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Dr Melissa Palmer

Assistant Professor

United Kingdom

I am an Assistant Professor and my research focuses on sexual and reproductive health, primarily in the UK. I joined LSHTM in 2009 to undertake the MSc in Reproductive and Sexual Health Research. I then completed my PhD examining the circumstances of first sexual intercourse among young people in Britain. I have since worked at the School on a range of projects including the National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal); the safetxt trial (a randomised controlled trial of a safer sex intervention delivered through mobile phone messaging), led by Professor Caroline Free; the SACHA (Shaping Abortion for Change) Study, led by Professor Kaye Wellings and Dr Rebecca French; and the Women's Reproductive Health Survey for England 2023 (WRHS2023).

Affiliations

Department of Public Health, Environments and Society
Faculty of Public Health and Policy

Teaching

I am the Programme Director for MSc Reproductive and Sexual Health Research. I teach on Principles of Social Research, Statistics for Epidemiology and Population Health, Foundations in Reproductive Health, Research Design and Analysis, and Analysing Survey and Population Data modules.

Research

Current and recent research includes:

1. The SACHA Study: which aims to create an evidence base to guide new directions in abortion care in the UK. PIs: Professor Kaye Wellings and Dr Rebecca French

2. safetxt: A randomised controlled trial of an intervention delivered by mobile phone messaging to reduce sexually transmitted infections (STI) by increasing sexual health precaution behaviours in young people. PI: Professor Caroline Free

3. Analyses of Natsal data: I have worked on various analyses of data from the National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal), which have been carried out in Britain every 10 years since 1990.

4. Global Study of Sexual Behaviour: this project is brought together data from over 60 countries worldwide in order to examine patterns and trends in sexual behaviour over time. PIs: Professor Kaye Wellings and Dr Emma Slaymaker

5. Systematic reviews: I have worked on various systematic reviews examining the effect of mHealth interventions on health behaviours and outcomes.
Research Area
Reproductive health
Sexual health
Health inequalities
Quantitative research
Qualitative research

Selected Publications

Development and Validation of a Brief Measure of Sexual Wellbeing for Population Surveys: The Natsal Sexual Wellbeing Measure (Natsal-SW).
Mitchell, KR; PALMER, MJ; Lewis, R; Bosó Pérez, R; Maxwell, KJ; MACDOWALL, W; Reid, D; BONELL, C; Mercer, CH; Sonnenberg, P; Fortenberry, JD; Natsal-4 team,;
2023
Journal of sex research
Behavioural intervention to reduce sexually transmitted infections in people aged 16–24 years in the UK: the safetxt RCT
FREE, C; PALMER, MJ; Potter, K; MCCARTHY, OL; Jerome, L; BERENDES, S; Gubijev, A; Knight, M; JAMAL, Z; Dhaliwal, F; CARPENTER, JR; Morris, TP; EDWARDS, P; FRENCH, R; Macgregor, L; Turner, KM E; Baraitser, P; HICKSON, FC I; WELLINGS, K; ROBERTS, I; Bailey, JV; Hart, G; Michie, S; CLAYTON, T; DEVRIES, K;
2023
Public health research
Improving experience of medical abortion at home in a changing therapeutic, technological and regulatory landscape: a realist review.
Baraitser, P; FREE, C; NORMAN, WV; LEWANDOWSKA, M; MEIKSIN, R; PALMER, MJ; SCOTT, R; FRENCH, R; WELLINGS, K; IVORY, A; Wong, G; SACHA study team,;
2022
BMJ open
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
Effectiveness of a behavioural intervention delivered by text messages (safetxt) on sexually transmitted reinfections in people aged 16-24 years: randomised controlled trial.
FREE, C; PALMER, MJ; MCCARTHY, OL; Jerome, L; BERENDES, S; Knight, M; CARPENTER, JR; Morris, TP; JAMAL, Z; Dhaliwal, F; FRENCH, RS; HICKSON, FC I; Gubijev, A; WELLINGS, K; Baraitser, P; ROBERTS, I; Bailey, JV; CLAYTON, T; DEVRIES, K; EDWARDS, P; Hart, G; Michie, S; Macgregor, L; Turner, KM E; Potter, K;
2022
BMJ
Decriminalising abortion in Britain: what do patients and providers think?
FRENCH, R; Lewandowska, M; MEIKSIN, R; PALMER, M; SCOTT, R; WELLINGS, K;
2022
International Federation of Abortion and Contraception Professionals (FIAPAC)
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
The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on abortion care: a time series analysis of data from Marie Stopes Nepal.
Horan, C; PALMER, M; Shrestha, R; Erlank, CP; CHURCH, K;
2022
Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters
“Part of a suite of solutions”: a qualitative study exploring the use of Natural Cycles fertility tracking app in the ‘prevent a pregnancy’ mode
Freilich, K; PALMER, M; GRENFELL, P; FRENCH, R;
2022
16th European Society of Contraception and Reproductive Health Congress
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