RSL Queensland research partners
Understanding our veteran community and their needs.
Advancing veteran support through research
Research is critical to helping RSL Queensland understand – and effectively meet – the needs of veterans, Defence members, and their families. Since 2012 we’ve committed more than $20 million towards veteran-centric research that’s delivered real, measurable impact.
The transition from military to civilian life is associated with a range of psychosocial factors. Australian research* has found that:
- approximately 78% of Defence members experience a challenging transition out of military service
- 50% of those report not reintegrating or adjusting to civilian life up to 10 years after leaving service.
Based on these findings, RSL Queensland’s research partnership with
is committed to understanding the physical and mental impact that military service has on veterans and their families, and how that can be addressed.
Our partnership delivers:
- the development of new, evidence-based services for veterans and their families
- continuous improvement of existing services, and the evaluation of peer-led programs, to ensure they remain relevant and beneficial to the veteran and Defence community
- improved education for veteran support staff and healthcare practitioners regarding important issues faced by veterans and their families
- education and real-time strategies for veterans to proactively manage health conditions.
About Gallipoli Medical Research
Established in 2005, Gallipoli Medical Research (GMR) delivers research with impact to improve veterans’ and their families’ quality of life. GMR has completed many initiatives aimed at identifying needs and programs to improve the veteran and Defence community’s health and wellbeing.
RSL Queensland and GMR have worked together since 2012, with 42 research projects being delivered and 40 studies being published in that time. Work to date can be categorised into four streams, outlined below.
Research streams
Veteran mental health initiative
Investigations into veterans’ mental and physical health status and treatment, including research focused on common health conditions and critical Defence journey phases.
Defence family initiative
Practical resources to support, and improve outcomes for, families during the military-to-civilian transition process.
Projects aimed at providing evidence-based model of care recommendations for veteran service providers and ex-service organisations (ESOs) and assessing service planning priorities for the Defence community
(study launching soon).
Healthy veteran initiative
Evidence-based development and improvement of health and wellbeing-focused online learning resources for veterans; adjustment and reintegration training programs for current Defence members; and education for veteran support workers, healthcare practitioners, Defence bases, ESOs and high school students.
Service evaluations
Evaluation of veteran services and peer-lead programs offered by RSL Queensland and its partners, including RAEMUS Rover, RSL marquee services data evaluation, PTSD Resurrected, Mates4Mates Equine Therapy and the Unit Welfare Officer Program.
Research in action to date
*Romaniuk M, Fisher G, Kidd C, Batterham PJ.
. BMC Psychiatry. 2020;20(1):1–17.
