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Contact information


abigail.mcniven@phc.ox.ac.uk

Abi McNiven

BA (Hons), MA, PhD (Dunelm)

Senior Qualitative Researcher

I lead a study on experiences of endometriosis, titled 'Understanding and improving endometriosis experiences: a qualitative study into patient and healthcare professionals' experiences of management, diagnosis and treatment', funded by the NIHR Health and Social Care Delivery Research Programme. I am the main researcher on a study funded by the Nuffield Foundation (Oliver Bird Fund) about decision-making for knee replacement surgery by patients over the age of 70 with multiple long term health conditions. I am also a co-lead for the gynaecology and pelvic problems theme of the Reproductive Health Policy Research Unit which is part of the NIHR and hosted by UCL.

I recently co-led the PURSUE study on patient experiences of urogynaecological health conditions and health services, and the WEAVE study on GP perspectives on women's health, with Dr Fran Toye which were funded by the NIHR Policy Research Programme.

I joined the Medical Sociology and Health Experiences Research Group in 2014 to work on a study about young people and skin conditions (acne, eczema, psoriasis and alopecia). Since then, I have also worked on studies about: GP perspectives on supporting patients with suspected endometriosis; women's healthcare technology needs; the use of at-home fetal dopplers; pre-eclampsia and high blood pressure in pregnancy; anal incontinence after childbirth; antenatal and newborn screening; burn injuries; the impact of SJS/TEN on children; the experiences of research nurses, midwives and allied health professionals; participation in cohort studies; and healthcare professionals' perspectives on communication about serious illness with children and parents.

Outputs from a number of these studies are available on the Health Experiences Insights website at www.hexi.ox.ac.uk

I am a social geographer by background and completed my PhD in the Department of Geography at Durham University on the topic of pregnancy loss experiences.

My research interests include reproductive health, pregnancy and postnatal health, dermatology, patient experiences and narratives, geographies of the body, emotional geographies, feminist scholarship, death and bereavement studies, and qualitative research methodologies including qualitative secondary analysis.

I currently supervise four DPhil students: Lucy Abel, Tori Ford, Michelle Yeung, and Layla Lavallee.