Dr Phuong Hua

I am a Senior behavioural scientist working in primary care and population health. My research focuses on behavioural science approaches to primary care, including infection management and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), health inequalities, and the development of new models of care delivery. I am particularly interested in how infections and other respiratory conditions are managed in primary care, drawing on the perspectives of both patients and clinicians to inform policy and practices.

I specialise in mixed-methods research, with particular expertise in qualitative approaches and realist methodologies. My work frequently applies realist-informed synthesis to understand how, why, and for whom interventions and services work within complex health systems. I have expertise in evidence synthesis, including systematic reviews, rapid reviews, and scoping reviews, often used to clarify theoretical frameworks and inform intervention development.

I am currently the lead researcher on an NIHR Health Protection Research Unit–funded study applying a behavioural science lens to explore young people’s views on managing acute respiratory tract infections, care-seeking, and antibiotic use. This work aims to inform more equitable and effective approaches to infection management and AMR in primary care.

My previous research spans primary care, multimorbidity, mental health, inflammatory diseases and population health, with a consistent focus on health inequalities, patient and clinician experience, and the use of qualitative and mixed methods to support service improvement and system change.