Research Associate in Behavioural Science

Email:  kk532@medschl.cam.ac.uk | Office: East Forvie Building
 

Background

Katerina studied Psychology (4 years, Diploma) and Clinical Health Psychology (2 years, MSc) at the University of Crete, and got trained in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (2 years). She completed her PhD at Coventry University in 2012, in the area of physical activity and behaviour change. After her PhD, she worked as PDRA at the QMUL where she conducted a Cochrane review on community pharmacy interventions and health promotion. Katerina joined the PCU in April 2014 as research associate at the Behavioural Science Group. Since then, she is working on the development and evaluation of tailored interventions to support adherence to medications within primary care, using face-to-face and digital delivery modes.

 

Research Interests

• Understanding behaviour change and maintenance of behaviour change, i.e., taking medication for long-term health conditions.
• Development and evaluation of tailored mHealth interventions, such as text messages, interactive voice response, and apps.

 

Teaching

Katerina is leading the Health Promotion module of the MPhil in Public Health within the University of Cambridge and is Teaching Associate at Warwick Business School. She is teaching behaviour change and development and evaluation of mhealth interventions, and is supervising students on research projects. In the past, she has launched and lead a certificate on behaviour and health for Life Long Learning, and obtained a teaching fellowship to investigate effective methods to teach behaviour change.

 

Selected Publications

1. Kassavou, A., Houghton, V., Edwards, S., Brimocombe, J, & Sutton S. Development of MAPS. A highly tailored text and voice messaging intervention to support adherence to medications within the primary care (manuscript submitted for publication).
2. Tsoli, S., Sutton, S., & Kassavou, A. (2018) Interactive voice response interventions targeting behaviour change: a systematic literature review with meta-analysis and meta-regression. BMJ Open. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2017-018974
3. Kassavou,A., & Sutton S. (2017) Automated telecommunication interventions to promote adherence to cardio-metabolic medications: meta-analysis of effectiveness and meta-regression of behaviour change techniques. Health Psychol Rev. 12:1-18. doi: 10.1080/17437199.2017.1365617.
4. Kassavou,A., & Sutton, S. (2017) Reasons for non-adherence to cardio-metabolic medications, and acceptability of an interactive voice response intervention in patients with hypertension and type 2 diabetes in primary care: a qualitative study. BMJ Open.11;7(8):e015597. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-015597.
5. Kassavou,A., Turner, A., French D.P. (2015). The role of walkers’ needs and expectations in supporting maintenance of attendance at walking groups: a longitudinal multi-perspective study of walkers and walk group leaders. PLoS One. 16;10(3):e0118754. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118754.
6. Kassavou,A., Turner, A., Hamborg, T., & French DP. (2014). Predicting maintenance of attendance at walking groups: testing constructs from three leading maintenance theories. Health Psychol. 33(7):752-6. doi: 10.1037/hea0000015.
7. Steed, L., Kassavou, A., Madurasinghe, VW., Edwards, E., Todd, A., Summerbell, CD., Nkansah, N., Bero, L., Durieux, P., Taylor, SJC., Rivas, C., & Walton, R (2014). Community pharmacy interventions for health promotion: effects on professional practice and health outcomes (Protocol). The Cochrane Database Library. doi: 1002/14651858.CD011207.
8. Kassavou,A., Turner, A., & French, DP. (2013). Do interventions to promote walking in groups increase physical activity? A meta-analysis. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 6;10:18. doi: 10.1186/1479-5868-10-18.

 

Funding

1. Kassavou, A., & Sutton, S. Developing and pre-testing a tailored interactive voice response (IVR) intervention to support adherence to anti-hypertensive medications. NIHR School of Primary Care Research (April 2016-August 2017) £48,257
2. Sutton, S., Griffin, S., Prevost, T., Wilson, E., & Kassavou, A. Feasibility of MAPS (Medication Adherence for Patient Support): a highly tailored text and voice messaging intervention to support medication adherence among patients with type 2 diabetes and/or hypertension in the primary care. RfPB (Sept 2016-March 2019) £249,758.
3. Kassavou, A., & Tzanakou, C. The effect of reflective writing on health and well-being behaviours of students in a higher education teaching context. Academic Teaching Fellowship IATL (Feb 2014- January 2015) £4,200.