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IGHD PhD Researchers

The doctoral students in the Institute for Global Health and Development (IGHD) are studying a range of innovative topics which address societal issues by utilising theory-driven approaches and employing creative methodological techniques. Below please find brief profiles explaining the doctoral research being undertaken by PhD students in IGHD.

If you are interested in applying for a PhD at IGHD, please visit the ��ݮ���� PhD information page.

 

Our current PhD researchers and their work

Duke Fan-Chiang

Email: dfanchiang@qmu.ac.uk 

Dissertation title: The impact of cross-sector intervention on conflict-affected children's mental health in protracted humanitarian setting.

This study is built on the current response work of World Vision Uganda for the refugees in the Bidibidi settlement. The aim of this study is to explore the impact of MHPSS intervention on the mental health well-being of conflict-affected children by integrating MHPSS into child protection activities in the protracted humanitarian setting. It employs the mixed-method approach from a Pragmatic world view to answer the research questions. In addition to learning the effectiveness of integrated model, this study attempts to identify the factors the influence the outcomes during the process of implementation.

 

Funke Adetutu

Email: fadetutu@qmu.ac.uk 

Dissertation title: Japa Journeys: Exploring Integration of Nigerian Immigrants In Scotland Through Film

In my research, I am using film to explore the integration experiences of Nigerian migrants in Scotland. The aim of my research is to explore the experiences of integration of Nigerian migrants in Scotland through film, using film as a medium that allows narration and storytelling, which can then be used to share debates about integration with a wider audience.

 

Ifeyinwa Victor-Uadiale

Email: ivictoruadiale@qmu.ac.uk 

Dissertation title: Using a Realist Research Approach to Explore the Influences of Community-Based Interventions on the Behavioural Risks for Noncommunicable Diseases

This is a realist-informed study that seeks to understand the role of community-based (CBI) interventions in modifying the shared risk behaviours for cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes in adults. The primary objectives are: (1) To develop a realist program theory that explains the mechanism and associated context by which community-based interventions modify tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and harmful use of alcohol, and (2) To refine the program theory through realist qualitative interviewing of state-level CBI implementers and community members in Lagos Nigeria.

 

Angus Fayia Tengbeh

Email: atengbeh@qmu.ac.uk 

Dissertation title: The implementation of the Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health policy in Sierra Leone: Dynamics, challenges, and opportunities faced by policy implementers at the national and sub-national levels.

This research aims to understand the challenges in the implementation of the Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMHCAH) Policy in Sierra Leone. It employs an ethnographic research methodology to understand the interactions, dynamics, challenges, and opportunities in RMNCAH policy implementation spaces at the national and sub-national levels. It combines participant observations, in-depth interviews, power mapping and document review to deepen the understanding of the everyday negotiations and contestations that underpin translation of policy objectives into practice in resource-poor countries like Sierra Leone. Given the accelerated efforts by the government of Sierra Leone to attain Universal Health coverage targets, findings from this research will provide a detailed account on how to improve the implementation of health policies in the global south.

 

MD Rezaur Rahman

Email: MDRahman@qmu.ac.uk 

Dissertation title: Examining the Effectiveness of Social Mixing Activities in Creating Better Social Cohesion Between Migrants and Non-Migrants in West Lothian, Scotland.

My research aims to examine how social activities can enhance social cohesion between migrants and non-migrants in West Lothian, Scotland. While I may not have the ability to change the world, I firmly believe that I can make a difference in the lives of those around me. I believe academic researchers and policymakers should pay more attention to the experiences of individuals residing outside major cities such as Edinburgh, Glasgow, Fife, and Dundee. With the assistance of Police Scotland, Edinburgh & Lothian Regional Equality Council (ELREC), and West Lothian Council, I will employ mixed methods to answer my research questions. The expected outcomes of this research will broaden the concept of integration beyond just refugees and apply it to all members of society. Additionally, the research will provide practical solutions to local authorities and policymakers that can help foster social cohesion, reduce racial discrimination, and alleviate structural inequalities.

 

Abubakar Kheir

Email: akheir@qmu.ac.uk 

Dissertation Title: Climate Change and Antimicrobial Resistance in Kenya: Health System Disruptions, Provider Responses, Community Behaviours, and Stakeholder Perspectives. (The CARe-Kenya Study)

Climate change and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are increasingly recognised as interconnected global health threats, yet little is known about how climate events and related disruptions influence human and health‑system dimensions in ways that may drive AMR. Specifically, little is known about how climate events disrupt health‑system functioning (through damaged infrastructure, medicine shortages, and service interruptions), how they shape provider responses, including prescribing practices, and how they alter community behaviours that could contribute to AMR. This study examines these pathways in two climate‑vulnerable counties in Kenya using a mixed‑methods approach. Quantitative analysis of facility‑level prescribing patterns before, during, and after climate events is integrated with qualitative insights from formal and informal healthcare providers, community members, and policymakers. By grounding analysis in real‑world experiences, the study aims to generate evidence to inform climate‑resilient, AMR‑responsive health systems in Kenya and other climate‑vulnerable settings.

 

Irsa Kadilli

Email: ikadilli@qmu.ac.uk

Dissertation Title: Belonging under constraint: EU migrants’ integration and status-seeking strategies in the post-Brexit UK immigration system

Immigration and integration are deeply existential, not merely technical or economic; they touch on identity, belonging, and social cohesion, raising questions about how newcomers are accepted into the national “we”. Controlling immigration was central to the Brexit ‘Leave’ objectives, leading to significant policy reforms designed to regain border control. While immigration laws continue to evolve, with further restrictions anticipated under the 2025 White Paper, this qualitative study raises a critical concern: How do post-Brexit EU migrants continuously adapt their strategies to secure legal status, foster belonging, and integrate within a system marked by persistent uncertainty and policy flux? Hence, combining intersectionality and life course theory, this study tries to offer a distinct and original contribution by reframing EU migrants not as passive recipients of policy, but as strategic agents actively navigating legal uncertainty. Epistemologically, the research is focused on understanding the subjective, lived realities of EU migrants. Ontologically, the research adopts a social constructivist view, stressing that concepts like 'legal uncertainty,' 'belonging,' and 'future planning' are not fixed, but socially constructed and constantly negotiated through human interaction and policy contexts.

 

George A. Ashu

Email: GAshu@qmu.ac.uk

Dissertation Title: Implementation and utilization of mHealth in fragile settings of Cameroon

This PhD explores how mHealth is implemented and utilized in fragile conflict-affected regions of Cameroon. This research falls within the scope of Implementation Science in the field of mHealth within the specific setting of conflict. Through mixed methods research, we are investigating how mHealth is being used and what barriers/enablers impede/allow for better implementation and uptake of mHealth in a conflict vs non-conflict region of Cameroon. Moreso, we are looking at how data sharing is done amongst stakeholders as Cameroon is currently seeking to develop its strength in mHealth and digital health as a whole. Through in-depth interviews, quantitative and qualitative data will be collected from community members, healthcare workers, mHealth providers and healthcare administrators in different sites of the 2 regions of interest. Once completed, we hope that this study will provide a basis for successful implementation and utilisation of mHealth in places like Cameroon and more so, in contexts where access to health services is critical such as in conflict areas across the world. 

Supervisors: Paul Kadetz and Esther Azasi