The Americas
The following are some of our research projects and outputs in North and South America:
Institute for Global Health and Development
A Household Yeast Sensor for Cholera
Columbia University, USA
2018 - Present
This work is funded by the USA National Institute of Health and supports colleagues at Columbia University in the development of an innovative product for cholera diagnosis and surveillance. Researchers at IGHD explore the product's adoption, impact and cost effectiveness when used in humanitarian and low-resource settings.
NIHR Research Unit on Health in Situations of Fragility (RUHF)
Lebanon, Sierra Leone, El Salvador
2017 - Present
The NIHR Research Unit on Health in Situation of Fragility (RUHF) at QMU focuses on contexts where displacement, conflict, pandemic disease or weak capacity makes the delivery of health services especially challenging. Although its work seeks to be of wide relevance to delivery of healthcare in situations of fragility RUHF especially focusing on two vital but commonly neglected areas of health provision in thee contexts: mental health and psychosocial support and the treatment and prevention of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. RUHF researchers at QMU work closely with the Unit's collaborative partners - the Global Health Institute, American University of Beirut (AUB), Lebanon, and the College of Medicine & Allied Health Science (COMAHS), Freetown Sierra Leone.
Channels of Hope for Child Protection
Senegal, Uganda, Guatemala
2016 - Present
IGHD researchers have supported the evaluation of strengthening community-based World Vision programmes seeking to mobilise local faith communities in promoting child protection. After pilot work in Malawi, impact research studies are currently underway in Senegal and planned for settings in central Asia and Latin America.
Centre for Applied Social Sciences
Attachment and Political Information Processing
New York University, USA
This ongoing research project is focused on examining attachment style and how it is related to judgements about political candidates, and heuristic judgements with respect to leadership styles.
Social Transformation through Occupation Project Group
Canada, The Netherlands, Germany and Spain
2017- Present
Funded by ENOTHE (European Network of Occupational Therapy in Higher Education) Research project exploring the processes and theoretical underpinnings of projects of projects or organisations working towards social transformation through occupation
The effects of surf therapy with women who have experienced trauma
Groundswell Community Project, USA and Groundswell Scotland
2022- Present
Physical activity interventions that use surfing in the sea as a vehicle to achieve positive change and enhanced mental health outcomes in a range of contexts (Godfrey, Devine-Wright, Taylor, 2015; Lemarchand, 2014; Rogers, Mallinson & Peppers, 2014). There is also a growing number of surf therapy courses around the world designed specifically to support women, largely pioneered via an organisation called Groundswell.
Groundswell Community Project is a research-based trauma informed surf therapy non-profit organization that provides a safe and resilient community for all self-identifying women. The Groundswell Community Project supports women to surf and spend time in the sea as a vehicle to achieve enhanced mental health, well-being and community, with a particular focus on supporting women who have experienced trauma. The organisation is based in San Diego, California, and runs surf therapy programmes locally (usually 8 weeks long) and trains, supervises and supports affiliated community partners to deliver surf therapy in other locations across the USA, Scotland and internationally.
The current research aims to investigate how the Groundswell programmes may be beneficial for women and how to deliver inclusive surf therapy to often marginalised individuals and communities. Drawing from participants and volunteer experiences, we have been investigating the journeys of the surf therapy participants, how Groundswell programmes improve the lives of those who participate in them and possible ways the programme could be improved.
