Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy Medical Sociology. PhD exploring the social construction of masculinities and relationship to men’s health beliefs, behaviours, illness and experiences of help seeking. MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow. Supervisors: Professors Kate Hunt and Graham Hart. Awarded 2007
- Master of Science Social Research Methods and Social Policy The London School of Economics and Political Science, 1997
- Bachelor of Arts with honours Applied Social Psychology & Sociology, 1995
Current and selected previous roles
- Self-employed, owner of ‘Rosaleen O’Brien, Research’ consultancy, January 2021 – present
- Freelance Associate at: Centre for Evidence and Implementation, August 2025 – ; Youth Futures Foundation, March 2024 – present; Picker Europe, February 2024 – February 2025; What Works Centre for Children & Families, November 2022 – present.
- Research Fellow, Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals Research Unit (NMAHP), University of Stirling, January 2020 – December 2020
- Research Fellow, Glasgow Caledonian University, July 2013 – December 2019
- Research Associate, Department of General Practice, University of Glasgow, June 2009 – June 2013
- Qualitative Researcher, Department of Primary Care, University of Oxford, September 2007 – May 2009
Selected previous projects
Process evaluation of the pilot implementation of the Avoiding Brain Injury in Childbirth (ABC) national maternity safety improvement programme, funded by Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and the Department of Health & Social Care. Carried out in collaboration with RAND Europe. 2024-5
Living with and beyond cancer – SUrvivors’ Rehabilitation Evaluation after CANcer (SURECAN), funded by NIHR. Carried out in collaboration with the University of Westminster (Lead Professor Damien Ridge) & Queen Mary University London. 2024.
What is the most sensitive way to ask for feedback from parents whose babies have died during pregnancy or childbirth? Funded by Care Quality Commission, conducted in collaboration with Picker Europe. 2024.
In search of flourishing lives. Funded by National Institute for Health and Care Research, this study looked at how social care can better support people with learning disabilities, so they can do the things they value and lead fulfilling lives. Carried out in collaboration with Manchester Metropolitan University (Lead Professor Sara Ryan). 2023.
Evaluation of Staying Close, funded by Department of Education, National Audit Office, carried out in collaboration with Foundations – What Works Centre for Children and Families. 2023
Reducing Parental Conflict (RPC) programme: an evaluation on the effects of interventions on parental relationships and children, funded by Department of Work and Pensions carried out in collaboration with Foundations – What Works Centre for Children and Families. 2023
Qualitative study exploring experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) in men’s same-sex relationships, funded by NHS Lothian. Carried out in collaboration with University of Edinburgh and Glasgow Caledonian University (Lead Dr Steven Maxwell). 2022
Minimum Unit Pricing: Qualitative study of the experiences of homeless drinkers, street drinkers and providers, funded by the Chief Scientist Office. Carried out in collaboration with Glasgow Caledonian University (leads Professors Carol Esmlie & Lawrie Elliot). 2021
What are LGBTQ+ people’s experiences of alcohol services in Scotland? A qualitative study of service users and providers, funded by Scottish Action on Alcohol Problems. Carried out in collaboration with Glasgow Caledonian University (lead Professor Carol Esmlie). 2021
Experiences of nursing through the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 seed funding awarded by Robert Gordon University. Carried out in collaboration with Robert Gordon University (lead: Dr Aileen Grant). 2021
Governing parental opioid use: a relational ethnography funded by ESRC. The Relations Study aimed to explore the health and social care of parents who use drugs and their families from the perspective of both parents, families, professionals and services. Carried out in collaboration with the Universities of Stirling (Lead: Professor Anne Whittaker), Kings College London, York and Edinburgh. 2020
A realist process evaluation within the Randomised Controlled Trial of Healthy Relationship Initiatives for the Very Early years (THRIVE), funded by NIHR. The study evaluated whether antenatal and early postnatal interventions, Enhanced Triple B for Baby (ETPB) plus care as usual (CAU) or Mellow Bumps (MB) plus CAU (versus CAU alone): 1) improved the mental health and well-being of pregnant women with complex health and social care needs; 2) improved mother-infant bonding and interaction; 3) reduced child maltreatment; and 4) improved child language acquisition. Carried out in collaboration with an international research team, led by University of Glasgow (Professor Marion Henderson). June 2013- December 2019.
The CARE Plus study – a whole-system intervention to improve quality of life of primary care patients with multimorbidity in areas of high socioeconomic deprivation. Exploratory cluster randomised controlled trial and cost-utility analysis. Funded by the Chief Scientist Office . Carried out in collaboration with the Universities of Glasgow (lead: Professor Stewart Mercer), Dundee, Cambridge, Stirling, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Scottish Government. June 2009 – May 2013
Follow-up care for men with prostate cancer and the role of primary care, funded by Cancer Research UK. Carried out in collaboration with Universities of Oxford (Co-lead: Dr Peter Rose), Oxford Brookes (Co-lead: Professor Eila Watson, Cardiff, Edinburgh. September 2007 – June 2009
Dr Rosaleen O'Brien 