Lesley Geddes

Associate Professor

School: Communities and Education

Lesley Geddes is a Principal Lecturer and Director of TransNational Education in the Department of Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences. Lesley joined the university in 2005 having worked in practice for many years in specialist Public health services. She has experience of leading and managing Health Improvement services and a range of projects and interventions as a Public Health specialist. Lesley’s research focuses on engaging with organizations, groups and individuals to better understand public health, health promotion, and in particular ,health-related behaviour change. With a focus on multidisciplinary, collaborative research, Lesley specializes in qualitative and evaluation methodologies and analysis.

Drawing upon her research and practice experience Lesley teaches on the Mater of Public Health (MPH) and is Programme lead for the MSc Healthcare management programme both for the home delivery and for the franchise delivery at MDIS in Singapore. She has also held a number of leadership and management roles including Faculty Director of International Student wellbeing, Director of Transnational education,Head of Subject and roles in student and staff Mobility.

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Research Themes and Scholarly Interests

Lesley’s research focuses on engaging with organizations, groups and individuals to better understand public health, health promotion, and in particular ,the use of social marketing for health -related behaviour change. Her research focuses on peoples lived experiences and implications for public health policy and practice; the use of social marketing across research, knowledge translation and public health practice and the development and use of behavior change models. With a focus on multidisciplinary, collaborative research, Lesley specializes in qualitative and evaluation methodologies and analysis. The research and knowledge translation and exchange work she has undertaken aims to have an impact both in academia and importantly in professional application. Her background in Public health and health promotion practice within the NHS and local authority influences and shapes the distinctiveness of her research.

Key Publications

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
P07-8 Participatory insights into ageing and care: a qualitative study of South Asian and muslim communities, Sattar, Z., Hussain, N., Stansfield, S., Ajibade, B., Geddes, L., Brittain, K., Steven, A., Alderson, H., McGovern, R. 17 Apr 2026, In: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
Sun-safe behaviours, personal risk, level of concern, and knowledge about cutaneous melanoma in Italy: Time for social marketing?, Aleo, G., Bagnasco, A., Cozzani, E., Parodi, A., Cannavò, S., Watson, R., Hayter, M., Geddes, L., Catania, G., Zanini, M., Sasso, L. 4 Jul 2020, In: Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene
Psychological factors affecting participation in cervical screening for young women: a qualitative study, Okoeki, M., Steven, A., Geddes, L. 1 Nov 2016, In: The Lancet
Can lay health trainers increase uptake of NHS health checks in hard-to-reach populations? A mixed method pilot evaluation, Visram, S., Carr, S., Geddes, L. Jun 2015, In: Journal of Public Health
A realist synthesis of international evidence on outreach interventions to improve the health of Traveller Communities, Carr, S., Lhussier, M., Forster, N., Goodall, D., Pennington, M., Geddes, L., Bancroft, A., Adams, J., Michie, S. 2014, In: The European Journal of Public Health
Outreach programmes for health improvement of Traveller Communities: a synthesis of evidence, Carr, S., Lhussier, M., Forster, N., Goodall, D., Geddes, L., Pennington, M., Bancroft, A., Adams, J., Michie, S. Jul 2014, In: Public Health Research
Getting the balance right: qualitative evaluation of a holistic weight management intervention to address childhood obesity, Visram, S., Hall, T., Geddes, L. 11 Sep 2012, In: Journal of Public Health
Outreach interventions for Traveller Communities: a realist synthesis, Carr, S., Lhussier, M., Goodall, D., Forster, N., Geddes, L. 17 May 2012, Northumbria Research Conference
Participation in bowel cancer screening: an exploration of the processes involved, Azodo, I., Steven, A., Geddes, L. 23 Nov 2012, Public Health Science: a national conference dedicated to new research in public health
Participation in Bowel Cancer Screening: exploring the processes involved, Azodo, I., Steven, A., Geddes, L. 23 Nov 2012, In: The Lancet

Professional Activity

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Organising a conference, workshop, ...: UK Public Health Science conference 2026 2026
Organising a conference, workshop, ...: BSA Annual Conference 2005 2025
Visiting an external academic institution: University of Genoa 2022

Qualifications