Dr Rachel O'Donnell

Research Fellow

Institute for Social Marketing University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA

Contact details

Email r.c.odonnell@stir.ac.uk
Telephone+44 (0)1786 467460

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About me

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. She has research expertise relating to the development of health behaviour change interventions, and her recent 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.

Research

Rachel's current research focuses on the development of intervention methods to encourage behaviour change aimed at creating a smoke-free home. Over the past three years 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.

Outputs

Article

Using air-quality feedback to encourage disadvantaged parents to create a smoke-free home: Results from a randomised controlled trial

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

Using air quality monitoring to reduce second-hand smoke exposure in homes: the AFRESH feasibility study

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

How do policy advisors and practitioners prioritise the protection of children from secondhand smoke exposure in a country with advanced tobacco control policy?

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