Professor Penelope Phillips-Howard

Professor of Public Health Epidemiology

Professor Phillips-Howard started her career as a Bachelor of Science Degree nurse, at Westminster Hospital London, linked with South Bank University. After qualifying she specialized in Tropical Diseases at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, London. She gained experience with Save the Children, providing care for Vietnamese refugees settling in Britain, followed by midwifery training at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. Following living in Bolivia, she worked at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, where she attained her PhD on the epidemiology of imported malaria in Britain, followed by 5 years at the World Health Organization, Geneva, as a technical officer in the Malaria Control Programme. She then relocated to western Kenya in 1995 where she coordinated a multi-disciplinary trial investigating the impact of insecticide treated bednets (ITN) on malaria morbidity and mortality. After a career break, she took a post at Liverpool John Moores University, where she developed an interest in research on young adolescent health, including local HIV/STI notifiable disease surveillance and evaluating young peoples’ sexual risk behaviours associated with alcohol use and wellbeing, then moved to LSTM in 2012.

Research

Prof Phillips-Howard leads a team researching menstrual, and sexual and reproductive health of adolescent girls and young women, with a main focus of collaborative studies in Kenya. She is PI on trials and studies investigating interventions for menstrual and sexual and reproductive health of adolescent girls (in and out of school), and a cohort follow-up of girls’ health and social equity as they transition into adulthood. She is a co-investigator of bio-behavioural studies examining the benefits of menstrual cups on the vaginal microbiome, and potential benefits of cups among economically vulnerable women. She collaborates across universities and advises on various international committees to advance menstrual health globally.

Teaching

Trop 729 Module on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health
Diploma in Tropical Nursing

Recent publications: 

    Selected publications

    • Zulaika G, Nyothach E, Wang D, Opollo V, van Eijk AM, Obor D, Mason L, Worrall E, Chen T, Kerubo E, Juma J, Oyaro B, Mwaki A, Eleveld A, Ngere I, Onyango C, Fwaya E, ter Kuile FO, Kwaro D, Phillips-Howard PA. Menstrual cups and cash transfer to reduce sexual and reproductive harm and school dropout in adolescent schoolgirls: findings in a cluster-randomised controlled trial in western Kenya. Lancet eClinical Medicine, 2023;65: 102261, 2023.

      Mehta SD, Zulaika G, Agingu W, Nyothach E, Bhaumik R, Green SJ, van Eijk AM, Kwaro D, Otieno F, Phillips-Howard PA. Analysis of bacterial vaginosis, the vaginal microbiome, and sexually transmitted infections following the provision of menstrual cups in Kenyan schools: Results of a nested study within a cluster randomized controlled trial. PLoS Med 20(7): e1004258, 2023.

      Plesons M, Torondel B, Caruso BA, Hennegan J, Sommer S, Haver J, Keiser D, van Eijk AM, Zulaika G, Mason L, Phillips-Howard PA. Research priorities for improving menstrual health across the life-course in low- and middle-income countries. Global Health Action, 16, 1, Dec 31st, 2023.

      van Eijk AM, Zulaika G, Lenchner M, Mason L, Sivakami M, Nyothach E, Unger H, Laserson KF, Phillips-Howard PA. Menstrual cup use, leakage, acceptability, safety, and availability: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Public Health; 4(8), e376-393, 2019.

      Sommer M, Caruso B, Sahin M, Calderon T, Cavill S, Mahon T, Phillips-Howard PA. A time for global action: addressing girls’ menstrual hygiene management needs in schools. PLoS MED: doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001962, 13(2) e1001962, 2016.