Dr Katie Powell

BA, MA, PhD

Population Health, School of Medicine and Population Health

Senior Research Fellow

k.powell@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 6120

Full contact details

Dr Katie Powell
Population Health, School of Medicine and Population Health
Room G045, Ground Floor
Regent Court (ScHARR)
30 Regent Street
Sheffield
S1 4DA
Profile

As a sociologist, my research supports public health practice in the reduction of health inequalities (see my blog for the British Sociological Association). I have expertise in qualitative participatory methods (including ethnography and visual methods).

I work collaboratively with the public, community and voluntary sector and local government to build knowledge and tools that support a social justice approach to health improvement. My doctoral and postdoctoral research has developed new ways of i) explaining place-based health inequalities, and ii) evaluating attempts to reduce them.

Research interests

I have three major interlinked research interests.

  1. Exploring processes of inequity as they relate to health with reference to the role of place and social spaces.
  2. The implementation and evaluation of community-based health improvement interventions.
  3. Networks of social interdependency and their influence on health.

I have an interest in the ways in which reproduction of disadvantage and deprivation can be influenced by social interventions.  I am particularly interested in the ways in which health inequalities are shaped by social networks of interdependency and how this influences conceptualisations of 'place' and its relation to health. 

I have a broader interest in experiences of inequality influenced by socio-economic status, ethnicity, gender and disability. I am interested in participatory action research as a means for influencing social change.

I am currently involved in a range of projects relating to health inequality across the national School for Public Health Research funded by the National Institute for Health Research, examining children and young people's health and place-based inequalities. 

I also lead the evaluation of TimeBuilders, a time-credits system in Sheffield and am contributing to the development of community evaluation methods across the city.

Publications

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Journal articles

All publications

Journal articles

Conference proceedings papers

Reports

  • Salway S, Booth A, Such E, Hamilton J, Powell K, Preston L, Victor C & Raghavan R (2020) How can loneliness and social isolation be reduced among migrant and minority ethnic people? Systematic, participatory review of programme theories, system processes and outcomes View this article in WRRO RIS download Bibtex download
  • ali P, ariss S, crowder M, powell K & Cooper R (2017) Doncaster Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Programme: Evaluation Report View this article in WRRO RIS download Bibtex download
  • Ward F, Powell K, Thurston M & Cleary P (2008) Use and experiences of front-line health services amongst Black and Minority Ethnic residents of western Cheshire. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Powell K & Thurston M (2008) Commissioning training for behaviour change interventions: evidence and best practice in delivery. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Powell K, Perry C & Thurston M (2008) The National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme in Cheshire and Merseyside: perspectives of people with a sensory impairment. RIS download Bibtex download

Other

Research group

PhD Supervision

Viola Casseti:  Asset-based approaches to promote health and reduce inequalities between neighbourhoods: A qualitative theory-based investigation of two case studies.  Funded by the University of Sheffield doctoral Academy Scholarship.

Hibbah Saeed:  An exploration of dietary practices and associated factors amongst Ghanaians living in Europe.

I am interested in supporting research students in the areas of community interventions, place-based inequalities, participatory evaluation, and the work of the community and voluntary sector organisations in the field of health.

Teaching interests

I currently teach on the Masters of Public Health within the School of Health and Related Research:

Professional activities and memberships
  • Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2016
  • Sheffield Senate Award winner (2014) for Collaborative Activities for the production of the University of Sheffield's first set of Massive Open Online Courses
  • Member of the British Sociological Association
  • Member of the Health Equity and Inclusion Research Group
  • Member of the Politics of Health Group Steering Group
  • Visiting Lecturer in Public Health at Hedmark University College, Norway