Lecturer for Medical Education
Overview
Dr Gabriela Mena is an overseas-trained medical practitioner who currently works as Lecturer for Medical Education at the AME. After moving to Australia, Gabriela completed a Master of Public Health in 2016 and a PhD in 2022, both at the University of Queensland. Her PhD thesis explored the relationships between physical activity and women’s reproductive health. Her research focuses on understanding the relationships between physical activity and reproductive health in women, ranging from pre-conception and reproductive health problems such as infertility and menstrual irregularities, to pregnancy and postpartum. This also includes investigating the associations between sedentary behaviour (e.g., sitting time) and body mass index (BMI) with reproductive health outcomes. She has a special interest on how physical activity can affect the reproductive system in young adult women who are trying to conceive, and she is passionate about promoting physical activity for health.
Gabriela’s teaching experience ranges from tutor and practicum facilitator to course coordinator and lecturer at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, in Australia and overseas, and across two languages. This has allowed her to experience teaching in different contexts and settings. Gabriela became a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2022 and joined the UQ Academy for Medical Education in 2023.
Research Impacts
Dr Mena was a member of the committee convened by the Australian Government Department of Health to develop the Australian guidelines for physical activity (PA)/exercise during pregnancy and the postpartum period (https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/evidence-based-physical-activity-guidelines-for-pregnant-women). The report was used to develop web-based and print resources for public use and a brochure.
The guidelines have been incorporated into the Australian Government clinical practice guidelines on pregnancy care, which provide high quality evidence-based guidance to maternity service providers and the consumers of their care.
Qualifications
- Fellow, Higher Education Academy, Higher Education Academy
- Doctor of Philosophy of Human Movement Studies, The University of Queensland
- Masters (Coursework) of Public Health, The University of Queensland
Publications
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Journal Article: Fertility awareness education improves fertility cycle knowledge and may reduce time-to-pregnancy in subfertile women
Mena, Gabriela P. and McLindon, Lucas A. (2023). Fertility awareness education improves fertility cycle knowledge and may reduce time-to-pregnancy in subfertile women. Human Fertility, ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print), 1-8. doi: 10.1080/14647273.2023.2214952
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Other Outputs: Physical activity and reproductive health problems in women
Mena Ribadeneira, Gabriela Paola (2022). Physical activity and reproductive health problems in women. PhD Thesis, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/c0a5dc6
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Journal Article: Australian guidelines for physical activity in pregnancy and postpartum
Brown, Wendy J., Hayman, Melanie, Haakstad, Lene A. H., Lamerton, Tayla, Mena, Gabriela P., Green, Anita, Keating, Shelley E., Gomes, Grace A.O., Coombes, Jeff S. and Mielke, Gregore I. (2022). Australian guidelines for physical activity in pregnancy and postpartum. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 25 (6), 511-519. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2022.03.008
Publications
Journal Article
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Mena, Gabriela P. and McLindon, Lucas A. (2023). Fertility awareness education improves fertility cycle knowledge and may reduce time-to-pregnancy in subfertile women. Human Fertility, ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print), 1-8. doi: 10.1080/14647273.2023.2214952
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Australian guidelines for physical activity in pregnancy and postpartum
Brown, Wendy J., Hayman, Melanie, Haakstad, Lene A. H., Lamerton, Tayla, Mena, Gabriela P., Green, Anita, Keating, Shelley E., Gomes, Grace A.O., Coombes, Jeff S. and Mielke, Gregore I. (2022). Australian guidelines for physical activity in pregnancy and postpartum. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 25 (6), 511-519. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2022.03.008
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Hayman, Melanie J., Alfrey, Kristie-Lee, Waters, Kim, Cannon, Summer, Mielke, Gregore I, Keating, Shelley E., Mena, Gabriela P., Mottola, Michelle F., Evenson, Kelly R., Davenport, Margie H., Barlow, S. Ariel, Budzynski-Seymour, Emily, Comardelle, Natalie, Dickey, Madison, Harrison, Cheryce L., Kebbe, Maryam, Moholdt, Trine, Moran, Lisa J., Nagpal, Taniya S., Schoeppe, Stephanie, Alley, Stephanie, Brown, Wendy J., Williams, Susan and Vincze, Lisa (2022). Evaluating evidence-based content, features of exercise instruction, and expert involvement in physical activity apps for pregnant women: Systematic search and content analysis. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 10 (1) e31607. doi: 10.2196/27095
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Hayman, Melanie, Alfrey, Kristie-Lee, Waters, Kim, Cannon, Summer, Mielke, Gregore Iven, Keating, Shelley, Mena, Gabriela P., Mottola, Michelle F., Evenson, Kelly R., Davenport, Margie H., Barlow, S. Ariel, Budzynski-Seymour, Emily, Comardelle, Natalie, Dickey, Madison, Harrison, Cheryce L., Kebbe, Maryam, Moholdt, Trine, Moran, Lisa J., Nagpal, Taniya S., Schoeppe, Stephanie, Stephanie, Alley, Brown, Wendy, Williams, Susan and Vincze, Lisa (2022). How APPropriate are physical activity apps for pregnant women appropriate: A systematic search and content analysis of evidence-based content, features of exercise instruction, and expert involvement. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 10 (1) e31607, 1-15. doi: 10.2196/31607
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Mena, Gabriela P, Mielke, Gregore I. and Brown, Wendy J. (2021). Prospective associations between physical activity and BMI with irregular periods and heavy menstrual bleeding in a large cohort of Australian women. Human Reproduction, 36 (6), 1481-1491. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deab055
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Hayman, Melanie, Alfrey, Kristie-Lee, Cannon, Summer, Alley, Stephanie, Rebar, Amanda L., Williams, Susan, Short, Camille E., Altazan, Abby, Comardelle, Natalie, Currie, Sinead, Denton, Caitlin, Harrison, Cheryce L., Lamerton, Tayla, Mena, Gabriela P., Moran, Lisa, Mottola, Michelle, Nagpal, Taniya S., Vincze, Lisa and Schoeppe, Stephanie (2021). Quality, features, and presence of behavior change techniques in mobile apps designed to improve physical activity in pregnant women: Systematic search and content analysis. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 9 (4) e23649, e23649. doi: 10.2196/23649
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Mena, Gabriela P., Mielke, Gregore I. and Brown, Wendy J. (2020). Do physical activity, sitting time and body mass index affect fertility over a 15-year period in women? Data from a large population-based cohort study. Human Reproduction, 35 (3), 676-683. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dez300
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Mena, Gabriela P., Mielke, Gregore I. and Brown, Wendy J. (2019). The effect of physical activity on reproductive health outcomes in young women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Human Reproduction Update, 25 (5), 542-564. doi: 10.1093/humupd/dmz013
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Análisis del sistema de salud del Ecuador
Mena Ribadeneira, Gabriela Paola, Cañizares Fuentes, Ricardo and Barquet Abi-hanna, Giaffar (2019). Análisis del sistema de salud del Ecuador. Medicina, 19 (4), 193-204. doi: 10.23878/medicina.v19i4.1080
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Utilidad de la Escala Alvarado en el diagnóstico de apendicitis aguda
Mena, Gabriela Paola, Muñoz, Verónica, Barciona, Carla and Salvador, Carlos (2019). Utilidad de la Escala Alvarado en el diagnóstico de apendicitis aguda. Medicina, 19 (4), 223-228. doi: 10.23878/medicina.v19i4.969
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Bell, Stephanie K., Mena, Gabriela, Dean, Judith, Watts, Peter, Howard, Chris, Boyd, Mark, Gilks, Charles and Gartner, Coral (2018). Addressing smoking among people living with HIV: a cross-sectional survey of Australian HIV health practitioners' practices and attitudes. AIDS Care, 31 (4), 1-7. doi: 10.1080/09540121.2018.1500007
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Cruz Moreira, Karla, Mena Ribadeneira, Gabriela and Luzardo Jurado, Geoconda (2018). Prevalence of stomatological pathologies found in the campaign for the prevention of blood diseases. Catholic University of santiago de Guayaquil, Ecuador. Universidad y Sociedad, 10 (1), 214-222.
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Cruz-Moreira, Karla, Huamán-Garaicoa, Fuad and Mena, Gabriela (2017). Knowledge of oral cancer among the community served during the stomatological lesion prevention campaign conducted at Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil - Ecuador. Acta Odontologica Latinoamericana, 30 (3), 113-117.
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Bell, Stephanie K., Mena, Gabriela, Dean, Judith, Boyd, Mark, Gilks, Charles and Gartner, Coral (2017). Vaporised nicotine and tobacco harm reduction for addressing smoking among people living with HIV: a cross-sectional survey of Australian HIV health practitioners’ attitudes. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 177, 67-70. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.03.023
Conference Publication
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Brown, W., Mena, G. and Mielke, G. (2021). High levels of physical activity are associated with a lower occurrence of heavy menstrual bleeding: data from a large population-based cohort study. 2021 SMA e-Conference, Online, November 2019. Chatswood, NSW Australia: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2021.09.118
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Mena, G., Mielke, G. and Brown, W. (2019). Do physical activity and sitting time affect associations between BMI and fertility in women? Data from a large population-based cohort study. 2019 ASICS SMA Conference, Noosa, QLD Australia, 23 – 26 October 2019. Chatswood, NSW Australia: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2019.08.245
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Brown, W., Mielke, G., Mena, G., Lamerton, T., Keating, S. and Haakstad, L. (2019). Physical activity/exercise and pregnancy – updating knowledge and understanding challenges for guideline development. 2019 ASICS SMA Conference, Noosa, QLD, Australia, 23 – 26 October 2019. Chatswood, NSW Australia: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2019.08.052
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Mena, G. , Mielke, G. and Brown, W. (2019). Do physical activity and sitting time affect associations between BMI and fertility in women? Data from a large population-based cohort study. 2019 ASICS Sports Medicine Australia Conference, Twin Waters, Sunshine Coast QLD Australia, 23-27 October 2019.
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Bell, Stephanie Kate, Mena, Gabriela, Judith Dean, Boyd, Mark and Gartner, Coral Elizabeth (2017). Australian HIV health practitioners’ delivery of the 5As of smoking cessation: a cross-sectional study. 15th World Congress on Public Health, Melbourne Convention Centre, Melbourne, Australia, 3-7 April 2017.
Other Outputs
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Physical activity and reproductive health problems in women
Mena Ribadeneira, Gabriela Paola (2022). Physical activity and reproductive health problems in women. PhD Thesis, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/c0a5dc6
