
Dr Karen Coulman
B.Sc.(Saskatchewan), M.Sc.(Toronto), PhD (Bristol)
Current positions
Senior Research Fellow
Bristol Medical School (PHS)
Contact
Press and media
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Research interests
I am an applied health researcher and specialist dietitian having worked in the field of obesity (NHS and research) for 15 years. My current research focuses on improving access to obesity interventions and healthcare for people living with obesity including underrepresented groups such as people with mental health difficulties and learning disabilities. I held a National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Lectureship (2019-2023) based at the University of Bristol and North Bristol NHS Trust focusing on how to improve access to specialist weight management services. My PhD research (NIHR Doctoral Research Fellowship) focused on the patient's perspective of bariatric surgery, including developing a core outcome set, and investigating ways to improve follow-up care. A recognised international expert in health related quality of life and obesity, I collaborate on international projects to standardise patient centred outcomes for obesity interventions. I am passionate about cross-disciplinary collaboration and am co-Director of the 'Healthy Weight' Health Integration Team through Bristol Health Partners, which aims to improve how research, policy and practice interconnect related to the prevention and treatment of obesity.
Projects and supervisions
Research projects
Frameworks for the reporting of Anaesthesia interventions in randomised controlled trials. Project lead
Principal Investigator
Role
Co-Investigator
Description
The Anaesthesia Research Society and the RCoA Perioperative Medicine Clinical Trials Network (POMCTN) are stakeholders in this NIAA-funded project to create Frameworks for the design and reporting of anaesthetic interventions…Managing organisational unit
Bristol Medical School (THS)Dates
01/01/2021 to 30/06/2024
Publications
Selected publications
28/09/2023Access to publicly funded weight management services in England using routine data from primary and secondary care (2007-2020)
PLoS Medicine
Patient experiences of outcomes of bariatric surgery
Obesity Reviews
Diet or diet plus physical activity versus usual care in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes: the Early ACTID randomised controlled trial
Lancet
Recent publications
01/03/2025Frameworks for the design and reporting of anaesthesia interventions in perioperative clinical trials
BJA Open
A Core Set of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures to measure Quality of Life in Obesity Treatment Research
Obesity Reviews
Co-designing adult weight management services
BMC Public Health
Core Set of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures for Measuring Quality of Life in Clinical Obesity Care
Obesity Surgery
Holistic modelling as a catalyst for effective obesity policy
The BMJ