IGHD Doctoral Students
The doctoral students in the Institute for Global Health and Development (IGHD) are studying a range of innovative topics which address societal issues by utilising theory-driven approaches and employing creative methodological techniques. Below please find brief profiles explaining the doctoral research being undertaken by students in this Research Centre.
Dissertation title: Using a Realist Research Approach to Explore the Influences of Community-Based Interventions on the Behavioural Risks for Noncommunicable Diseases
This is a realist-informed study that seeks to understand the role of community-based (CBI) interventions in modifying the shared risk behaviours for cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes in adults. The primary objectives are: (1) To develop a realist program theory that explains the mechanism and associated context by which community-based interventions modify tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and harmful use of alcohol, and (2) To refine the program theory through realist qualitative interviewing of state-level CBI implementers and community members in Lagos Nigeria.
Email: ivictoruadiale@qmu.ac.uk
Supervisors: Professor Sophie Witter & Dr Karin Diaconu
Doctoral Research topic: Implementation of the Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) policy in Sierra Leone: My Ph.D. research explores the power dynamics, challenges, and opportunities faced by policy implementers at the national and sub-national levels.
Doctoral Research Methodological Approaches: This research will adopt a multisite ethnographic research methodology that combines ethnographic observations with In-depth interviews and a Power mapping exercise.
Keywords: Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health Policy, Sierra Leone, power, implementation.
Supervisors: Professor Sophie Witter and Dr. Maria Bertone
Dissertation title: The impact of cross-sector intervention on conflict-affected children's mental health in protracted humanitarian setting.
This study is built on the current response work of World Vision Uganda for the refugees in the Bidibidi settlement. The aim of this study is to explore the impact of MHPSS intervention on the mental health well-being of conflict-affected children by integrating MHPSS into child protection activities in the protracted humanitarian setting. It employs the mixed-method approach from a Pragmatic world view to answer the research questions. In addition to learning the effectiveness of integrated model, this study attempts to identify the factors the influence the outcomes during the process of implementation.
Email: dfanchiang@qmu.ac.uk
Dissertation title: Examining the Effectiveness of Social Mixing Activities in Creating Better Social Cohesion Between Migrants and Non-Migrants in West Lothian, Scotland.
My research aims to examine how social activities can enhance social cohesion between migrants and non-migrants in West Lothian, Scotland. While I may not have the ability to change the world, I firmly believe that I can make a difference in the lives of those around me. I believe academic researchers and policymakers should pay more attention to the experiences of individuals residing outside major cities such as Edinburgh, Glasgow, Fife, and Dundee. With the assistance of Police Scotland, Edinburgh & Lothian Regional Equality Council (ELREC), and West Lothian Council, I will employ mixed methods to answer my research questions. The expected outcomes of this research will broaden the concept of integration beyond just refugees and apply it to all members of society. Additionally, the research will provide practical solutions to local authorities and policymakers that can help foster social cohesion, reduce racial discrimination, and alleviate structural inequalities.
Email: MDRahman@qmu.ac.uk
Dissertation Title: Climate Change and Antimicrobial Resistance in Kenya: Health System Disruptions, Provider Responses, Community Behaviours, and Stakeholder Perspectives. (The CARe-Kenya Study)
Climate change and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are increasingly recognised as interconnected global health threats, yet little is known about how climate events and related disruptions influence human and health‑system dimensions in ways that may drive AMR. Specifically, little is known about how climate events disrupt health‑system functioning (through damaged infrastructure, medicine shortages, and service interruptions), how they shape provider responses, including prescribing practices, and how they alter community behaviours that could contribute to AMR. This study examines these pathways in two climate‑vulnerable counties in Kenya using a mixed‑methods approach. Quantitative analysis of facility‑level prescribing patterns before, during, and after climate events is integrated with qualitative insights from formal and informal healthcare providers, community members, and policymakers. By grounding analysis in real‑world experiences, the study aims to generate evidence to inform climate‑resilient, AMR‑responsive health systems in Kenya and other climate‑vulnerable settings.
Email:akheir@qmu.ac.uk
Dissertation Title: Belonging under constraint: EU migrants’ integration and status-seeking strategies in the post-Brexit UK immigration system
Immigration and integration are deeply existential, not merely technical or economic; they touch on identity, belonging, and social cohesion, raising questions about how newcomers are accepted into the national “we”. Controlling immigration was central to the Brexit ‘Leave’ objectives, leading to significant policy reforms designed to regain border control. While immigration laws continue to evolve, with further restrictions anticipated under the 2025 White Paper, this qualitative study raises a critical concern: How do post-Brexit EU migrants continuously adapt their strategies to secure legal status, foster belonging, and integrate within a system marked by persistent uncertainty and policy flux? Hence, combining intersectionality and life course theory, this study tries to offer a distinct and original contribution by reframing EU migrants not as passive recipients of policy, but as strategic agents actively navigating legal uncertainty. Epistemologically, the research is focused on understanding the subjective, lived realities of EU migrants. Ontologically, the research adopts a social constructivist view, stressing that concepts like 'legal uncertainty,' 'belonging,' and 'future planning' are not fixed, but socially constructed and constantly negotiated through human interaction and policy contexts.
Email: ikadilli@qmu.ac.uk
