Research Fellow
Institute for Social Marketing Institute for Social Marketing, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA
https://www.stir.ac.uk/people/rcodonnell
Dr Rachel O'Donnell is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Social Marketing at the University of Stirling. After completing her first degree in Psychology, and her PhD on Quality of life and Severe Neurological Disability at the University of Roehampton, London, Rachel moved to Edinburgh and worked as a Research Fellow at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh. Over the past 15 years Rachel has worked extensively in tobacco control policy and research functions, and moved back into academia in November 2015. She has research expertise relating to the development of health behaviour change interventions, and her current research focuses on interventions aimed at reducing children's exposure to second-hand smoke in the home. Rachel has qualitative research expertise, and has a long track-record of conducting research with health service users, and with individuals living in areas of social disadvantage. Rachel has a number of publications in the area of smoke-free homes research, and is PI on a Cancer Research UK funded project exploring fathers' roles in creating and maintaining a smoke-free home. Rachel also works on the 'E-cigarettes in Prisons' study, which evaluates the impact of Scotland's smoke-free policy in prisons.
Rachel currently sits on the Reviewer Board of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. She is also the Vice-Chair of the Scottish Tobacco Alliance (STA) Research Group.
Rachel's current research focuses on the development of intervention methods to encourage behaviour change aimed at creating a smoke-free home. Rachel has been involved in interventions utilising a) various forms of personalised air quality feedback; b) a theory-driven approach incorporating intervention mapping; and c) the use of nicotine replacement therapy for use instead of smoking indoors. Rachel is also interested in the use of empowering approaches to health behaviour change which, in the context of creating a smoke-free home, recognise the stigma and guilt often experienced by smoking parents. Rachel has specific qualitative research expertise, and has a longstanding interest in developing and conducting research working with disadvantaged, vulnerable populations. Rachel is also interested in gender-based approaches to health behaviour change, which acknowledge the role that gender plays in creating and maintaining change.
Article
Hunt K, Brown A, Eadie D, McMeekin N, Boyd K, Bauld L, Conaglen P, Craig P, Demou E, Leyland A, Purves R, Dobson R, Mitchell D, O’Donnell R & Semple S (2021) Evaluating progress towards, and impacts of, implementation of smoke-free prisons in Scotland: the mixed methods Tobacco in Prisons Study (TIPs). Public Health Research.
Article
Secondhand smoke exposure assessment in outdoor hospitality venues across 11 European countries
Henderson E, Continente X, Fernández E, Tigova O, Cortés-Francisco N, Gallus S, Lugo A, Semple S, Dobson R, Clancy L, Keogan S, Ruprecht A, Borgini A, Tzortzi A & O'Donnell R (2021) Secondhand smoke exposure assessment in outdoor hospitality venues across 11 European countries. Environmental Research, 200, Art. No.: 111355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2021.111355
Article
Brown A, O’Donnell R, Eadie D, Ford A, Mitchell D, Hackett A, Sweeting H, Bauld L & Hunt K (2021) E-cigarette use in prisons with recently established smokefree policies: a qualitative interview study with people in custody in Scotland. Nicotine and Tobacco Research, 23 (6), pp. 939-946. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntaa271
Article
O’Donnell R, Eadie D, Stead M, Dobson R & Semple S (2021) 'I Was Smoking a Lot More during Lockdown Because I Can': A Qualitative Study of How UK Smokers Responded to the Covid-19 Lockdown. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18 (11), Art. No.: 5816. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18115816
Article
Secondhand smoke exposure in outdoor children's playgrounds in 11 European countries
Henderson E, Continente X, Fernández E, Tigova O, Cortés-Francisco N, Gallus S, Lugo A, Semple S, O'Donnell R, Clancy L, Keogan S, Ruprecht A, Borgini A, Tzortzi A & Vyzikidou VK (2021) Secondhand smoke exposure in outdoor children's playgrounds in 11 European countries. Environment International, 149, Art. No.: 105775. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.105775
Article
Carreras G, Lachi A, Cortini B, Gallus S, López MJ, Lopez-Nicolas A, Soriano JB, Fernandez E, Tigova O, Gorini G, Semple S, O'Donnell R & Dobson R (2021) Burden of disease from second-hand tobacco smoke exposure at home among adults from European Union countries in 2017: an analysis using a review of recent meta-analyses. Preventive Medicine, 145, Art. No.: 106412. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2020.106412
Article
Brown A, O'Donnell R, Eadie D, Purves R, Sweeting H, Ford A, Bauld L & Hunt K (2021) Initial views and experiences of vaping in prisons: a qualitative study with people in custody preparing for the imminent implementation of Scotland's prison smokefree policy. Nicotine and Tobacco Research, 23 (3), pp. 543-549. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntaa088
Article
Moodie C, O’Donnell R, Fleming J, Purves R, McKell J & Dobbie F (2020) Extending health messaging to the consumption experience: a focus group study exploring smokers' perceptions of health warnings on cigarettes. Addiction Research and Theory, 28 (4), pp. 328-334. https://doi.org/10.1080/16066359.2019.1653861
Article
Moodie C & O'Donnell R (2020) 'I'm killing myself, but I'm saving the planet': rolling tobacco smokers' perceptions of rolling papers. Tobacco Control. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2020-056103
Article
Demou E, Dobson R, Sweeting H, Brown A, Sidwell S, O'Donnell R, Hunt K & Semple S (2020) From smoking-permitted to smokefree prisons: a 3-year evaluation of the changes in occupational exposure to second-hand smoke across a national prison system. Annals of Work Exposures and Health, 64 (9), pp. 959-969. https://doi.org/10.1093/annweh/wxaa073
Article
Henderson E, Continente X, Fernández E, Tigova O, Cortés-Francisco N, Gallus S, Lugo A, Semple S, O'Donnell R, Clancy L, Keogan S, Ruprecht A, Borgini A, Tzortzi A & Dobson R (2020) Secondhand smoke exposure and other signs of tobacco consumption at outdoor entrances of primary schools in 11 European countries. Science of the Total Environment, 743, Art. No.: 140743. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140743
Article
Burden of disease from exposure to secondhand smoke in children in Europe
Carreras G, Lachi A, Cortini B, Gallus S, López MJ, López-Nicolás Á, Lugo A, Pastor MT, Soriano JB, Fernandez E, Gorini G, TackSHS Project Investigators, Semple S, O’Donnell R & Dobson R (2020) Burden of disease from exposure to secondhand smoke in children in Europe. Pediatric Research. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-020-01223-6
Article
O’Donnell R, Lewis G, Lumsdaine C, Di Tano G, Swanston L, Amos G, Finnie A & Rowa-Dewar N (2020) Supporting Parents Living in Disadvantaged Areas of Edinburgh to Create a Smoke-Free Home Using Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT): A Two-Phase Qualitative Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17 (19), Art. No.: 7305. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17197305
Article
Dobson R, O'Donnell R, Tigova O, Fu M, Enríquez M, Fernandez E, Carreras G, Gorini G, Verdi S, Borgini A, Tittarelli A, Veronese C, Ruprecht A, Vyzikidou V, Tzortzi A, Vardavas C & Semple S (2020) Measuring for change: A multi-centre pre-post trial of an air quality feedback intervention to promote smoke-free homes. Environment International, 140, Art. No.: 105738. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.105738
Article
Lewis G, Rowa-Dewar N & O'Donnell R (2020) Stigma and Smoking in the Home: Parents' Accounts of Using Nicotine Replacement Therapy to Protect Their Children from Second-Hand Smoke. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17 (12), Art. No.: 4345. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124345
Article
O'Donnell R, Amos A, Turner S, Adams L, Henderson T, Lyttle S, Mitchell S & Semple S (2020) 'They only smoke in the house when I'm not in': Understanding the limited effectiveness of a smoke-free homes intervention. Journal of Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdaa042
Article
Tzortzi A, Teloniatis S, Matiampa G, Bakelas G, Tzavara C, Vyzikidou VK, Vardavas C, Behrakis P, Fernandez E, Semple S, O'Donnell R & Dobson R (2020) Passive exposure of non-smokers to E-Cigarette aerosols: Sensory irritation, timing and association with volatile organic compounds. Environmental Research, 182, Art. No.: 108963. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2019.108963
Article
Fernández E, López MJ, Gallus S, Semple S, Clancy L, Behrakis P, Ruprecht A, Gorini G, López-Nicolás Á, Radu-Loghin C, Soriano JB, Castellano Y, Fu M, O'Donnell R & Dobson R (2020) Tackling second-hand exposure to tobacco smoke and aerosols of electronic cigarettes: the TackSHS project protocol [Abordando la exposición a las emisiones del tabaco y de los cigarrillos electrónicos: protocolo del proyecto TackSHS]. Gaceta Sanitaria, 34 (1), pp. 77-82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaceta.2019.07.002
Article
Fathers' Views and Experiences of Creating a Smoke-Free Home: A Scoping Review
O'Donnell R, Angus K, McCulloch P, Amos A, Greaves L & Semple S (2019) Fathers' Views and Experiences of Creating a Smoke-Free Home: A Scoping Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16 (24), Art. No.: 5164. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16245164
Article
Development Of A Smoke-free Homes Intervention For Parents: An Intervention Mapping Approach
O'Donnell R, Dobson R, de Bruin M, Turner S, Booth L & Semple S (2019) Development Of A Smoke-free Homes Intervention For Parents: An Intervention Mapping Approach. Health Psychology Bulletin, 3 (1), pp. 67-86. https://doi.org/10.5334/hpb.20
Article
Burden of disease attributable to second-hand smoke exposure: A systematic review
Carreras G, Lugo A, Gallus S, Cortini B, Fernández E, López MJ, Soriano JB, Nicolás ÁL, Semple S, Gorini G, O'Donnell R & Dobson R (2019) Burden of disease attributable to second-hand smoke exposure: A systematic review. Preventive Medicine, 129, Art. No.: 105833. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2019.105833
Poster
Measuring for change: air quality feedback to reduce second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure in the home
O'Donnell R, Dobson R, Semple S & TackSHS PI (2019) Measuring for change: air quality feedback to reduce second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure in the home. 6th World Social Marketing Conference, Edinburgh, UK, 04.06.2019-06.06.2019.
Article
Semple S, Turner S, O'Donnell R, Adams L, Henderson T, Mitchell S, Lyttle S & Amos A (2018) Using air-quality feedback to encourage disadvantaged parents to create a smoke-free home: Results from a randomised controlled trial. Environment International, 120, pp. 104-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2018.07.039
Article
Characterising the exposure of prison staff to second-hand tobacco smoke
Semple S, Sweeting H, Demou E, Logan G, O'Donnell RC & Hunt K (2017) Characterising the exposure of prison staff to second-hand tobacco smoke. Annals of Work Exposures and Health, 61 (7), pp. 809-821. https://doi.org/10.1093/annweh/wxx058
Article
Dobson R, O'Donnell R, de Bruin M, Turner S & Semple S (2017) Using air quality monitoring to reduce second-hand smoke exposure in homes: the AFRESH feasibility study. Tobacco Prevention and Cessation, 3, Art. No.: 117. https://doi.org/10.18332/tpc/74645
Article
Ritchie D, Amos A, Shaw A, O'Donnell R, Semple S, Turner S & Martin C (2015) How do policy advisors and practitioners prioritise the protection of children from secondhand smoke exposure in a country with advanced tobacco control policy?. Tobacco Control, 24 (1), pp. 70-76. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2012-050936
Article
REFRESH—reducing families' exposure to secondhand smoke in the home: a feasibility study
Wilson I, Semple S, Mills LM, Ritchie D, Shaw A, O'Donnell R, Bonella P, Turner S & Amos A (2013) REFRESH—reducing families' exposure to secondhand smoke in the home: a feasibility study. Tobacco Control, 22 (5), Art. No.: e8. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2011-050212
Article
Creating smoke-free homes for children
Shaw A, Ritchie D, O'Donnell R, Amos A, Mills L, Semple S, Turner S & Wilson I (2013) Creating smoke-free homes for children. Nursing Times, 109 (10), pp. 28-30. https://www.nursingtimes.net/clinical-archive/smoking-cessation/creating-smoke-free-homes-for-children/5055895.article
Rachel currently teaches on the Qualitative Research Methods module of the Masters In Public Health course, at the University of Edinburgh.
