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Miss Emma Zahra

Miss Emma Zahra

Research Officer

Master of International Public Health, University of Sydney.

Bachelor of Nursing, University of Newcastle.Ìý

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Medicine & Health
National Drug & Alcohol Research Centre

Emma Zahra is a Research Officer at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), Faculty of Medicine, Õ¬Äи£Àû. Her research focus is drug-related morbidity, mortality and mental health. She is passionate about improving health outcomes through evidence-based intervention, advocacy, support, empowerment and equality.

Emma is currently investigating the financial and social impacts of costs borne by people in Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT).ÌýRecentÌýresearchÌýincludes a large collaborative project that quantified theÌýsocial costs of opioids and cannabis, and two case series investigating the characteristics of cannabis-related deaths and barbiturate-related deaths. Emma facilitated project commencement and completion of a feasibility study at Prince of Wales Hospital Emergency Department. This study investigated the prevalence of chronic pain in people presenting to the Emergency Department with self-harm or suicidal behaviors and the uptake of online interventions delivered by MindSpot post discharge.Ìý

As a Registered Nurse and Master of International Public Health, she has experience in acute care settings (emergency and surgical medicine), health promotion (Cancer Council), and global medical assistance. Emma coordinated medical evacuations and repatriations globallyÌýfor International SOS. This involved medical care and logistical arrangements for a diverse range of individuals, including marginalized and at-risk populations. Her involvement with refugees and asylum seekersÌýincluded clinical oversight, medical advice and case direction.ÌýIn this role Emma alsoÌýprovided coverage for international assistance centresÌý(London, Moscow, Johannesburg and Dubai),Ìýmedical management of sea vessel and rig personnel, andÌýfacilitatedÌýspecialized care for New Caledonia patients. Aviation and remote medical treatment management skills for complex and critical patientsÌýwere implemented via telephone and in person during international medical escort missions.

Emma continues to collaborate withÌýsenior researchers in epidemiology and public health at NDARC, and other leading drug and alcohol research centres across Australia.
  • Journal articles | 2024
    Farrell M; Shahbazi J; Chambers M; Byrne M; Gholami J; Zahra E; Grebely J; Lintzeris N; Larance B; Ali R; Nielsen S; Dunlop A; Dore GJ; McDonough M; Montebello M; Weiss R; Rodgers C; Cook J; Degenhardt L, 2024, '96-week retention in treatment with extended-release subcutaneous buprenorphine depot injections among people with opioid dependence: Extended follow-up after a single-arm trial', International Journal of Drug Policy, 127,
    Journal articles | 2024
    McKetin R; Degan TJ; Saunders L; Nguyen L; Dore G; Shoptaw S; Farrell M; Degenhardt L; Kelly PJ; Turner A; Clare PJ; Dean OM; Arunogiri S; Colledge-Frisby S; Koeijers J; Goodman-Meza D; Sinclair B; Reid D; Hill H; Hayllar J; Christmass M; Cordaro F; Lundin R; Liaw W; Liu D; Holyoak E; Wu BTF; Keygan J; Kontogiannis A; Palmer L; Morrison C; Wrobel A; Hyland B; Byrne M; Russell S; Zahra E; Berk M, 2024, 'A phase 3 randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial of mirtazapine as a pharmacotherapy for methamphetamine use disorder: a study protocol for the Tina Trial', Trials, 25,
    Journal articles | 2023
    Darke S; Zahra E; Duflou J; Peacock A; Farrell M; Lappin J, 2023, 'Characteristics and circumstances of volatile solvent misuse-related death in Australia, 2000–2021', Clinical Toxicology, 61, pp. 260 - 265,
    Journal articles | 2023
    Degenhardt L; Clark B; Macpherson G; Leppan O; Nielsen S; Zahra E; Larance B; Kimber J; Martino-Burke D; Hickman M; Farrell M, 2023, 'Buprenorphine versus methadone for the treatment of opioid dependence: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised and observational studies', The Lancet Psychiatry, 10, pp. 386 - 402,
    Journal articles | 2022
    Darke S; Chrzanowska A; Campbell G; Zahra E; Lappin J, 2022, 'Barbiturate-related hospitalisations, drug treatment episodes, and deaths in Australia, 2000‒2018', Medical Journal of Australia, 216, pp. 194 - 198,
    Journal articles | 2022
    Lappin JM; Zahra E; Darke S; Shand F; Sharma S; Draper B; Connors MH; Dear B; Titov N; Campbell G, 2022, 'Presentations to the emergency department with self-harm or suicidal behaviours: A role for digital mental health services?', Journal of Psychiatric Research, 154, pp. 50 - 55,
    Journal articles | 2022
    Tran AD; Chen R; Nielsen S; Zahra E; Degenhardt L; Santo T; Farrell M; Larance B, 2022, 'Economic analysis of out-of-pocket costs among people in opioid agonist treatment: A cross-sectional survey in three Australian jurisdictions', International Journal of Drug Policy, 99,
    Journal articles | 2022
    Weatherburn D; Darke S; Zahra E; Farrell M, 2022, 'Who would try (or use more) cannabis if it were legal?', Drug and Alcohol Review, 41, pp. 386 - 395,
    Journal articles | 2022
    Zahra E; Chen R; Nielsen S; Tran AD; Santo T; Degenhardt L; Farrell M; Byrne J; Ali R; Larance B, 2022, 'Examining the cost and impact of dosing fees among clients in opioid agonist treatment: Results from a cross-sectional survey of Australian treatment clients', Drug and Alcohol Review, 41, pp. 841 - 850,
    Journal articles | 2021
    Campbell G; Darke S; Zahra E; Duflou J; Shand F; Lappin J, 2021, 'Trends and characteristics in barbiturate deaths Australia 2000-2019: a national retrospective study', Clinical toxicology (Philadelphia, Pa.), 59, pp. 224 - 230,
    Journal articles | 2020
    Zahra E; Darke S; Degenhardt L; Campbell G, 2020, 'Rates, characteristics and manner of cannabis-related deaths in Australia 2000–2018', Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 212,
  • Reports | 2023
    Shahbazi J; Farrell M; Byrne J; Ali R; Puszka B; Lim XQ; Cook J; Weiss R; Rodgers C; Dunlop A; Lintzeris N; Nielsen S; Grebely J; Zahra E; Degenhardt L; Byrne M, 2023, Considerations for delivering extended-release buprenorphine for opioid dependence in Australia: Preliminary lessons from the Community Long-Acting Buprenorphine (CoLAB) trial, NATIONAL DRUG AND ALCOHOL RESEARCH CENTRE, UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES, SYDNEY, 2020, RANDWICK, 355,
    Conference Papers | 2021
    Lappin J; Campbell G; Darke S; Zahra E; Dear B; Titov N, 2021, 'ONLINE INTERVENTIONS FOR SUICIDAL BEHAVIOURS IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT', in AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY, SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD, pp. 91 - 91,
    Reports | 2020
    Whetton S; Robert J. T; Chrzanowska A; Neil D; McEntee A; Mukhtar A; Zahra E; Campbell G; Degenhardt L; Dey T; Abdul Halim S; Hall W; Makate M; Norman R; Peacock A; Roche A; Allsop S, 2020, Quantifying the Social Costs of Pharmaceutical Opioid Misuse & Illicit Opioid Use to Australia in 2015/16, NDRI,
    Reports | 2020
    Whetton S; Tait RJ; Chrzanowska A; Donnelly N; McEntee A; Mukhtar A; Zahra E; Campbell G; Degenhardt L; Dey T; Halim SA; Hall W; Makate M; Norman R; Peacock A; Roche A; Allsop S, 2020, Quantifying the Social Costs of Cannabis Use to Australia in 2015/16, NDRI, T287,

Zahra, E., Darke, S., Degenhardt, L., Campbell, G. 2020. Rates, characteristics and manner of cannabis-related deaths in Australia 2000-2018. Drug and Alcohol Dependence,Ìý

AD. Tran, R. Chen, S. Nielsen, E. Zahra, L. Degenhardt, T. Santo, M. Farrell, B. Larance. (2021),
Economic analysis of out-of-pocket costs among people in opioid agonist treatment: A cross-sectional survey in three Australian jurisdictions. International Journal of Drug Policy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103472.

Weatherburn, D., Darke, S., Zahra, E. and Farrell, M. (2021), Who would try (or use more) cannabis if it were legal?. Drug Alcohol Rev..Ìý

Darke, S., Chrzanowska, A., Campbell, G., Zahra, E. and Lappin, J. (2021), Barbiturate-related hospitalisations, drug treatment episodes, and deaths in Australia, 2000‒2018. Med J Aust.Ìý

G. Campbell, S. Darke, E. Zahra, J. Duflou, F. Shand & J. LappinÌý(2020)ÌýTrends and characteristics in barbiturate deaths Australia 2000–2019: a national retrospective study,ÌýClinical Toxicology,ÌýDOI:Ìý

Whetton, S., Tait, R., J., Chrzanowska, A., Donnelly, N., McEntee, A., Mukhtar, A., Zahra, E., Campbell, G., Degenhardt, L., Dey, T., Abdul Halim, S., Hall, W., Makate, M., Norman, R., Peacock, A., Roche, A. and Allsop, S. (2020).ÌýQuantifying the Social Costs of Pharmaceutical Opioid Misuse and Illicit Opioid Use to Australia in 2015/16.ÌýNational Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia. ISBN: 978-0-6487367-0-7 [T277]

Whetton, S., Tait, R., J., Chrzanowska, A., Donnelly, N., McEntee, A., Mukhtar, A., Zahra, E., Campbell, G., Degenhardt, L., Dey, T., Abdul Halim, S., Hall, W., Makate, M., Norman, R., Peacock, A., Roche, A. and Allsop, S. (2020).ÌýQuantifying the Social Costs of Cannabis Use to Australia in 2015/16.ÌýNational Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia. ISBN: 978-0-6487367-4-5 [T287]

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