Dr Janet Sluggett

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Research Field: Aged Care

People living in aged care homes take an average of 10 different medications each day. Medications can improve our wellbeing, but can sometimes cause side effects such as drowsiness, confusion or falls.

Janet analyses big data to understand what medications are prescribed to people living in aged care homes and the types of side effects that can occur. She works with doctors, pharmacists and nurses and older people to help them recognise problems with medications and make improvements.

Janet’s science communication includes radio and print interviews, articles for The Conversation news website, public talks and workshops for health professionals. Janet was an expert witness at a public hearing of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety in July 2019.

Janet is a pharmacist and received her PhD from the University of South Australia in 2014. She is a Senior Research Fellow (NHMRC Early Career Fellow) at the University of South Australia and an Affiliate Postdoctoral Researcher with the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute