
Jonathan KingsleySwinburne University of Technology · Department of Health Science
Jonathan Kingsley
Doctor of Philosophy
Interested in ecological public health focused on urban agriculture and Aboriginal peoples connection Country
About
85
Publications
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Introduction
Dr Kingsley is a Senior Lecturer in health promotion at Swinburne University of Technology. He has over 15 years of experience of working in Aboriginal community controlled organisations, government bodies, academic institutes and NGO’s in the public health and community development field. Dr Kingsley sees our natural environment as central to health and having the capacity to bridge health inequalities (the basis of his academic research).
Skills and Expertise
Publications
Publications (85)
Gardening has the potential to improve health and wellbeing, especially during crises. Using an international survey of gardeners (n = 3743), this study aimed to understand everyday gardening experiences, perspectives and attitudes during early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Our qualitative reflexive thematic and sentiment analyses show t...
There are an estimated 370 million Indigenous peoples living in more than 70 countries. Indigenous populations are defined as the First Peoples occupying countries or regions at times of colonization, with distinct cultural, religious, and social practices that distinguish them from other populations. Indigenous peoples across the globe have deep,...
There is a significant amount of evidence highlighting the health, wellbeing and social benefits of gardening during previous periods of crises. These benefits were also evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper presents a narrative review exploring gardening during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic to understand the different forms...
There is increasing evidence of the health and wellbeing benefits of gardening. However, such benefits are not shared equally across groups in the community. It is important from a social justice perspective to understand the contextual factors that influence opportunities to garden, and how they are distributed in society, how well, and to whom. D...
Background
Culture and its practice is a recognised, but not well understood factor, in Aboriginal health and wellbeing. Our study aimed to explore how health and wellbeing are phenomenologically connected to cultural practices, foods, medicines, languages, and Country, through the platform of ‘on-Country’ camps facilitated by Aboriginal cultural k...
Background
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ have sustained their cultural practices for over 60,000 years which fundamentally impacts their health and wellbeing. Recent literature emphasizes cultural connection as a contributor to good public health, yet the mechanisms through which cultural engagement promotes health and wellbeing re...
Indigenous cultural health is an emerging field of research and reflects the unique connections Indigenous peoples have with their Country, culture, and knowledge systems. This narrative review explores the concept of cultural health focusing on the interplay between culture, health, and wellbeing within settler colonial contexts. The review is mos...
The world is currently grappling with several public health issues (like the increase in urbanization, chronic diseases and social isolation). Increased connection with nature has been identified as a possible solution to many of these concerns. This perspective paper draws on recent empirical evidence around the health and wellbeing benefits of na...
There is mounting evidence that connection and even simply time spent in nature is positive for human wellbeing. But how and why is this so? In this entry I explore this relationship between the concept of nature and wellbeing. I articulate this complex relationship by exploring academic theories, frameworks and evidence highlighting this associati...
Introduction
The health and well-being of Aboriginal Australians is inextricably linked to culture and Country. Our study challenges deficit approaches to health inequities by seeking to examine how cultural connection, practice and resilience among Aboriginal peoples through participation in ‘cultural camps’ held on sites of cultural significance...
Gardening offers a range of benefits, from food production to social connection to improved mental and physical health. When COVID-19 struck, interest in gardening soared, but it was unclear whether and how gardens would deliver these benefits in the midst of a global pandemic. We analyzed survey responses from 603 home and community gardeners acro...
Vulnerable communities (including people from refugee, Indigenous, culturally and linguistically diverse, and low socioeconomic backgrounds) represent the most at-risk populations facing inequities and negative health, economic, and social outcomes. The recent COVID-19 pandemic both highlighted and fuelled these disparities. Community gardening has...
Gardening can promote psychological wellbeing, which is critical in urbanised societies where disconnection from nature may negatively affect mental health. Previous reviews have summarised the existing evidence on the psychological benefits of gardening; however, those reviews combine the results of intervention studies (i.e., structured gardening...
Gardening has the potential to enhance health and well-being, through increased physical activity and social connectedness. However, while much is known about the benefits of garden activities, less is known about the potential health implications of more passive forms of engagement with gardens, for example, viewing gardens. In addition, much gard...
This study investigates the associations of vigorous-intensity gardening time with cardiometabolic health risk markers. This cross-sectional study (AusDiab) analyzed 2011-2012 data of 3,664 adults (55% women, mean [range], age = 59.3 [34-94] years) in Australia. Multiple linear regression models examined associations of time spent participating in...
Australia is experiencing mounting pressures related to processes of urbanisation, biodiversity loss and climate change felt at large in cities. At the same time, it is cities that can take the leading role in pioneering approaches and solutions to respond to those coupling emergencies. In this perspective piece we respond to the following question...
Introduction
The World Health Organization recommends seeking medical treatment within 24 hours after transmission of malaria to reduce the risk of severe complications and its onwards spread. However, in some parts of Indonesia, including East Nusa Tenggara Province (ENTP), this adherence is not achieved for a range of reasons including delays in...
Objectives: This study investigated associations between ethnicity and malaria awareness in East Nusa Tenggara Province (ENTP), Indonesia.
Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted upon 1503 adults recruited by multi-stage cluster random sampling. A malaria awareness questionnaire was used to collect data, according to which pa...
The COVID-19 pandemic has severely disrupted social life. Gardens and yards have seemingly risen as a lifeline during the pandemic. Here, we investigated the relationship between people and gardening during the COVID-19 pandemic and what factors influenced the ability of people to garden. We examined survey responses (n = 3,743) from gardeners who...
The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of the benefits and challenges experienced by community and allotment gardens utilising a broad theoretical analysis, pertaining to the case study of Melbourne, a city in Australia that until recently has been experiencing significant population growth and urban densification. The study involved...
Autistic adults have higher health needs compared to most, yet they continue to experience barriers to accessing appropriate healthcare. Presently, no qualitative research exists exploring these barriers which impact overall physical and mental health. We conducted a qualitative analysis in Victoria (Australia) of the perceived experiences of healt...
Introduction
The 2009 Indonesian roadmap to malaria elimination indicated that the nation had been progressing towards achieving malaria elimination by 2030. Currently, most of the districts in the western part of Indonesia have eliminated malaria; however, none of the districts in the East Nusa Tenggara Province (ENTP) have met these set targets....
Objectives: This study aims to investigate ethnic variation and its association with malaria awareness in the East Nusa Tenggara Province (ENTP), Indonesia.
Methods: A community–based cross–sectional study was conducted upon 1495 adults recruited by multi –stage cluster random sampling technique. A malaria awareness related questionnaire was used t...
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries experienced something of a boom in interest in gardening. Gardens have long been considered as refuges into which we retreat to escape various struggles and challenges. In this study we examine the characteristics and functions of the garden as a refuge during the period of increased garden interest asso...
Aboriginal ‘gathering places’ have been described as cultural hubs, healing centres, and social meeting places. This article explores a gap in the literature on the health and wellbeing outcomes of gathering places from the perspectives of Aboriginal people who attend them. The aim of this study was to develop a framework to articulate the enablers...
Introduction. The World Health Organization recommends seeking medical treatment within 24 hours after transmission of malaria to reduce the risk of severe complications and its onwards spread. However, in some parts of Indonesia, including East Nusa Tenggara Province (ENTP), this adherence is not achieved for a range of reasons including delays in...
Background
Malaria is a global pandemic that results in approximately 228 million cases globally; 3.5% of these cases are in Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia. Following the World Health Organization (WHO) initiative, Indonesia is in the process of achieving malaria-free zone status by 2030. However, the eastern part of Indonesia, incl...
Australia is currently grappling with a range of social and environmental challenges, many of which impact the way our public health system, and society more broadly, function. In this short communication paper we explore urban agriculture in Australia as a Nature-Based Solution (NBS) to address some of the ecological, social, economic and health c...
Introduction
The Indonesian roadmap to malaria elimination in 2009 indicated that the country is progressing towards achieve malaria elimination by 2030. Currently, most of the districts in the western part of Indonesia have eliminated malaria, however, none of the districts in East Nusa Tenggara Province (ENTP) have met set targets. This study aim...
This study aimed to gain an insight into the ways in which community and allotment gardening may enhance wellbeing for people and place, within urban Melbourne, Australia. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 participants representing six community/allotment gardens. The findings suggest that community and allotment garden...
Issue addressed:
The Anthropocene is a new era in which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment. The negative impact humans have on the earth’s systems pose significant threats to human health. Health promotion is a discipline well placed to respond to planetary health challenges of the Anthropocene. The overar...
BACKGROUND
Malaria is a global pandemic resulting in approximately 228 million cases globally, and 3.5 % of these is in South-East Asian countries including Indonesia. Following the World Health Organization (WHO) initiative, Indonesia is in the process of achieving malaria-free zone status by 2030. However, the Eastern part of Indonesia, including...
Background:
People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have an increased susceptibility for many chronic health conditions compared with their peers. An increasing number of adolescents are transitioning from pediatric to adult healthcare services. Thus, being able to access appropriate healthcare services that can not only address specific needs...
Social networking sites are the primary means by which trans and gender diverse people meet, enabling both community contact and information exchange. This study considers the meaning of participation in a secret Facebook group for trans and gender diverse adults in Melbourne (Australia). A peer ethnographic methodology was used to study the Melbou...
Background: Trans, gender diverse and non-binary (TGDNB) adults experience significant health disparities relative to their cisgender peers. While social support is a known health-protective factor within the general population, no systematic reviews of TGDNB experiences of social support exist.
Aim: To systematically review prior research of soci...
Gardening has long been a popular pastime. There is a growing evidence base for the health and well-being benefits of gardening. Community gardening brings a social aspect to gardening, thereby increasing the potential benefits to include addressing social inclusion and poor community health through sharing of values, support of others, and buildin...
Within the context of increased urbanisation, the value of access to and participation in green spaces (such as community gardening) is progressively understood as fundamental to the social, cultural, environmental and health needs of urban populations. This article is an exploration of six urban community gardens in Melbourne (Australia) towards u...
Existing community gardening research has tended to be exploratory and descriptive, utilising qualitative or mixed methodologies to explore and understand community garden participation. While research on community gardening attracts growing interest, the empirical rigour of measurement scales and embedded indicators has received comparatively less...
Background
Increased global urbanisation has led to public health challenges. Community gardens are identified as a mechanism for addressing socio-ecological determinants of health. This study aims to explore motives for joining community gardens, and the extent to which participation can be facilitated given barriers and enablers to community gard...
Background: ‘Cisnormativity’ refers to the Western cultural belief that gender (man/woman) mirrors sex (male/female). This review considers the occupational experiences of people whose gender identity differs from what is expected based on their sex at birth, gender identities operationalised as ‘transgender’. Method: A scoping review was conducted...
Introduction:
Adults living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can experience many factors that may impact their everyday lives. Striving for optimal health and enduring a healthy lifestyle comes with the ability to access appropriate healthcare services, yet adults with ASD have unmet healthcare needs. The barriers and enablers of healthcare acc...
This article provides an exploration of the cultural determinants of health, based on a research evaluation investigating a number of Aboriginal gathering places in Victoria (Australia). Gathering places are recognised as settings in which people practice and learn about local Aboriginal culture, history and place. Academic literature on gathering...
The power in language is palpable and yet is weakened by cultural differences, misunderstandings, and assumptions that can include and exclude individuals and groups. In this chapter, various terms are deconstructed that explore the human-ecological relationship, using landscape as the context to explore disciplinary discourses like the environment...
As mudanças ambientais antrópicas despertaram a atenção para a importância dos ecossistemas como fundamentais para sustentar a saúde e o bem-estar humanos. Várias escolas de pensamento e campos de atuação em pesquisa e ação buscam compreender a saúde e os fenômenos sociais e ecológicos associados. Apresentamos 18 desses campos de atuação destacando...
The impacts of global environmental change have precipitated numerous approaches that connect the health of ecosystems, non-human organisms and humans. However, the proliferation of approaches can lead to confusion due to overlaps in terminology, ideas and foci. Recognising the need for clarity, this paper provides a guide to seven field developmen...
In an era characterised by the adverse impacts of climate change and environmental degradation, health promotion programmes are beginning to actively link human health with environmental sustainability imperatives. This paper draws on a study of health promotion and sustainability programmes in Australia, providing insights to evaluation approaches...
Public health practitioners have important roles to play in addressing environmental sustainability imperatives that have an impact on human health. Yet, to date, the extent to which practitioners are willing and able to address these issues is an understudied subject. This article draws on the findings of two qualitative studies involving 49 inter...
b>Issue addressed: Health promotion practitioners have important roles in applying ecosystem approaches to health and actively promoting environmental sustainability within community-level practice. The present study identified the nature and scope of health promotion activities across Australia that tackle environmental sustainability.
Methods :...
This article highlights contributions that can be made to the public health field by incorporating "ecosystem approaches to health" to tackle future environmental and health challenges at a regional level. This qualitative research reviews attitudes and understandings of the relationship between public health and the environment and the priorities,...
Purpose – Aboriginal people across Australia have diverse practices, beliefs and knowledges based on thousands of generations of managing and protecting their lands (Country). The intimate relationship Aboriginal people have with their Country is explored in this chapter because such knowledge is important for building insight into the relationship...
Aboriginal people across Australia suffer significant health inequalities compared with the non-Indigenous population. Evidence indicates that inroads can be made to reduce these inequalities by better understanding social and cultural determinants of health, applying holistic notions of health and developing less rigid definitions of wellbeing. Th...
Citizen science monitoring programs in the marine environment frequently focus on volunteer collected data precision for conservation and resource use of marine biota. Few studies have examined the social science aspects of volunteer engagement in marine monitoring programs in a quantifiable manner. This research focuses on emotional attitudes of S...
This article focuses on the qualitative methodologies employed in a research project developed in collaboration with Aboriginal advisors and gaining an in-depth understanding of Aboriginal Victorian peoples’1 connection to their ancestral lands. It outlines why qualitative methodologies were used and highlights the ethical dimensions of working wit...
T his article focuses on three Victorian Aboriginal 1 groups (Bangerang, Boonwurrung and Yorta Yorta) to explore elements that provide or discourage development of land management projects. Results from this small qualitative study show that a number of distinct health, socio-political and economic factors need to be considered when developing Abor...
This paper reports on a research project undertaken with members of a community garden in Port Melbourne, Australia, to investigate the ways in which such a facility contributes to the enhancement of health, wellbeing and contact with nature for urban dwellers. Ten members from an urban community garden were interviewed using qualitative semi‐struc...
This article reports on research undertaken with members of three Indigenous groups in Victoria, Australia, to explore the health and wellbeing implications of caring for Country (defined as having knowledge, sense of responsibility and inherent right to be involved in the management of traditional lands). The research findings provide a better und...
This article reports on research undertaken with members of a Melbourne urban community garden to explore the extent to which such a natural amenity provides opportunities for enhancing social capital. It is apparent even from this small qualitative study that membership of ‘Dig In’ community garden offers many benefits to its members. These benefi...