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Dr Ruth Willis

Research Fellow - Social Science

United Kingdom

My research addresses social aspects of health and health equity in resource constrained settings. Currently this focuses on chronic, non-communicable disease, and previous research has focused on child nutrition and HIV-AIDS.

My first degree was an interdisciplinary BA in Human Sciences at Oxford University, followed by a Master’s degree in Epidemiology and PhD in Sociology and Public Health at LSHTM.

I have previously held volunteer roles on the Independent Monitoring Board at a London Immigration Removal Centre, and with Doctors of the World UK (Medecins du Monde) as an outreach worker with undocumented migrants.

Affiliations

Department of Health Services Research and Policy
Faculty of Public Health and Policy

Teaching

In 2023-4 I am teaching on MSc modules Principles of Social Research (Term 1) and Qualitative Methodologies (Term 2), and am a tutor for MSc Public Health. I co-supervise a DrPH student researching health governance in Somalia, and contribute to PhD/DrPH upgrading committees.

I have taught a range of modules for LSHTM London based and Distance Learning Masters programmes in Public Health, Epidemiology and Global Health Policy.

I am an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Research

My primary research interest is in understanding patients’ experiences of health, illness and health care within their social context, and in applying this knowledge to strengthen health care provision. My research is informed by social theory and draws on qualitative and mixed methods.

I lead the qualitative component of the IMPLEMENT-CVD study, investigating the health system factors affecting implementation and access to fixed-dose combination therapy for hypertension and cardiovascular disease in Kenya, in collaboration with colleagues at LSHTM and KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme.

Recent projects include:

- PIC4C Scale-Up study in western Kenya, with colleagues in the Centre for Global Chronic Conditions, Moi University and KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme

- Situational analysis to strengthen the management of diabetes and hypertension continuum of care in humanitarian crises, in collaboration with partners at American University of Beirut (Lebanon), Hawler Medical University (Iraqi Kurdistan Region) and Partnering for Change

- Evaluation of the introduction of a cardiovascular secondary prevention polypill in MSF NCD clinics in north Lebanon

- Implementation research with MeSH Consortium examining feasibility and acceptability of HIV recent infection testing in Zimbabwe and Kenya.

My PhD research, conducted in collaboration with FECONACO Indigenous Federation, explored intersecting perspectives on young children’s health and well-being in Achuar indigenous communities in the mid Corrientes River region of the Peruvian Amazon, with a focus on family and health care provider framings of food practices. My thesis was awarded the 2015-16 LSHTM Jerry Morris Prize for outstanding research.

I completed my PhD part-time following maternity leave, then took a career break to look after my young family. I returned to research at LSHTM in October 2018 with a MARCH Centre Career Re-Entry Fellowship.

Research Area
Child health
Food
Health services research
Health workers
Public health
Anthropology
Sociology
Qualitative research
Mixed methods research
Disease and Health Conditions
Malnutrition
Non-communicable diseases
Chronic diseases
Cardiovascular diseases
Country
Iraq
Kenya
Lebanon
Peru
United Kingdom

Selected Publications

Developing an integrated model of care for vulnerable populations living with non-communicable diseases in Lebanon: an online theory of change workshop.
Truppa, C; ANSBRO, É; WILLIS, R; Zmeter, C; El Khatib, A; ROBERTS, B; Aebischer Perone, S; PEREL, P;
2023
Conflict and health
Examining the responsiveness of the National Health Insurance Fund to people living with hypertension and diabetes in Kenya: a qualitative study.
Oyando, R; Were, V; WILLIS, R; Koros, H; Kamano, JH; Naanyu, V; Etyang, A; Mugo, R; MURPHY, A; NOLTE, E; PEREL, P; Barasa, E;
2023
BMJ open
Implementation of fixed-dose combination therapy for secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease among Syrian refugees in Lebanon: a qualitative evaluation.
MURPHY, A; WILLIS, R; ANSBRO, É; Masri, S; Kabbara, N; Dabbousy, T; Bahous, S; Molfino, L; PEREL, P; Boulle, P;
2022
BMC Health Services Research
Chronic NCD care in crises: A qualitative study of global experts' perspectives on models of care for hypertension and diabetes in humanitarian settings.
ANSBRO, É; Issa, R; WILLIS, R; Blanchet, K; PEREL, P; ROBERTS, B;
2022
Journal of migration and health
Models of care for patients with hypertension and diabetes in humanitarian crises: a systematic review.
Jaung, MS; WILLIS, R; Sharma, P; Aebischer Perone, S; Frederiksen, S; Truppa, C; ROBERTS, B; PEREL, P; Blanchet, K; ANSBRO, É;
2021
Health Policy and Planning
Acceptability of fixed-dose combination treatments for hypertension in Kenya: a qualitative study using the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability
Mbuthia, D; WILLIS, R; Gichagua, M; Nzinga, J; Mugo, P; MURPHY, A;
2024
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Patient experiences of diabetes and hypertension care during an evolving humanitarian crisis in Lebanon: A qualitative study.
WILLIS, R; Akik, C; El-Dirani, Z; Truppa, C; Zmeter, C; Fleri, F; Perone, SA; Paci, R; Frederiksen, S; Haidar, CA; Hamadeh, RS; Fouad, FM; PEREL, P; ROBERTS, B; ANSBRO, É;
2023
PLOS global public health
Fixed dose combination drugs for cardiovascular disease in a prolonged humanitarian crisis in Lebanon: an implementation study.
ANSBRO, É; Masri, S; Prieto-Merino, D; WILLIS, R; Aoun Bahous, S; Molfino, L; Boulle, P; PEREL, P;
2023
BMJ open
Understanding the treatment burden of people with chronic conditions in Kenya: A cross-sectional analysis using the Patient Experience with Treatment and Self-Management (PETS) questionnaire.
Koros, H; NOLTE, E; Kamano, J; Mugo, R; Murphy, A; Naanyu, V; WILLIS, R; Pliakas, T; Eton, DT; Barasa, E; PEREL, P;
2023
PLOS Global Public Health
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