Professor Ruth Garside

About me:

I am a social science researcher specialising in systematic review and evidence synthesis. I have over 20 years’ experience using quantitative and qualitative research methods to investigate a range of policy relevant health and social care questions. My work has informed national policy customers including the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), Defra and the Home Office. I am particularly interested in using a broad range of evidence to investigate complex public health issues, in methods of synthesis for qualitative research and in theory led methods of review. Recent projects forcus on evaluating the mental health impact of nature-based social prescribing.

My role at the European Centre for Environment and Human Health is to coordinate evidence synthesis across streams of research and to help develop these methods within environment and human health. My focus is on appraising health benefits from the environment.

I am also committed to public and patient involvement in research and am a founder of HEPE, a network of people from across Cornwall who have an interest in research about the connections between environment and health. The group aims to consult and collaborate with researchers from the Centre, ensuring that its work considers the public perspective at all stages of research, from design and conduct to dissemination. I Chair the Public Engagement Strategy Group.

Broad research specialisms

Policy relevant systematic review and evidence synthesis methods of complex interventions using quantitative and qualitative research evidence. Public and patient involvement. Nature-based social prescribing

Twitter @Ruth_Garside

Interests:

Systematic review and evidence synthesis methods for:

• Qualitative research.
• Reviews containing both quantitative and qualitative research evidence.
• Complex interventions
• Public health interventions
• Ecosystem services and health

Qualifications:

• 2007 PhD (Exeter) A comparison of methods for the systematic review of qualitative research: two examples using meta-ethnography and meta-study.
• 1993 MA (Sussex)
• 1991 BA (hons.) (York)