Laura Dean
Biographic Data
| ID | 3620522 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Laura Dean |
| GIVEN NAMES | Laura |
| FAMILY NAME | Dean |
| SIGNATURE | DEAN L |
| AFFILIATIONS | Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-4910-9707 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 36 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 115 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 36 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1975 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 6 |
Intersectional experiences of non-communicable diseases and health seeking strategies in informal settlements in Freetown, Sierra Leone
This paper takes an intersectional approach to explore the burdens of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and their interactions with gendered inequities and poverty, in shaping health seeking practices. The study explores the lived experiences of men and women living with NCDs in three informal settlements in Freetown, Sierra Leone. As Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) grapple with increased NCD risk factors, evidence gaps limit understandin…
Experiences of stigma and violence among persons affected by skin neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)
BACKGROUND: Persons affected by skin neglected tropical diseases (skin NTDs) commonly face stigma and violence, which perpetuates social exclusion, mental health issues, poverty and impedes health-seeking behaviour. Thus, stigma and violence limit the attainment of World Health Organisation (WHO) 2030 roadmap progress. Evidence on stigma related to skin NTDs pertains largely to leprosy, and experiences focus on the micro level, with limited consi…
Intersectional inequalities in healthcare utilisation in informal settlements in Freetown, Sierra Leone
Introduction Residents of informal settlements face significant intersectional inequalities, due to the overlapping and compounding effects of multiple social factors. This study aims to explore how these intersecting social factors, identified by community members, combine to shape household-level inequalities healthcare utilisation (HU) among residents of informal settlements in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Methods This study employed participatory …
Prevalence of mental health conditions in post-conflict Kasai Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Globally, one in five people in post-conflict areas are estimated to be living with a mental health condition. As a key public health issue, these conditions negatively affect individuals, communities, and societies to function after a conflict. Documenting the prevalence of mental health conditions amongst these populations is crucial to prioritise and guide future mental health interventions. This study was the first to use a repeated cross-sec…
‘We cannot just keep it in our palm’
This study investigates the development and implementation of Liberia’s policy to integrate the case management of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) into the broader health system. The policy responded to persistent challenges of inequitable access and fragmented services, as outlined in Liberia’s 2016 national strategic plan for integrated NTD case management. Using a qualitative case study approach, the research draws on stakeholder perspectiv…
Seven core competencies and conditions for equitable partnerships and power sharing in community-based participatory research
Equitable health research requires actively engaging communities in producing new knowledge to advocate for their health needs. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) relies on the coproduction of contextual and grounded knowledge between researchers, programme implementers and community partners with the aim of catalysing action for change. Improving coproduction competencies can support research quality and validity. Yet, frameworks and …
Multimethod evaluation of health services integration for neglected tropical diseases requiring case management in Liberia
INTRODUCTION: The WHO neglected tropical disease (NTD) roadmap stresses the importance of integrating NTDs requiring case management (CM) within the health system. The NTDs programme of Liberia is among the first to implement an integrated approach and evaluate its impact. METHODS: A retrospective study of three of five CM-NTD-endemic counties that implemented the integrated approach was compared with cluster-matched counties with non-integrated …
Voices and challenges of marginalized and vulnerable groups in urban informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya
Urbanization is rapidly increasing across Africa, including in Nairobi, Kenya. Many people, recent migrants and long-term residents, live within dense and dynamic urban informal settlements. These contexts are fluid and heterogeneous, and deepening the understanding of how vulnerabilities and marginalization are experienced is important to inform pointed action, service delivery and policy priorities. The aim of this paper is to explore vulnerabi…
How are Research for Development Programmes Implementing and Evaluating Equitable Partnerships to Address Power Asymmetries
The complexity of issues addressed by research for development (R4D) requires collaborations between partners from a range of disciplines and cultural contexts. Power asymmetries within such partnerships may obstruct the fair distribution of resources, responsibilities and benefits across all partners. This paper presents a cross-case analysis of five R4D partnership evaluations, their methods and how they unearthed and addressed power asymmetrie…
Implications of Covid-19 for safeguarding in international development research
COVID-19 brings uncertainties and new precarities for communities and researchers, altering and amplifying relational vulnerabilities (vulnerabilities which emerge from relationships of unequal power and place those less powerful at risk of abuse and violence). Research approaches have changed too, with increasing use of remote data collection methods. These multiple changes necessitate new or adapted safeguarding responses. This practice piece s…
A syndemic born of war
The intersections between NTDs, disability, and mental ill-health are increasingly recognised globally. Chronic morbidity resultant from many NTDs, particularly those affecting the skin—including lymphatic filariasis (LF), leprosy, Buruli ulcer (BU) and onchocerciasis—is well known and largely documented from a medicalised perspective. However less is known about the complex biosocial interaction shaping interconnected morbidities. We apply synde…
Barriers and Enablers to Health-Seeking for People Affected by Severe Stigmatising Skin Diseases (SSSDs)
People affected by severe stigmatising skin diseases (SSSDs) often live in the poorest communities, within the poorest countries, and experience a range of barriers to seeking timely, quality care. This scoping review analyses the available literature on health-seeking for patients affected by SSSDs, to identify enablers and barriers to health-seeking. We searched MEDLINE complete, CINAHL, Global Health databases for suitable articles published b…
Does inter-border conflict influence the views of task sharing among community health volunteers in Nigeria? A qualitative study
The perception of task sharing was mainly positive, despite the challenges, especially the current conflict. In this fragile context, reconsideration of non-seasonal task allocations within improved community-driven selection and security systems should be encouraged. Supportive supervision and providing adequate and timely renumeration will also be beneficial in this fragile setting
Financing care for Severe Stigmatizing Skin Diseases (SSSDs) in Liberia
Our findings contribute to the limited work on financing of SSSD services in West African settings and provide insight on challenges and opportunities for financing and large costs in accessing care by households, which is also being exacerbated by stigma
Pandemic Portraits—An Intersectional Analysis of the Experiences of People with Disabilities and Caregivers during Covid-19 in Bangladesh and Liberia
COVID-19 significantly affected people with disabilities, with many facing additional barriers in access to services and increased risks of poor health and social outcomes. Focusing on the impact of COVID-19 in the Global South, this study took place in Bangladesh and Liberia, where 14% and 16% of the population are thought to live with disabilities. However, there is minimal research on the needs and experiences of this population group and how …
Why onchocerciasis transmission persists after 15 annual ivermectin mass drug administrations in South-West Cameroon
INTRODUCTION: Onchocerciasis is targeted for elimination mainly with annual community-directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI). High infection levels have been reported in South-West Cameroon, despite ≥15 years of CDTI. The aim of this study was to assess factors associated with continued onchocerciasis transmission and skin disease. METHODS: A large-scale cross-sectional study was conducted in 2017 in 20 communities in a loiasis-risk area in So…
Diffusing Human Trafficking Policy in Eurasia
Offering a perceptive study of the urgent human rights issue of trafficking in persons, this important book analyses the development and effectiveness of public policies across Eurasia. Drawing on multi-method research in the region, Laura A. Dean explores the factors behind anti-trafficking strategies and the role of governments and activists in combating labour and sexual exploitation. She examines the intersection of global strategies and stat…
Psychological resilience, fragility and the health workforce
COVID-19 presents a time to redefine vulnerability; however, in discussions of vulnerability, the health workforce, particularly in \nregard to their psychosocial well-being, is often forgotten. Healthcare workers (HCWs) in fragile settings are constantly exposed to health system shocks, including; conflict, disease outbreaks and natural disasters, which compound the everyday challenges of working in an under-resourced health system. Based on a c…
How to prevent and address safeguarding concerns in global health research programmes
Safeguarding is rapidly rising up the international development agenda, yet literature on safeguarding in related research is limited. This paper shares processes and practice relating to safeguarding within an international research consortium (the ARISE hub, known as ARISE). ARISE aims to enhance accountability and improve the health and well-being of marginalised people living and working in informal urban spaces in low-income and middle-incom…
Local response in health emergencies
This paper highlights the major challenges and considerations for addressing COVID-19 in informal settlements. It discusses what is known about vulnerabilities and how to support local protective action. There is heightened concern about informal urban settlements because of the combination of population density and inadequate access to water and sanitation, which makes standard advice about social distancing and washing hands implausible. There …
Guiding principles for quality, ethical standards and ongoing learning in implementation research
Global health gains can be achieved through strengthening health systems to identify and address implementation challenges in low- and middle-income countries. Participatory research, that promotes joint problem and solution finding between communities and different health systems actors, supports policy implementation analysis at all levels. Within the neglected tropical disease programmes in Liberia and Nigeria, we applied participatory action …
Community drug distributors for mass drug administration in neglected tropical disease programmes
‘You’re disabled, why did you have sex in the first place?’ An intersectional analysis of experiences of disabled women with regard to their sexual and reproductive health and rights in Gujarat State,…
BACKGROUND: Globally, disabled people have significant unmet needs in relation to sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Disabled women in India face multiple discrimination: social exclusion, lack of autonomy with regard to their SRH, vulnerability to violence, and lack of access to SRH care. While they may face shared challenges, an intersectional perspective suggests that considering disabled women as a uniform and 'vulnerable' group is likely …
Powering Up Students to Challenge Their Own Deficit Views
Intervention programs designed to improve literacy skills also produce unintended outcomes that sustain a deficit view around some students. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions about learning of a group of 12–14‐year‐old Australian students assigned to a reading intervention class. The article reports on data collected from students over a six‐month period through interviews, including illustrated responses, and classroom obs…
Risk Behaviors and Psychosocial Stressors in the New York City House Ball Community
Local response in health emergencies
This paper highlights the major challenges and considerations for addressing COVID-19 in informal settlements. It discusses what is known about vulnerabilities and how to support local protective action. There is heightened concern about informal urban settlements because of the combination of population density and inadequate access to water and sanitation, which makes standard advice about social distancing and washing hands implausible. There …
The influence of social support on Aids-related grief reaction among gay men
The impact of Aids on a gay community
This report describes progress made to date on a study of the impact of the AIDS epidemic on the gay community of New York City. Using a model of the life stress process described by Barbara Dohrenwend and her colleagues, the AIDS epidemic was conceptualized as a community stressor resulting in two key stress-inducing events: death of loved ones due to AIDS and potential illness and death of oneself due to infection with human immunodeficiency vi…
HIV Prevalence and Associated Risk Behaviors in New York City’s House Ball Community
Objectives. We measured HIV seroprevalence and associated risk factors among persons in New York City’s house ball community. Methods. In 2004 we conducted a venue-based risk-behavior survey and HIV testing in the house ball community. Results. Of the 504 study participants, 67% were male, 14% female, and 18% transgender. Mean age was 24 years (range=15–52 years); 55% were Black, and 40% were Latino. More than 85% of participants had previously b…
Developing a Community Sample of Gay Men for an Epidemiologic Study of Aids
Symptom Interpretation and Medication Adherence among Late Middle-age and Older HIV-infected Adults
All individuals, whether healthy or ill, have bodily 'expectancies'. Symptoms recognized as deviations from these expectancies necessitate interpretive activities. The behavioral implications of symptom interpretations are explored using data from a psychosocial study of the adaptation to HIV illness among late middle-aged and older men and women. Thematic analysis revealed that rather than the mere presence of symptoms, it was the attributions m…
How are Research for Development Programmes Implementing and Evaluating Equitable Partnerships to Address Power Asymmetries
The complexity of issues addressed by research for development (R4D) requires collaborations between partners from a range of disciplines and cultural contexts. Power asymmetries within such partnerships may obstruct the fair distribution of resources, responsibilities and benefits across all partners. This paper presents a cross-case analysis of five R4D partnership evaluations, their methods and how they unearthed and addressed power asymmetrie…
Psychosocial Characteristics of New York City HIV-Infected Women Before and After the Advent of Haart
Objectives. We compared level of psychosocial distress of HIV-infected women living in New York City before the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) with level of psychosocial distress reported by women living with the disease after the use of HAART became widespread. Methods. Data were from HIV-positive New York City women aged 18 to 50 years, enrolled through outreach and self-referral. We compared scores on measures of psycho…
Seven Dances
An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. Please use the Get access link above for information on how to access this content
Seven Dances
An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. Please use the Get access link above for information on how to access this content
The impact of Aids on a gay community
This report describes progress made to date on a study of the impact of the AIDS epidemic on the gay community of New York City. Using a model of the life stress process described by Barbara Dohrenwend and her colleagues, the AIDS epidemic was conceptualized as a community stressor resulting in two key stress-inducing events: death of loved ones due to AIDS and potential illness and death of oneself due to infection with human immunodeficiency vi…
Developing a Community Sample of Gay Men for an Epidemiologic Study of Aids
The influence of social support on Aids-related grief reaction among gay men
Internalized Homophobia, Intimacy, and Sexual Behavior among Gay and Bisexual Men
Symptom interpretation
Physical symptoms and the attributions assigned to them are fundamental aspects of individuals' illness representations and influence health behaviours. The effects of the presence or absence of symptoms and the interpretation of these symptoms on the initiation of HIV testing and medical care are explored using data from a psychosocial study of HIV illness in late middle-aged and older men and women. The absence of symptoms negatively influenced…
Symptom Interpretation and Medication Adherence among Late Middle-age and Older HIV-infected Adults
All individuals, whether healthy or ill, have bodily 'expectancies'. Symptoms recognized as deviations from these expectancies necessitate interpretive activities. The behavioral implications of symptom interpretations are explored using data from a psychosocial study of the adaptation to HIV illness among late middle-aged and older men and women. Thematic analysis revealed that rather than the mere presence of symptoms, it was the attributions m…
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health
Cross-Cultural Interviewing
Psychosocial Characteristics of New York City HIV-Infected Women Before and After the Advent of Haart
Objectives. We compared level of psychosocial distress of HIV-infected women living in New York City before the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) with level of psychosocial distress reported by women living with the disease after the use of HAART became widespread. Methods. Data were from HIV-positive New York City women aged 18 to 50 years, enrolled through outreach and self-referral. We compared scores on measures of psycho…
HIV Prevalence and Associated Risk Behaviors in New York City’s House Ball Community
Objectives. We measured HIV seroprevalence and associated risk factors among persons in New York City’s house ball community. Methods. In 2004 we conducted a venue-based risk-behavior survey and HIV testing in the house ball community. Results. Of the 504 study participants, 67% were male, 14% female, and 18% transgender. Mean age was 24 years (range=15–52 years); 55% were Black, and 40% were Latino. More than 85% of participants had previously b…
Risk Behaviors and Psychosocial Stressors in the New York City House Ball Community
‘You’re disabled, why did you have sex in the first place?’ An intersectional analysis of experiences of disabled women with regard to their sexual and reproductive health and rights in Gujarat State,…
BACKGROUND: Globally, disabled people have significant unmet needs in relation to sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Disabled women in India face multiple discrimination: social exclusion, lack of autonomy with regard to their SRH, vulnerability to violence, and lack of access to SRH care. While they may face shared challenges, an intersectional perspective suggests that considering disabled women as a uniform and 'vulnerable' group is likely …
Powering Up Students to Challenge Their Own Deficit Views
Intervention programs designed to improve literacy skills also produce unintended outcomes that sustain a deficit view around some students. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions about learning of a group of 12–14‐year‐old Australian students assigned to a reading intervention class. The article reports on data collected from students over a six‐month period through interviews, including illustrated responses, and classroom obs…
Community drug distributors for mass drug administration in neglected tropical disease programmes
Diffusing Human Trafficking Policy in Eurasia
Offering a perceptive study of the urgent human rights issue of trafficking in persons, this important book analyses the development and effectiveness of public policies across Eurasia. Drawing on multi-method research in the region, Laura A. Dean explores the factors behind anti-trafficking strategies and the role of governments and activists in combating labour and sexual exploitation. She examines the intersection of global strategies and stat…
Psychological resilience, fragility and the health workforce
COVID-19 presents a time to redefine vulnerability; however, in discussions of vulnerability, the health workforce, particularly in \nregard to their psychosocial well-being, is often forgotten. Healthcare workers (HCWs) in fragile settings are constantly exposed to health system shocks, including; conflict, disease outbreaks and natural disasters, which compound the everyday challenges of working in an under-resourced health system. Based on a c…
How to prevent and address safeguarding concerns in global health research programmes
Safeguarding is rapidly rising up the international development agenda, yet literature on safeguarding in related research is limited. This paper shares processes and practice relating to safeguarding within an international research consortium (the ARISE hub, known as ARISE). ARISE aims to enhance accountability and improve the health and well-being of marginalised people living and working in informal urban spaces in low-income and middle-incom…
Local response in health emergencies
This paper highlights the major challenges and considerations for addressing COVID-19 in informal settlements. It discusses what is known about vulnerabilities and how to support local protective action. There is heightened concern about informal urban settlements because of the combination of population density and inadequate access to water and sanitation, which makes standard advice about social distancing and washing hands implausible. There …
Guiding principles for quality, ethical standards and ongoing learning in implementation research
Global health gains can be achieved through strengthening health systems to identify and address implementation challenges in low- and middle-income countries. Participatory research, that promotes joint problem and solution finding between communities and different health systems actors, supports policy implementation analysis at all levels. Within the neglected tropical disease programmes in Liberia and Nigeria, we applied participatory action …
Why onchocerciasis transmission persists after 15 annual ivermectin mass drug administrations in South-West Cameroon
INTRODUCTION: Onchocerciasis is targeted for elimination mainly with annual community-directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI). High infection levels have been reported in South-West Cameroon, despite ≥15 years of CDTI. The aim of this study was to assess factors associated with continued onchocerciasis transmission and skin disease. METHODS: A large-scale cross-sectional study was conducted in 2017 in 20 communities in a loiasis-risk area in So…
Implications of Covid-19 for safeguarding in international development research
COVID-19 brings uncertainties and new precarities for communities and researchers, altering and amplifying relational vulnerabilities (vulnerabilities which emerge from relationships of unequal power and place those less powerful at risk of abuse and violence). Research approaches have changed too, with increasing use of remote data collection methods. These multiple changes necessitate new or adapted safeguarding responses. This practice piece s…
A syndemic born of war
The intersections between NTDs, disability, and mental ill-health are increasingly recognised globally. Chronic morbidity resultant from many NTDs, particularly those affecting the skin—including lymphatic filariasis (LF), leprosy, Buruli ulcer (BU) and onchocerciasis—is well known and largely documented from a medicalised perspective. However less is known about the complex biosocial interaction shaping interconnected morbidities. We apply synde…
Barriers and Enablers to Health-Seeking for People Affected by Severe Stigmatising Skin Diseases (SSSDs)
People affected by severe stigmatising skin diseases (SSSDs) often live in the poorest communities, within the poorest countries, and experience a range of barriers to seeking timely, quality care. This scoping review analyses the available literature on health-seeking for patients affected by SSSDs, to identify enablers and barriers to health-seeking. We searched MEDLINE complete, CINAHL, Global Health databases for suitable articles published b…
Does inter-border conflict influence the views of task sharing among community health volunteers in Nigeria? A qualitative study
The perception of task sharing was mainly positive, despite the challenges, especially the current conflict. In this fragile context, reconsideration of non-seasonal task allocations within improved community-driven selection and security systems should be encouraged. Supportive supervision and providing adequate and timely renumeration will also be beneficial in this fragile setting
Medicine (22 works) · Psychology (20 works) · Sociology (19 works) · Political science (15 works) · Psychiatry (12 works) · Qualitative research (9 works) · Nursing (8 works) · Psychosocial (8 works) · Public health (8 works) · Thematic analysis (7 works)