Elena Ratschen

Elena Ratschen is a Reader (Associate Professor) in Health Services Research at the Department of Health Sciences, University of York, specialising in applied mental health research using mixed methods with expertise in developing and evaluating complex interventions. Her work bridges tobacco control in mental health contexts and emerging Human-Animal Interaction (HAI) research.

Her educational background includes:

• PhD (2010) from the University of Nottingham
• MPH (2007) from the University of Nottingham
• BA(hons) & MA (2004) from the University of Passau, Germany

Ratschen's research spans tobacco use in severe mental illness (particularly inpatient settings), vulnerable populations (homeless, prisoners, looked-after children), electronic cigarettes, harm reduction, and health inequalities. She pioneered NICE guideline development and Royal College of Physicians reports in tobacco-mental health intersections. Her recent focus on HAI explores therapeutic animal interventions across the lifespan, addressing mental health conditions through interdisciplinary collaboration.

Analysis of her 2025 publications reveals a decisive shift toward Human-Animal Interaction, with systematic reviews and national surveys establishing evidence for dog-assisted interventions in mental health contexts, alongside editorial leadership defining HAI research frameworks.

She leads major funded projects including the NIHR SCEPTRE programme (smoking cessation for mental health inpatients) and Yorkshire Cancer Research's ESCAPE trial (e-cigarettes for mental illness), while developing dementia-focused HAI interventions through robotic pet studies. Her supervision spans mental health services research, tobacco control, and HAI methodologies.

Ratschen chairs York's interdisciplinary Tobacco Research Group and leads dual research themes: Tobacco and Mental Health, and Human-Animal Interaction, driving collaborations across academic, clinical, and policy sectors through initiatives like the ESRC Festival of Social Science.