![Julia Townson](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/3668?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Julia Townson
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Teams and roles for Julia Townson
Principal Research Fellow
Overview
I am a Principal Research Fellow in the Centre for Trials Research, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University. I am the study lead for trials involving Women's Health, and Children and Young People, within the Population Health division in the Centre for Trials Research, with the overall aim to improve health and well-being, and to reduce health inequalities. I conduct and lead research relating to children and young people with Type 1 diabetes, namely to improve outcomes prior to diagnosis.
I have extensive knowledge and experience in trial methodology, research governance and patient and public involvement (PPI) in research.
Publication
2025
- Aslam, R. W. et al. 2025. Optimisation of a sexual health and healthy relationships intervention for Further Education in England and Wales (SaFE). Public Health Research (10.3310/AHDP8546)
- Hawkins, J. et al. 2025. Association of volatile substance, nitrous oxide and alkyl nitrate use with mental health 1 in UK adolescents. The British Journal of Psychiatry 226 (1), pp.10-15. (10.1192/bjp.2024.128)
- Pollard, D. J. et al., 2025. Potential cost-effectiveness of childhood screening for type 1 diabetes: Examining reducing Diabetic Ketoacidosis at diagnosis and long-term outcomes to assess the justifiable cost per child screened. NIHR Open Research 5 80. (10.3310/nihropenres.14026.1)
- Rai, T. et al., 2025. Managing obstetric bleeding in Wales: a qualitative evaluation of the OBS Cymru care bundle using normalisation process theory. PLoS One 20 (4) e0320754. (10.1371/journal.pone.0320754)
- Swaby, R. et al., 2025. Testing methods used to predict disease progression in children with early‐stage type 1 diabetes: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Diabetic Medicine 42 (9) e70077. (10.1111/dme.70077)
- Swaby, R. et al., 2025. A UK healthcare professional survey on the islet autoantibody status of children and young people with pre‐stage 3 type 1 diabetes, on behalf of the British Society for Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes [Letter]. Diabetic Medicine 42 (8) e70069. (10.1111/dme.70069)
- Young, H. et al. 2025. A Sexual health and healthy relationships intervention for Further Education (SaFE): a synopsis of results from a pilot cluster randomised controlled trial including an assessment of the feasibility of record linkage and a health economic analysis. Public Health Research
2024
- Bowes, L. et al., 2024. The effects and costs of an anti-bullying program (KiVa) in UK primary schools: a multicenter cluster randomized controlled trial. Psychological Medicine 54 (15), pp.4362-4373. (10.1017/S0033291724002666)
- Daniel, R. et al. 2024. Predicting type 1 diabetes in children using electronic health records in primary care in the UK: development and validation of a machine-learning algorithm. The Lancet Digital Health 6 (6), pp.e386-e395. (10.1016/S2589-7500(24)00050-5)
- Elsmore, A. et al., 2024. The OBS UK Dashboard: an interactive tool for representative trial site selection to facilitate equality and diversity in maternity research. Trials 25 629. (10.1186/s13063-024-08487-x)
- Lifford, K. J. et al. 2024. Satisfaction with remote consultations in primary care during COVID-19: a population survey of UK adults. British Journal of General Practice 74 (739), pp.e96-e103. (10.3399/BJGP.2023.0092)
- Scudder, C. et al., 2024. General population screening for type 1 diabetes using islet autoantibodies at the preschool vaccination visit: a proof-of-concept study (the T1Early study). Archives of Disease in Childhood 109 , pp.812-817. (10.1136/archdischild-2023-326697)
- Segrott, J. et al. 2024. Integrating qualitative research within a clinical trials unit: developing strategies and understanding their implementation in contexts. Trials 25 (1) 323. (10.1186/s13063-024-08124-7)
- Williams-Thomas, R. et al. 2024. Sexual health and healthy relationships for Further Education (SaFE) in Wales and England: results from a pilot cluster randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open 14 e091355. (10.1136/bmjopen-2024-091355)
2023
- Hotham, J. et al., 2023. Association of cannabis, cannabidiol and synthetic cannabinoid use with mental health in UK adolescents. British Journal of Psychiatry 223 (4), pp.478-484. (10.1192/bjp.2023.91)
- Smith, E. R. et al., 2023. Adverse maternal, fetal, and newborn outcomes among pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection: an individual participant data meta-analysis. BMJ Global Health 8 (1) e009495. (10.1136/bmjgh-2022-009495)
2022
- Anyanwu, P. et al. 2022. Health behaviour change among UK adults during the pandemic: findings from the COVID-19 Cancer Attitudes and Behaviours study. BMC Public Health 22 1437. (10.1186/s12889-022-13870-x)
- Clarkson, S. et al., 2022. The UK stand together trial: protocol for a multicentre cluster randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of KiVa to reduce bullying in primary schools. BMC Public Health 22 608. (10.1186/s12889-022-12642-x)
- Lugg-Widger, F. V. et al. 2022. Identifying researcher learning needs to develop online training for UK researchers working with administrative data: CENTRIC training. International Journal of Population Data Science 7 (1) 1712. (10.23889/ijpds.v7i1.1712)
- Mullins, E. et al., 2022. Pregnancy and neonatal outcomes of COVID-19: The PAN-COVID study. European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Biology 276 , pp.161-167. (10.1016/j.ejogrb.2022.07.010)
- Smith, E. R. et al., 2022. Protocol for a sequential, prospective meta-analysis to describe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the pregnancy and postpartum periods. PLoS ONE 17 (6) e0270150. (10.1371/journal.pone.0270150)
- Smith, P. et al. 2022. Protocol for a feasibility study of a cancer symptom awareness campaign to support the rapid diagnostic centre referral pathway in a socioeconomically deprived area: Targeted Intensive Community-based campaign To Optimise Cancer awareness (TIC-TOC). BMJ Open 12 (10) e063280. (10.1136/bmjopen-2022-063280)
- Townson, J. et al. 2022. Anticipating type 1 diabetes in children using machine learning and routinely-collected data in primary care [Meeting Abstract]. Diabetic Medicine 39 (S1) A26.
2021
- Banerjee, J. et al., 2021. Pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in COVID-19: study protocol for a global registry of women with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy and their neonates, understanding natural history to guide treatment and prevention. BMJ Open 11 (1) e041247. (10.1136/bmjopen-2020-041247)
- Butler, C. C. et al., 2021. Probiotics to reduce antibiotic administration in care home residents aged 65 years and older: the PRINCESS RCT. Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation 8 (7)(10.3310/eme08070)
- McCarroll, Z. et al., 2021. Cost-effectiveness of home versus hospital management of children at onset of Type 1 Diabetes: The DECIDE randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open 11 (5) e043523. (10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043523)
- Moriarty, Y. et al. 2021. Randomised controlled trial and economic evaluation of a targeted cancer awareness intervention for adults living in deprived areas of the UK. British Journal of Cancer 125 , pp.1100-1110. (10.1038/s41416-021-01524-5)
- Mullins, E. et al., 2021. Pregnancy and neonatal outcomes of COVID -19: coreporting of common outcomes from PAN-COVID and AAP-SONPM registries. Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology 57 (4), pp.573-581. (10.1002/uog.23619)
- Quinn-Scoggins, H. et al. 2021. Cancer symptom experience and help-seeking behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom: a cross-sectional population survey. BMJ Open 11 (9) e053095. (10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053095)
- Sanders, J. et al. 2021. Childbirth related labial trauma management in the UK: a brief report. Midwifery 97 102950. (10.1016/j.midw.2021.102950)
- Wilson, R. et al. 2021. Intentions to participate in cervical and colorectal cancer screening during the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed-methods study. Preventive Medicine 153 106826. (10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106826)
2020
- Gartner, A. et al. 2020. Demographic and socioeconomic patterns in the risk of alcohol-related hospital admission in children and young adults with childhood onset type-1 diabetes from a record-linked longitudinal population cohort study in Wales. Pediatric Diabetes 21 (7), pp.1333-1342. (10.1111/pedi.13089)
- Kolovou, V. et al., 2020. Recruitment and retention of participants from socioeconomically deprived communities: lessons from the awareness and beliefs about cancer (ABACus3) randomised controlled trial. BMC Medical Research Methodology 20 272. (10.1186/s12874-020-01149-x)
- Townson, J. et al. 2020. Developing and evaluating a model of public involvement and engagement embedded in a national longitudinal study: HealthWise Wales. International Journal of Population Data Science 5 (3) 03. (10.23889/ijpds.v5i3.1356)
- Townson, J. et al. 2020. Health professionals’ perspectives on delivering home and hospital management at diagnosis for children with type 1 diabetes: a qualitative study from the Delivering Early Care in Diabetes Evaluation (DECIDE) trial. Pediatric Diabetes 21 (5), pp.824-831. (10.1111/pedi.13023)
2019
- Gregory, J. W. et al. 2019. Effectiveness of home or hospital initiation of treatment at diagnosis for children with type 1 diabetes (DECIDE trial): a multicentre individually randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open 9 e032317. (10.1136/bmjopen-2019-032317)
- Hurt, L. et al. 2019. Cohort Profile: HealthWise Wales. A research register and population health data platform with linkage to National Health Service datasets in Wales. BMJ Open 9 (12) e031705. (10.1136/bmjopen-2019-031705)
- Moriarty, Y. et al. 2019. Improving cancer symptom awareness and help-seeking among adults living in socioeconomically deprived communities in the UK using a facilitated health check: A protocol for the Awareness and Beliefs About Cancer (ABACus) Randomised Control Trial. BMC Public Health 19 (1) 285. (10.1186/s12889-019-6612-9)
- Townson, J. et al. 2019. Presentation to primary care during the prodrome of type 1 diabetes in childhood: A case‐control study using record data linkage. Pediatric Diabetes 20 (3), pp.330-338. (10.1111/pedi.12829)
2018
- Deylami, R. et al. 2018. A systematic review of publicity interventions to increase awareness amongst healthcare professionals and the public to promote earlier diagnosis of type 1 diabetes in children and young people. Pediatric Diabetes 19 (3), pp.566-573. (10.1111/pedi.12565)
- Smith, P. et al. 2018. Feasibility and acceptability of a cancer symptom awareness intervention for adults living in socioeconomically deprived communities. BMC Public Health 18 (1)(10.1186/s12889-018-5606-3)
- Smits, S. et al. 2018. Development of a behaviour change intervention to encourage timely cancer symptom presentation among people living in deprived communities using the Behaviour Change Wheel. Annals of Behavioral Medicine 52 (6), pp.474-488. (10.1007/s12160-016-9849-x)
- Townson, J. et al. 2018. "Keeping it on your radar"- assessing the barriers and facilitators to a timely diagnosis of type 1 diabetes in childhood: a qualitative study from the early detection of type 1 diabetes in youth study. Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism 1 (1) e00008. (10.1002/edm2.8)
2017
- Busse, M. et al. 2017. Physical activity self-management and coaching compared to social interaction in Huntington’s disease: Results from the ENGAGE-HD randomized, controlled, pilot feasibility trial. Physical Therapy 97 (6), pp.625-639. (10.1093/ptj/pzx031)
- Chestnutt, I. G. et al. 2017. Fissure seal or fluoride varnish? A randomised trial of their relative effectiveness. Journal of Dental Research 96 (7), pp.754-761. (10.1177/0022034517702094)
- Chestnutt, I. G. et al. 2017. Seal or Varnish? A randomised controlled trial to determine the relative cost and effectiveness of pit and fissure sealant and fluoride varnish in preventing dental decay. Health Technology Assessment 21 (21), pp.1-256. (10.3310/hta21210)
- Collins, P. W. et al. 2017. Viscoelastometric-guided early fibrinogen concentrate replacement during postpartum haemorrhage: OBS2, a double-blind randomized controlled trial. British Journal of Anaesthesia 119 (3), pp.411-421. (10.1093/bja/aex181)
- Collins, P. W. et al. 2017. Viscoelastometry guided fresh frozen plasma infusion for postpartum haemorrhage: OBS2, an observational study. British Journal of Anaesthesia 119 (3), pp.422-434. (10.1093/bja/aex245)
- Fletcher, A. et al. 2017. Pilot trial and process evaluation of a multi-level smoking prevention intervention in further education settings. Technical Report.
- Fletcher, A. et al. 2017. Pilot trial and process evaluation of a multilevel smoking prevention intervention in further education settings. Public Health Research 5 (8), pp.1-108. (10.3310/phr05080)
- Townson, J. et al. 2017. Establishing the feasibility of a community and primary health care intervention to raise awareness of symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes-The Early Detection of Type 1 Diabetes in Youth (EDDY) study. Pediatric Diabetes 18 (8), pp.955-963. (10.1111/pedi.12516)
2016
- Drew, C. et al. 2016. Integrating technology into complex intervention trial processes: a case study. Trials 17 (1) 551. (10.1186/s13063-016-1674-9)
- Morgan-Trimmer, S. et al., 2016. Family preferences for home or hospital care at diagnosis for children with diabetes in the DECIDE study. Diabetic Medicine 33 (1), pp.119-124. (10.1111/dme.12891)
- Quinn, L. et al. 2016. A randomized, controlled trial of a multi-modal exercise intervention in Huntington's disease. Parkinsonism and Related Disorders 31 , pp.46-52. (10.1016/j.parkreldis.2016.06.023)
2015
- Aawar, N. et al. 2015. Fibrinogen concentrate versus placebo for treatment of postpartum haemorrhage: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials 16 (1), pp.1-11. (10.1186/s13063-015-0670-9)
- MacMahon, P. et al., 2015. 'It's made all of us bond since that course?? - a qualitative study of service users' experiences of a CBT anger management group intervention. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research 59 (4), pp.342-352. (10.1111/jir.12144)
- Rose, N. et al., 2015. Managers’ views of the effects on their service of hosting a cognitive-behavioural anger management group. Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities 9 (1), pp.19-29. (10.1108/AMHID-05-2014-0018)
- Simpson, S. A. et al., 2015. A feasibility randomised controlled trial of a motivational interviewing-based intervention for weight loss maintenance in adults. Health Technology Assessment 19 (50)(10.3310/hta19500)
2014
- Busse, M. et al. 2014. Supporting physical activity engagement in people with Huntington's disease (ENGAGE-HD): study protocol for a randomized controlled feasibility trial. Trials 15 (1) 487. (10.1186/1745-6215-15-487)
- Lowes, L. M. et al. 2014. Delivering early care in diabetes evaluation: the DECIDE study. Hospital versus home management at diagnosis in childhood diabetes: a comparison of psychological, social, physical and economic outcomes. Presented at: Diabetes UK Professional Conference 2014 Liverpool, UK 5-7 March 2014.
- Lowes, L. M. et al. 2014. Late-breaking abstract. [LB1 Delivering early care in diabetes evaluation: the DECIDE Study. Hospital versus home management at diagnosis in childhood diabetes: a comparison of psychological, social, physical and economic outcomes]. Diabetic Medicine 31 (s1), pp.184. (10.1111/dme.12408)
- Quinn, L. et al. 2014. Task-specific training in Huntington disease: a randomized controlled feasibility trial. Physical Therapy 94 (11), pp.1555-1568. (10.2522/ptj.20140123)
2013
- Mansel, R. E. et al. 2013. Results of a national training programme in sentinel lymph node biopsy for breast cancer. British Journal of Surgery 100 (5), pp.654-661. (10.1002/bjs.9058)
- Rose, J. et al., 2013. Different factors influence self-reports and third-party reports of anger by adults with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities 26 (5), pp.410-419. (10.1111/jar.12037)
- Stimpson, A. et al., 2013. The Experiences of staff taking on the role of lay therapist in a group-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Anger Management Intervention for people with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities 26 (1), pp.63-70. (10.1111/jar.12006)
- Willner, P. et al. 2013. Group-based cognitive-behavioural anger management for people with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities: cluster randomised controlled trial. The British Journal of Psychiatry 203 , pp.288-296. (10.1192/bjp.bp.112.124529)
2011
- Townson, J. et al. 2011. Delivering early care in diabetes evaluation (DECIDE): a protocol for a randomised controlled trial to assess hospital versus home management at diagnosis in childhood diabetes. BMC Pediatrics 11 7. (10.1186/1471-2431-11-7)
- Willner, P. et al., 2011. Anger management for people with mild to moderate learning disabilities: study protocol for a multi-centre cluster randomized controlled trial of a manualized intervention delivered by day-service staff. Trials 12 , pp.36-47. (10.1186/1745-6215-12-36)
Articles
- Aawar, N. et al. 2015. Fibrinogen concentrate versus placebo for treatment of postpartum haemorrhage: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials 16 (1), pp.1-11. (10.1186/s13063-015-0670-9)
- Anyanwu, P. et al. 2022. Health behaviour change among UK adults during the pandemic: findings from the COVID-19 Cancer Attitudes and Behaviours study. BMC Public Health 22 1437. (10.1186/s12889-022-13870-x)
- Aslam, R. W. et al. 2025. Optimisation of a sexual health and healthy relationships intervention for Further Education in England and Wales (SaFE). Public Health Research (10.3310/AHDP8546)
- Banerjee, J. et al., 2021. Pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in COVID-19: study protocol for a global registry of women with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy and their neonates, understanding natural history to guide treatment and prevention. BMJ Open 11 (1) e041247. (10.1136/bmjopen-2020-041247)
- Bowes, L. et al., 2024. The effects and costs of an anti-bullying program (KiVa) in UK primary schools: a multicenter cluster randomized controlled trial. Psychological Medicine 54 (15), pp.4362-4373. (10.1017/S0033291724002666)
- Busse, M. et al. 2014. Supporting physical activity engagement in people with Huntington's disease (ENGAGE-HD): study protocol for a randomized controlled feasibility trial. Trials 15 (1) 487. (10.1186/1745-6215-15-487)
- Busse, M. et al. 2017. Physical activity self-management and coaching compared to social interaction in Huntington’s disease: Results from the ENGAGE-HD randomized, controlled, pilot feasibility trial. Physical Therapy 97 (6), pp.625-639. (10.1093/ptj/pzx031)
- Butler, C. C. et al., 2021. Probiotics to reduce antibiotic administration in care home residents aged 65 years and older: the PRINCESS RCT. Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation 8 (7)(10.3310/eme08070)
- Chestnutt, I. G. et al. 2017. Fissure seal or fluoride varnish? A randomised trial of their relative effectiveness. Journal of Dental Research 96 (7), pp.754-761. (10.1177/0022034517702094)
- Chestnutt, I. G. et al. 2017. Seal or Varnish? A randomised controlled trial to determine the relative cost and effectiveness of pit and fissure sealant and fluoride varnish in preventing dental decay. Health Technology Assessment 21 (21), pp.1-256. (10.3310/hta21210)
- Clarkson, S. et al., 2022. The UK stand together trial: protocol for a multicentre cluster randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of KiVa to reduce bullying in primary schools. BMC Public Health 22 608. (10.1186/s12889-022-12642-x)
- Collins, P. W. et al. 2017. Viscoelastometric-guided early fibrinogen concentrate replacement during postpartum haemorrhage: OBS2, a double-blind randomized controlled trial. British Journal of Anaesthesia 119 (3), pp.411-421. (10.1093/bja/aex181)
- Collins, P. W. et al. 2017. Viscoelastometry guided fresh frozen plasma infusion for postpartum haemorrhage: OBS2, an observational study. British Journal of Anaesthesia 119 (3), pp.422-434. (10.1093/bja/aex245)
- Daniel, R. et al. 2024. Predicting type 1 diabetes in children using electronic health records in primary care in the UK: development and validation of a machine-learning algorithm. The Lancet Digital Health 6 (6), pp.e386-e395. (10.1016/S2589-7500(24)00050-5)
- Deylami, R. et al. 2018. A systematic review of publicity interventions to increase awareness amongst healthcare professionals and the public to promote earlier diagnosis of type 1 diabetes in children and young people. Pediatric Diabetes 19 (3), pp.566-573. (10.1111/pedi.12565)
- Drew, C. et al. 2016. Integrating technology into complex intervention trial processes: a case study. Trials 17 (1) 551. (10.1186/s13063-016-1674-9)
- Elsmore, A. et al., 2024. The OBS UK Dashboard: an interactive tool for representative trial site selection to facilitate equality and diversity in maternity research. Trials 25 629. (10.1186/s13063-024-08487-x)
- Fletcher, A. et al. 2017. Pilot trial and process evaluation of a multilevel smoking prevention intervention in further education settings. Public Health Research 5 (8), pp.1-108. (10.3310/phr05080)
- Gartner, A. et al. 2020. Demographic and socioeconomic patterns in the risk of alcohol-related hospital admission in children and young adults with childhood onset type-1 diabetes from a record-linked longitudinal population cohort study in Wales. Pediatric Diabetes 21 (7), pp.1333-1342. (10.1111/pedi.13089)
- Gregory, J. W. et al. 2019. Effectiveness of home or hospital initiation of treatment at diagnosis for children with type 1 diabetes (DECIDE trial): a multicentre individually randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open 9 e032317. (10.1136/bmjopen-2019-032317)
- Hawkins, J. et al. 2025. Association of volatile substance, nitrous oxide and alkyl nitrate use with mental health 1 in UK adolescents. The British Journal of Psychiatry 226 (1), pp.10-15. (10.1192/bjp.2024.128)
- Hotham, J. et al., 2023. Association of cannabis, cannabidiol and synthetic cannabinoid use with mental health in UK adolescents. British Journal of Psychiatry 223 (4), pp.478-484. (10.1192/bjp.2023.91)
- Hurt, L. et al. 2019. Cohort Profile: HealthWise Wales. A research register and population health data platform with linkage to National Health Service datasets in Wales. BMJ Open 9 (12) e031705. (10.1136/bmjopen-2019-031705)
- Kolovou, V. et al., 2020. Recruitment and retention of participants from socioeconomically deprived communities: lessons from the awareness and beliefs about cancer (ABACus3) randomised controlled trial. BMC Medical Research Methodology 20 272. (10.1186/s12874-020-01149-x)
- Lifford, K. J. et al. 2024. Satisfaction with remote consultations in primary care during COVID-19: a population survey of UK adults. British Journal of General Practice 74 (739), pp.e96-e103. (10.3399/BJGP.2023.0092)
- Lowes, L. M. et al. 2014. Late-breaking abstract. [LB1 Delivering early care in diabetes evaluation: the DECIDE Study. Hospital versus home management at diagnosis in childhood diabetes: a comparison of psychological, social, physical and economic outcomes]. Diabetic Medicine 31 (s1), pp.184. (10.1111/dme.12408)
- Lugg-Widger, F. V. et al. 2022. Identifying researcher learning needs to develop online training for UK researchers working with administrative data: CENTRIC training. International Journal of Population Data Science 7 (1) 1712. (10.23889/ijpds.v7i1.1712)
- MacMahon, P. et al., 2015. 'It's made all of us bond since that course?? - a qualitative study of service users' experiences of a CBT anger management group intervention. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research 59 (4), pp.342-352. (10.1111/jir.12144)
- Mansel, R. E. et al. 2013. Results of a national training programme in sentinel lymph node biopsy for breast cancer. British Journal of Surgery 100 (5), pp.654-661. (10.1002/bjs.9058)
- McCarroll, Z. et al., 2021. Cost-effectiveness of home versus hospital management of children at onset of Type 1 Diabetes: The DECIDE randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open 11 (5) e043523. (10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043523)
- Morgan-Trimmer, S. et al., 2016. Family preferences for home or hospital care at diagnosis for children with diabetes in the DECIDE study. Diabetic Medicine 33 (1), pp.119-124. (10.1111/dme.12891)
- Moriarty, Y. et al. 2021. Randomised controlled trial and economic evaluation of a targeted cancer awareness intervention for adults living in deprived areas of the UK. British Journal of Cancer 125 , pp.1100-1110. (10.1038/s41416-021-01524-5)
- Moriarty, Y. et al. 2019. Improving cancer symptom awareness and help-seeking among adults living in socioeconomically deprived communities in the UK using a facilitated health check: A protocol for the Awareness and Beliefs About Cancer (ABACus) Randomised Control Trial. BMC Public Health 19 (1) 285. (10.1186/s12889-019-6612-9)
- Mullins, E. et al., 2021. Pregnancy and neonatal outcomes of COVID -19: coreporting of common outcomes from PAN-COVID and AAP-SONPM registries. Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology 57 (4), pp.573-581. (10.1002/uog.23619)
- Mullins, E. et al., 2022. Pregnancy and neonatal outcomes of COVID-19: The PAN-COVID study. European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Biology 276 , pp.161-167. (10.1016/j.ejogrb.2022.07.010)
- Pollard, D. J. et al., 2025. Potential cost-effectiveness of childhood screening for type 1 diabetes: Examining reducing Diabetic Ketoacidosis at diagnosis and long-term outcomes to assess the justifiable cost per child screened. NIHR Open Research 5 80. (10.3310/nihropenres.14026.1)
- Quinn, L. et al. 2014. Task-specific training in Huntington disease: a randomized controlled feasibility trial. Physical Therapy 94 (11), pp.1555-1568. (10.2522/ptj.20140123)
- Quinn, L. et al. 2016. A randomized, controlled trial of a multi-modal exercise intervention in Huntington's disease. Parkinsonism and Related Disorders 31 , pp.46-52. (10.1016/j.parkreldis.2016.06.023)
- Quinn-Scoggins, H. et al. 2021. Cancer symptom experience and help-seeking behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom: a cross-sectional population survey. BMJ Open 11 (9) e053095. (10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053095)
- Rai, T. et al., 2025. Managing obstetric bleeding in Wales: a qualitative evaluation of the OBS Cymru care bundle using normalisation process theory. PLoS One 20 (4) e0320754. (10.1371/journal.pone.0320754)
- Rose, J. et al., 2013. Different factors influence self-reports and third-party reports of anger by adults with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities 26 (5), pp.410-419. (10.1111/jar.12037)
- Rose, N. et al., 2015. Managers’ views of the effects on their service of hosting a cognitive-behavioural anger management group. Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities 9 (1), pp.19-29. (10.1108/AMHID-05-2014-0018)
- Sanders, J. et al. 2021. Childbirth related labial trauma management in the UK: a brief report. Midwifery 97 102950. (10.1016/j.midw.2021.102950)
- Scudder, C. et al., 2024. General population screening for type 1 diabetes using islet autoantibodies at the preschool vaccination visit: a proof-of-concept study (the T1Early study). Archives of Disease in Childhood 109 , pp.812-817. (10.1136/archdischild-2023-326697)
- Segrott, J. et al. 2024. Integrating qualitative research within a clinical trials unit: developing strategies and understanding their implementation in contexts. Trials 25 (1) 323. (10.1186/s13063-024-08124-7)
- Simpson, S. A. et al., 2015. A feasibility randomised controlled trial of a motivational interviewing-based intervention for weight loss maintenance in adults. Health Technology Assessment 19 (50)(10.3310/hta19500)
- Smith, E. R. et al., 2023. Adverse maternal, fetal, and newborn outcomes among pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection: an individual participant data meta-analysis. BMJ Global Health 8 (1) e009495. (10.1136/bmjgh-2022-009495)
- Smith, E. R. et al., 2022. Protocol for a sequential, prospective meta-analysis to describe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the pregnancy and postpartum periods. PLoS ONE 17 (6) e0270150. (10.1371/journal.pone.0270150)
- Smith, P. et al. 2022. Protocol for a feasibility study of a cancer symptom awareness campaign to support the rapid diagnostic centre referral pathway in a socioeconomically deprived area: Targeted Intensive Community-based campaign To Optimise Cancer awareness (TIC-TOC). BMJ Open 12 (10) e063280. (10.1136/bmjopen-2022-063280)
- Smith, P. et al. 2018. Feasibility and acceptability of a cancer symptom awareness intervention for adults living in socioeconomically deprived communities. BMC Public Health 18 (1)(10.1186/s12889-018-5606-3)
- Smits, S. et al. 2018. Development of a behaviour change intervention to encourage timely cancer symptom presentation among people living in deprived communities using the Behaviour Change Wheel. Annals of Behavioral Medicine 52 (6), pp.474-488. (10.1007/s12160-016-9849-x)
- Stimpson, A. et al., 2013. The Experiences of staff taking on the role of lay therapist in a group-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Anger Management Intervention for people with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities 26 (1), pp.63-70. (10.1111/jar.12006)
- Swaby, R. et al., 2025. Testing methods used to predict disease progression in children with early‐stage type 1 diabetes: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Diabetic Medicine 42 (9) e70077. (10.1111/dme.70077)
- Swaby, R. et al., 2025. A UK healthcare professional survey on the islet autoantibody status of children and young people with pre‐stage 3 type 1 diabetes, on behalf of the British Society for Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes [Letter]. Diabetic Medicine 42 (8) e70069. (10.1111/dme.70069)
- Townson, J. et al. 2022. Anticipating type 1 diabetes in children using machine learning and routinely-collected data in primary care [Meeting Abstract]. Diabetic Medicine 39 (S1) A26.
- Townson, J. et al. 2019. Presentation to primary care during the prodrome of type 1 diabetes in childhood: A case‐control study using record data linkage. Pediatric Diabetes 20 (3), pp.330-338. (10.1111/pedi.12829)
- Townson, J. et al. 2020. Developing and evaluating a model of public involvement and engagement embedded in a national longitudinal study: HealthWise Wales. International Journal of Population Data Science 5 (3) 03. (10.23889/ijpds.v5i3.1356)
- Townson, J. et al. 2018. "Keeping it on your radar"- assessing the barriers and facilitators to a timely diagnosis of type 1 diabetes in childhood: a qualitative study from the early detection of type 1 diabetes in youth study. Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism 1 (1) e00008. (10.1002/edm2.8)
- Townson, J. et al. 2017. Establishing the feasibility of a community and primary health care intervention to raise awareness of symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes-The Early Detection of Type 1 Diabetes in Youth (EDDY) study. Pediatric Diabetes 18 (8), pp.955-963. (10.1111/pedi.12516)
- Townson, J. et al. 2011. Delivering early care in diabetes evaluation (DECIDE): a protocol for a randomised controlled trial to assess hospital versus home management at diagnosis in childhood diabetes. BMC Pediatrics 11 7. (10.1186/1471-2431-11-7)
- Townson, J. et al. 2020. Health professionals’ perspectives on delivering home and hospital management at diagnosis for children with type 1 diabetes: a qualitative study from the Delivering Early Care in Diabetes Evaluation (DECIDE) trial. Pediatric Diabetes 21 (5), pp.824-831. (10.1111/pedi.13023)
- Williams-Thomas, R. et al. 2024. Sexual health and healthy relationships for Further Education (SaFE) in Wales and England: results from a pilot cluster randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open 14 e091355. (10.1136/bmjopen-2024-091355)
- Willner, P. et al., 2011. Anger management for people with mild to moderate learning disabilities: study protocol for a multi-centre cluster randomized controlled trial of a manualized intervention delivered by day-service staff. Trials 12 , pp.36-47. (10.1186/1745-6215-12-36)
- Willner, P. et al. 2013. Group-based cognitive-behavioural anger management for people with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities: cluster randomised controlled trial. The British Journal of Psychiatry 203 , pp.288-296. (10.1192/bjp.bp.112.124529)
- Wilson, R. et al. 2021. Intentions to participate in cervical and colorectal cancer screening during the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed-methods study. Preventive Medicine 153 106826. (10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106826)
- Young, H. et al. 2025. A Sexual health and healthy relationships intervention for Further Education (SaFE): a synopsis of results from a pilot cluster randomised controlled trial including an assessment of the feasibility of record linkage and a health economic analysis. Public Health Research
Conferences
- Lowes, L. M. et al. 2014. Delivering early care in diabetes evaluation: the DECIDE study. Hospital versus home management at diagnosis in childhood diabetes: a comparison of psychological, social, physical and economic outcomes. Presented at: Diabetes UK Professional Conference 2014 Liverpool, UK 5-7 March 2014.
Monographs
Research
Research interests
- Population Health
- Type 1 diabetes in childhood
- Trial Methodology
- Obstetrics
- School based research
Grants
2024
- Diabetes UK - Establishing an Islet Autoantibody Positive Registry for children and adults in the UK: the UK-Islet Antibody registry (Co-I, 01/03/24 - 28/02/27) £640K
- JDRF - Australia - T1D-P-ATG: An adaptive platform study of the addition of ATG to verapamil for beta cell preservation (Co-I, 01/01/24 - 31/12/26) £1.6M
2023
- Helmsley Trust - T1D-P-VG: An adaptive platform study of the addition of golimumab to verapamil for beta cell preservation (Co-I, 01/12/23 - 30/11/26) £2.1M
- NIHR HSDR – Clinical and cost-effectiveness of a maternity quality improvement programme to reduce excess bleeding and need for transfusion after childbirth: the Obstetric Bleeding Study UK (OBS UK) Stepped Wedge Cluster Randomised Trial (Co-I, 01/04/2023 – 31/12/2026) £3.4M
- NIHR HTA - Diagnostic accuracy of handheld ultrasound at 36 weeks of gestation to determine fetal presentation – SONO-BREECH (Co-I, 01/05/2023 – 31/08/2025) £2.2M
2022
- JDRF - T1D-Plus: an adaptive platform clinical trial for combined beta cell preservation therapy. (Co-I, 01/09/2022 – 31/08/2025) £2.1M
- NIHR PDG - Screening for pre-clinical Type 1 diabetes to prevent hospital admission and acute illness at diagnosis (“T1Early programme”): determining the evidence for benefit, acceptability and elements relevant to cost evaluation. (Co-I, 01/10/2022 – 31/12/2023) £150K
- HDR UK - Addressing high priority methodological questions for routinely-collected healthcare data and trials – PRIMORANT. (Co-I, 01/06/2022 – 31/03/2023) £120K·
2021
- Cancer Research Wales - Targeted Intensive Community-based campaign To Optimise Cancer awareness): feasibility of a symptom awareness campaign to support the Multidisciplinary/Rapid Diagnostic Centre referral pathway in a socioeconomically deprived area (TIC-TOC) - £391K
2020
- UKRI COVID-19 rapid response call - Covid-19 Cancer Attitudes And Behaviour Study (CABs) - (Co-Investigator and CTR study lead), £697K
- UKRI/MRC COVID-19 rapid response call – A global registry of women affected by COVID-19 in pregnancy, understanding natural history to guide treatment and prevention (PAN-COVID) Principal Investigator and CTR study lead), £300K
2019
- NIHR HTA - Perinatal and two year neurodevelopmental outcome in late preterm fetal compromise: the TRUFFLE 2Randomised Trial (Principal Investigator and CTR study lead), £2.8M
- NIHR PHR - A multicentre cluster randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of KiVa to reduce bullying in primary schools: The UK KiVa Trial (Principal Investigator and CTR study lead), £1.8M
- NIHR PHR - Optimisation, feasibility testing and a pilot randomised trial of SaFE: a sexual health and healthy relationships intervention for Further Education (Co-Investigator), £640K
- Diabetes UK - Developing a predictive Tool using data linkage and machine learning, to promote Earlier Diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes in childhood for use in primary care – the TED study (Principal Investigator and CTR study lead), £105K
- ICO Grants Programme - Developing scalable training for UK researchers in the use of routine public sector data informed by public and professional stakeholders (Co-Investigator), £99K
2018
- MRC DPFS – HIFU/TTTS: A Non-invasive Ultrasound-guided High Intensity Focused Ultrasound system for placental and fetal vascular ablation in women with Twin Twin Transfusion Syndrome - Phase 1 study (Principal Investigator and CTR study lead), £2.2M
- NIHR PHR - A multicentre cluster randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a school-based peer-led drug prevention intervention (The FRANK friends study) (Co-Investigator) £1.5M
- Health and Care Research Wales (Welsh Govn) – HealthWise Wales: A national longitudinal population study of health behaviours, outcomes and wider social and environmental determinants (Co-Investigator and CTR study lead), £750K
2017
- Yorkshire Cancer Research - ABACUS: RCT of an online health check to raise awareness of the symptoms of cancer (Co-Investigator and CTR study lead), £621K
2015
- Novo Nordisk Foundation - Investigating the prodrome of type 1 diabetes in childhood as it presents to Primary Care to predict earlier diagnosis and reduce ketoacidosis at presentation, using pseudoanonymised linked Primary and Secondary Care data (Principal Investigator and CTR study lead), £12K
- MRC Public Health Intervention Development Scheme - SaFE study; Safe sexual health in Further Education (Co-Investigator), £131K
2014
- NISCHR RfPPB: Early Detection of type 1 Diabetes in Youth: the EDDY feasibility study (Principal Investigator and CTR study lead) £189K
- NIHR PHR: An exploratory trial of a multi-level smoking prevention intervention targeting 16-18 year-olds in further education settings (FILTER) (Co-Investigator), £328K
- NAEDI: Development and pilot evaluation of the Tenovus health check: a targeted cancer awareness intervention for people from deprived communities (Co-Investigator), £287K
Teaching
I am currently a tutor on the C21 epidemiology module for medical students and also teach on the intercalated BSc course.
Biography
2020 PhD -Evaluating the prodrome to diagnosis and the effect of setting in the early management of Type 1 diabetes in childhood (School of Medicine, Cardiff University)
1995 BA - Health Promotion and Social Policy, Bangor University (First Class, Joint Honours)
Career
2023 - present: Principal Research Fellow, Centre for Trials Research
2020 - 2023: Senior Research Fellow/Senior Trial Manager, Centre for Trials Research
2014 - 2020: Research Fellow/Senior Trial Manager, SEWTU, Centre for Trials Research
2012 - 2014: Acting Research Fellow/Senior Trial Manager, SEWTU, Centre for Trials Research (Maternity cover)
2009 - 2012: Research Associate/Trial Manager, SEWTU
1999 - 2009: Research Associate, Dept of Surgery, School of Medicine, Cardiff University
1996 - 1999: Research Associate, Dept of Cardiology, School of Medicine, Cardiff University
Supervisions
I am interested in supervising PhD students
Contact Details
Specialisms
- Clinical research
- children
- Diabetes
