Our mission
Unhealthy time use is likely the most relevant modifiable behavioural and lifestyle risk factor, responsible for more deaths worldwide than, for example, smoking and obesity. Time-use epidemiology is the study of determinants, incidence, distributions, and effects of health-related time-use patterns in populations, and methods for preventing unhealthy time-use patterns and achieving the optimal distribution of time for population health, where good health is considered as complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not only as the absence of disease and frailty.
The aim of the International Network of Time-Use Epidemiologists (INTUE) is to draw together researchers and other public health stakeholders interested in advancing the field of time-use epidemiology. The Network was established as an international forum for experts in epidemiology and related fields to connect, communicate, raise issues, strategize, and strengthen collaborative research on health-related components of time use and ways to promote healthy time use in populations.
Specific objectives of the Network are to:
- Increase capacity for collaborative research and health promotion in time-use epidemiology;
- Facilitate transfer of research findings and other information between its members;
- Support translation of knowledge about health-related components of time use into public health practice;
- Provide a platform for its members to gain knowledge about research and health-promotion methods specific to the field of time-use epidemiology;
- Help build partnerships between its members when applying for competitive grants;
- Expand possibilities for organising meetings, workshops, and conferences on time-use epidemiology;
- Recognise and honour excellence and outstanding achievements in time-use epidemiology.
Structure
The main governing body of the Network is the General Assembly, constituted of all full members of the Network. The General Assembly meets at least once a year, and members can participate in person or by teleconference.
Management of the Network is vested in the Steering Committee elected from the membership. The Steering Committee consists of five officers, including the President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and two other appointed full members of the Network.
The Constitution of the Network can be downloaded here.
The Network is registered as an incorporated association (reg. ID: A0102619D) in Victoria, Australia.
Current Office
Dorothea Dumuid, PhD, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia (Treasurer)
Professor Scott Duncan, PhD, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
Louise Foley, PhD, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Charlotte Lund Rasmussen, PhD, Curtin University, Perth, Australia (Secretary)
Professor Željko Pedišić, PhD, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia (President)
Working groups
To advance the organisation of Network activities, the Steering Committee has established three working groups.
(1) INTUE Working Group for Academic Support
Key tasks:
- Providing academic support to INTUE members (e.g. advice on study design, data analysis, interpretation of results)
- Maintaining the INTUE academic discussion forum on Reddit
- Facilitating research in time-use epidemiology by connecting INTUE members with varying skill sets
Members:
Charlotte Lund Rasmussen, PhD, Curtin University, Perth, Australia (Working Group Leader)
Dorothea Dumuid, PhD, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
Professor Scott Duncan, PhD, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
Louise Foley, PhD, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Jill Haszard, PhD, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Professor Karel Hron, PhD, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
Professor Timothy S. Olds, PhD, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
Javier Palarea-Albaladejo, PhD, Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Professor Željko Pedišić, PhD, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
Tom Stewart, PhD, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
(2) INTUE Working Group for Network Expansion and Marketing
Key tasks:
- Advertising the Network and its activities through INTUE website and social media accounts
- Identifying potential new members through research publications, conferences, and social media
- Recruiting new members
Members:
Associate Professor Aleš Gába, PhD, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic (Working Group Leader)
Professor Željko Pedišić, PhD, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
Associate Professor Jana Pelclová, PhD, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
Rosemary E. Walmsley, PhD candidate, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
(3) INTUE Working Group for Research Dissemination
Key tasks:
- Posting news about research in time-use epidemiology on the Network’s Twitter profile
- Assessing the eligibility of published studies for the publication list on the INTUE website
- Suggesting news for the INTUE website
Members:
Aamir R. Memon, Peoples University of Medical & Health Sciences for Women, Nawabshah, Pakistan (Working Group Leader)
Shiho Amagasa, PhD, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
Si-Tong Chen, PhD student, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
Kaja Kastelic, PhD candidate, University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia
Professor Željko Pedišić, PhD, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
(4) INTUE Working Group for Internal Communications
Key tasks:
- Finding news that may be of interest to INTUE members
- Preparing the INTUE newsletter
- Distributing the INTUE newsletter
Members:
Assistant Professor Bruno Gonçalves Galdino da Costa, PhD, McGill University, Montreal, Canada (Working Group Co-Leader)
Iris Willems, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
Jiani Ma, PhD, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia (Working Group Co-Leader)
Professor Željko Pedišić, PhD, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
Previous Offices
2017 – 2021
Dorothea Dumuid, PhD, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia (Treasurer)
Associate Professor Scott Duncan, PhD, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
Louise Foley, PhD, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Professor Timothy S. Olds, PhD, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia (President)
Professor Željko Pedišić, PhD, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia (Secretary)