Dr Rachel Crockett

Lecturer

Psychology University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA

Dr Rachel Crockett

Contact details

Share a link

http://www.stir.ac.uk/people/rachelcrockett

About me

About me

I completed my PhD in 2008 at  King's College London and am now a registered Health Psychologist. Before training in Psychology I had a background in health and social care. During my PhD I was seconded to the Parliamentary Office for Science and Technology at Westminster. Since completing my PhD I have worked in a number of University Psychology and Health Services Research Departments including the General Practice and Primary Care Research Unit at the University of Cambridge and the Centre for Positive Ageing at the University of Greenwich.

Research

My research focuses on behaviour and health using a variety of research methods including systematic reviewing, epidemiological analyses, experimental investigations and qualitative studies. A key theme within my current research is looking at how we can apply evidence from health psychology to under-researched populations.

Ageing and health

Mobility is a key predictor of physical health as we age, but also of psychological and social well-being and the maintenance of independent living. Both physical activity and healthy eating are key to good mobility and understanding and promoting these behaviours in older adults is a key focus of my research. Current studies include a systematic review of the impact of behavioural interventions to promote physical activity in older adults, an observational study of the impact of engaging in group physical activity on mobility and well-being outcomes as well as analyses of data from the MOBILIZE-Boston Study and the Healthy Ageing in Scotland (HAGIS) Study. With colleagues, I have recently completed a pilot intergenerational project bringing children from our Psychology Kindergarten and local people with dementia and their carer’s together in various activities. The project suggests beneficial outcomes of these activities. We are working to extend this research to include a focus on movement and mobility.

Non communicable disease and health-related behaviour in South Africa.

The prevalence of non-communicable diseases, notably obesity and type 2 diabetes, is rising in low and middle income countries. This rise is associated with uptake of behaviours such as eating a diet high in fats, salt and sugar. It is unclear the extent to which behaviour change interventions developed in high-income countries can be applied to promoting health in low and middle income countries. I am currently working on research with colleagues here in Stirling and in South Africa at the University of Cape Town and the SA-MRC Non- Communicable Diseases Unit. My focus in this research is on food insecurity, behavioural cognitions and well-being in an older population living in Khayelitsha in the Western Cape.

Population level interventions to promote health.

I have a long-standing interest in effective population level interventions to change behaviour, particularly nutritional labelling. Much of my work has focussed on understanding the impact of these interventions on those from more and less social deprived groups. At the moment I am involved in research looking at “holiday hunger” in children who receive free school meals in school- term time and the effects on health and well-being. I work with colleagues in the Institute for Social Marketing on packaging and branding of alcoholic drinks and also work on studies investigating the impact of diet soft drinks on subsequent snack choices in teenagers.

Outputs (26)

Outputs

Article

Intensity Matters for Musculoskeletal Health: A Cross-Sectional Study on Movement Behaviors of Older Adults from High-Income Scottish and Low-Income South African Communities

Pina I, Mendham AE, Tomaz SA, Goedecke JH, Micklesfield LK, Brooks NE, Gallagher IJ, Crockett R, Dudchenko P & Hunter AM (2021) Intensity Matters for Musculoskeletal Health: A Cross-Sectional Study on Movement Behaviors of Older Adults from High-Income Scottish and Low-Income South African Communities. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18 (8), Art. No.: 4310. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18084310

Website Content

Obesity and Covid-19: Tackling two global pandemics

Crockett R (2020) Obesity and Covid-19: Tackling two global pandemics. University of Stirling Policy Blog [Blog post] 11.08.2020. https://policyblog.stir.ac.uk/2020/08/11/obesity-and-covid-19-tackling-two-global-pandemics/

Article

The Effect of Diabetes-Specific Enteral Nutrition Formula on Cardiometabolic Parameters in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials

Ojo O, Weldon SM, Thompson T, Crockett R & Wang X (2019) The Effect of Diabetes-Specific Enteral Nutrition Formula on Cardiometabolic Parameters in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials. Nutrients, 11 (8), Art. No.: 1905. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11081905

Book Chapter

Physical Activity and Healthy Eating

Crockett R, Stock J & Christides T (2017) Physical Activity and Healthy Eating. In: Docking R & Stock J (eds.) International Handbook of Positive Ageing. Routledge International Handbooks. Abingdon, UK: Routledge, pp. 135-148. https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/doi/10.4324/9781315678757; https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315678757

Article

Impact on decisions to start or continue medicines of providing information to patients about possible benefits and/or harms: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Crockett R, Sutton S, Walter FM, Clinch M, Marteau TM & Benson J (2011) Impact on decisions to start or continue medicines of providing information to patients about possible benefits and/or harms: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Medical Decision Making, 31 (5), pp. 767-777. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272989X11400420

Article

Trial Protocol: Using genotype to tailor prescribing of nicotine replacement therapy: A randomised controlled trial assessing impact of communication upon adherence

Marteau TM, Munafo M, Aveyard P, Hill C, Whitwell S, Willis TA, Crockett R, Hollands GJ, Johnstone EC, Wright AJ, Prevost AT, Armstrong D, Sutton S & Kinmouth AL (2010) Trial Protocol: Using genotype to tailor prescribing of nicotine replacement therapy: A randomised controlled trial assessing impact of communication upon adherence. BMC Public Health, 10 (1), Art. No.: 680. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-10-680

Teaching

Teaching

I co-ordinate the third year undergraduate module PSYU9ID on Individual Differences and contribute to a number of other modules. I run an elective in final year on Psychology and Story. I also co-ordinate the MSc Health Psychology module on Individual, Cultural and Social Differences in Health as well as contributing to course development and teaching more broadly on this programme. I am an undergraduate academic adviser and Psychology Employability Officer.

Research programmes

Research centres/groups

Research themes