Catherine Best

Dr. Catherine Best is an Associate Professor in Health Sciences at the University of Stirling, Scotland. Her work focuses on methodological advancements in quantitative data analysis, systematic reviews, and healthcare intervention design. She holds a PhD from the University of Edinburgh (2007) and a BSc from the University of Manchester, with 20+ years in health research across diverse areas including tobacco control policies, mental health interventions, and perinatal anxiety management.

Her research interests span interventions to improve population health, neurodevelopmental disorder care, and healthcare policy evaluation. She has contributed to studies on smoking cessation services, emergency mental health responses, and the impact of standardized packaging on tobacco use. Catherine leads research groups within the Institute for Social Marketing and Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals Research Unit, focusing on translational research to address health inequalities.

Recent work includes evaluating self-management approaches for pelvic organ prolapse (TOPSY trial), analyzing pandemic impacts on maternal mental health, and assessing the efficacy of financial incentives for smoking cessation. Her methodological expertise includes multivariate regression, multi-level modeling, and realist evaluation frameworks.

Catherine has collaborated on national projects like the Tobacco in Prisons (TIPs) study and contributed to global health initiatives in Latin America. Her publications emphasize actionable insights for policymakers, with a focus on evidence-based healthcare practices and patient-centered outcomes.