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Dr Sara Long
Research Fellow, DECIPHer
- LongS7@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44 29225 10098
- sbarc|spark, Room Room 1.18, Maindy Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ
Overview
I am an inter-disciplinary researcher interested in health, wellbeing and education outcomes of children and young people. Adopting a range of qualitative and quantitative methods, I work across projects spanning policy evaluation and epidemiology.
I have have worked on a range of externally funded research projects since completing my doctoral studies in 2013, and funding sources include the ESRC, HCRW, NIHR, Public Health Wales, and Welsh Government, as well small awards from a private sector company and others from the South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner.
Over time I have increased capacity from co-investigator to principal investigator. I am co-investigator on grants to the value of circa £1.7 million, of which I am principal investigator to the value of circa £600,000. Substantively, one of my main projects over recent years I served as principal investigator on a full-time Health and Care Research Wales fellowship (£315,999), which adopted a mixed methods design to explore the aims, objectives, and operationalisation of Wales-wide school reform.
I have also recently completed a term as principal investigator on a Wales-wide data linkage study funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (£192,230) that explored the link between adverse childhood experiences and health and education outcomes, and the mediating role of local authority care and social services intervention. I have a background in psychology and public health, and my methodological interests include, but are not limited to, qualitative methods, surveys, and policy evaluation.
Publication
2024
- Williams, A., Bayfield, H., Elliott, M., Lyttleton-Smith, J., Young, H., Evans, R. and Long, S. 2024. Secure futures? A mixed methods study on opportunities for helping young people referred to secure children's homes for welfare reasons. Journal of Children's Services 19(1), pp. 38-53. (10.1108/JCS-06-2022-0019)
2023
- Anthony, R. et al. 2023. Adversity profiles of children receiving care and support from social services: A Latent-class analysis of school-aged children in Wales. Child: Care, Health and Development 49(5), pp. 889-897. (10.1111/cch.13097)
- Long, S., Hawkins, J., Murphy, S. and Moore, G. 2023. School health and wellbeing and national education system reform: a qualitative study. British Education Research Journal 49(4), pp. 674-692. (10.1002/berj.3861)
2021
- Lowthian, E. et al. 2021. Adverse childhood experiences and child mental health: an electronic birth cohort study. BMC Medicine 19, article number: 172. (10.1186/s12916-021-02045-x)
- Young, H., Long, S. J., Melendez-Torres, G. J., Kim, H. S., Hewitt, G., Murphy, S. and Moore, G. F. 2021. Dating and relationship violence victimization and perpetration among 11–16 year olds in Wales: a cross-sectional analysis of the School Health Research Network (SHRN) survey. Journal of Public Health 43(1), pp. 111-122. (10.1093/pubmed/fdz084)
- Anthony, R., Young, H. and Long, S. J. 2021. Early pregnancy risk and missed opportunities to plan for parenthood. In: Roberts, L. ed. The Children of Looked After Children: Outcomes, Experiences and Ensuring Meaningful Support to Young Parents In and Leaving Care. Bristol: Policy Press, pp. 15-40.
2020
- Evans, A. et al. 2020. Adverse childhood experiences during childhood and academic attainment at age 7 and 11 years: an electronic birth cohort study. Public Health 189, pp. 37-47. (10.1016/j.puhe.2020.08.027)
- Morgan, K. et al. 2020. Sources of potential bias when combining routine data linkage and a national survey of secondary school-aged children: a record linkage study. BMC Medical Research Methodology 20, article number: 178. (10.1186/s12874-020-01064-1)
- Long, S. et al. 2020. Testing the ‘zero-sum game’ hypothesis: An examination of school health policies and practices and inequalities in educational outcomes. Journal of School Health 90(5), pp. 415-424., article number: 10.1111/josh.12889. (10.1111/josh.12889)
2019
- Williams, A., Bayfield, H., Elliott, M., Lyttleton-Smith, J., Evans, R., Young, H. and Long, S. 2019. The experiences and outcomes of children and young people from Wales receiving Secure Accommodation Orders. Project Report. Cardiff: Social Care Wales.
2018
- Moore, G. F. et al. 2018. School, peer and family relationships and adolescent substance use, subjective wellbeing and mental health symptoms in Wales: a cross sectional study. Child Indicators Research 11, pp. 1951-1965. (10.1007/s12187-017-9524-1)
- Hewitt, J., Long, S., Carter, B., Bach, S., McCarthy, K. and Clegg, A. 2018. The prevalence of frailty and its association with clinical outcomes in general surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Age and Ageing 47(6), pp. 793-800., article number: afy110. (10.1093/ageing/afy110)
- Littlecott, H. J. et al. 2018. Health improvement and educational attainment in secondary schools: complementary or competing priorities? Exploratory analyses from the School Health Research Network in Wales. Health Education and Behavior 45(4), pp. 635-644. (10.1177/1090198117747659)
- Paranjothy, S. et al. 2018. Risk of emergency hospital admission in children associated with mental disorders and alcohol misuse in the household: an electronic birth cohort study. Lancet Public Health 3(6), pp. e279-e288. (10.1016/S2468-2667(18)30069-0)
- Roberts, L., Long, S., Young, H., Hewitt, G., Murphy, S. and Moore, G. 2018. Sexual health outcomes for young people in state care: Cross-sectional analysis of a national survey and views of social care professionals in Wales. Children and Youth Services Review 89, pp. 281-288. (10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.04.044)
- Young, H., Long, S. J., Hallingberg, B., Fletcher, A., Hewitt, G., Murphy, S. and Moore, G. F. 2018. School practices important for students' sexual health: analysis of the school health research network survey in Wales. European Journal of Public Health 28(2), pp. 309-314. (10.1093/eurpub/ckx203)
2017
- Long, S. J. et al. 2017. Testing the 'zero-sum game' hypothesis: An examination of school health policy and practice and inequalities in educational outcomes. The Lancet 390(Supp 3), pp. S60. (10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32995-1)
- Long, S. J., Evans, R. E., Fletcher, A., Hewitt, G., Murphy, S., Young, H. and Moore, G. F. 2017. Comparison of substance use, subjective well-being and interpersonal relationships among young people in foster care and private households: a cross sectional analysis of the School Health Research Network survey in Wales. BMJ Open 7(2), article number: e014198. (10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014198)
- Long, S., Littlecott, H. and Fletcher, A. 2017. Testing the 'zero-sum game' hypothesis: An examination of school health policy and practice and inequalities in educational outcomes. Presented at: Lancet Public Health Sciences, London, 24 November 2017.
2016
- Gray, B. J. et al. 2016. A workplace-based risk assessment improves predicted lifetime cardiovascular disease risk in male steelworkers. Public Health 138, pp. 160-163. (10.1016/j.puhe.2016.03.023)
- Long, S., Fone, D. L., Gartner, A. and Bellis, M. 2016. Demographic and socioeconomic inequalities in the risk of emergency hospital admission for violence: cross-sectional analysis of a national database in Wales. BMJ Open 6(8), article number: e011169. (10.1136/bmjopen-2016-011169)
2013
- Long, S. J. and Benton, D. 2013. A double-blind trial of the effect of docosahexaenoic acid and vitamin and mineral supplementation on aggression, impulsivity and stress. Human Psychopharmacology 28, pp. 238-247. (10.1002/hup.2313)
- Long, S. J. and Benton, D. 2013. Effects of multi-vitamin and mineral supplementation on stress, mild psychiatric symptoms and mood in non-clinical samples: a meta-analysis. Psychosomatic Medicine 75, pp. 144-153. (10.1097/PSY.0b013e31827d5fbd)
- Benton, D., Donohoe, R. T., Clayton, D. E. and Long, S. J. 2013. Supplementation with DHA and the psychological function of young adults.. British Journal of Nutrition 109, pp. 151-161. (10.1017/S0007114512000566)
2011
- Long, S. J. and Benton, D. 2011. Depression and suicide.. In: Benton, D. ed. Lifetime Nutritional Influences on Cognition, Behaviour and Psychiatric Illness. Food Science, Technology and Nutrition Woodhead Publishing
Articles
- Williams, A., Bayfield, H., Elliott, M., Lyttleton-Smith, J., Young, H., Evans, R. and Long, S. 2024. Secure futures? A mixed methods study on opportunities for helping young people referred to secure children's homes for welfare reasons. Journal of Children's Services 19(1), pp. 38-53. (10.1108/JCS-06-2022-0019)
- Anthony, R. et al. 2023. Adversity profiles of children receiving care and support from social services: A Latent-class analysis of school-aged children in Wales. Child: Care, Health and Development 49(5), pp. 889-897. (10.1111/cch.13097)
- Long, S., Hawkins, J., Murphy, S. and Moore, G. 2023. School health and wellbeing and national education system reform: a qualitative study. British Education Research Journal 49(4), pp. 674-692. (10.1002/berj.3861)
- Lowthian, E. et al. 2021. Adverse childhood experiences and child mental health: an electronic birth cohort study. BMC Medicine 19, article number: 172. (10.1186/s12916-021-02045-x)
- Young, H., Long, S. J., Melendez-Torres, G. J., Kim, H. S., Hewitt, G., Murphy, S. and Moore, G. F. 2021. Dating and relationship violence victimization and perpetration among 11–16 year olds in Wales: a cross-sectional analysis of the School Health Research Network (SHRN) survey. Journal of Public Health 43(1), pp. 111-122. (10.1093/pubmed/fdz084)
- Evans, A. et al. 2020. Adverse childhood experiences during childhood and academic attainment at age 7 and 11 years: an electronic birth cohort study. Public Health 189, pp. 37-47. (10.1016/j.puhe.2020.08.027)
- Morgan, K. et al. 2020. Sources of potential bias when combining routine data linkage and a national survey of secondary school-aged children: a record linkage study. BMC Medical Research Methodology 20, article number: 178. (10.1186/s12874-020-01064-1)
- Long, S. et al. 2020. Testing the ‘zero-sum game’ hypothesis: An examination of school health policies and practices and inequalities in educational outcomes. Journal of School Health 90(5), pp. 415-424., article number: 10.1111/josh.12889. (10.1111/josh.12889)
- Moore, G. F. et al. 2018. School, peer and family relationships and adolescent substance use, subjective wellbeing and mental health symptoms in Wales: a cross sectional study. Child Indicators Research 11, pp. 1951-1965. (10.1007/s12187-017-9524-1)
- Hewitt, J., Long, S., Carter, B., Bach, S., McCarthy, K. and Clegg, A. 2018. The prevalence of frailty and its association with clinical outcomes in general surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Age and Ageing 47(6), pp. 793-800., article number: afy110. (10.1093/ageing/afy110)
- Littlecott, H. J. et al. 2018. Health improvement and educational attainment in secondary schools: complementary or competing priorities? Exploratory analyses from the School Health Research Network in Wales. Health Education and Behavior 45(4), pp. 635-644. (10.1177/1090198117747659)
- Paranjothy, S. et al. 2018. Risk of emergency hospital admission in children associated with mental disorders and alcohol misuse in the household: an electronic birth cohort study. Lancet Public Health 3(6), pp. e279-e288. (10.1016/S2468-2667(18)30069-0)
- Roberts, L., Long, S., Young, H., Hewitt, G., Murphy, S. and Moore, G. 2018. Sexual health outcomes for young people in state care: Cross-sectional analysis of a national survey and views of social care professionals in Wales. Children and Youth Services Review 89, pp. 281-288. (10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.04.044)
- Young, H., Long, S. J., Hallingberg, B., Fletcher, A., Hewitt, G., Murphy, S. and Moore, G. F. 2018. School practices important for students' sexual health: analysis of the school health research network survey in Wales. European Journal of Public Health 28(2), pp. 309-314. (10.1093/eurpub/ckx203)
- Long, S. J. et al. 2017. Testing the 'zero-sum game' hypothesis: An examination of school health policy and practice and inequalities in educational outcomes. The Lancet 390(Supp 3), pp. S60. (10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32995-1)
- Long, S. J., Evans, R. E., Fletcher, A., Hewitt, G., Murphy, S., Young, H. and Moore, G. F. 2017. Comparison of substance use, subjective well-being and interpersonal relationships among young people in foster care and private households: a cross sectional analysis of the School Health Research Network survey in Wales. BMJ Open 7(2), article number: e014198. (10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014198)
- Gray, B. J. et al. 2016. A workplace-based risk assessment improves predicted lifetime cardiovascular disease risk in male steelworkers. Public Health 138, pp. 160-163. (10.1016/j.puhe.2016.03.023)
- Long, S., Fone, D. L., Gartner, A. and Bellis, M. 2016. Demographic and socioeconomic inequalities in the risk of emergency hospital admission for violence: cross-sectional analysis of a national database in Wales. BMJ Open 6(8), article number: e011169. (10.1136/bmjopen-2016-011169)
- Long, S. J. and Benton, D. 2013. A double-blind trial of the effect of docosahexaenoic acid and vitamin and mineral supplementation on aggression, impulsivity and stress. Human Psychopharmacology 28, pp. 238-247. (10.1002/hup.2313)
- Long, S. J. and Benton, D. 2013. Effects of multi-vitamin and mineral supplementation on stress, mild psychiatric symptoms and mood in non-clinical samples: a meta-analysis. Psychosomatic Medicine 75, pp. 144-153. (10.1097/PSY.0b013e31827d5fbd)
- Benton, D., Donohoe, R. T., Clayton, D. E. and Long, S. J. 2013. Supplementation with DHA and the psychological function of young adults.. British Journal of Nutrition 109, pp. 151-161. (10.1017/S0007114512000566)
Book sections
- Anthony, R., Young, H. and Long, S. J. 2021. Early pregnancy risk and missed opportunities to plan for parenthood. In: Roberts, L. ed. The Children of Looked After Children: Outcomes, Experiences and Ensuring Meaningful Support to Young Parents In and Leaving Care. Bristol: Policy Press, pp. 15-40.
- Long, S. J. and Benton, D. 2011. Depression and suicide.. In: Benton, D. ed. Lifetime Nutritional Influences on Cognition, Behaviour and Psychiatric Illness. Food Science, Technology and Nutrition Woodhead Publishing
Conferences
- Long, S., Littlecott, H. and Fletcher, A. 2017. Testing the 'zero-sum game' hypothesis: An examination of school health policy and practice and inequalities in educational outcomes. Presented at: Lancet Public Health Sciences, London, 24 November 2017.
Monographs
- Williams, A., Bayfield, H., Elliott, M., Lyttleton-Smith, J., Evans, R., Young, H. and Long, S. 2019. The experiences and outcomes of children and young people from Wales receiving Secure Accommodation Orders. Project Report. Cardiff: Social Care Wales.
Research
Please see below for selected funded research projects.
Funded
1. Nov 2023-Dec 2024: £15,000, Public Health Wales. Long SJ (PI). Advancing knowledge in the use of health and wellbeing data and evidence: A package of training for Healthy Schools Co-ordinators (ADEPT – HSC 2).
2. Oct 2019-Dec 2023: £315, 999, Health and Care Research Wales Health Fellowship Scheme. Long SJ (PI), Moore G. The role of schools in improving health, well-being, and reducing inequalities: a mixed-methods investigation of curriculum reform in Wales.
3. Jan 2023-Jun 2023: £10,004, Public Health Wales. Long SJ (PI). Advancing knowledge in the use of health and wellbeing data and evidence: A package of training for Healthy Schools Co-ordinators (ADEPT - HSC).
4. Jan 2023-Jul 2023: £29,749 Public Health Wales. Hawkins J (PI), Long SJ, Morgan K. Healthy Working Wales Evaluation toolkit – the developing of a national benchmarking tool.
5. Nov 2022-Aug 2023: £34,450, Welsh Government. Long SJ (PI), Young H, Churm A. Peer-on-peer abuse (POPA) in Wales colleges across Wales: Awareness and confidence in reporting procedures, and management of POPA by colleges and college staff.
6. Oct 2019-Jul 2022: £192,230, Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Long SJ (PI), Farewell D, Fone DF, Lyons R, Moore G, Scourfield J, Taylor C. Does local authority care make a difference to the lives of vulnerable children? Longitudinal analyses of a retrospective electronic cohort.
7. 2020-2023: £600,000, NIHR Public Health Research, Howarth E, Moore GF, (mentor to first-time PI), Feder G, Spencer A, Evans R., Berry V, Stanley N, Bacchus L, Humphrey A, Buckley K, Littlecott H, Long S, Burn A. Family Recovery after Domestic Abuse (FReDA): A feasibility trial and nested process evaluation of a group-based intervention for children exposed to domestic violence and abuse.
8. Feb 2018-Feb 2019: £85, 777, Social Care Wales (SCW). Williams A, Evans RE, Long SJ, Elliot M, Young H. Understanding outcomes for Welsh children who are placed in secure accommodation.
9. Dec 2017: £2,100, International Credit Mobility Programme: Erasmus Plus. Long, SJ (PI). Travel grant to strengthen links and promote research collaborations with universities abroad.
10. Oct 2017-Jan 2021: £70,000, ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership PhD Studentship Award. Moore GF (PI), Long SJ, Murphy S.
11. Jul 2017-Apr 2018: £23,000, The Thrive Approach. Long SJ (PI), Evans R, Moore G (co-PIs). An evaluation of the impact of a primary school-based socio-emotional intervention on education outcomes at key stage 2.
12. May-Nov 2017: £49,718, Welsh Local Government Association. Morgan K, Moore GF (co-PIs) Hawkins J, Littlecott H, Long SJ. and McConnon, L. An evaluability assessment of the Food & Fitness Summer Holiday Enrichment Programme in Wales.
13. Jun 2017: Long SJ (PI) £2,000 School of Social Sciences international conference fund. Travel grant to present work at the International Society for Child Indicators Conference.
14. Jan-Jun 2016: £20,000, South Wales Police and Crime Commissioners’ Office. Long SJ (PI), Ashton KA, Bellis M, Gray B. Exploring the impact of transportation on public safety and health, social and well-being outcomes among users of the night-time economy (NTE).
15. Oct 2014-Mar 2016: £135,000 South Wales Police and Crime Commissioners’ Office. , Bellis M (PI), Long SJ, Barton E. Development of a multi-agency routine surveillance and analysis system to develop understanding, intervention and prevention of violence in Wales.
Teaching
Contributions to teaching:
>Child and Youth Policy, School of Social Sciences (SOCSI), Cardiff University.
>Undergraduate Social Sciences and Research Methods, SOCSI, Cardiff University
>Masters of Public Health (MPH), MEDIC, Cardiff University
>Masters of Social Work (MASW), SOCSI, Cardiff University
>Undergraduate Psychology, Swansea University
2014/present – supervision of undergraduate and MSc students; experience of marking undergraduate and MSc projects
