Prof Rebecca French

Professor of Reproductive Health

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
15-17 Tavistock Place
London
WC1H 9SH
United Kingdom

Email
Rebecca

I am a Professor in Reproductive Health & Policy Research with over 30 years of experience, nationally and internationally, in policy-related research, mixed methods, survey design, intervention development and evaluation of complex interventions. I was awarded an Honorary Fellowship with the Faculty of Sexaul and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) in 2021 for my contribution to research. Interests include how preferences affect choice in healthcare, specifically around fertility-related decision-making, and how new models of care can be used to promote better health and wellbeing.

Recent work includes the SACHA (Shaping Abortion for Change) study (co-led with Prof Kaye Wellings), which examined how health services be best configured in Britain, and the Women’s Reproductive Health Survey (led) designed to monitor trends across the reproductive life-course in England. Currently, I am a co-investigator and am leading reproductive health projects within the NIHR Policy Research Unit in Reproductive Health and the NIHR Policy Innovation and Evaluation Research Unit.

I am a member of the fourth National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-4) Reproductive Health Working Group and have led on papers on contraceptive prevalence and sources of supply for Natsal-2 and 3. I collaborate with the Contraception and Abortion Research Team Access Project (CART) at the University of British Columbia, Canada and with the sphere Centre at Monash University, Australia. I was Chair of the FSRH Research Group between 2017-22 and continue to be a member of the group.

Affiliations

Department of Public Health, Environments and Society

Faculty of Public Health and Policy

Teaching

Currently, I am the Module Organiser for the Distance Learning Sexual Health module. I give lectures on three 'face-to-face' MSc modules, Foundations in Reproductive Health, Family Planning Programmes and Sexual Health, and am a seminar leader for Foundations in Health Promotion. Each year I tutor/supervise projects for around three MSc Public Health students and mark projects for this MSc.

Between 2017-21 I was Chair of the Distance Learning MSc in Public Health Exam Board. Prior to this, I was Deputy Chair for three years. I was a Distance Learning Project Module Organiser (PMO) between 2012-19. I worked with the other PMO, Prof Anna Foss on developing a mentorship programme where alumni supported current students with their projects. In 2018, we received the Director’s Award for Excellence & Innovation in developing students as researchers.

I gained a Fellowship in Higher Education in 2024.

I am currently supervising two research degrees students. Since 2020 I have been one of the Department Research Degree Co-ordinators.

Research

Interests include how preferences affect choice in healthcare, specifically around fertility-related decision-making, reproductive health and well-being, and how new technologies can be used to promote better sexual and reproductive health.

Research Area

Behaviour change

Evaluation

Health services research

Public health

Reproductive health

Sexual and reproductive health

Qualitative research

Country

Canada

United Kingdom

Australia

Region

Euro area

North America

Selected Publications

Safetxt: A randomised controlled trial of a behavioural intervention delivered by text messages to reduce sexually transmitted re-infections in people aged 16-24

FREE, C; PALMER, M; MCCARTHY, O; Jerome, L; BERENDES, S; Knight, M; CARPENTER, J; Morris, T; JAMAL, Z; Dhaliwal, F; FRENCH, R; HICKSON, FC I; Gubijev, A; WELLINGS, K; Baraitser, P; ROBERTS, I; Bailey, J; CLAYTON, T; DEVRIES, K; EDWARDS, P; Hart, G; Michie, S; Macgregor, L; Turner, KM E; Potter, K;

2022

British Medical Journal

Which Structural Interventions for Adolescent Contraceptive Use Have Been Evaluated in Low- and Middle-Income Countries?

BURCHETT, HE D; Kneale, D; Griffin, S; De Melo, M; Picardo, JJ; FRENCH, RS;

2022

International journal of environmental research and public health

Achieving proportional representation in a reproductive health survey through social media: process and recommendations.

MCCARTHY, OL; PALMER, MJ; Gubijev, A; WELLINGS, K; Mann, S; Leon, L; Callaghan, F; Patterson, S; FRENCH, RS;

2022

BMC Public Health

Improving experience of medical abortion at home in a changing therapeutic, technological and regulatory landscape: a realist review

Baraitser, P; FREE, C; NORMAN, W; LEWANDOWSKA, M; MEIKSIN, R; Palmer, M; SCOTT, R; FRENCH, R; WELLINGS, K; Ivory, A; Wong, G; The SACHA study team,;

2022

medRxiv

Effects of gender-transformative relationships and sexuality education to reduce adolescent pregnancy (the JACK trial): a cluster-randomised trial.

Lohan, M; Brennan-Wilson, A; Hunter, R; Gabrio, A; McDaid, L; Young, H; FRENCH, R; Aventin, Á; Clarke, M; McDowell, C; Logan, D; Toase, S; O'Hare, L; BONELL, C; Gillespie, K; Gough, A; Lagdon, S; WARREN, E; Buckley, K; Lewis, R; Adara, L; McShane, T; Bailey, J; White, J;

2022

The Lancet Public Health

Should COVID-specific arrangements for abortion continue? The views of women experiencing abortion in Britain during the pandemic.

Lohr, PA; LEWANDOWSKA, M; MEIKSIN, R; SALARIA, N; Cameron, S; SCOTT, RH; Reiter, J; PALMER, MJ; FRENCH, RS; WELLINGS, K;

2022

BMJ SEXUAL & REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

Are we prepared for change? The need for evidence on healthcare practitioner readiness for current and future trends in abortion provision in the UK.

FRENCH, RS; Shawe, J; PALMER, MJ; Reiter, J; WELLINGS, K; SACHA Study Team,;

2021

BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health

(Not) talking about fertility: the role of digital technologies and health services in helping plan pregnancy. A qualitative study.

FRENCH, RS; Shawe, J; TILOUCHE, N; Earle, S; GRENFELL, P;