Dr Rhiannon Phillips
Deputy Associate Dean Research
Cardiff School of Sport & Health Sciences
Overview
The focus of my research is on understanding risk perception and decision making in relation to common infections and reproductive health. Understanding how people make decisions based on their perception of risk, and the perceived benefits of a particular course of action, can be used to develop interventions that support people with making complex decisions that involve balancing risks with an individual's goals, needs and preferences. I am interested in facilitating shared decision-making in healthcare settings, communication of health-related risk, and helping people to build the skills and confidence they need to manage their emotional and behavioural responses to health-related threats, including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and psychoeducation. I am leading on the establishment of a Welsh social science rapid response pandemic research network (SABRE Cymru), and a network for the development of technology solutions to support decisions about reproductive goals for people with long-term conditions.
I have been a principal or co-applicant on research grants totalling over £6.5M over the course of my career. I have over 50 publications in peer-reviewed journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet Psychiatry, and the BMJ. I am the Applied Psychology and Behaviour Change Research and Innovation Group lead at Cardiff Metropolitan University. I am the research lead for the British Psychological Society Division of Health Psychology and a member of the British Psychological Society Research Board.
Research Publications
Exploring Barriers and Facilitators for Food Safety in UK-Based Hospitals; Implications for Food Safety Culture
Sinclair, F., Phillips, R. & Redmond, E., 6 May 2025.Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster › peer-review
Patient Reported Outcome Measures for Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease Activity: Rasch measurement theory to identify items and domains
Pickles, T., Horton, M., Christensen, K. B., Phillips, R., Gillespie, D., Mo, N., Davies, J., Campbell, S. & Choy, E., 22 Apr 2025, In: Rheumatology.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Recommendations for a Communication Strategy to Support Informed Decision‐Making About Self or Clinician Sampling for Cervical Screening in the UK: Qualitative Study
Williams, D., Clarke, E., Lifford, K. J., Haywood, L., Wood, F., Waller, J., Edwards, A., Joseph‐Williams, N., Evans, C., Powell, G., Phillips, R., Carson‐Stevens, A., Walbeoff, K., Gjini, A. & Brain, K., 27 Mar 2025, In: Health Expectations. 28, 2, p. e70191 e70191.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Associations of reported access to public green space, physical activity and subjective wellbeing during and after the COVID-19 pandemic
Poortinga, W., Denney, J., Kelly, K. M., Oates, R., Phillips, R., Oliver, H. & Hallingberg, B., 17 Jul 2024, In: Journal of Environmental Psychology. 97, 102376.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
“It was classed as a nonemergency”: Women's experiences of kidney disease and preconception decision‐making, family planning, and parenting in the United Kingdom during COVID ‐19
Laughlin, L. M., Noyes, J., Neukirchinger, B., Williams, D., Phillips, R. & Griffin, S., 14 Mar 2024, In: Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health. 56, 2, p. 147-157 11 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Analysis of applying a patient safety taxonomy to patient and clinician-reported incident reports during the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed methods study
Purchase, T., Cooper, A., Price, D., Dorgeat, E., Williams, H., Bowie, P., Fournier, J. P., Hibbert, P., Edwards, A., Phillips, R., Joseph-Williams, N. & Carson-Stevens, A., 14 Oct 2023, In: BMC Medical Research Methodology. 23, 1, 234.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
The Role of Medication Beliefs in COVID-19 Vaccine and Booster Uptake in Healthcare Workers: An Exploratory Study
Dale, C., Seage, C. H., Phillips, R. & James, D., 7 Jul 2023, In: Healthcare (Switzerland). 11, 13, 1967.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Feminizing care pathways: Mixed-methods study of reproductive options, decision making, pregnancy, post-natal care and parenting amongst women with kidney disease
Mc Laughlin, L., Jones, C., Neukirchinger, B., Noyes, J., Stone, J., Williams, H., Williams, D., Rapado, R., Phillips, R. & Griffin, S., 31 Mar 2023, In: Journal of Advanced Nursing. 79, 8, p. 3127-3146 20 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Sharing decisions on reproductive goals: A mixed-methods study of the views of women who have cystic fibrosis
Williams, D., Esan, O. B., Schlüter, D. K., Taylor-Robinson, D., Paranjothy, S., Duckers, J., Goodchild, N. & Phillips, R., 28 Feb 2023, In: Journal of Cystic Fibrosis. 22, 2, p. 207-216 10 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Identities of women who have an autoimmune rheumatic disease [ARD] during pregnancy planning, pregnancy and early parenting: A qualitative study
Williams, D., Pell, B., Grant, A., Sanders, J., Taylor, A., Edwards, A., Choy, E. & Phillips, R., 4 Nov 2022, In: PLoS ONE. 17, 11 November, e0263910.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review