Dr. Maryam Ba-Break

Profile

I am a lecturer in International Public Health at the University of Leeds with over 24 years of experience in teaching, research and consultancy in the UK and eight Low and Middle Income Countries. Prior to joining the University of Leeds in 2009, I worked as a medical doctor in public and private hospitals in rural and urban Yemen and as a leader of public health projects related to child and women health. As a researcher, I lead and participate in many national surveys, project evaluations and studies in EMRO regions funded by the Ministry of Health, UNICEF, Dutch Embassy, CARE International and the SOUL Organization for Women and Child Development. I lead five modules at the undergraduate and Masters level: principles of public health, health system research methods, maternal, reproductive and child health and two modules on the global challenges in non-communicable disease control. I supervise students’ research and dissertations in topics related to non-communicable diseases, over and under nutrition, maternal and child health, health promotion, behaviour changes and smoking prevention. I am regularly asked to deliver training courses inside and outside the UK. I am a medical doctor trained in International Public Health and undertook a master and PhD at University of Leeds.

Thematic Expertise

• School-based Behaviour Change Interventions

• Primary prevention of smoking

• Non communicable diseases control

• Malnutrition control (over and under nutrition)

• Health systems research methods

• Applied epidemiology and Biostatistics

• COVID19 Survillance in Low and Middle Income countries

• Monitoring and evaluation of health projects

• Health promotion and behaviour change

• Maternal, child and adolescents’ health in Low and Middle Income Countries 

Geographical Expertise

UK, Egypt, Yemen, Oman, Sudan and Saudi Arabia,.

Responsibilities

• Director of the International Masters of Public health (MPH)
• https://courses.leeds.ac.uk/i185/public-health-international-mph
• The leader of three postgraduate modules and two undergraduate modules

Research interests

I am interested in researching the following topics in developing and transitional countries, using systematic review, as well as quantitative and qualitative research methods: 

• Non communicable diseases particularly obesity and smoking as main risk factors  
• Health of refugees and ethnic minorities
• Maternal and child health including under-nutrition  
• Behaviour change and school-based interventions. 
• COVID19 Survillance and vaccination in in Low and Middle Income countries

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Leeds- UK
• Master in International Public Health (with distinction) University of Leeds UK
• Postgraduate Diploma in Community Medicine (with distinction)
• Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MB BCH), Faculty of Medicine
• Teaching Award (ULTA2) of Teaching in Higher Education- University of Leeds- UK

Professional memberships

• Fellowship of the UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching and learning support in higher education (FHEA), by the Advance Health Education, United Kingdom. University of Leeds Teaching Award - Professional Standard2 (ULTA2) of Teaching in Highe
• Member of Stop Cancer Organization
• Member of Public Health Institute
• Member of Arabic Reproductive Health Research Association
• Member of SOUL Organization for Women and Child Development
• Member of Medical Association
• Member of Medical Council
• Member of Health Society for Blindness Control

Student education

I lead the following modules:

• Health System Research Methods  (Masters)

• Non communicable Diseases  (Masters)

• Maternal Reproductive and Child Health (BSc)

• Global Pattern of Non-Communicable Diseases  (BSc)

• Principle of Public Health (Masters)

Additionally, I am involved in teaching activities in the following modules:

• Introduction to Global and Public Health (Masters)

• Key Issues in International Health (Masters)

• Responses to Key Issues in International Health (Masters)

• Monitoring and Evaluation of Health Programs (Masters)

• Sexual and Reproductive Health (Masters)

• Implication of Conflict and Emergency on Health Care System (Masters) 

I also supervise students undergraduate projects and masters dissertations on the following topics:

• Maternal and child health

• Adolescents’ health and risky behavior

• Undernutrition among women and children

• Refugees health 

• Non communicable disease 

• Smoking prevention 

• Obesity control

• Communicable diseases

•  Applied Epidemiology including COVID19 Surveillance and vaccination in in Low and Middle Income countries 

Current PHD students: 

Ruth Akindele 

Research groups and institutes

• Leeds Institute of Health Sciences
• LICAMM - international PhD academy
• LIMR - International PhD academy
• International health research
• Research at the Nuffield Centre of International Health and Development
• Nuffield Centre for International Health and Development