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Harrison Hansford

Harrison Hansford

PhD Candidate
Medicine and Health
School of Health Sciences

Biography 

Harrison is an NHMRC Postgraduate Scholar completing his PhD at the School of Health Sciences at UNSW and Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA). Harrison’s current research focuses on understanding whether, and for whom interventions for low back pain are safe and effective using ‘big-data,’ which allows us to answer questions that cannot be answered using other sources like randomised trials. He is also interested in developing patient-centred thresholds of clinical importance, the smallest worthwhile effect, to better interpret the effects of treatments.

Research title 

Improving the evidence-based management of low back pain

Research abstract 

Harrison Hansford is a PhD Candidate at UNSW whose research uses large-scale health data to evaluate the safety, effectiveness, and clinical relevance of interventions for low back pain. He applies advanced causal inference methods to answer treatment questions that are difficult to test in randomised trials and develops patient-centred thresholds, such as the smallest worthwhile effect, to guide clinical decision-making. Harrison has secured over $3 million in competitive funding, including an NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship, multiple university and centre-based PhD awards, and is the Methods Lead on a $2.7 million UK NIHR grant using target trial emulation. He co-led the international TARGET reporting guideline for observational studies emulating a target trial and holds key professional roles including Chair of the Transparent & Open Research Collaboration in Health (TORCH), Co-chair of the IASP Early Career Network Education & Congress Committees, and Founding Secretariat Member of the Australian Government Impact Evaluation Practitioners Network. During his PhD Harrison has published in high-impact journals (BMJ, JAMA, Journal of Physiotherapy) and serves as a peer reviewer for leading medical and specialty journals (BMJ, Annals of Internal Medicine, British Journal of Sports Medicine, PAIN, Epidemiology). Through his methodological leadership and commitment to research transparency, his research is shaping the next generation of real-world evidence to inform clinical and policy decisions.

Supervisors

Professor James McAuley, Dr Aidan Cashin and Dr Matthew Jones
Email

h.hansford@unsw.edu.au

  • Journal articles | 2025

    Cashin, A. G*., Hansford, H. J.*, Hernán, M. A., Swanson, S. A., Lee, H., Jones, M. D., ... & McAuley, J. H. (2025). Transparent reporting of observational studies emulating a target trial: the TARGET Statement. BMJ *Co-first authors. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2025-087179

    Journal articles | 2025

    Cashin, A. G*., Hansford, H. J.*, Hernán, M. A., Swanson, S. A., Lee, H., Jones, M. D., ... & McAuley, J. H. (2025). Transparent reporting of observational studies emulating a target trial: the TARGET Statement. JAMA *Co-first authors. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2025.13350

    Journal articles | 2025

    Salame, A., Ferreira, M. L., Hansford, H. J., Maher, C. G., Zadro, J. R., Lin, C. W. C., ... & Ferreira, G. E. (2025). The smallest worthwhile effect of surgery versus non-surgical treatments for sciatica: a benefit-harm trade-off study. Journal of Physiotherapy

    Journal articles | 2024

    Hansford, H. J., Richards, G. C., Page, M. J., Sharp, M. K., Lee, H., & Cashin, A. G. (2024). Reporting health and medical research. BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjebm-2023-112563

    Journal articles | 2024

    Hansford, H. J., Jones, M. D., Cashin, A. G., Ostelo, R. W., Chiarotto, A., Williams, S. A., ... & McAuley, J. H. (2024). The smallest worthwhile effect on pain intensity of exercise therapy for people with chronic low back pain: a discrete choice experiment study. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy DOI: https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2024.12279

    Journal articles | 2024

    Hansford, H. J., Cashin, A. G., Doyle, J., Leake, H. B., McAuley, J. H., & Jones, M. D. (2024). Barriers and Enablers to Using Intervention Reporting Guidelines in Sports and Exercise Medicine Trials: A Mixed-Methods Study. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy DOI: https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2023.12110

    Journal articles | 2023

    Hansford, H. J., Cashin, A. G., Jones, M. D., Swanson, S. A., Islam, N., Douglas, S. R., ... & McAuley, J. H. (2023). Reporting of Observational Studies Explicitly Aiming to Emulate Randomized Trials: A Systematic Review. JAMA Network Open DOI: doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.36023

    Journal articles | 2023

    Hansford, H. J., Cashin, A. G., Jones, M. D., Swanson, S. A., Islam, N., Dahabreh, I. J., ... & McAuley, J. H. (2023). Development of the TrAnsparent ReportinG of observational studies Emulating a Target trial (TARGET) guideline. BMJ Open DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-074626

    Journal articles | 2023

    Gleadhill, C., Lee, H., Kamper, S. J., Cashin, A., Hansford, H., Traeger, A. C., ... & Williams, C. M. (2023). Mixed messages: most spinal pain and osteoarthritis observational research is unclear or misaligned. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2023.01.005

    Journal articles | 2023

    Hansford, H. J., Jones, M. D., Cashin, A. G., Ostelo, R. W., Chiarotto, A., Williams, S. A., ... & McAuley, J. H. (2023). The smallest worthwhile effect on pain intensity of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and exercise therapy for acute and chronic low back pain: a benefit-harm trade-off study. Journal of Physiotherapy. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jphys.2025.03.004

    Journal articles | 2022

    Hansford, H.J., Cashin, A.G., Bagg, M.K, Wewege, M.A., Ferraro, M.C., Kianersi, ... & Jones, M.D. (2022) Feasibility of an audit and feedback intervention to facilitate journal policy change towards greater promotion of transparency and openness in sports science research. Sports Medicine - Open DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-022-00496-x

    Journal articles | 2022

    Hansford, H.J., Wewege, M.A., Cashin, A.G., Hagstrom, A.D., Clifford, B.K., McAuley, J.H., Jones, M.D. (2022) If exercise is medicine, why don’t we know the dose? An overview of systematic reviews assessing reporting of exercise interventions in health and disease. British Journal of Sports Medicine DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2021-104977

    Journal articles | 2021

    Hansford, H. J., Parmenter, B. J., McLeod, K. A., Wewege, M. A., Smart, N. A., Schutte, A. E., & Jones, M. D. (2021). The effectiveness and safety of isometric resistance training for adults with high blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41440-021-00720-3

2025

  1. Australian Pain Society 45th Annual Scientific Meeting, Melbourne - “Horses for courses: Is surgery necessary for some people with back pain?” – Mr Harrison Hansford, Prof Manuela Ferreira, Dr Paul Licina, Dr Jonathan Quicke, Steve Marsh (2025)
  2. International Back and Neck Pain Forum, Davos, Switzerland - “Mind the (evidence) gap: new methods to improve evidence-based decision-making” Mr Harrison Hansford, Prof Sallie Lamb, Dr Emma Karran, Dr Hopin Lee, Dr Aidan Cashin (2025)
  3. International Back and Neck Pain Forum, Davos, Switzerland - “Can we identify which patients to offer lumbar spine surgery?” Dr Bjørnar Berg, Prof Margreth Grotle, Prof Jeremy Fairbank, Prof Nadine Foster, Prof Adrian Gardner (2025)
  4. Australasian Epidemiological Association Annual Scientific Meeting, Hobart (2025)
  5. International Back and Neck Pain Forum, Davos, Switzerland (2025)
  6. Society for Epidemiologic Research Annual Scientific Meeting, Boston, MA, USA (2025)
  7. Australian Pain Society 45th Annual Scientific Meeting, Melbourne (2025)

2024

  1. International Association for the Study of Pain World Congress, Amsterdam, NL - "Pain Science Around the World" (2024)
  2. Sydney Spinal Symposium, Sydney (2024)
  3. Australian Pain Society 44th Annual Scientific Meeting, Darwin (2024)
  4. Australian and New Zealand Musculoskeletal Clinical Trials Network Annual Meeting, Adelaide (2024)
  5. International Association for the Study of Pain World Congress, Amsterdam, NL (2024)
  6. Society for Epidemiologic Research Annual Scientific Meeting, Austin, TX, USA (2024)
  7. Australian Pain Society 44th Annual Scientific Meeting, Darwin (2024)

2023

  1. Sydney Spinal Symposium, Sydney (2023)
  2. Australian and New Zealand Musculoskeletal Clinical Trials Network Annual Meeting, Sydney (2023)
  3. Australian Pain Society 43rd Annual Scientific Meeting, Canberra (2023)
  4. Australian Pain Society 43rd Annual Scientific Meeting, Canberra (2023)

2021

  1. International Back and Neck Pain Forum (online) (2021)
  2. International Society for Hypertension Annual Meeting, Glasgow, UK (2021)

 

 

 
  • PhD Candidate, UNSW (2022-2026)
  • Bachelor of Science (Honours), UNSW (2021)
  • Bachelor of Exercise Physiology, UNSW (2017-2020)
  • Australian Treasury Impact Evaluation Practitioners Network Secretariat (2024 - Present)
  • Society for Epidemiologic Research (SER) (2024 - Present)
  • Australasian Epidemiological Association (AEA) (2023 - Present)
  • Council Member (Student representative) (2024 - Present)
  • Berkeley Institute of Transparency in Social Sciences (BITSS) Catalyst (2022 - Present)
  • International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) (2023 - Present)
  • Member of the Education Committee, Co-chair of World Congress Committee (2023 - Present)
  • Australian Pain Society (APS) (2022 - Present)
  • Neuroscience Research Australia Research Quality Committee Member (2021 - Present)
  • Lead, Research Quality Champions Initiative (2025 - Present)
  • Australian and New Zealand Musculoskeletal Clinical Trials Network (ANZMUSC) (2021 - Present)
  • Early Career Research Committee Member (2024 - Present)
  • Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA) (2021 - Present)