Lena Morgon Banks

Lena Morgon Banks is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Population Health within the Faculty of Public Health and Policy at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). She is a core member of LSHTM's International Centre for Evidence in Disability, where she leads research on disability inclusion across multiple sectors in low- and middle-income countries. Her work spans health systems, social protection, education, and WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) programming.

Dr. Banks' research focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of interventions designed to improve the lives of people with disabilities, with particular emphasis on poverty reduction, healthcare access, and social participation. Her methodology expertise includes cluster randomized trials, mixed-methods research, systematic reviews, and policy analysis. She has conducted field research across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, working closely with governments, UN agencies, and local organizations to design and evaluate disability-inclusive programs.

Her publication record shows a strong trend toward experimental and quasi-experimental evaluation of disability-inclusive interventions, particularly graduation programs, cash transfer schemes, and health system strengthening initiatives. Recent work demonstrates increasing focus on intersectional approaches that address multiple barriers faced by people with disabilities, including gender, poverty, and geographic location. She frequently employs the Washington Group disability measurement tools in her research.

Dr. Banks has secured research funding for multiple large-scale projects, including cluster randomized trials in Uganda and study protocols for interventions in Laos and Nigeria. Her work often involves close collaboration with Hannah Kuper and other researchers at LSHTM's International Centre for Evidence in Disability.

She contributes significantly to capacity building in disability research methods, as evidenced by publications on conducting quality research with children with disabilities and adapting research methods during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her work has influenced policy discussions around disability inclusion in social protection and health systems globally.