Rate My Professor Alexandra Barratt

Professor Alexandra Barratt is a Professor of Public Health in the Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, at the University of Sydney. She earned her MBBS, Master of Public Health (MPH), and PhD in Medicine (Epidemiology) from the University of Sydney, completing her doctorate in 1994. Throughout her career at the University of Sydney, Barratt has contributed to medical education, coordinating units on evidence-based medicine and public health for the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery and Doctor of Medicine programs. As a lead investigator and co-leader of Wiser Healthcare, an NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence, she focuses on reducing overdiagnosis and overtreatment in healthcare settings.

Barratt's research specializations include health services research, evidence-based medicine, shared decision making, patient decision aids, overdiagnosis in screening programs such as breast, cervical, prostate, and bowel cancer, diagnostic imaging and pathology testing, tobacco use interventions, and the carbon footprint of healthcare. Her influential work has shaped clinical guidelines and policy discussions on low-value care and healthcare sustainability. Key publications include 'Effect of study design and quality on unsatisfactory rates, cytology classifications, and accuracy in liquid-based versus conventional cervical cytology: a systematic review' (The Lancet, 2006), 'A glossary for evidence based public health' (Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 2004), 'Use of a decision aid including information on overdetection to support informed choice about breast cancer screening: a randomised controlled trial' (The Lancet, 2015), 'Overdiagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents: a systematic scoping review' (JAMA Network Open, 2021), and 'A one-item question with a Likert or Visual Analog Scale adequately measured current anxiety' (Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 2007). With over 17,900 citations on Google Scholar, her scholarship demonstrates substantial impact. Barratt received the 2021 Impact Award from Health Services Research Australia and New Zealand (HSRAANZ) for Wiser Healthcare and has secured major NHMRC grants. She engages in public lectures, media contributions, and collaborations on climate and health initiatives.