Karen Coales
Research Fellow
Profile
Biography
Karen Coales is a Research Fellow in the Department of Health Sciences with a specialist focus on qualitative research methodologies. Her research interests lie in addressing treatment gaps in low-resource settings through task-shifting and task-sharing approaches that optimise the use of scarce human resources. She has particular expertise in task shifting/sharing in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and adapting Behavioural Activation (BA)—a brief, evidence-based psychological intervention for depression—for delivery in LMIC.
Karen is currently involved in two multi-country research programmes. The COPE-BP programme is testing the effectiveness of a hypertension intervention delivered by community pharmacists in Bangladesh and Pakistan, while the DiaDeM evaluates the feasibility and acceptability of culturally-adapted BA to treat comorbid depression in adults with diabetes in the same settings. Her work contributes to the global effort to enhance equitable access to quality mental and physical health care.
Her research work is driven by a commitment to equity in healthcare and the development of sustainable, context-sensitive health interventions.
Qualifications
- PhD Health Sciences, University of York
- PCert Low Intensity Psychological Interventions, University of Sheffield
- MRes Clinical Research, University of Southampton
- BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy, Coventry University
Departmental roles
- Co-chair of the DoHS Qualitative Research Network (QRN)
- Leadership learning set, Centre for IMPACT
Research
Overview
Karen's research centres on enhancing physical and mental health and addressing multimorbidity, with a particular focus on culturally-adapted behavioural activation and training and supporting non-specialists using task shifting/sharing models, all aimed at advancing universal health coverage.
Projects
- Developing and evaluating an adapted intervention for people with depression and diabetes in South Asia (DiaDeM)
- Strengthening Primary Care for Recognising and Treating Depression (SPiRiT-D)
Research group(s)
External activities
Memberships
- HCPC-registered occupational therapist (Reg: OT30691)
