Overview
Background
Dr Anjana Rai is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Australian Women and Girls' Health Research Centre, School of Public Health. She currently supports the IVF support study in analysis of qualitative data, longitudinal data of patients undergoing IVF treatment in Australia, and co-development of an online intervention. Dr Rai was awarded her PhD in Public Health (2025) by Queensland University of Technology. Her doctoral research explored the nexus of adolescent marriage, agency, and nutrition, examining how early-life transitions shape diets and nutritional outcomes, using mixed-methods.
Her expertise lies in improving maternal, child, and adolescent health and nutrition, drawing on social science theories and longitudinal approaches. She also consults for International Food Policy Research Institute on prevention of childhood wasting to inform the UN JUNIPr initiative, and contributes to nutrition research in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Kenya, and child feeding, and housing and homelessness research in Australia. In her previous roles with the World Health Organisation, the World Food Programme, the World Bank, and Nepal’s Department of Health Services, she helped develop public health policies and programmes. She holds a PhD, MSc and a Bachelor in Public Health and is open to supervising future higher degree research students.
Research interests: Women's health, Preconception health, Adolescent health, Child health, Diets, Nutrition and Growth, Social determinants, Equity, Co-design, Longitudinal and Life-course approaches
Availability
- Dr Anjana Rai is:
- Available for supervision
Qualifications
- Masters (Coursework) of Public Health, University of East London
- Doctor of Philosophy of Public Health, Queensland University of Technology
Works
Search Professor Anjana Rai’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Journal Article
Dietary diversity, haemoglobin and anaemia in Nepali adolescent girls: a longitudinal study
Rai, Anjana, Cunningham, Kenda, Wraith, Darren, Adhikari, Ramesh P., Sendall, Marguerite C., Saville, Naomi and Nambiar, Smita (2025). Dietary diversity, haemoglobin and anaemia in Nepali adolescent girls: a longitudinal study. Maternal and Child Nutrition e70090, e70090. doi: 10.1111/mcn.70090
2025
Journal Article
Review of reviews of single or multi-system interventions to prevent child wasting in low- and middle-income countries
Rai, Anjana, Sabin, Lucie, Becquey, Elodie, Brander, Rebecca, Huybregts, Lieven and Saville, Naomi (2025). Review of reviews of single or multi-system interventions to prevent child wasting in low- and middle-income countries. PROSPERO.
2024
Journal Article
Primary health care systems and their contribution to universal health coverage and improved health status in seven countries: An explanatory mixed-methods review
Rai, Anjana, Khatri, Resham B. and Assefa, Yibeltal (2024). Primary health care systems and their contribution to universal health coverage and improved health status in seven countries: An explanatory mixed-methods review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21 (12) 1601, 1-18. doi: 10.3390/ijerph21121601
2023
Journal Article
Social and ecological disparities in anaemia among adolescent girls 15-19 years old in Nepal
Rai, Anjana, Chan, Mei Ting and Nambiar, Smita (2023). Social and ecological disparities in anaemia among adolescent girls 15-19 years old in Nepal. Public Health Nutrition, 26 (12), 2973-2981. doi: 10.1017/s1368980023002379
2023
Journal Article
The factors influencing inappropriate child feeding practices among families receiving nutrition allowance in the Himalayan region of Nepal
Sunuwar, Dev Ram, Bhatta, Anuradha, Rai, Anjana, Chaudhary, Narendra Kumar, Tamang, Man Kumar, Nayaju, Suvash and Singh, Devendra Raj (2023). The factors influencing inappropriate child feeding practices among families receiving nutrition allowance in the Himalayan region of Nepal. BMC Nutrition, 9 (1) 33, 1-13. doi: 10.1186/s40795-023-00691-3
2023
Journal Article
"Can't live willingly": a thematic synthesis of qualitative evidence exploring how early marriage and early pregnancy affect experiences of pregnancy in South Asia
Miller, Faith A., Dulal, Sophiya, Rai, Anjana, Gram, Lu, Harris-Fry, Helen and Saville, Naomi M. (2023). "Can't live willingly": a thematic synthesis of qualitative evidence exploring how early marriage and early pregnancy affect experiences of pregnancy in South Asia. PLoS Global Public Health, 3 (10) e0002279, e0002279. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002279
2020
Journal Article
Trends and determinants of anaemia in women of Nepal: a multilevel analysis
Rai, Anjana, Khan, Md Nuruzzaman and Thapa, Subash (2020). Trends and determinants of anaemia in women of Nepal: a multilevel analysis. Maternal and Child Nutrition, 16 (4) e13044, e13044. doi: 10.1111/mcn.13044
2020
Journal Article
Drivers of healthy eating in a workplace in Nepal: a qualitative study
Tamrakar, Dipesh, Shrestha, Archana, Rai, Anjana, Karmacharya, Biraj Man, Malik, Vasanti, Mattei, Josiemer and Spiegelman, Donna (2020). Drivers of healthy eating in a workplace in Nepal: a qualitative study. BMJ Open, 10 (2) e031404, e031404. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-031404
2019
Journal Article
Consumption of rice, acceptability and sensory qualities of fortified rice amongst consumers of social safety net rice in Nepal
Rai, Anjana, Maharjan, Macha Raja, Fry, Helen A. Harris, Chhetri, Parbati K., Wasti, Purna Chandra and Saville, Naomi M. (2019). Consumption of rice, acceptability and sensory qualities of fortified rice amongst consumers of social safety net rice in Nepal. PLoS One, 14 (10) e0222903, e0222903. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0222903
2019
Journal Article
Correlates and inequality of underweight and overweight among women of reproductive age: evidence from the 2016 Nepal Demographic Health Survey
Rai, Anjana, Gurung, Swadesh, Thapa, Subash and Saville, Naomi M. (2019). Correlates and inequality of underweight and overweight among women of reproductive age: evidence from the 2016 Nepal Demographic Health Survey. PLoS One, 14 (5) e0216644, 1-16. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216644
2019
Journal Article
Predictors of mortality in adult people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy in Nepal: a retrospective cohort study, 2004-2013
Angdembe, Mirak Raj, Rai, Anjana, Bam, Kiran and Pandey, Satish Raj (2019). Predictors of mortality in adult people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy in Nepal: a retrospective cohort study, 2004-2013. PLoS One, 14 (4) e0215776, 1-20. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0215776
2018
Journal Article
Impact on birth weight and child growth of Participatory Learning and Action women's groups with and without transfers of food or cash during pregnancy: Findings of the low birth weight South Asia cluster-randomised controlled trial (LBWSAT) in Nepal
Saville, Naomi M., Shrestha, Bhim P., Style, Sarah, Harris-Fry, Helen, Beard, B. James, Sen, Aman, Jha, Sonali, Rai, Anjana, Paudel, Vikas, Sah, Raghbendra, Paudel, Puskar, Copas, Andrew, Bhandari, Bishnu, Neupane, Rishi, Morrison, Joanna, Gram, Lu, Pulkki-Brannstrom, Anni-Maria, Skordis-Worrall, Jolene, Basnet, Machhindra, de Pee, Saskia, Hall, Andrew, Harthan, Jayne, Thondoo, Meelan, Klingberg, Sonja, Messick, Janice, Manandhar, Dharma S., Osrin, David and Costello, Anthony (2018). Impact on birth weight and child growth of Participatory Learning and Action women's groups with and without transfers of food or cash during pregnancy: Findings of the low birth weight South Asia cluster-randomised controlled trial (LBWSAT) in Nepal. PLoS One, 13 (5) e0194064, 1-29. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194064
2017
Journal Article
Experiences in running a complex electronic data capture system using mobile phones in a large-scale population trial in southern Nepal
Style, Sarah, Beard, B. James, Harris-Fry, Helen, Sengupta, Aman, Jha, Sonali, Shrestha, Bhim P., Rai, Anjana, Paudel, Vikas, Thondoo, Meelan, Pulkki-Brannstrom, Anni-Maria, Skordis-Worrall, Jolene, Manandhar, Dharma S., Costello, Anthony and Saville, Naomi M. (2017). Experiences in running a complex electronic data capture system using mobile phones in a large-scale population trial in southern Nepal. Global Health Action, 10 (1) 1330858, 1-13. doi: 10.1080/16549716.2017.1330858
2016
Journal Article
Protocol of the Low Birth Weight South Asia Trial (LBWSAT), a cluster-randomised controlled trial testing impact on birth weight and infant nutrition of Participatory Learning and Action through women's groups, with and without unconditional transfers of fortified food or cash during pregnancy in Nepal
Saville, Naomi M., Shrestha, Bhim P., Style, Sarah, Harris-Fry, Helen, Beard, B. James, Sengupta, Aman, Jha, Sonali, Rai, Anjana, Paudel, Vikas, Pulkki-Brannstrom, Anni-Maria, Copas, Andrew, Skordis-Worrall, Jolene, Bhandari, Bishnu, Neupane, Rishi, Morrison, Joanna, Gram, Lu, Sah, Raghbendra, Basnet, Machhindra, Harthan, Jayne, Manandhar, Dharma S., Osrin, David and Costello, Anthony (2016). Protocol of the Low Birth Weight South Asia Trial (LBWSAT), a cluster-randomised controlled trial testing impact on birth weight and infant nutrition of Participatory Learning and Action through women's groups, with and without unconditional transfers of fortified food or cash during pregnancy in Nepal. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 16 (1) 320. doi: 10.1186/s12884-016-1102-x
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Anjana Rai is:
- Available for supervision
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