Exploring the economic burden of work-related injuries

By Rabeya Basri, AusHSI PhD Scholar

Every PhD journey is unique, and mine began with an unexpected challenge. I started my PhD while 31 weeks pregnant and welcomed my baby just two months later. Adjusting to life in a new country while caring for a newborn, with only my husband’s support, was challenging. However, the experience strengthened my resilience and reinforced my belief that determination and hard work can help us overcome obstacles and achieve our goals.

My academic journey began in Bangladesh, where I graduated with a degree in Economics from the University of Rajshahi and started my career in 2014 as a university lecturer. In 2020, I completed a second master’s degree in Economics at Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand. My interest in health economics emerged in 2022 through collaborative research using data from the Household, Income and Labor Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey, inspiring me to pursue a PhD in this field.

In 2025, I began my PhD at the Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation (AusHSI) to investigate the economic burden of work-related injuries (WRIs) in Australia using linked data from five statewide routinely collected sources. While work is essential for our livelihoods, it can also lead to injuries and illnesses, as we spend a significant portion of our time at work. WRIs include not only physical harm, but also psychological conditions and illnesses that occur either at work, while commuting, or during work-related activities. Despite their wide-ranging effects on individuals, families, employers, and the healthcare system, we still know relatively little about the long-term costs of WRIs.

My research aims to build a more complete picture of these impacts by bringing together health and workers’ compensation data. I am also investigating how people’s quality of life changes during recovery following a WRI. My research findings will provide evidence to support better workplace injury prevention strategies, improve rehabilitation and recovery programs, and help policymakers make informed decisions that reduce the economic burden of WRIs across Australia.

In addition to the strong support I receive from AusHSI for my PhD, I collaborate with the Jamieson Trauma Institute (JTI). Working with JTI lets me see firsthand how large datasets are managed and analysed, and how researchers from different disciplines work together to address complex health challenges. This experience has been valuable because it has strengthened both my technical research skills and my understanding of collaborative research. It has also given me the opportunity to learn from experienced researchers and apply these insights to my own work.

Being part of both AusHSI and JTI has broadened my perspective and enriched my PhD experience beyond my individual research project, and I am deeply grateful to my supervisors and colleagues. Their guidance, encouragement, and support have been invaluable throughout my PhD journey. They continue to help me navigate challenges, grow as a researcher, and make this journey meaningful and rewarding.