Projects per year
Personal profile
Research Interests
My general research interests are in physical activity and public health, particularly regarding the development and evaluation of complex interventions for behaviour change at the individual, community and population level.
My research involves investgating the role of social networks, incentives (both financial and non-financial) and the built environment for physical activity behaviour change. Current research projects include investigating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a novel physical activity loyalty scheme for maintained behaviour change and evaluating the public health impact of a large urban regeneration project (Connswater Community Greenway).
Most recently I have been awarded a NIHR Career Development Fellowship to investigate the role of social network enabled interventions for physical activity behaviour change involving collaborations with the University of Southern California, Harvard University and the University of Cambridge.
Although primarily focussed on physical activity I am involved in other research projects investigating other behaviours such as smoking, diet, sedentary behaviour and skin cancer awareness.
Achievements
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Career Development Fellowship 2015-2017 - Social Network Enabled Interventions for Physical Activity Behaviour Change
- Vice-Chancellor's Early Career Researcher Impact Award 2013
- Best Paper and Best Demonstration at the International e-Health conference, Malaga, 2011 for work entitled "Effectiveness of a novel Physical Activity Loyalty Scheme for Physical Activity Behaviour Change".
Teaching
Dissertation supervisor
PhD; BSc Human Biology; BSc Biomedical Sciences; BSc Intercalating Medical Sciences.
SSC Programme
I am module co-ordinator for four SSC modules regarding Community Healthcare Issues. The modules involve medical students undertaking 3-week placements with local community organisations and introduces students to the role that the community and voluntary sector play in health. Key learning objectives include understanding the role of the community worker, understanding the basic principles of community development, and appreciating the social and economic issues affecting specific communities.
I also deliver lectures and tutorials on the following SSCs:
- Lifestyle through the Lifecycle
- Physical Activity
Other teaching roles
I deliver several tutorials and lectures on population research, study designs/research methodology, health promotion and physical activity to undergraduate Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science students.
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Projects 2012 2019
R1014CPH: Transdisciplinary Research for the Improvement of Youth Mental Public Health (TRIUMPH) Network
11/08/2019 → …
Project: Research
R1593EVP: Healthy Urban Living and Ageing in Place: Physical Activity, Built Environment and Knowledge Exchange in Brazilian Cities
Ellis, G., Adlakha, D., Hunter, R., Kee, F., Melo, S., Murtagh, B., Sengupta, U. & Tully, M.
05/01/2016 → …
Project: Research
R4659CPH: A feasibility study and pilot RCT of a peer-led walking programme to increase physical activity...
Tully, M., Cupples, M., Hunter, R. & Kee, F.
02/04/2014 → …
Project: Research
Research Output 2008 2020
A feasibility study of ‘The StepSmart Challenge’ to promote physical activity in adolescents
Corepal, R., Best, P., O'Neill, R., Kee, F., Badham, J., Dunne, L., Miller, S., Connolly, P., Cupples, M., van Sluijs, E. M. F., Tully, M. & Hunter, R. F., 17 Nov 2019, In : Pilot and Feasibility Studies. 5, 15 p., 132.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
A loyalty scheme to encourage physical activity in office workers: a cluster RCT
Hunter, R., Gough, A., Murray, J., Tang, J., Brennan, S., Chrzanowski-Smith, O., Carlin, A., Patterson, C., Longo, A., Hutchinson, W. G., Prior, L., Tully, M., French, D., Adams, J., McIntosh, E., Xin, Y. & Kee, F., Aug 2019, In : Public Health Research. 7, 15, 114 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Special issue
Built environment correlates of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in older adults: A comparative review between high and low-middle income countries.
Cleland, C., Reis, R., Hino, A., Hunter, R., Fermino, R., Koller de Paiva, H., Czestschuk, B. & Ellis, G., May 2019, In : Health & Place. 57, p. 277-304 28 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Diabetes in humanitarian crises: the Boston Declaration
Kehlenbrink, S., Jaacks, L. & Hunter, R., 06 Jun 2019, In : Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 7, 8, p. 590-592 3 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Effectiveness variation in simulated school-based network interventions
Badham, J., Kee, F. & Hunter, R., 23 Sep 2019, In : Applied Network Science.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Prizes
"Best Paper" in the International Journal for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (IJBNPA)
Ruth Hunter (Recipient), 20 Jun 2017
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Career Development Fellowship
Ruth Hunter (Recipient), 01 Jan 2015
Prize: Fellowship awarded competitively
Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (CSP) "Best Student" Award
Ruth Hunter (Recipient), 20 Jun 2009
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Vice Chancellors Early Career Researcher Impact Prize
Ruth Hunter (Recipient), 23 Nov 2013
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities 2012 2019
International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA) Annual Conference
Ruth Hunter (Organiser)Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
4-day WHO Europe course: Implementation Science for NCD Prevention and Management
Ruth Hunter (Organiser)Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
PhD External Examiner - Dublin College University (DCU)
Ruth Hunter (Examiner)Activity: Examination types › PhD external examination
Invited Keynote Speaker at the 2nd Latin American Social Network conference
Ruth Hunter (Keynote speaker)Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited or keynote talk at national or international conference
Measuring liveability and active living – the adaptation and implementation of MAPS-Full.
Claire Cleland (Presenter), Sara Ferguson (Contributor), Frank Kee (Contributor), Ruth Hunter (Contributor)Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
Thesis
Physical activity interventions in socio-economically disadvantaged communities
Author: Cleland, C., Apr 2013Supervisor: Cupples, M. (Supervisor), Kee, F. (Supervisor), Tully, M. (Supervisor) & Hunter, R. (Supervisor)
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy