Kay Cox, BEd, MPE, PhD
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Affiliation(s):
University of Western Australia
ORCID URL:
Areas of Interest:
exercise, physical activity and cognitive decline, Physical Activity and Cognitive Function, Active and Healthy Ageing, Cognitive ageing; dementia prevention; dementia risk factors
Biography & Research:
Kay Cox is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow in the Medical School at the University of Western Australia (UWA), Perth Western Australia. Previous to this appointment she was Research Associate Professor for over a decade in the same school. She graduated from the University of Western Australia with a Bachelor of Education and taught physical education in Western Australian secondary schools, both country and urban. She joined Edith Cowan University in Perth Western Australia as a lecturer in health and physical education and completed a Master of Physical Education with the University of Western Australia. After a decade of full-time family life she returned to study and completed a PhD in exercise and cardiovascular medicine specialising in the areas of exercise and blood pressure, obesity, lipids, diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors.
From her intervention studies in exercise physiology she realised that while people may know about the benefits of exercise on their health changing behaviour was a major challenge. In over 3 decades of intervention trials she has incorporated behaviour change models in the design and implementation of physical activity promotion studies in the older population. After more than a decade of conducting trials involving exercise and the prevention of cardiovascular disease Dr Cox recognised that the risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia were similar. Her research began to focus on this target group. These trials investigated the role of physical activity in preventing memory loss and cognitive decline, the physical and mental benefits of physical activity and incorporated behaviour change strategies for the uptake of physical activity in people at risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Dr Cox has been the lead investigator in the design of the physical activity programs and the strategies employed to promote physical activity behaviour change in older adults. Her more recent work has taken the next step to be focused on programs promoting physical activity that can be translated and implemented into clinical and community settings.
Dr Cox has several publications in exercise, physical activity promotion covering a wide area of health issues including mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, diabetes and other cardiovascular and dementia risk factors. She has been a chief investigator on several local and nationally competitive grants. Dr cox regularly reviews papers and grant applications. She has been the recipient of two young investigators awards (Royal Perth Hospital Foundation) a West Australian Health Promotion Fellowship and Health Promotion Award.
Complementary to her formal research Dr Cox has also used her experience and skills in promoting physical activity in the community. As co-founder of Masters Swimming in WA and later National Coaching Director of Masters Swimming Australia she was instrumental in developing educational material for fitness and health promotion, adult coaching and learn to swim courses at the state and national level. She also has published articles, book chapters and a book on adult swimming. She received an Order of Australia Medal for her work in this area as well as several other life membership and community awards.
Dr Cox’s current research focus is in building on previous work and investigating strategies to enhance the uptake of physical activity and a healthy lifestyle in older adults and under-represented groups in the community setting.
