Research area of interest is in the quality use of medicines, focusing on the patterns and implications of potentially suboptimal medicine regimens among older adults and the methods used to measure potential exposure.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion (Deakin University)
Bachelor of Health and Medical Science (Hons) (Deakin University)
PhD candidate in Pharmacoepidemiology (University Of Western Australia)
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Pharmacology (medical), Epidemiology, Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, Geriatrics and Gerontology
The development of a Community Service Announcement to raise awareness of the Home Medicines Review health service program Hui Wen Quek, Deborah Hawthorne, Esther Hernandez, Angus Thompson, Georgie B. Lee, et al. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 2025 Home Medicines Reviews (HMRs) conducted by credentialed pharmacists in response to referrals from medical practitioners are funded by the Australian government to improve the quality use of medicines. In late 2023, a grassroots group of credentialed pharmacists created a Community Service Announcement (CSA) to raise consumer awareness of the HMR program. Community Service Announcements are allocated airtime by mainstream media (e.g. television and radio stations) for promoting messaging in the public interest, such as health services. The HMR awareness CSA was funded by 250 donors through a GoFundMe campaign. Two days of filming with pharmacists, doctors and patients across three rural and regional areas resulted in a 28‐s video and corresponding radio sound bites. The CSA aired on major national Australian broadcast networks with coverage during both on‐peak and off‐peak times across all states and territories. The total value of the television advertising was estimated at AUD1.65 million. Radio messages were aired 36 times over a week on stations nationwide, reaching an estimated 1,911,300 listeners, approximately 8% of the Australian population. This CSA campaign illustrated the potential of health professional initiatives to raise awareness of government health programs. By leveraging crowdfunding and community support, this activity demonstrated a model for other health professionals seeking to promote similar health promotion and awareness initiatives.
Health Literacy and Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: A Scoping Review Bonnie Beasant, Kara Anderson, Georgie Lee, Mojtaba Lotfaliany, Monica Tembo, et al. Public Health Reports, 2025 Objectives: Although cardiovascular disease (CVD) is responsible for a large global burden of disease, a large proportion of CVD incidence can be prevented through health literacy (ie, the skills and resources of an individual to access, understand, and use information to make decisions and act on one’s own health and health care). We reviewed and synthesized peer-reviewed literature on health literacy and primary prevention of CVD. Methods: We followed methods from the review’s previously published protocol, which outlined a search strategy conducted on August 16, 2024, for 6 databases, linking concepts of health literacy and CVD risk and its associated knowledge, attitudes, or practices. One reviewer screened and extracted all articles, and a second reviewer screened a randomly selected 10% of articles at each stage to examine interrater agreement. We used the Office of Health Assessment and Translation Risk of Bias Tool to assess the potential risk of bias. Results: Of 35 studies in the synthesis, 26 (74%) were cross-sectional and 21 (60%) measured functional health literacy only. Twenty-three articles investigated health literacy as an exposure variable, 20 of which reported significant results. Eight articles examined the administration of health literacy interventions to populations at risk of CVD, and 4 presented health literacy profiles of populations at risk of CVD. Each study demonstrated at least 1 area of potential risk of bias but was deemed low risk of bias overall. Conclusions: Several studies in this review found an association between health literacy and CVD risk. More longitudinal studies, as well as studies that measure health literacy more deeply than simply reading and comprehending health texts, are needed to better understand the extent of this relationship.
Defining polypharmacy in older adults: a cross-sectional comparison of prevalence estimates calculated according to active ingredient and unique product counts Georgie B. Lee, Sarah M. Hosking, Christopher Etherton-Beer, Julie A. Pasco, Lana J. Williams, et al. International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy, 2025 Background Polypharmacy is common in older adults and may be associated with poor outcomes. However, methods used to define polypharmacy are rarely reported precisely, with potential implications for polypharmacy exposure estimates. Aim The aim was to investigate prevalence estimates according to different methods in an Australian population-based sample of older adults. Method This cross-sectional study included 735 adults aged ≥ 60 years participating in the Geelong Osteoporosis Study. Current prescription, non-prescription and complementary and alternative medicines were self-reported. Counting methods included the number of active ingredients and unique products. Polypharmacy and hyperpolypharmacy were determined using ≥ 5 and ≥ 10 medicine cut points respectively. Prevalence was estimated using ingredient- and product-level counts according to criteria defined by medicine schedule and type (i.e. scheduled prescription, non-prescription). Non-parametric testing measured differences between counting methods, univariate logistic regressions investigated disagreement between total counts and polypharmacy exposure. Results Polypharmacy prevalence (scheduled prescription medicines) was 30.3% and 35.9% (products versus ingredients). Prevalence increased to 52.8% and 57.3% when counts considered any medicine. Adults aged ≥ 80 years were most likely to use prescription combination products (OR 2.22 [95% CI 1.46, 3.35] p < 0.01), however, age was not associated with disagreement between product and ingredient polypharmacy exposure. Being male was associated with both prescription combination product use (OR 1.79 [95% CI 1.29, 2.47] p < 0.001) and disagreement between polypharmacy exposures (OR 2.29 [95% CI 1.15, 4.47] p=0.02). Conclusion Polypharmacy prevalence estimates varied substantially depending on the method applied. These data indicate the need for standardised reporting specific to medicines data and polypharmacy measures.
Navigating competing tensions: A qualitative study of experiences and perceptions of leadership among emergency medicine doctors Suzanne Rayner, Hayden Richards, Georgie B Lee, Elleanor Lee, Andrew Rixon EMA Emergency Medicine Australasia, 2024 ObjectivesEmergency medicine (EM) doctors are often required to manage a diverse set of complex challenges; navigating direct patient care, systemic issues and inter‐professional interactions. Leadership is well recognised as crucial in optimising both the delivery and the quality of patient care. There is a clear need to gain greater understanding of the reality of EM leadership through exploring doctors' experience and perception of leadership in EM, yet there is a paucity of research focusing on this area. The objective of the present study was to explore the research question: ‘What are the experiences and perceptions of leadership by EM doctors?’MethodsThis single‐site qualitative study was undertaken using semi‐structured in‐depth individual interviews to collect data. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and de‐identified. Reflexive thematic analysis was performed by the research team with the aid of DelveTool software.ResultsOur sample included nine participants incorporating consultants and registrars. Three major themes were identified: (i) situational tensions, (ii) relational tensions and (iii) leadership style tensions. Each of these was further explored with subthemes discussed separately.ConclusionsLeadership within the ED is complex and multifaceted, with doctors required to navigate many competing tensions. The present study highlighted key areas for future leadership development, including situational awareness, emotional intelligence and a fluid approach to leadership styles. The present study provides an important step towards enhancing the development of targeted leadership training for EM doctors.
The effect of deprescribing interventions on mortality and health outcomes in older people: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis Hui Wen Quek, Amy Page, Kenneth Lee, Georgie Lee, Deborah Hawthorne, et al. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 2024 AimsPrevious systematic reviews suggest that deprescribing may improve survival, particularly in frail older people. Evidence is rapidly accumulating, suggesting a need for an updated review of the literature.MethodsWe updated a 2016 systematic review and meta‐analysis to include studies published from inception to 26 April 2024 from specified databases. Studies in which older people had at least one medication deprescribed were included and grouped by study designs and targeted medications. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane tool and the Newcastle‐Ottawa tool. Odds ratios (OR) or mean differences were calculated as the effect measures using either the Mantel–Haenszel or generic inverse‐variance method with fixed‐ or random‐effects meta‐analyses. The primary outcome was mortality. Secondary outcomes were adverse drug withdrawal events, physical health, cognitive function, quality of life and effect on medication regimen. Subgroup analyses were performed based on age and intervention types.ResultsA total of 259 studies (reported in 286 papers) were included in this updated review. Deprescribing polypharmacy did not result in a significant reduction in mortality in both randomized (OR 0.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.84–1.09) and non‐randomized studies (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.36–1.38). Further subgroup analyses of randomized studies on deprescribing polypharmacy demonstrated a significant reduction in mortality in the young old (aged 65–79) (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.51–0.99) and when patient‐specific interventions were applied (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.63–0.99).ConclusionsDeprescribing can be achieved with potentially important benefits in terms of improved survival, particularly when patient‐specific interventions are applied and initiated early in the young old.
Health literacy and cardiovascular disease prevention: a systematic scoping review protocol Bonnie Beasant, Georgie Lee, Vanessa Vaughan, Mojtaba Lotfaliany, Sarah Hosking BMJ Open, 2022 IntroductionHealth literacy is ‘The skills and resources of a person to access, understand and use information to make decisions, and take action on their own health and healthcare’. Literature investigating cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention and health literacy often exist in silos, only exploring one element of prevention. This protocol aims to establish a scoping method of articles investigating health literacy and CVD preventive practices or knowledge in lay populations.Methods and analysisA scoping review was deemed the most appropriate study design. The topic was conceptualised, with preliminary searching informing subsequent development of search strings. A search of the following databases will be conducted on 31 January 2022: MEDLINE, Global Health, PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO and CINAHL. Studies included will be published in English, of appropriate design, measuring health literacy and some aspect of primary CVD prevention in lay-populations. These criteria will be tested against 25 ‘pilot’ articles from the results, undergoing necessary review before screening commences. A secondary author will screen 10% of abstracts, with a third subject-matter expert reviewing conflicts.Ethics and disseminationThis review will be disseminated through peer-reviewed scholarly networks, most likely including journal publication and conference presentation.Article summaryCVD is the leading cause of death around the world. This paper proposes an exploration of health literacy’s relationship with CVD prevention as a whole, contrasting with the more segmented reviews currently published.
Applicability of explicit potentially inappropriate medication lists to the Australian context: A systematic review Georgie Lee, Joy‐Francesca Lim, Amy T. Page, Christopher Etherton‐Beer, Rhonda Clifford, et al. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 2022 ObjectivesTo determine i) the similarity of potentially inappropriate medications specified in and between existing explicit lists and ii) the availability in Australia of medications included on existing lists to determine their applicability to the Australian context.MethodsThis systematic review identified explicit potentially inappropriate medication lists that were published on EMBASE (1974 – April 2021), MEDLINE (1946 – April 2021) and Elsevier Scopus (2004 – April 2021). The reference lists of seven previously published systematic reviews were also manually reviewed. Lists were included if they were explicit, and the most recent version and the complete list were published in English. Lists based on existing lists were excluded if no new items were added. Potentially inappropriate medications identified on each list were extracted and compared to the medications available on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods and Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Schemes.ResultsThirty‐five explicit published lists were identified. A total of 645 unique potentially inappropriate medications were extracted, of which 416 (64%) were available in Australia and 262 (41%) were subsided by the general Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Applicability of each explicit list ranged from 50–96% according to medications available in Australia and 25‐83% according to medications available under subsidy.ConclusionsPooling data from different lists may help to identify potentially inappropriate medications that may be applicable to local settings. However, if selecting a list for use in the Australian context, consideration should also be given to the intended purpose and setting for application.
Australian Polypharmacy Trends Between 2013 and 2024: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study in the Adult Population GB Lee, C Etherton-Beer, JA Pasco, OP Almeida, E Kelty, DB Preen, ... Drugs & Aging, 1-12 , 2026 2026 Citations: 1
Dispensing Patterns of Prescription Medicines Among Older Australians From 2013-2023 HW Quek, K Lee, C Etherton-Beer, GB Lee, DB Preen, F Sanfilippo, ... Journal of the American Medical Directors Association 26 (11), 105827 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
The development of a Community Service Announcement to raise awareness of the Home Medicines Review health service program HW Quek, D Hawthorne, E Hernandez, A Thompson, GB Lee, B Hart, ... Australasian Journal on Ageing 44 (3), e70086 , 2025 2025
Health literacy and primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: a scoping review B Beasant, K Anderson, G Lee, M Lotfaliany, M Tembo, S McCoombe, ... Public Health Reports® 140 (4), 342-357 , 2025 2025 Citations: 8
Defining polypharmacy in older adults: a cross-sectional comparison of prevalence estimates calculated according to active ingredient and unique product counts GB Lee, SM Hosking, C Etherton-Beer, JA Pasco, LJ Williams, ... International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy 47 (3), 824-833 , 2025 2025 Citations: 5
Navigating competing tensions: A qualitative study of experiences and perceptions of leadership among emergency medicine doctors S Rayner, H Richards, GB Lee, E Lee, A Rixon Emergency Medicine Australasia 36 (6), 868-875 , 2024 2024 Citations: 1
The effect of deprescribing interventions on mortality and health outcomes in older people: An updated systematic review and meta‐analysis HW Quek, A Page, K Lee, G Lee, D Hawthorne, R Clifford, K Potter, ... British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 90 (10), 2409-2482 , 2024 2024 Citations: 54
Medicines regimens charted for older people living in residential aged care: a repeated cross-sectional study describing the number of medicines, regimen complexity, high-risk … AT Page, K Potter, G Lee, H Almutairi, K Lee, K Wang, N Ailabouni, ... Journal of the American Medical Directors Association 25 (6), 104944 , 2024 2024 Citations: 14
The patterns and implications of potentially suboptimal medicine regimens among older adults: a narrative review GB Lee, C Etherton-Beer, SM Hosking, JA Pasco, AT Page Therapeutic advances in drug safety 13, 20420986221100117 , 2022 2022 Citations: 57
Health literacy and cardiovascular disease prevention: a systematic scoping review protocol B Beasant, G Lee, V Vaughan, M Lotfaliany, S Hosking BMJ open 12 (6), e054977 , 2022 2022 Citations: 14
Applicability of explicit potentially inappropriate medication lists to the Australian context: a systematic review G Lee, JF Lim, AT Page, C Etherton‐Beer, R Clifford, K Wang Australasian journal on ageing 41 (2), 200-221 , 2022 2022 Citations: 14
Discussing diabetes, palliative and end of life care: choosing the ‘right’language P Dunning, P Martin, S Milnes, N Simpson, GB Lee, N Orford Deakin University , 2021 2021 Citations: 10
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
The patterns and implications of potentially suboptimal medicine regimens among older adults: a narrative review GB Lee, C Etherton-Beer, SM Hosking, JA Pasco, AT Page Therapeutic advances in drug safety 13, 20420986221100117 , 2022 2022 Citations: 57
The effect of deprescribing interventions on mortality and health outcomes in older people: An updated systematic review and meta‐analysis HW Quek, A Page, K Lee, G Lee, D Hawthorne, R Clifford, K Potter, ... British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 90 (10), 2409-2482 , 2024 2024 Citations: 54
Medicines regimens charted for older people living in residential aged care: a repeated cross-sectional study describing the number of medicines, regimen complexity, high-risk … AT Page, K Potter, G Lee, H Almutairi, K Lee, K Wang, N Ailabouni, ... Journal of the American Medical Directors Association 25 (6), 104944 , 2024 2024 Citations: 14
Health literacy and cardiovascular disease prevention: a systematic scoping review protocol B Beasant, G Lee, V Vaughan, M Lotfaliany, S Hosking BMJ open 12 (6), e054977 , 2022 2022 Citations: 14
Applicability of explicit potentially inappropriate medication lists to the Australian context: a systematic review G Lee, JF Lim, AT Page, C Etherton‐Beer, R Clifford, K Wang Australasian journal on ageing 41 (2), 200-221 , 2022 2022 Citations: 14
Discussing diabetes, palliative and end of life care: choosing the ‘right’language P Dunning, P Martin, S Milnes, N Simpson, GB Lee, N Orford Deakin University , 2021 2021 Citations: 10
Health literacy and primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: a scoping review B Beasant, K Anderson, G Lee, M Lotfaliany, M Tembo, S McCoombe, ... Public Health Reports® 140 (4), 342-357 , 2025 2025 Citations: 8
Defining polypharmacy in older adults: a cross-sectional comparison of prevalence estimates calculated according to active ingredient and unique product counts GB Lee, SM Hosking, C Etherton-Beer, JA Pasco, LJ Williams, ... International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy 47 (3), 824-833 , 2025 2025 Citations: 5
Australian Polypharmacy Trends Between 2013 and 2024: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study in the Adult Population GB Lee, C Etherton-Beer, JA Pasco, OP Almeida, E Kelty, DB Preen, ... Drugs & Aging, 1-12 , 2026 2026 Citations: 1
Dispensing Patterns of Prescription Medicines Among Older Australians From 2013-2023 HW Quek, K Lee, C Etherton-Beer, GB Lee, DB Preen, F Sanfilippo, ... Journal of the American Medical Directors Association 26 (11), 105827 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Navigating competing tensions: A qualitative study of experiences and perceptions of leadership among emergency medicine doctors S Rayner, H Richards, GB Lee, E Lee, A Rixon Emergency Medicine Australasia 36 (6), 868-875 , 2024 2024 Citations: 1
The development of a Community Service Announcement to raise awareness of the Home Medicines Review health service program HW Quek, D Hawthorne, E Hernandez, A Thompson, GB Lee, B Hart, ... Australasian Journal on Ageing 44 (3), e70086 , 2025 2025
