Senior Research Fellow
Email: Helen.Smith@bthft.nhs.uk
Tel: 01274
Twitter:@cjdhel
ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3524-7930
Background
Helen is a social scientist, with a BA (Hons) in Human Geography (1997), an MA in Applied Population Research (1998) both from University of Exeter, and a PhD (University of Liverpool) in implementing evidence-based obstetric care in low and middle income countries (2002). She started her research career at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in 1998 in a DFID-funded research programme that produced Cochrane systematic reviews and had a focus on getting evidence into policy and practice. After a brief spell at University of Manchester, she returned to LSTM to expand her portfolio of work on quality of care and maternal health and latterly led the research team at Malaria Consortium, a charity in London. She has experience leading research, technical assistance and postgraduate teaching in international public health and has worked with colleagues all over the world. Her research interests relate to the social and behavioural aspects of the provision, use and quality of health care and she has expertise in qualitative research methodology applied to health services research and research synthesis.
Research interests
Helen is working in the Improvement Science theme, supporting qualitative research across all the ARC themes. She is currently working with the Older People and Frailty theme leading a qualitative study on ‘promoting the benefits of shorter hospital stays’, and supporting a project on managing uncertainty in emergency care within the Urgent and Emergency Care theme. She is also supporting bids and new projects within the Early Life and Prevention theme.
Recent Publications
Mweemba O, Smith H, Coombe H. Exploring the gender specific impact of educational film on maternal and child health knowledge and behaviour: A qualitative study in Serenje district, Zambia. Int Q Comm Health Educ 2020;0(0)1-15
Rousseva C, Kammath V, Tancred T, Smith H. Health worker’s views on audit in maternal and newborn healthcare in LMICs: a qualitative evidence synthesis. Tropical Medicine and International Health 2020; 29 Jan
Mgawadere F, Smith H, Asfaw A, Lambert J, van den Broek N. ‘There is no time for knowing each other”: quality of care during childbirth in a low resource setting. Midwifery 2019; 75:33-40
Ward C, Baker K, Smith H, Maurel A, Getachew D, Habte T et al. Usability and acceptability of an automated respiratory rate counter to assess children for symptoms of pneumonia: a cross-sectional study in Ethiopia. Acta Paediatrica 2019; 22 October
Kallander K, Ward C, Smith H, Bhattarai R, Ashish KC, Lamichhane B et al. Usability and acceptability of an automated respiratory rate counter to assess childhood pneumonia in Nepal. Acta Paediatrica 2019;00:1-14
Dickinson F, McCauley M, Smith H, van den Broek N. Patient Reported Outcome Measures for use in Pregnancy and Childbirth: a systematic review. BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth. 2019, 19:155
Norris SL, Rehfuess EA, Smith H, et al. Complex health interventions in complex systems: improving the process and methods for evidence-informed health decisions. BMJ Global Health 2019;4:e000963.
Dewez JE, Chellani H, Nangia H, Metsis K, Smith H, Mathai M, van den Broek N. Healthcare workers’ views on the use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in neonates: a qualitative study in Andhra Pradesh, India. BMC Pediatrics 2018;18:347.
Pyone T, Smith H, van den Broek N. Implementation of free maternal health services and its implications for health system governance in Kenya. BMJ Global Health 2017;2:e000249
Smith HJ, Portela A, Marston C. Improving implementation of health promotion interventions for maternal and newborn health. BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth 2017, 17:280
Helen Smith, Atnafu Getachew Asfaw, Kyaw Myint Aung, Lastone Chikoti, Florence Mgawadere, Luigi d’Aquino, Nynke van den Broek. Implementing the WHO integrated tool to assess quality of care for mothers, newborns and children: results and lessons from five districts in Malawi. BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth 2017, 17:271
Smith H, Ameh C, Godia P, Maua J, Bartilol K, Amoth P, Mathai M, van den Broek N. Implementing Maternal Death Surveillance and Response (MDSR) in Kenya: incremental progress and lessons learnt. Global Health: Science and Practice 2017;5(3):345-354. doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-17-00130
Smith HJ, Ameh CA, Roos N, Mathai M, van den Broek N. Implementing maternal death surveillance and response: a review of lessons from country case studies BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 2017, 17:233
Miller T, Smith H. Establishing partnership with Traditional Birth Attendants for improved maternal and newborn health: a review of factors influencing implementation. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 2017;17:365. DOI: 10.1186/s12884-017-1534-y
Andrea Miltenburg, Yadira Roggeveen, Jos van Roosmalen, Helen Smith. Supporting women, families and communities to prepare for skilled care at birth and in the event of complications: implementation considerations BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth 2017, 17:270
Barbara Madaj, Helen Smith, Matthews Mathai, Nathalie Roos, Nynke van den Broek. Developing global indicators for quality of maternal and newborn care: a feasibility assessment using health facility data from ten countries. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2017;95(6):445-452
Allott HA, Smith H, Kana T, Mdegela M, Bar-Zeev S, Ameh CAA. Comment to the Editor: Possible Reasons for Limited Effectiveness. Global Health: Science and Practice. 2016;4(4).
Bieh K, Weigel R, Smith H. Hospitalized care for MDR-TB in Port Harcourt, Nigeria: a qualitative study. BMC Infectious Diseases 2017;17:50. DoI: 10.1186/s12879-016-2114-x
Smith HJ, Stein K. Psychological and counselling interventions for female genital mutilation: Qualitative evidence synthesis. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics 2017;136;S1:43-46
Smith HJ, Stein K. Health information interventions for female genital mutilation: Qualitative evidence synthesis. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics 2017;136;S1:60-64
Smith HJ, Stein K. Surgical or medical interventions for female genital mutilation: Qualitative evidence synthesis. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics 2017;136;S1:79-82
Pyone T, Smith H, van den Broek N. Frameworks to Assess Health Systems Governance: A Systematic Review. Health Policy & Planning 2017, 1-13. doi: 10.1093/heapol/czx007
Olaniran A, Smith H, Unkels R, Bar-Zeev S, van den Broek N. Who is a community health worker? — a systematic review of definitions. Global Health Action 2017; 10:1 doi: 10.1080/16549716.2017.1272223
Khan WM, Smith H, Qadeer E, Hassounah S. Knowledge and perceptions of national and provincial tuberculosis control programme managers in Pakistan about the WHO Stop TB strategy: a qualitative study. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine Open 2016; 8(1):1-9
Kovacic V, Tirados I, Esterhuizen J, Mangwiro CTN, Lehane MJ, Torr SJ, et al. We Remember…Elders’ Memories and Perceptions of Sleeping Sickness Control Interventions in West Nile, Uganda. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 10(6): e0004745. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0004745
Shengnan Wang, Helen Smith, Zhuoxin Peng, Biao Xu, Weibing Wang. Increasing coverage of Hepatitis B vaccination in China: a systematic review of interventions and implementation experiences. Medicine 2016; 95(19):e3693
Laura Dean, Janet Njelesani, Helen Smith and Imelda Bates. Promoting sustainable research partnerships: a case study of a UK-Africa capacity strengthening award scheme. Health Research Policy & Systems 2015, 13:81
Smith HJ, Colvin CJ, Richards E, Roberson J, Sharma G, Thapa K, Gulmezoglu M. Programmes for advance distribution of misoprostol to prevent post-partum haemorrhage: A rapid literature review of factors affecting implementation. Health Policy & Planning 2015; 1–12 doi: 10.1093/heapol/czv012