Researcher profile

Emily Owen-Boukra

I am a realist research methodologist with expertise in the design, conduct, and evidence synthesis of complex health and care interventions. My research sits at the intersection of primary care and public health, with a particular focus on disadvantaged populations, lifestyle medicine, and the organisation and design of primary care. I have led and contributed to projects that have generated evidence-based insights to strengthen health systems, enhance population health, and promote more equitable models of care. Prior to joining Oxford, I held postdoctoral research positions at Durham University, Umeå University (Sweden), and UCL. At Durham, I contributed to a large, multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional project examining the impact of integrated care systems on the health and well-being of children and young people. At Umeå, I conducted a realist review exploring how multi-component (re)engagement interventions can address the needs of young people in vulnerable ‘NEET’ situations. At UCL, I worked on two NIHR School for Primary Care Research-funded realist reviews. The first examined collaborative and integrated working between community pharmacies and general practice, establishing strong partnerships with patient co-applicants, clinicians, and stakeholders to develop actionable recommendations for future models of care. The second focused on general practitioner workforce sustainability, identifying the contexts and mechanisms that support and enable GPs to thrive. Currently at Oxford, I am working on a project examining the impact of compound pressures (e.g. winter pressures, respiratory illnesses, climate change, and financial crises) on general practice. I am also an active member of the NIHR SPCR Evidence Synthesis Working Group, collaborating with researchers, clinicians, and information specialists across nine SPCR member institutions.