Visiting Researcher
MB BS PhD MRCGP
Email: a.desimoni@qmul.ac.uk
Background
Anna De Simoni is a Clinical Lecturer at Queen Mary University of London and visiting researcher at the Primary Care Unit. She was previously an ACF in Primary Care and a Clinical Research Associate in the cardiovascular group. She works as a GP in Cambridge.
Anna De Simoni graduated in Medicine at the University of Milan where she went on to complete her PhD in Neurophysiology. She went to University College London for her first postdoctoral position where she obtained a Marie Curie Individual Research Fellowship (EU funded).
Research Interests
Her current research interests include:
- Adherence to medications in chronic conditions (stroke, hypertension, diabetes, asthma), and the use of technology to improve and monitor adherence.
(see https://www.phpc.cam.ac.uk/pcu/research/research-projects-list/other-projects/qss-dailymed/ )
- Online health communities for patients with long term conditions as
- source of research data
- self-management support intervention and its integration within primary care services. This is achieved through an interdisciplinary team including social network analysis, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, information governance, ethic and medical law expertise.
(see https://www.qmul.ac.uk/blizard/research/centres/centre-for-primary-care-and-public-health/research-projects/lsi/)
- Rehabilitation after stroke.
(see https://www.phpc.cam.ac.uk/pcu/research/research-projects-list/other-projects/insight-ssw/ )
Teaching
She provides supervision to undergraduate (SSC) and postgraduate students (MSc and PhD).She is a PBL facilitator and OSCE examiner.
Selected Publications
Joglekar S, Sastry N, Coulson N, Taylor SJC, Patel A, Duschinsky R, Anand A, Jameson Evans M, Griffiths CJ, Sheikh A, Panzarasa P, De Simoni A. How do online communities of people with long-term conditions function and evolve? Network analysis of the structure and dynamics of the Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation (BLF) online communities. 2018 JMIR, in press
Holender A, Sutton S, De Simoni A. Opinions on the use of technology to improve tablet taking in people over 65 on cardiovascular medications. J Int Med Res. 2018:300060518770578. doi: 10.1177/0300060518770578.
McKibben S, De Simoni A, Bush A, Thomas M, Griffiths C. The use of electronic alerts in primary care computer systems to identify the excessive prescription of short-acting beta2-agonists for people with asthma: a systematic review. 2018 NPJ Prim Care Respir Med. 2017; 27: 30. doi:10.1038/s41533-017-0033-y
Jamison J, Sutton S, Mant J, De Simoni A. An online stroke forum as source of data for qualitative research: insights from a comparison with patients’ interviews. BMJ Open 2018; 8:e020133. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020133
Jamison J, Ayerbe L, Di Tanna GL, Sutton S, Mant J, De Simoni A. Evaluating practical support stroke survivors get with medicines and unmet needs in primary care: A survey. BMJ Open 2018; 8:e019874. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-019874.
Jamison J, Sutton S, Mant J, De Simoni A. Barriers and facilitators to adherence to secondary stroke prevention medications after stroke: Analysis of survivors’ and caregivers’ views from an online stroke forum. BMJ Open 2017;7:e016814. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016814.
De Simoni A, Horne R, Fleming L, Bush A, Griffiths CJ. What do adolescents with asthma really think about adherence to inhalers? Insights from a qualitative analysis of a UK online forum. BMJ Open. 2017;7(6):e015245. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-015245.
Izuka NJ, Alexander M, Balassoriya-Smeekens C, Mant J, De Simoni A. How do stroke survivors and their carers use practitioners’ advice on secondary prevention medications? Qualitative study of an online forum. Family Practice. 2017;34(5):612-620. doi: 10.1093/fampra/cmx023.
De Simoni A, Griffiths CJ, Taylor SJ. Improving access to primary care: can online communities contribute? Br J Gen Pract. 2016;66(652):559. doi:10.3399/bjgp16X687721
De Simoni A, Shanks A, Balasooriya-Smeekens C, Mant J. Stroke survivors and their families receive information and support on an individual basis from an online forum: descriptive analysis of a population of 2348 patients and qualitative study of a sample of participants. BMJ Open 2016;6:e010501.doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015 010501
Balasooriya-Smeekens C, Bateman A, Mant J, De Simoni A. Barriers and facilitators to staying in work after stroke: insight from an online forum. BMJ Open 2016;6:e009974. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009974.
De Simoni A, Mant J, Sutton S. Adherence to medication in stroke survivors dependent on caregivers. Br J Gen Pract. 2015. 65 (640), e789-91. doi: 10.3399/bjgp15X687589.
De Simoni A, Shanks A, Mant J, Skelton J. Making sense of patients’ internet forums: a systematic method using discourse analysis. Br J Gen Pract. 2014. 64 (620), e178-e180. doi: 10.3399/bjgp14X677671.
De Simoni A, Hardeman W, Mant J, Farmer AJ, Kinmonth AL. Trials to Improve Blood Pressure Through Adherence to Antihypertensives in Stroke/TIA: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Am Heart Assoc. 2013. 2(4):e000251. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.113.000251.