Kaye Wellings

Kaye Wellings is Professor of Sexual & Reproductive Health Research and Head of the Department of Social and Environmental Health Research at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. A social scientist with a public health perspective, she has worked in sexual and reproductive health research for over 20 years. She was one of the founders of the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal) in Britain in 1987 and a Principal Investigator on the first (1990), second (2000), and third (2010) surveys – the latest findings of which were published in November 2013. She leads a team of academics researching sexual and reproductive risk behaviour and risk reduction practice, including contraception, at national and international level. She also has a strong interest in evaluation research, particularly in relation to preventive intervention and has assessed major national and international sexual health programmes, including AIDS preventive strategies in European countries and the English government’s Teenage Pregnancy Strategy. Much of her working life has been spent researching sensitive topics, including not only sexual behaviour but also risk practices relating to drug use and in prison populations.