Rachel Burns

Rachel Burns is a Senior Research Fellow at the Collaborative Centre of Inclusion Health (CCIH) within University College London's Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care. She holds a PhD in Epidemiology and Public Health from UCL, an MSc in Control of Infectious Diseases from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and a BA in Social Anthropology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Her research focuses on inclusive, co-produced methodologies, integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches to address health disparities among migrant populations. Key interests include data linkage, epidemiological analysis, and arts-based knowledge dissemination. She chairs the DOTW UK Expert Consortium on Refugee and Migrant Health, advises Lancet Migration, and serves on the steering committee of the UCL-Lancet Commission on Migration and Health.

Recent work emphasizes migrant health equity during the COVID-19 pandemic, exploring vaccination coverage, healthcare access barriers, and pandemic-related mortality disparities. Her studies frequently utilize large-scale electronic health records and mixed-methods frameworks to inform policy reforms.

• Education:
  • PhD in Epidemiology and Public Health (UCL)
  • MSc in Control of Infectious Diseases (LSHTM)
  • BA in Social Anthropology (UNC Chapel Hill)
• Affiliations:
  • DOTW UK Expert Consortium (Chair)
  • Lancet Migration (Advocacy Officer)
  • UCL-Lancet Commission on Migration and Health (Steering Committee)

Her research trends highlight methodological innovation in migration health studies, particularly through data integration and participatory approaches, with a focus on vulnerable populations like non-EU migrants and refugees.