
Dr Jo Kesten
BSc(Lough.), PhD(Lough.)
Current positions
Research Fellow
Bristol Medical School (PHS)
Contact
Media contact
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Research interests
Joanna’s research interests are the use of qualitative methods to understand ‘what works, for whom and in what circumstances’ in public health interventions. In particular her research explores the acceptability, feasibility and effectiveness of public health interventions. Joanna primarily uses qualitative methods in her research and is also interested in mixed methods research. Most of her research to date has been in the areas of child health and physical activity interventions.
Joanna joined the NIHR CLAHRC West and the Health Protection Research Unit in February 2015. Prior to this she worked in the Centre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences on the Bristol Girls Dance Project, a cluster randomised controlled trial designed to determine the effectiveness of a dance-intervention to improve the objectively assessed physical activity of 11-12 year old girls with Professor Russ Jago. Before moving to Bristol, Joanna spent a year in CEDAR (Centre for Diet and Activity Research) at Cambridge University, examining the effects of environmental changes on travel behaviour, physical activity and health.
Her PhD thesis examined the role of community readiness in the prevention of overweight and obesity in pre-adolescent girls.
Projects and supervisions
Research projects
FAB Kids
Role
Co-Investigator
Description
We have developed an interactive workshop aimed at Year 5 and 6 children (initially) that extols the virtues of making healthy lifestyle choices. The workshop is closely aligned with the…Managing organisational unit
School for Policy StudiesDates
01/07/2013 to 31/07/2015
Rework of Bristol Girls Dance Project - NIHR Public Health Board
Principal Investigator
Role
Researcher
Description
Many children do not do enough physical activity. Girls are less active than boys. Getting low-active girls to do more physical activity would improve their hearts, lungs, and mental well-being.…Managing organisational unit
School for Policy StudiesDates
01/04/2013 to 31/07/2016
Thesis supervisions
Publications
Recent publications
01/10/2022The Agile Co-production and Evaluation (ACE) framework for developing public health interventions, messaging and guidance
Acceptability of, and barriers and facilitators to, a pilot physical health service for people who inject drugs
International Journal of Drug Policy
Changes in the development of opioid tolerance on re-exposure among people who use heroin: a qualitative study
PLoS ONE
Development of an educational package for the universal human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme
Research Involvement and Engagement
Should I Stay or Should I Go? A qualitative exploration of stigma and other factors influencing opioid agonist treatment journeys
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health