Overview
Background
A/Prof Steve Bell is a senior social scientist at the Burnet Institute and has 22 years’ experience across South-East Asia (India, Nepal), Africa (Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe) and Western Pacific (Australia, Indonesia, PNG, Fiji) Regions. He works respectfully with not-for-profits, public institutions, businesses and community organisations, using innovative, inclusive, people-centred approaches to identify sustainable solutions to critical health challenges and accelerate health equity.
Steve’s work brings together lived experience, socio-ecological systems thinking and social theory to understand what works (or not) in global health and social development. He has researched and published widely on HIV, sexual and reproductive health, maternal health, neglected tropical diseases, TB and Indigenous health. He is particularly interested in understanding the socio-structural determinants of health and social inequities, and injustices associated with marginalisation due to gender, sexuality, age and geography. He has also published two books on interpretive and community-led approaches in research, design, monitoring and evaluation: ‘Peer research in health and social development: international perspectives on participatory research’ (2021), and ‘Monitoring and evaluation in health and social development: interpretive and ethnographic perspectives’ (2016). He is currently taking on new PhD students in these areas, so please do reach out to him at the Burnet Institute for a chat!
He holds associate professorial appointments at UNSW Sydney and The University of Queensland, is a Member of the International Editorial Board at Culture, Health & Sexuality, has been a Senior Advisor to the Boston Consulting Group, and has worked in research and consultancy roles with international governments, NGOs, UNAIDS, UNFPA and WHO.
Availability
- Associate Professor Steve Bell is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Human Geography, University of Leeds
- Masters (Coursework) of Sustainable Development, unknown
- Doctor of Philosophy of Social Science (Health Practice), Royal Holloway University of London
Research interests
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Socio-structural determinants of health and wellbeing
Critical qualitative enquiry; lived experiences research; operation of determinants of health; production of health inequities
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Community action, activism and resistance for social justice and health equity
Community-based participatory research; working with community researchers; understanding operations of power; social change; role of community organisations and collectives; theorising agency
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Sexual, reproductive and maternal health of young people
Youth-led co-design of services, programs and policies; qualitative research design; health and social risks; agency and action; sex-positive and rights-based approaches
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Community-based HIV research with key populations
Individual and collective agency; forms of solidarity and action; concepts of agency, vulnerability and social practice; community-led innovation in HIV testing, treatment and care
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Innovation in qualitative, participatory and ethnographic research
Community-led research; working with community researchers; longitudinal research design; photovoice; peer research; participatory video
Works
Search Professor Steve Bell’s works on UQ eSpace
2016
Other Outputs
A technical note on ‘agency in practice’
Bell, S and Edmonds, R (2016). A technical note on ‘agency in practice’. London: Keep Your Shoes Dirty.
2016
Other Outputs
Policy Briefing - Delivery of HIV pre-test information: A review of guidance relevant to the WHO European Region.
Bell, S and De Wit, J (2016). Policy Briefing - Delivery of HIV pre-test information: A review of guidance relevant to the WHO European Region.. Sydney: CSRH, UNSW.
2016
Other Outputs
Policy briefing - Delivery of HIV test results, post-test discussion and referral in health care settings: A review of guidance for European countries.
Bell, S and De Wit, J (2016). Policy briefing - Delivery of HIV test results, post-test discussion and referral in health care settings: A review of guidance for European countries. . Sydney: CSRH, UNSW.
2015
Journal Article
Delivery of HIV test results, post-test discussion and referral in health care settings: a review of guidance for European countries
Bell, S. A., Delpech, V., Casabona, J., Tsereteli, N. and de Wit, J. (2015). Delivery of HIV test results, post-test discussion and referral in health care settings: a review of guidance for European countries. HIV Medicine, 16 (10), 620-627. doi: 10.1111/hiv.12278
2015
Conference Publication
Working from young people’s ‘local knowledge’ – towards a new agenda for sexual health research
Bell, S. and Aggleton, P. (2015). Working from young people’s ‘local knowledge’ – towards a new agenda for sexual health research. Australasian HIV & AIDS Conference, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 16-18 September 2015.
2014
Journal Article
Economic vulnerability and young people's sexual relationships in rural Uganda
Bell, Stephen A. and Aggleton, Peter (2014). Economic vulnerability and young people's sexual relationships in rural Uganda. Journal of Youth Studies, 17 (6), 814-828. doi: 10.1080/13676261.2013.878797
2014
Journal Article
'Mobile men with money': HIV prevention and the erasure of difference
Aggleton, Peter, Bell, Stephen A. and Kelly-Hanku, Angela (2014). 'Mobile men with money': HIV prevention and the erasure of difference. Global Public Health, 9 (3), 257-270. doi: 10.1080/17441692.2014.889736
2014
Conference Publication
Extending bio-medical sexual health and safe motherhood interventions to young women in developing country contexts – challenges and opportunities
Bell, S. (2014). Extending bio-medical sexual health and safe motherhood interventions to young women in developing country contexts – challenges and opportunities. HHARD Conference, Sydney, NSW Australia, 20 February 2014.
2014
Conference Publication
HIV testing and counselling - survey results from a European survey
Bell, S. and De Wit, J. (2014). HIV testing and counselling - survey results from a European survey. HepHIV2014 Conference, Barcelona, Spain, 5 October 2014.
2014
Other Outputs
Evidence-based practice in HIV, STI and viral hepatitis health promotion and Aboriginal community engagement. An Evidence Check.
Bell, S and Treloar, C (2014). Evidence-based practice in HIV, STI and viral hepatitis health promotion and Aboriginal community engagement. An Evidence Check.. Sydney: CSRH, UNSW.
2014
Conference Publication
Working from young Australians say and do: toward a new agenda of sexual health research with young people
Bell, S. (2014). Working from young Australians say and do: toward a new agenda of sexual health research with young people. NSW HARP Program Forum, Sydney, NSW Australia, 30 October 2014.
2014
Conference Publication
Health service-based HIV testing and counselling: a review of European guidelines
Bell, S. and De Wit, J. (2014). Health service-based HIV testing and counselling: a review of European guidelines. HepHIV2014 Conference, Barcelona, Spain, 5 October 2014.
2013
Journal Article
Social influences on young people's sexual health in Uganda
Bell, Stephen and Aggleton, Peter (2013). Social influences on young people's sexual health in Uganda. Health Education, 113 (2), 102-114. doi: 10.1108/09654281311298795
2012
Journal Article
Time to invest in a 'counterpublic health' approach: Promoting sexual health amongst sexually active young people in rural Uganda
Bell, Stephen A. and Aggleton, Peter (2012). Time to invest in a 'counterpublic health' approach: Promoting sexual health amongst sexually active young people in rural Uganda. Children's Geographies, 10 (4), 385-397. doi: 10.1080/14733285.2012.726066
2012
Journal Article
Integrating ethnographic principles in ngo monitoring and impact evaluation
Bell, Stephen A. and Aggleton, Peter (2012). Integrating ethnographic principles in ngo monitoring and impact evaluation. Journal of International Development, 24 (6), 795-807. doi: 10.1002/jid.2868
2012
Journal Article
Young people and sexual agency in rural Uganda
Bell, Stephen A. (2012). Young people and sexual agency in rural Uganda. Culture, Health and Sexuality, 14 (3), 283-296. doi: 10.1080/13691058.2011.635808
2012
Other Outputs
Prevention of maternal death from unwanted pregnancy. PEER Research to improve reproductive health services in Solwezi, North Western Province, Zambia
Bell, S., Peleka, V., Falanga, M. and Phiri, F. (2012). Prevention of maternal death from unwanted pregnancy. PEER Research to improve reproductive health services in Solwezi, North Western Province, Zambia. London, United Kingdom: Options Consultancy Services Limited.
2012
Other Outputs
PEER Research to improve reproductive health services in rural Bhopal, India
Bell, S., Grellier, R., Vaid, M., Shrivastava, R., Bhat, S. and Grewal, M. (2012). PEER Research to improve reproductive health services in rural Bhopal, India. London, United Kingdom: Options Consultancy Services Limited.
2012
Other Outputs
Review of literature – maternal and reproductive health in India
Bell, S (2012). Review of literature – maternal and reproductive health in India. London: Options Consultancy Services Limited.
2012
Other Outputs
Demand side financing and coping strategies for institutional deliveries
Bell, S (2012). Demand side financing and coping strategies for institutional deliveries. London: Options Consultancy Services Limited.
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Steve Bell is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Available projects
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Young people and global health across Asia and the Pacific
Steve’s work brings together lived experience, socio-ecological systems thinking and social theory to understand what works (or not) in global health and social development. He has researched and published widely on HIV, sexual and reproductive health, maternal health, neglected tropical diseases, TB and Indigenous health. He is particularly interested in understanding the socio-structural determinants of health and social inequities, and injustices associated with marginalisation due to gender, sexuality, age and geography. He has also published two books on interpretive and community-led approaches in research, design, monitoring and evaluation: ‘Peer research in health and social development: international perspectives on participatory research’ (2021), and ‘Monitoring and evaluation in health and social development: interpretive and ethnographic perspectives’ (2016). He is currently taking on new PhD students in these areas, with particular interest examining young people's experiences of global health across Asia and the Pacific. Please reach out for a chat if you're interested in any of the following topics:
- Solutions-oriented approaches, led by young people – as researchers, advocates, health experts and agents of change – that will enable a step-change in youth-centred health care
- Understanding and tackling the broad array of socio-structural determinants of health and wellbeing
- Design, implementation and evaluation of adolescent-responsive health services
- Innovation in community-located, community-led models of health care and support, including self-care approaches
- Understanding the impacts of climate on young people’s health and health service provision, and young people’s work to adapt to or mitigate the effects of climate change on their lives, families and communities
Media
Enquiries
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