Some Academic Research of Merryl Uebel-Yan

1. Quantitative and qualitative evaluations of brief interventions to change excessive 
drinking, smoking and stress in the police force 

Co-authors: Richmond R. L.; Kehoe L.; Hailstone S.; Wodak A.; Uebel-Yan, Merryl.
Source: Addiction, Volume 94, Number 10, 1 October 1999, pp. 1509-1521(13)
Publisher: Carfax Publishing
Aims. To evaluate the effects of a brief intervention to reduce excessive drinking, 
smoking and stress among police. 
Design. (1) Controlled intervention trial with pre and post-intervention assessment 
approximately 8 months apart; 
(2) focus group identification of relevant factors. 
Setting, participants. Assessment was carried out of 954 NSW (Australia) police at 19 
stations within two matched districts in the Sydney metropolitan area. Five focus 
groups were carried out with 43 randomly selected police from the matched districts. 
Measurements. Weekly alcohol consumption and binge drinking, smoking and 
symptoms of stress were measured 
by a self-administered Health and Fitness Questionnaire. Recorded responses to set 
questions provided qualitative data. 
Results. Participation was high (89%) at both quantitative assessments. Alcohol 
consumption, particularly among men, was high at both baseline and follow-up 
assessments, although comparisons between groups across occasions showed no 
significant intervention effects. Excessive drinkers and those reporting moderate to 
severe stress levels reported more sick leave days ( p < 0.05, p < 0.05). A significant 
increase in awareness of alcohol policies in the work-place showed in both 
experimental and control groups over time (p < 0.01). The percentage of smokers 
declined significantly in both intervention and control groups. Overall, women had 
significantly more symptoms of stress than men. Only 20% of police thought they 
would seek advice from work-place staff about alcohol consumption, 14% for 
smoking and 61% for stress. In the qualitative study, employees generally distrusted 
their organization's involvement in health unless work performance was affected. 
Seeking professional assistance for life-style issues was viewed as a sign of 
weakness. Alcohol use was seen as a way of obtaining information or group 
membership, self-medication and socializing. 
Conclusions. The brief interventions did not produce significant improvements in 
three life-style factors beyond positive trends in alcohol consumption among women 
and general reductions in smoking among both study groups. Combining 
quantitative and qualitative approaches helped identify interactive individual and 
organizational factors which influence behavioural and cultural norms.





2. Access to Information by Parents of Children with Disabilities.

During 2001, Merryl Uebel-Yan was enrolled in the Masters AppSc by Research at 
Charles Sturt University. At the time, she was living in rural New South Wales, and 
studying part time by distance education.
Two and a half years previously, Merryl gave birth to a daughter with Downs 
Syndrome.
Life for Merryl and her family was ineffably altered. While enriching beyond 
measure, the road was not without significant pain and difficulty.
In her research, Merryl sought to make use of her life experiences in investigating 
how parents of children with disabilities acquire information that they need to adapt, 
make decisions, access services and facilities, obtain benefits and entitlements.
In modelling the behaviour of parents in regard to their accessing of information and 
services, Merryl sought to identify how parents acquire or are frustrated in their 
attempts to acquire information and to identify the specific nature of information 
problems experienced. She intended to identify any related differences that may exist 
between parents who reside in suburban, inner city or rural areas.
Merryl intended that the model she developed as a result of her research would inform 
both theory and practice. Gaps in existing "Information Behaviour-Information Need 
and Seeking" theory were identified. Merryl then conceptualised some of those 
phenomena absent from current theory. Her research allowed her to specify problems 
and parental needs that require attention, so that parents of children with disability 
might have ready access to available and essential information and services.

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LINEAGE: Merryl Uebel d/o Royde Murray Uebel s/o Roy Ambler Uebel s/o Wilhelmina 
Murray d/o James Murray s/o Matthew Murray s/o James Murray & Wilhelmina Reid of
"Warrawang".