Rachael Eastham

Rachael Eastham is a Lecturer in Adolescent Health Inequalities at Lancaster University's Faculty of Health and Medicine, affiliated with the Centre for Health Inequalities Research. She is an active researcher specializing in gender, sexualities, and youth, with particular focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and mental health.

Her research interests center on LGBTQ+ youth mental health, sexual and reproductive health rights, and qualitative methodologies. She values creative and participatory research methods, particularly visual approaches and historical methods including life histories and archival research. She is also engaged in arts-based and community collaborations, applying research knowledge to support grassroots creative and social support for health.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on LGBTQ+ mental health support systems, sexual and reproductive health rights, and health inequalities. Her work often employs qualitative methodologies to explore complex issues surrounding bodily autonomy, cisheteronormativity, and access to appropriate healthcare services for marginalized populations.

Dr. Eastham supervises 10 postgraduate research students and has been involved in significant research projects including the Queer Futures 2 project (completed in 2023) and currently leads an ESRC-funded secondary data analysis project. She has received research funding from sources including the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

She is actively engaged in community and professional activities through initiatives like ReproNorth, a network focused on reproductive health in Northern England, and has organized events including ReproFest 2022. Her work bridges academic research with practical community applications, particularly in mental health support for LGBTQ+ young people.