Melissa Parker

Working as a medical anthropologist, I have undertaken numerous multi-disciplinary and collaborative research projects in African and European settings. A unifying theme is the study of global health. Much of this research builds upon my multi-disciplinary training in Human Sciences (including a DPhil which combined methods and approaches current in social and biological anthropology).

Research questions have typically emerged from extensive periods of ethnographic fieldwork, and engage with public policy and practice. Topics investigated include HIV/AIDS in the UK, mental health in war zones, health-related quality of life in Kenya, vitamin A and child mortality in Ghana, female circumcision in Sudan, and neglected tropical diseases in sub-Saharan Africa. My current research projects are investigating neglected tropical diseases in East Africa, and HIV/AIDS in London.

Qualifications

• BA University of Oxford 1982
• DPhil University of Oxford 1989

Teaching: Anthropology and Global Health, Anthropology of International Development, Ethnographic Research Methods

Convener of the MSc in Medical Anthropology (Autumn term 2011)
Senior Tutor for undergraduates studying for a BSc in Anthropology.

Research Interests

The Anthropology of Global Health; Neglected Tropical Diseases; Maternal Health; Mental Health, Well-being and healing in the aftermath of war; HIV/AIDS; Geographical areas of interest include: UK, Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania.

PhD Supervision

I currently supervise doctoral students working on the anthropology of global health including HIV/AIDS and neglected tropical diseases.

Publications

Journal Papers

(2011) Parker, M. and Allen, T., Does mass drug administration for the integrated treatment of neglected tropical diseases really work? Assessing evidence for the control of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths in Uganda, Health Research Policy and Systems 9 (3) Download publication

(2008) Parker, M., Allen, T. and Hastings, J., Resisting control of neglected tropical diseases: dilemmas in the mass treatment of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths in north-west Uganda., Journal of Biosocial Science 40 (2) : 161- 181 Download publication

(2006) Parker, M. and Harper, I., The anthropology of public health, Journal of Biosocial Science 38 (1) : 1- 5 Download publication

(2006) Parker, M., Core groups and the transmission of HIV: Learning from male sex workers, Journal of Biosocial Science 38 (1) : 117- 131 Download publication

(1998) Parker, M., Ward, H. and Day, S., Sexual networks and the transmission of HIV in London, Journal of Biosocial Science 30 (1) : 63- 83 Download publication