Dr Isolde Birdthistle MSc PhD
- 144
- LSHTM
- Keppel Street
- London
- WC1E 7HT
- T: +44 (0)207 612 7889
My main interest is to generate and apply evidence to promote the health of children and adolescent girls. After working with WHO's Global School Health Initiative and HIV/AIDS education with UNICEF, I came to LSHTM in 2003 to do a PhD in Epidemiology. My PhD research explored the sexual health risks to orphaned adolescents in Harare, Zimbabwe. My post-doctoral research explored causal pathways for the high levels of HIV and HSV-2 infection we observed among orphaned adolescents in Zimbabwe. My current work includes: further exploration of the determinants of young women's HIV risk; a review of HIV prevention programming in countries with generalised HIV epidemics (in collaboration with UNICEF); and collaborations to improve the ethical and scientific merit of research conducted by NGOs.
Affiliation
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health
- Department of Population Studies
- Department of Global Health and Development
Teaching
For the London-based courses, I currently teach on Design and Analysis of Epidemiological Studies (DANES) and the Intensive summer course on epidemiology and statistics. For the Distance Learning MSc in Epidemiology, I am a Project Organiser (EPM500) and a tutor on Practical Epidemiology (EPM103).
Research
My research interests relate to the causal pathways of sexual risk for adolescents. I'm looking at the role of sexual abuse, education levels, economic conditions (including forced and 'survival' sex), and family circumstances (including orphanhood) on the sexual experiences and HIV/HSV-2 outcomes among young people. More generally, I am interested in mixing both quantitative and qualitative research methods to explore social determinants of sexual health, and ways to transfer analysis into action on behalf of children and adolescents.
Research areas
- Adolescent health
- Child health
- Sexual health
- Social and structural determinants of health
Disciplines
- Epidemiology
Disease and Health Conditions
- HIV/AIDS
Other interests
- Child Sexual Abuse
- MARCH
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Selected publications
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Child sexual abuse and links to HIV and orphanhood in urban Zimbabwe.
Birdthistle, I.J.; Floyd, S.; Mwanasa, S.; Nyagadza, A.; Gwiza, E.; Glynn, J.R.;
J Epidemiol Community Health, 2010;
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Is education the link between orphanhood and HIV/HSV-2 risk among female adolescents in urban Zimbabwe?
Birdthistle, I.; Floyd, S.; Nyagadza, A.; Mudziwapasi, N.; Gregson, S.; Glynn, J.R.;
Soc Sci Med, 2009; 68(10):1810-8
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Systematic review exploring time trends in the association between educational attainment and risk of HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa.
Hargreaves, J.R.; Bonell, C.P.; Boler, T.; Boccia, D.; Birdthistle, I.; Fletcher, A.; Pronyk, P.M.; Glynn, J.R.;
AIDS, 2008; 22(3):403-14
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From affected to infected? Orphanhood and HIV risk among female adolescents in urban Zimbabwe.
Birdthistle, I.J.; Floyd, S.; Machingura, A.; Mudziwapasi, N.; Gregson, S.; Glynn, J.R.;
AIDS, 2008; 22(6):759-66
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A systematic review of hepatitis C virus genotypes and subtypes in G7 countries
Pimenta, J. M.; Birdthistle, I.; Gardner, S. D.; Gray, D. F.
Hepatology, 2004; 40(4):417A
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Understanding the needs of orphans and other children affected by HIV and AIDS in Africa: the State of the Science
USAID (inc. Birdthistle, I.)
Support for Analysis & Research in Africa (SARA) Project, for USAID Bureau for Africa (Washington DC) 2004
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Focusing Resources on Effective School Health: a FRESH start to enhancing HIV/AIDS prevention.
Gillespie, A.; Birdthistle, I; Jones, J; Bundy, D; Hoffman, Am; Et Al
in 'Commonwealth Education Partnerships' (2002) Commonwealth Secretariat: TSO (London)
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Youth exposure to violence: prevalence, risks, and consequences.
Buka, S.L.; Stichick, T.L.; Birdthistle, I.; Earls, F.J.;
Am J Orthopsychiatry, 2001; 71(3):298-310
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