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Reader of Epidemiology, Co-director of International Centre for Evidence in Disability, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

I am the co-director of the International Centre for Evidence in Disability and work to expand the research and teaching activities of LSHTM in the field of global disability. My main research interest is disability in low and middle income countries, with a particular focus on older people.

I have an undergraduate degree from Oxford University in Human Sciences and a doctorate from Harvard University in epidemiology. I have worked at LSHTM since 2002. I joined as a member of the International Centre for Eye Health, undertaking research into the prevalence, impact and control of blindness. I also focussed on other types of impairments, and on quantitative research about disability. Since 2010, I have been the co-director of the International Centre for Evidence in Disability.

I organise the MSc Study Unit on "Global Disability and Health". I also lecture on Disability on various MSc courses and the Diploma of Tropical Nursing.

In addition, I contribute to the Public Health in Eye Care and Epidemiology MSc course through supervising students, giving lectures, and taking part in the examination and MSc board meetings. I am also a seminar leader for the Basic Epidemiology study unit.

I currently supervise three PhD students. Morgon Banks is investigating the inclusion of people with disabilities in social protection. Goli Hashemi is conducting research on access to health services among people with disabilities. Andrew Bastawrous is investigating the incidence of eye disease among a cohort of older people in Kenya. I also supervise two DrPH students. Mark Speckley is examining the impact of hearing impairment and hearing aids in Guatemala. Anthony Duttine is investigating the planning of physical rehabilitation services.

I am the co-supervisor for Islay Mactaggart. She is researching epidemiological methods in the assessment of disability, and assessing the impact of disability, in Cameroon and India.

I am the co-director of the International Centre for Evidence on Disability.

My main research interest is in the epidemiological study of disability in low and middle income countries, particularly among older people. I work collaboratively with partners in LSHTM and externally, in both high and low resource settings.

There are three main strands to my research:

1. Assessment of the prevalence of disability, including in children, and development of new methods in undertaking these surveys (e.g. use of mobile technologies).

2. Investigation of the health and rehabilitation needs of people with disabilities, and how these can be met in low resources settings.

3. Research on the relationship between poverty and disability, and the potential role of social protection in breaking this cycle.

I also work with partners in LSHTM and externally to help integrate consideration of disability into their research.

I am committed to conducting research which will help improve the practice of government and NGO agencies in providing effective services for people with disabilities and their families.

Research areas

Ageing
Older people's health
Rehabilitation
Systematic reviews
Disciplines

Epidemiology
Operational research
Disease and Health Conditions

Cardiovascular disease
Chronic disease
Diabetes
Disability
Eye diseases
Regions

South Asia
Sub-Saharan Africa (all income levels)
World
Countries

Cameroon
India
Kenya
Other interests

International Centre for Evidence in Disability

Experience

  • –present
    Reader of Epidemiology, Co-director of International Centre for Evidence in Disability, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine