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Health Behaviour and Wellbeing

Group Leader(s): Dr Emma Davies

About us
Leadership
Membership
Projects

About us

The Health Behaviour and Wellbeing group is an interdisciplinary research team dedicated to investigating the development and impact of prevention efforts for physical and psychological health and wellbeing.

We carry out high quality national and international research studies into the causes, consequences and prevention of poor physical and mental health. The focus of the group is to promote healthy behaviours with a view to preventing or mitigating lifestyle risks to health and wellbeing. The scope of the group spans the harms associated with substance misuse (eg alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs), lifestyle behaviours (eg poor diet, lack of exercise) and poor mental health.

Our research has been supported by grants from the MRC, ESRC, NIHR, CRUK, JRF, the EC and the AHMRC, with over £8 million of funding awarded for research projects and knowledge exchange activities. We welcome enquiries and applications from students interested in pursuing a PhD with our group, and from academics interested in exchanges and visits.”

Team at a Science for Prevention Academic Network event

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Leadership

Emma Davies

Dr Emma Davies

Reader in Psychology

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Jennifer Seddon

Dr Jennifer Seddon

Senior Lecturer in Psychology

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Membership

Staff

Name Role Email
Dr Mamdooh Alzyood Senior Lecturer in Public Health malzyood@brookes.ac.uk
Dr Jo Brett Reader jbrett@brookes.ac.uk
Katy Burch Assistant Director kburch@brookes.ac.uk
Dr Rosemary Chigevenga Research Fellow rchigevenga@brookes.ac.uk
Dr Georgia Cook Research Fellow gcook@brookes.ac.uk
Mr Lindsey Coombes Associate Lecturer elcoombes@brookes.ac.uk
Dr Emma Davies Reader in Psychology edavies@brookes.ac.uk
Dr Briony Enser Associate Lecturer benser@brookes.ac.uk
Professor David Foxcroft Professor of Community Psychology and Public Health david.foxcroft@brookes.ac.uk
Dr Sarah Hennelly Senior Lecturer in Public Health shennelly@brookes.ac.uk
Dr Sarah Howcutt Academic Director, Global Banking School Partnership and Principal Lecturer in Public Health showcutt@brookes.ac.uk
Mrs Fiona Matley Post-Graduate Research Assistant fmatley@brookes.ac.uk
Miss Laura O'Callaghan Senior Lecturer locallaghan@brookes.ac.uk
Mrs Lilly Sabir Demonstrator in Psychology lsabir@brookes.ac.uk
Dr Jennifer Seddon Senior Lecturer in Psychology jseddon@brookes.ac.uk
Linda Shimumbi Lecturer in Adult Nursing lshimumbi@brookes.ac.uk
Kimberly Slessor Post Doctoral Research Assistant kslessor@brookes.ac.uk
Professor Louise Taylor Professor of Education and Student Experience louise.e.taylor@brookes.ac.uk

Students

Name Thesis Title Supervisors Completed
Urvita Bhatia Co-producing a prevention intervention for adolescent substance use and misuse in a sports-based setting in India Professor David Foxcroft

Active
Fiyory Ghezae Nonlinear pedagogy to support children in play and physical activity Professor Kate Wilmut

Active
Mrs Josie Jacobs Developing a Resilience Intervention to Promote Thriving in Parents of Primary School Children Professor Louise Taylor, Dr Emma Davies 2024
Fiona Matley Using automatic processes to change drinking behaviour in midlife adults Dr Emma Davies

Active
Parvati Perman-Howe The effect of alcohol strength on alcohol consumption Professor David Foxcroft

Active
Luke Prout Self-confidence in non-conveyance decision making amongst paramedics Professor David Foxcroft

Active
Natalie Wilde Alcohol Consumption and Mental Health Literacy in Young People Dr Emma Davies

Active

Collaborators

Name Role Organisation
Dr Kimberley Hill Associate Professor in Psychology University of Northampton
Dr Parvati Perman Howe Research Associate King’s College London

Projects

Active projects

Project title and description Investigator(s) Funder(s) Dates

Examining the impact of the Good Behaviour Game on health-related outcomes for children

Universal school-based prevention: examining the impact of the Good Behaviour Game on health-related outcomes for children
Professor David Foxcroft NIHR From: March 2017

Alcohol consumption following breast cancer diagnosis

 Dr Emma Davies Brookes Research Excellence Award From: August 2021

Messaging strategies that communicate the link between alcohol and breast cancer in women aged 40-65

Development and evaluation of messaging strategies that communicate the link between alcohol and breast cancer in women aged 40-65
 Dr Emma Davies Oxford Brookes University From: September 2020

Community and Hospital Pharmacists and E-cigarettes

 Dr Jo Brett CRUK From: September 2019

Improving the uptake of bowel cancer screening in the South Asian community

 Dr Sarah Howcutt Bowel Cancer UK From: September 2018

Completed projects

Project title and description Investigator(s) Funder(s) Dates

Science for Prevention Academic Network (SPAN)

 Professor David Foxcroft European Commission From: January 2021
Until: December 2016

SFP Cymru: evaluating the impact of the Strengthening Families 10-14 UK Progr. on substance misuse

 Professor David Foxcroft MRC From: September 2009
Until: December 2014

Steps towards alcohol misuse prevention programme (STAMPP)

A school and community based cluster randomised controlled trial
Professor David Foxcroft NIHR From: November 2011
Until: April 2016

Drug education in victorian schools (DEVS)

 Professor David Foxcroft Australian Research Council From: January 2011
Until: June 2014

Knowledge, attitudes and current practice of health professionals regarding the use of e-cigarettes

Knowledge, attitudes and current practice of health professionals regarding the use of e-cigarettes and other smoking cessation interventions in cancer survivors
 Dr Jo Brett CRUK From: March 2016
Until: June 2019

A digital media intervention tool to reduce alcohol misuse in adolescents

 Dr Emma Davies Alcohol Change From: September 2014
Until: March 2016

Engaging under-represented young women in studies that explore health risk behaviours

 Dr Sarah Howcutt Oxford Brookes University From: September 2015
Until: February 2021