My broad research interests lie in the evaluation of public health interventions, particularly in maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH). Since 2002, I have lived and worked mostly in West African countries where I have gained experience in designing and implementing mixed-methods evaluation surveys and analysing the quantitative data they generate. With a sense of equity, I have a strong collaborative approach with my in-country research partners and have developed an interest in building their capacity.
I am also an integrative counsellor and psychotherapist and I am currently looking for collaborations and opportunities in Global Mental Health research. In my private practice, I blend the Internal Family Systems (IFS) trauma-informed model of therapy with humanistic approaches to therapy, attachment theories, neurosciences knowledge and somatic interventions, depending upon my clients. My years abroad broadened my awareness of otherness, and I give careful attention to diversity. I have developed a particular interest in depression, anxiety, addictions & eating disorders, trauma, loss & grief, and the integration of psychedelic experiences.
I hold postgraduate degrees in Public Health & Epidemiology (PhD; Pierre & Marie Curie University, Paris, France), Pharmacy (University of Rouen, France), and Integrative Psychotherapy (MA; University of East London, UK). I undertook my PhD at the Institute of Research & Development in Dakar, Senegal, from 2003 to 2009 undertaking mixed-methods research on scaling up Artemisinin-based combination therapies for treating uncomplicated malaria.
Affiliations
Teaching
Lecturing & Tutoring on Basic Epidemiology, Statistical Methods for Epidemiology (SME) and Distance Learning Statistics for Epidemiology (EPM102);
Supervision for the DL MSc in Epidemiology summer projects;
I co-organized Statistical Methods for Epidemiology from 2020-23. Currently I co-organize Basic Epidemiology.
Research
Maternal, neonatal and child Health; Mental Health.
At LSHTM, since 2011, evaluations in which I took a central role include:
- Antenatal corticosteroids for women with a high probability of birth in the late preterm period in hospitals, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria and Kenya (individual randomised trial, 2022 to date; BMGF funding)
- Attractive Targeted Sugar Baits to reduce malaria burden in children in Mali (repeated cross-sectional and cohort cluster randomised trial, ~2,500 households interviewed, ~3,500 children followed up and ~50 fieldworkers per survey, 2018 to 2024; BMGF funding)
- MTV Shuga multi-media campaign to reduce HIV related stigma and promote HIV knowledge, prevention, screening & treatment in Côte d'Ivoire & South Africa (cross-sectional household survey, ~9,000 individuals interviewed and ~60 fieldworkers, 2018 to 2022; UNITAID funding)
- The "Alive & Thrive" Initiative: Interpersonal communication and community mobilisation to promote optimal breastfeeding practices in Burkina Faso (repeated cross-sectional cluster randomised trials, ~2,000 to 3,000 women interviewed and ~60 fieldworkers per survey, 2015 - 2017; BMGF funding)
- The "Integrated e-Diagnosis Approach": Electronic algorithms to support health care workers' adherence to guidelines for childhood illnesses management at primary health facilities in Burkina Faso (stepped-wedge randomised trial, 2014 - 2017; BMG funding)
- "Can mass media reduce child mortality?": Development Media International (DMI) mass radio campaign to promote family behaviours related to child survival in Burkina Faso (repeated cross-sectional cluster randomised trial, each cluster covering approximately 40,000 inhabitants and ~100 fieldworkers per survey, 2011 - 2016; Wellcome Trust funding)
Selected Publications
