John McNeil Prize for Public Health Research Awarded to Dr Kelsey Grantham
Congratulations to Kelsey on receiving the prestigious John McNeil Prize for Public Health Research for her publication:
“The staircase cluster randomised trial design: A pragmatic alternative to the stepped wedge” which was published in Statistical Methods in Medical Research in 2024 (https://doi.org/10.1177/09622802231202364).
This innovative work introduces the staircase cluster randomised trial design, a streamlined approach for evaluating group-level health interventions across settings such as hospitals and clinics. The paper provides the statistical foundations for this design, including formulae for sample size and power calculations, enabling researchers to plan robust trials that accurately assess intervention benefits.
The staircase design is already attracting significant interest. Researchers are exploring its use in trials on adolescent health, intensive care admissions among older Australians, therapies for neurological disorders, and physical activity programs for children.
The John McNeil Award celebrates early-career talent in the field of public health, particularly within the context of Professor McNeil's significant contributions to research in chronic disease and preventive health. Kelsey will utilise the prize to attend an international conference where she will present here latest research on which staircase design variants work best in different trial settings.
Congratulations to Kelsey on this outstanding achievement and contribution to advancing clinical trial methodology.
