Niamh Fitzgerald (@niamhcreate) is a Professor of Alcohol Policy and Director of the Institute for Social Marketing and Health at University of Stirling (Twitter: @ismh_uos).
Niamh is Deputy Director of the SPECTRUM (Shaping public health policies to reduce inequalities and harm) research consortium (2019-2024), with responsibility for impact, knowledge exchange and public engagement. Funded by the UK Prevention Research Partnership, SPECTRUM aims to conduct research to prevent and address harm to health from unhealthy commodities by using systems science to identify and evaluate solutions.
Niamh specialises in mixed methods alcohol policy research and has broad interests within that field. Current areas of focus include retail premises licensing, drink driving limits, minimum unit pricing, framing in alcohol policy debates, conflicts of interest, and alcohol screening in pregnancy. Niamh is recognised internationally for her work on alcohol brief interventions, having advised WHO-Europe, Public Health Scotland and several European governments.
Niamh originally trained as a pharmacist at Trinity College, Dublin. She received her PhD in 2003 from Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, for a qualitative study of policy, planning and practice in school-based drug education. Niamh is currently serving as President of the International Confederation of ATOD (Alcohol, tobacco and other drug) Research Associations (@ICARA_Global). Niamh regularly contributes to radio/TV and print news on alcohol. Her work has previously led to statements from Scottish Government and questions in parliament.
Current Studies
Evaluating Later or Expanded Premises Hours for Alcohol in the Night-Time economy (ELEPHANT). Fitzgerald, N., Mohan, A., Emslie, C., Lewsey, J., McIntosh, E., Angus, C., Fitzpatrick, D., Smith, E. (Funded by NIHR)
Exploring the management of alcohol problems in Deep End practices in Scotland (Deep End Study). Mohan, A., Sharp C., Fitzgerald, N. (Funded by SHAAP)
Examining policy options to manage the impact of Covid-19 restrictions on licensed premises and ambulance-call outs in Scotland (Lockdown & Licensed Premises study). Fitzgerald N., Lewsey J., Stead M. (Funded by Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office)
Ambulance Call-Outs to Drug Overdoses in Scotland: Patterns and Practice (ACODOS). Fitzgerald, N., Schofield, J., Ford, A. (Funded by Scottish Government Drug Deaths Taskforce)
Interdisciplinary Research into political interest, civil society support and available data to strengthen Alcohol Policy Systems in Brazil and Peru (IRAPS). Fitzgerald N., Uny I., Sanchez Z., Piazza M., Angus C., Petticrew M. (Funded by MRC/Wellcome/UK Aid)
SPECTRUM Consortium: Shaping Public hEalth poliCies To Reduce ineqUalities and harM. Bauld, L, Fitzgerald, N, Munafo, M, Brown, J Collin, J, Gilmore, A, Langley, T, McNeill, A, Pearce J, Petticrew, M, Moore, G, Reid, G, Dockrell, M, O’Connor, R, Bishop, J, Friel, S. (Funded by UK Prevention Research Partnership)
The Impact of Minimum Pricing of Alcohol on Ambulance Call-outs in Scotland (IMPAACT) Fitzgerald N., Lewsey J., Fitzpatrick, D., Mackay D., Angus, C. (Funded by Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office)
An exploration of the characteristics, perceptions and experiences of drink drivers in England and Scotland. Mohan, A., Uny, I., Fitzgerald, N., (Funded by UK Department of Transport
ExILEnS: Exploring the impact of alcohol premises licensing in England and Scotland. Fitzgerald, N., De Vocht, F., Angus, C., Bauld, L., Egan, M., Shortt, N., Nicholls, J., Nichols, T. (Funded by National Institute of Health Research (UK), Public Health Research programme)