let it stop me": Exploring women's experiences of getting through chemotherapy for ovarian cancer. Cancer Nursing.
25. Broom, A., Broom, J., Kirby, E., Gibson, A., & Davis, M. (2017). Antibiotic optimisation in ‘the bush’: Local know-how and core-periphery relations. Health & Place, 48, 56-62.
24. Plage, S., Gibson, A., Burge, M., & Wyld, D. (2017). Cancer on the margins: experiences of living with neuroendocrine tumours. Health Sociology Review, 1-15.
23. Broom, J., Broom, A., Kirby, E., Gibson, A. F., & Post, J. J. (2017). Individual care versus broader public health: A qualitative study of hospital doctors' antibiotic decisions. Infection, Disease & Health, 22(3), 97-104.
22. Broom, A., Kirby, E., Gibson, A. F., Post, J. J., & Broom, J. (2017). Myth, Manners, and Medical Ritual: Defensive Medicine and the Fetish of Antibiotics. Qualitative Health Research, 1049732317721478.
21. Gibson, A. F., Broom, A., Kirby, E., Wyld, D. K., & Lwin, Z. (2017). ‘… My biggest worry now is how my husband is going to cope’: women’s relational experiences of cancer ‘care’during illness. Journal of Gender Studies, 1-13.
20. Kirby, E., Broom, A., Gibson, A., Broom, J., Yarwood, T., & Post, J. (2017). Medical authority, managerial power and political will: A Bourdieusian analysis of antibiotics in the hospital. Health:, 1363459317715775.
19. Broom, J., Broom A., Kirby, E., Gibson, A. F., & Post, J. J. (2017). How do hospital respiratory clinicians perceive antimicrobial stewardship? A qualitative study highlighting barriers to AMS in respiratory medicine. Journal of Hospital Infection.
18. Broom, J. K., Broom, A. F., Kirby, E.R., Gibson, A. F., & Post, J. J. (in press). Clinical and social barriers to antimicrobial stewardship in pulmonary medicine: A qualitative study. American Journal of Infection Control.
17. Petriwskyj, A., Gibson, A., & Webby, G. (2017). What does client 'engagement' mean in aged care? An analysis of practice. Ageing & Society.
16. Gibson, A. F., & Wong, W. K. T. (2016). Recruiting participants in LGB health research: Critical reflections. Psychology of Sexualities Review, 7(2).
15. Broom, A., Gibson, A. F., Broom, J., Kirby, E., Yarwood, T., & Post, J. J. (2016). Optimizing antibiotic usage in hospitals: A qualitative study of the perspectives of hospital managers. Journal of Hospital Infection, 94(3), 230-235. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2016.08.021
14. Gibson, A. F., Broom, A., Kirby, E., Wyld, D., & Lwin, Z. (2016). The social reception of women with cancer. Qualitative Health Research. doi: 10.1177/1049732316637591
13. Petriwskyj, A., Parker, D., Brown Wilson, C., & Gibson, A. (2016). Evaluation of subscription-based culture change models in care settings: Findings from a systematic review. The Gerontologist, 00(00), 1-17. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnw012
12. Petriwskyj, A., Parker, D., Brown Wilson, C., & Gibson, A. (2016). What health and aged care culture change models mean for residents and their families: A systematic review. The Gerontologist, 56(2), 12-20. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnv15
11. Petriwskyj, A., Gibson, A., & Webby, G. (2015). ‘We’re in the sandwich’: Aged care staff members’ negotiation of constraints and the role of the organisation in enacting and supporting an ethic of care. Journal of Aging Studies, 35, 84-94. doi: 10.1016/j.jaging.2015.08.00
10. Gibson, A. F., D’Cruz, L., Janda, M., Beesley, V. L., Neale, R. E., & Rowlands, I. J. (2015). Beyond survivorship? A discursive analysis of how people with pancreatic cancer negotiate identity transitions in their health. Journal of Health Psychology. doi: 10.1177/1359105315592050
9. Gibson, A. F., Lee, C., & Crabb, S. (2015). ‘Take ownership of your condition’: Australian women’s health and risk talk in relation to their experiences of breast cancer. Health, Risk & Society, 17(2), 132-148. doi: 10.1080/13698575.2015.103221
8. Gibson, A. F., Lee, C., & Crabb, S. (2015). Reading between the lines: Applying multimodal critical discourse analysis to online constructions of breast cancer. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 12(3), 272-286. doi: 10.1080/14780887.2015.1008905
7. Petriwskyj, A. M., Gibson, A., & Webby, G. (2015). Staff members’ negotiation of power in client engagement: Analysis of practice within an Australian aged care service. Journal of Aging Studies, 33, 37-46. doi: 10.1016/j.jaging.2015.02.011
6. Gibson, A., Lee, C., & Crabb, S. (2015). Representations of women on Australian breast cancer websites: Cultural ‘inclusivity’ and marginalisation. Journal of Sociology. doi: 10.1177/1440783314562418
5. Petriwskyj, A. M., Gibson, A., & Webby, G. (2014). Participation and power in care: Exploring the ‘client’ in client engagement. Journal of Aging Studies, 31, 119-131. doi: 10.1016/j.jaging.2014.09.007
4. Gibson, A. F., Lee, C., & Crabb, S. (2014). ‘If you grow them, know them’: Discursive constructions of the pink ribbon culture of breast cancer in the Australian context. Feminism & Psychology, 24(4), 521-541. doi: 10.1177/0959353514548100
3. Petriwskyj, A., Gibson, A., Parker, D., Banks, S., Andrews, S., & Robinson, A. (2014). A qualitative meta-synthesis: Family involvement in decision making for people with dementia in residential aged care. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare, 12(2), 87-104. doi: 10.1097/XEB. 0000000000000002
2. Petriwskyj, A., Gibson, A., Parker, D., Banks, S., Andrews, S., & Robinson, A. (2014). Family involvement in decision making for people with dementia in residential aged care: A systematic review of quantitative literature. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare, 12(2), 64-86. doi: 10.1097/XEB. 0000000000000003
1. Gibson, A. & Macleod, C. (2012) (Dis)allowances of lesbians’ sexual identities: Lesbian identity construction in racialised, classed, familial, and institutional spaces. Feminism & Psychology, 22(4), 462-481. doi: 10.1177/0959353512459580
Scholarly Book Chapters:
1. Gibson, A. & Macleod, C. (2014). Beyond coming out: Lesbians’ (alternative) stories of sexual identity told in post-apartheid South Africa. In M. L. Lafrance & S. McKenzie-Mohr (Eds.), Women Voicing Resistance: Discursive and Narrative Exploration (pp. 29-43). London: Routledge.
Conference Presentations:
11. Gibson, A., Broom, A., & Kirby, E. (November, 2015). The cultural reception of women’s cancers. The Australian Sociological Association. Cairns, Australia.
10. Gibson, A., Lee, C., & Crabb, S. (November, 2014). Women ‘managing’ breast cancer: Social constructions of breast cancer within neoliberal, Western society. The Australian Sociological Association. Adelaide, Australia.
9. Gibson, A., Lee, C., & Crabb, S. (November, 2014). ‘Take ownership of your condition’: Australian women’s health and risk talk in relation to their experiences of breast cancer. The Australian Sociological Association. Adelaide, Australia.
8. Gibson, A., Lee, C., & Crabb, S. (February, 2014). ‘It’s not just Mary Jo with three kids: ‘Socially diverse’ women’s accounts of breast cancer in Australia. Australasian Society for Behavioural Health & Medicine. Auckland, New Zealand.
7. Gibson, A. & Macleod, C. (July, 2013). Lesbians’ narration and negotiation of sexual identity in South Africa: Stories beyond ‘the closet’. International Society of Critical Health Psychology, Bradford, United Kingdom.
6. Gibson, A., Lee, C., & Crabb, S. (July, 2013). Negotiating the pink ribbon culture: Socially diverse women’s experiences of breast cancer in Australia. International Society of Critical Health Psychology, Bradford, United Kingdom.
5. Gibson, A., Lee, C., & Crabb, S. (February, 2013). ‘They tell us...’: Are Australian breast cancer websites inclusive of women from diverse backgrounds? Discourse and Narrative Symposium: Stigma and Exclusion in (Cross-) Cultural Contexts. Brisbane, Australia.
4. Gibson, A., Lee, C., & Crabb, S. (February, 2012). The pink ribbon culture: Constructions of the breast cancer experience. Australasian Society for Behavioural Health & Medicine. Melbourne, Australia.
3. Gibson, A., Macleod, C., & van Ommen, C. (April, 2011). Beyond coming out: Lesbian’s stories of sexual identity in post-apartheid South Africa. International Society of Critical Health Psychology. Adelaide, Australia. (This paper was noted as a highlight in the conference close)
2. Gibson, A., Macleod, C., & van Ommen, C. (August, 2009). Lesbians’ stories of sexual identity: Beyond the closet? Psychological Society of South Africa Annual Conference. Cape Town, South Africa.
1. Gibson, A., & Macleod, C. (July, 2008). ‘It’s a catch 22 situation’: A study on the discursive positioning of women in adolescents’ talk of abortion. Critical Methods Conference. Grahamstown, South Africa.
Invited Talks:
5. Gibson, A. (November, 2017). Whose voices anyway? A critical reflection on methodological and ethical challenges in working with people from ‘minority’ backgrounds. Sydney Health Ethics, University of Sydney, Australia.
4. Gibson, A. (July, 2017). The Biggest Lie on the Internet. 5 Minute Challenge, International Society of Critical Health Psychology, University of Loughborough, United Kingdom.
3. Gibson, A. (November, 2013). Socially diverse women’s experiences of breast cancer: An exploration of how their needs are (not) met by breast cancer organisations. Gender & Critical Psychology Group. University of Auckland, New Zealand.
2. Gibson, A., Lee, C., & Crabb, S. (May, 2013). ‘They tell us...’: Are Australian breast cancer websites inclusive of women from diverse backgrounds? QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute. Brisbane, Australia.
1. Gibson, A., Lee, C., & Crabb, S. (May, 2012). The pink ribbon culture: Constructions of the breast cancer experience. BreaCan (Breast & Gynaecological cancer service). Melbourne, Australia.
Media:
4. Gibson, A., Broom, A., & Lwin, Z. (2016). ‘It’s your fault you got cancer’: the blame game that doesn’t help anyone'. The Conversation Australia, 29th November, 2017.
3. Interview on ABC Brisbane about blame and stigma in relation to cancer and its development. 4th December 2016. https://soundcloud.com/612abcbrisbane/the-cancer-blame-game
2. Gibson, A. (2015). Representations of women on Australian breast cancer websites: An interview with Alexandra Gibson. Breast Cancer Consortium. 29th January 2015, http://breastcancerconsortium.net/representations-women-australian-breast-cancer-websites-interview-alexandra-gibson/
1. Interview about PhD research on lesbians’ experiences of breast cancer on JoyFM (Australian LGBT community radio). 14th June 2012.
Selected Reports:
7. Petriwskyj, A., Parker, D., Brown Wilson, C., & Gibson, A. (2015). The Aged Care Services Dementia-Friendly Endorsement Project (DFEP) systematic literature review. Brisbane: The University of Queensland [Commissioned by Alzheimer’s Australia Victoria].
6. Gibson, A., Lee, C., & Crabb, S. (2014). Women’s experiences of breast cancer: A snapshot of the stories of women from minority groups in Australia [Report for women with breast cancer]. Brisbane: The University of Queensland.
5. Gibson, A., Lee, C., & Crabb, S. (2014). Women’s experiences of breast cancer: A snapshot account [Organisation report]. Brisbane: The University of Queensland.
4. Giles, K., Petriwskyj, A., Parker, D., Gibson, A., Andrews, S., Banks, S. & Robinson, A. (2014). Family involvement in decision making for people with dementia in residential aged care: Best practice information sheet. The JBI Database of Best Practice Information Sheets and Technical Reports, 18(2), 1-5.
3. Petriwskyj, A. M., Parker, D., Robinson, A., Gibson, A., Andrews, S., & Banks, S. (2013). Family involvement in decision making for people with dementia in residential aged care: A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative evidence. JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports, 11(7), 131-282.
2. Petriwskyj, A. M., & Gibson, A. (2013). Engaging in care: An exploration of Blue Care’s engagement with care service users. Final project report. Brisbane: The University of Queensland.
1. Department of Health (2010). Strategy framework. Sexual and reproductive health amongst adolescents: Comprehensive preventive and promotion strategies. Pretoria: Department of Health [Commissioned by the World Health Organisation].
Workshops/Symposia:
6. Symposium co-convenor, 'Mobilising health sociology for impact: How can complex understandings of injustice and inequality be used in policy and practice?' The Australian Sociological Association Health Thematic Group Health Day, University of New South Wales, Australia, October, 2017.
5. Workshop co-convenor, 'Visualising Health and Illness: Applying methodological innovation in the critical examination of health experiences'. International Society of Critical Health Psychology, University of Loughborough, United Kingdom, July, 2017.
4. Symposium co-convenor, ‘Practical Justice in Cancer and Palliative Care: Suffering, Hope, Survivorship’. One day international symposium for researchers and practitioners in health, hosted by the Practical Justice Initiative, University of New South Wales, Australia, November, 2015.
3. Workshop co-convenor, ‘Resisting the neoliberal construction of academia or, How to survive your PhD in critical health psychology in the face of work, life, and pressures to “perform”’. Workshop for PhD students and ECRs at the International Society of Critical Health Psychology biennial conference, Grahamstown, South Africa, July, 2015.
2. Symposium co-convenor, ‘Achieving Equity through Criticality: Applying critical approaches to examine social disparities in health’, Australasian Society for Behavioural Health & Medicine, Auckland, New Zealand, February 2014.
1. Symposium co-convenor, ‘UQ QualHealth Network Symposium: Interdisciplinary problems & possibilities’. One day symposium for researchers in qualitative health research in South-East Queensland, The University of Queensland, November 2013.
Current Society Memberships:
The Australian Sociological Association (Co-Convenor of the Health Thematic Group)
International Society of Critical Health Psychology (Early Career Researcher Representative)