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Hire Dr. Kirsty C.

South Africa

USD 40 /hr

Mixed Methods Researcher with 12+ years of experience in clinical research

Profile Summary

I am an established mixed methods researcher with a PhD in Public Health and an MPH (Master of Public Health) in Epidemiology, and have 12+ years of experience in clinical and public health research. I have considerable experience across all stages of the research lifecycle, from planning studies and writing protocols to analysis and dissemination of results, and have published 70 peer-reviewed publications (16 first-authored) to date. I also have strong data management and analysis skills, having worked as a data analyst for both academic and non-profit clients. I am passionate about leveraging data and research to improve lives, and approach my work with a focus on methodological rigor, ethical principles, and collaboration.

Subject Matter Expertise

• ★ Epidemiology
• ★ Research Methodology
• ★ Technical & Scientific Writing
• ☆ Biostatistics
• ☆ Data Analysis
• ☆ Data Collection
• ☆ Data Management
• ☆ Statistics
• ☆ Survey Design
• ☆ Study Design
• ☆ Health Data Analysis
• ☆ Evaluation Methodology
• ☆ STATA
• ☆ Clinical Trials
• ☆ IRB Applications
• ☆ Clinical Data Management
• ☆ Clinical Trials Data Analysis
• ☆ Public Health
• ☆ Peer Review
• ☆ Survey Design & Methodology
• ☆ Literature Search
• ☆ Medical Writing
• ☆ Research Summaries & Abstracts
• ☆ Manuscript & Journal Article Writing
• ☆ SOP & Protocol Writing
• ☆ Literature Review
• ☆ Traditional/Narrative Literature Review
• ☆ Systematic Literature Review
• ☆ Proofreading & Editing

Services

• Writing
• Research
• Data & AI

Writing Medical Writing, Technical Writing

Research Systematic Literature Review, Secondary Data Collection

Data & AI Statistical Analysis

Work Experience

Research - Various Roles

University of Cape Town

July 2013 - December 2024

Education

PhD in Public Health

University of Cape Town

January 2016 - December 2019

Master of Public Health in Epidemiology

University of Cape Town

January 2012 - June 2014

Certifications

• Certification details not provided.

Publications

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Gray DM, Githinji L, Brittain K, Franckling-Smith Z, Bateman L, Prins M, Baard CB, McFarlane D, Nicol MP, Workman L, et al. (2024). Lung function trajectories in South African children with pulmonary tuberculosis compared to those with non-TB lower respiratory tract infection: a prospective study . The European Respiratory Journal.

Kirsty Brittain, Karryn Brown, Tamsin Phillips, Allison Zerbe, Jennifer Pellowski, Robert H. Remien, Claude A. Mellins, Elaine J. Abrams, Landon Myer (2023). Why do Integrated Maternal HIV and Infant Healthcare Services work? A Secondary Analysis of a Randomised Controlled Trial in South Africa . AIDS and Behavior.

Brittain K, Pellowski J, Noholoza S, Mellins CA, Bekker LG, Kagee A, Remien RH, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2023). Perinatal alcohol use among young women living with HIV in South Africa: Context, experiences, and implications for interventions . Global Public Health.

Brittain K, Gomba Y, Noholoza S, Pellowski J, Mellins CA, Bekker LG, Kagee A, Remien RH, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2022). HIV-related stigma, disclosure and social support: experiences among young pregnant and postpartum women living with HIV in South Africa . AIDS Care.

Nguyen N, Lovero KL, Falcao J, Brittain K, Zerbe A, Wilson IB, Kapogiannis B, Pimentel De Gusmao E, Vitale M, Couto A, et al. (2022). Mental health and ART adherence among adolescents living with HIV in Mozambique . AIDS Care.

Kira DiClemente-Bosco, Alison Z. Weber, Abigail Harrison, Nokwazi Tsawe, Zanele Rini, Kirsty Brittain, Christopher J. Colvin, Landon Myer, Jennifer A. Pellowski (2022). Empowerment in pregnancy: ART adherence among women living with HIV in Cape Town, South Africa . Social Science & Medicine.

Mascayano F, van der Ven E, Moro MF, Schilling S, Alarcón S, Al Barathie J, Alnasser L, Asaoka H, Ayinde O, Balalian AA, et al. (2022). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of healthcare workers: study protocol for the COVID-19 HEalth caRe wOrkErS (HEROES) study . Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology.

Bengtson AM, le Roux SM, Phillips TK, Brittain K, Zerbe A, Madlala HP, Malaba TR, Petro G, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2021). Relationship between pre-pregnancy maternal body mass index and infant weight trajectories in HIV-exposed and HIV-unexposed infants . Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology.

McTigue G, Swartz A, Brittain K, Rini Z, Colvin CJ, Harrison A, Myer L, Pellowski J (2021). Contraceptive trajectories postpartum: A longitudinal qualitative study of women living with HIV in Cape Town, South Africa . Social Science & Medicine (1982).

Brittain K, Zerbe A, Phillips TK, Gomba Y, Mellins CA, Myer L, Abrams EJ (2021). Impact of adverse childhood experiences on women's psychosocial and HIV-related outcomes and early child development in their offspring . Global Public Health.

Falcão J, Zerbe A, Mellins CA, Mantell J, Brittain K, Kapogiannis B, de Gusmao EP, Simione TB, Abrams EJ (2021). The secret life of young adolescents living with HIV in northern Mozambique - a mixed methods study . BMC Public Health.

Joseph Davey DL, Le Roux SM, Brittain K, Dovell K, Shoptaw S, Miller AP, Phillips TK, Zerbe A, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2021). Alcohol use and intimate partner violence in HIV-uninfected pregnant women in Cape Town, South Africa . AIDS Care.

Kirsty Brittain, Chloe A Teasdale, Bernadette Ngeno, Judith Odondi, Boniface Ochanda, Karryn Brown, Agnes Langat, Surbhi Modi, Elaine J Abrams(2021). Improving retention in antenatal and postnatal care: a systematic review of evidence to inform strategies for adolescents and young women living with HIV . Journal of the International AIDS Society. 24. (8). Wiley

Perez A, Brittain K, Phillips N, Stein DJ, Zar HJ, Myer L, Hoare J (2021). HIV-Related Stigma and Psychological Adjustment Among Perinatally HIV-Infected Youth in Cape Town, South Africa . AIDS and Behavior.

Teasdale CA, Brittain K, Zerbe A, Mellins CA, Falcao J, Couto A, Pimentel De Gusmao E, Vitale M, Kapogiannis B, Simione TB, et al. (2021). Characteristics of adolescents aged 15-19 years living with vertically and horizontally acquired HIV in Nampula, Mozambique . PloS One.

Hatcher AM, Brittain K, Phillips TK, Zerbe A, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2021). Longitudinal association between intimate partner violence and viral suppression during pregnancy and postpartum in South African women . AIDS (London, England).

Weber AZ, Pellowski JA, Brittain K, Harrison A, Phillips TK, Zerbe A, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2020). "This is My Life We are Talking About": Adaptive Strategies for HIV Care Retention and Treatment Adherence Among Postpartum Women Living with HIV in Cape Town, South Africa . Maternal and Child Health Journal.

Bengtson AM, Phillips TK, le Roux SM, Brittain K, Zerbe A, Madlala HP, Malaba TR, Petro G, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2020). High blood pressure at entry into antenatal care and birth outcomes among a cohort of HIV-uninfected women and women living with HIV initiating antiretroviral therapy in South Africa . Pregnancy Hypertension.

Mogoba P, Phillips TK, le Roux S, Mukonda EE, Brittain K, Gomba Y, Zerbe A, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2020). Mother-child separation among women living with HIV and their children in the first four years postpartum in South Africa . Tropical Medicine & International Health : TM & IH.

Zerbe A, Brittain K, Phillips TK, Iyun VO, Allerton J, Nofemela A, Kalombo CD, Myer L, Abrams EJ (2020). Community-based adherence clubs for postpartum women on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Cape Town, South Africa: a pilot study . BMC Health Services Research.

Bengtson AM, Phillips TK, le Roux SM, Brittain K, Zerbe A, Madlala H, Malaba T, Petro G, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2020). Does HIV infection modify the relationship between pre-pregnancy body mass index and adverse birth outcomes? . Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology.

Phillips TK, Orrell C, Brittain K, Zerbe A, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2020). Measuring retention in HIV care: the impact of data sources and definitions using routine data . AIDS (London, England).

Phillips TK, Mogoba P, Brittain K, Gomba Y, Zerbe A, Myer L, Abrams EJ (2020). Long-Term Outcomes of HIV-Infected Women Receiving Antiretroviral Therapy After Transferring Out of an Integrated Maternal and Child Health Service in South Africa . Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (1999).

Bengtson AM, Phillips TK, le Roux SM, Brittain K, Buba A, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2020). Postpartum obesity and weight gain among human immunodeficiency virus-infected and human immunodeficiency virus-uninfected women in South Africa . Maternal & Child Nutrition.

le Roux SM, Abrams EJ, Donald KA, Brittain K, Phillips TK, Zerbe A, le Roux DM, Kroon M, Myer L (2020). Infectious morbidity of breastfed, HIV-exposed uninfected infants under conditions of universal antiretroviral therapy in South Africa: a prospective cohort study . The Lancet. Child & Adolescent Health.

Towriss CA, Phillips TK, Brittain K, Zerbe A, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2019). The injection or the injection? Restricted contraceptive choices among women living with HIV . Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters.

Dugdale CM, Phillips TK, Myer L, Hyle EP, Brittain K, Freedberg KA, Cunnama L, Walensky RP, Zerbe A, Weinstein MC, et al. (2019). Cost-effectiveness of integrating postpartum antiretroviral therapy and infant care into maternal & child health services in South Africa . PloS One.

Pellowski JA, Weber AZ, Phillips TK, Brittain K, Zerbe A, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2019). "You must leave but I didn't want to leave": qualitative evaluation of the integration of ART into postnatal maternal and child health services in Cape Town, South Africa . AIDS Care.

Brittain K, Mellins CA, Remien RH, Phillips TK, Zerbe A, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2019). Impact of HIV-Status Disclosure on HIV Viral Load in Pregnant and Postpartum Women on Antiretroviral Therapy . Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (1999).

Hoare J, Phillips N, Brittain K, Myer L, Zar HJ, Stein DJ (2019). Mental Health and Functional Competence in the Cape Town Adolescent Antiretroviral Cohort . Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (1999).

Mogoba P, Gomba Y, Brittain K, Phillips TK, Zerbe A, Myer L, Abrams EJ (2019). Re-recruiting postpartum women living with HIV into a follow-up study in Cape Town, South Africa . BMC Research Notes.

Phillips TK, Sinxadi P, Abrams EJ, Zerbe A, Orrell C, Hu NC, Brittain K, Gomba Y, Norman J, Wiesner L, et al. (2019). A Comparison of Plasma Efavirenz and Tenofovir, Dried Blood Spot Tenofovir-Diphosphate, and Self-Reported Adherence to Predict Virologic Suppression Among South African Women . Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (1999).

Brittain K, Phillips TK, Zerbe A, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2019). Long-term effects of unintended pregnancy on antiretroviral therapy outcomes among South African women living with HIV . AIDS (London, England).

Phillips TK, Wilson IB, Brittain K, Zerbe A, Mellins CA, Remien RH, Orrell C, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2019). Decreases in Self-Reported ART Adherence Predict HIV Viremia Among Pregnant and Postpartum South African Women . Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (1999).

le Roux SM, Abrams EJ, Donald KA, Brittain K, Phillips TK, Nguyen KK, Zerbe A, Kroon M, Myer L (2019). Growth trajectories of breastfed HIV-exposed uninfected and HIV-unexposed children under conditions of universal maternal antiretroviral therapy: a prospective study . The Lancet. Child & Adolescent Health.

le Roux SM, Donald KA, Kroon M, Phillips TK, Lesosky M, Esterhuyse L, Zerbe A, Brittain K, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2019). HIV Viremia During Pregnancy and Neurodevelopment of HIV-Exposed Uninfected Children in the Context of Universal Antiretroviral Therapy and Breastfeeding: A Prospective Study . The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.

Kirsty Brittain, Claude A. Mellins, Robert H. Remien, Tamsin Phillips, Allison Zerbe, Elaine J. Abrams, Landon Myer(2018). Patterns and Predictors of HIV-Status Disclosure Among Pregnant Women in South Africa: Dimensions of Disclosure and Influence of Social and Economic Circumstances . AIDS and Behavior. 22. (12). p. 3933--3944. Springer Science and Business Media {LLC}

Brittain K, Mellins CA, Remien RH, Phillips T, Zerbe A, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2018). HIV-status disclosure and depression in the context of unintended pregnancy among South African women . Global Public Health.

Brittain K, Myer L, Phillips N, Cluver LD, Zar HJ, Stein DJ, Hoare J (2018). Behavioural health risks during early adolescence among perinatally HIV-infected South African adolescents and same-age, HIV-uninfected peers . AIDS Care.

le Roux SM, Donald KA, Brittain K, Phillips TK, Zerbe A, Nguyen KK, Strandvik A, Kroon M, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2018). Neurodevelopment of breastfed HIV-exposed uninfected and HIV-unexposed children in South Africa . AIDS (London, England).

Trafford Z, Gomba Y, Colvin CJ, Iyun VO, Phillips TK, Brittain K, Myer L, Abrams EJ, Zerbe A (2018). Experiences of HIV-positive postpartum women and health workers involved with community-based antiretroviral therapy adherence clubs in Cape Town, South Africa . BMC Public Health.

Brittain K, Remien RH, Mellins CA, Phillips TK, Zerbe A, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2018). Determinants of suboptimal adherence and elevated HIV viral load in pregnant women already on antiretroviral therapy when entering antenatal care in Cape Town, South Africa . AIDS Care.

Langwenya N, Phillips TK, Brittain K, Zerbe A, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2018). Same-day antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation in pregnancy is not associated with viral suppression or engagement in care: A cohort study . Journal of the International AIDS Society.

Iyun V, Brittain K, Phillips TK, le Roux S, McIntyre JA, Zerbe A, Petro G, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2018). Prevalence and determinants of unplanned pregnancy in HIV-positive and HIV-negative pregnant women in Cape Town, South Africa: a cross-sectional study . BMJ Open.

Landon Myer, Elvin H. Geng, Tamsin K. Phillips, Allison Zerbe, Kirsty Brittain, Maia Lesosky, Nei-Yuan Hsiao, Robert H. Remien, Claude A. Mellins, James A. McIntyre, et al. (2018). Integration of postpartum healthcare services for HIV-infected women and their infants in South Africa: A randomised controlled trial . PLOS Medicine.

Kirsty Brittain, Nana Akua Asafu-Agyei, Jacqueline Hoare, Linda-Gail Bekker, Helena Rabie, James Nuttall, Paul Roux, Dan J. Stein, Heather J. Zar, Landon Myer(2018). Association of Adolescent- and Caregiver-Reported Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence with HIV Viral Load Among Perinatally-infected South African Adolescents . AIDS and Behavior. 22. (3). p. 909--917. Springer Science and Business Media {LLC}

Claire van der Westhuizen, Kirsty Brittain, Nastassja Koen, Karen Maré, Heather J Zar, Dan J. Stein (2018). Sensitivity and Specificity of the SRQ-20 and the EPDS in Diagnosing Major Depression Ante- and Postnatally in a South African Birth Cohort Study . International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction.

Michael Quayle, Graham Lindegger, Kirsty Brittain, Neesa Nabee, Charlene Cole (2018). Women’s Ideals for Masculinity Across Social Contexts: Patriarchal Agentic Masculinity is Valued in Work, Family, and Romance but Communal Masculinity in Friendship . Sex Roles.

Malaba TR, Phillips T, Le Roux S, Brittain K, Zerbe A, Petro G, Ronan A, McIntyre JA, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2017). Antiretroviral therapy use during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes in South African women . International Journal of Epidemiology.

Budree S, Stein DJ, Brittain K, Goddard E, Koen N, Barnett W, Myer L, Zar HJ (2017). Maternal and infant factors had a significant impact on birthweight and longitudinal growth in a South African birth cohort . Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992).

Myer L, Iyun V, Zerbe A, Phillips TK, Brittain K, Mukonda E, Allerton J, Kalombo CD, Nofemela A, Abrams EJ (2017). Differentiated models of care for postpartum women on antiretroviral therapy in Cape Town, South Africa: a cohort study . Journal of the International AIDS Society.

Koen N, Brittain K, Donald KA, Barnett W, Koopowitz S, Maré K, Zar HJ, Stein DJ (2017). Maternal posttraumatic stress disorder and infant developmental outcomes in a South African birth cohort study . Psychological Trauma : Theory, Research, Practice and policy.

Kirsty Brittain, Robert H. Remien, Tamsin Phillips, Allison Zerbe, Elaine J. Abrams, Landon Myer, Claude A. Mellins(2017). Factors associated with alcohol use prior to and during pregnancy among HIV-infected pregnant women in Cape Town, South Africa . Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 173. p. 69--77. Elsevier {BV}

Sania A, Brittain K, Phillips TK, Zerbe A, Ronan A, Myer L, Abrams EJ (2017). Effect of alcohol consumption and psychosocial stressors on preterm and small-for-gestational-age births in HIV-infected women in South Africa: a cohort study . BMJ Open.

Phillips T, Brittain K, Mellins CA, Zerbe A, Remien RH, Abrams EJ, Myer L, Wilson IB (2017). A Self-Reported Adherence Measure to Screen for Elevated HIV Viral Load in Pregnant and Postpartum Women on Antiretroviral Therapy . AIDS and Behavior.

Brittain K, Mellins CA, Phillips T, Zerbe A, Abrams EJ, Myer L, Remien RH (2017). Social Support, Stigma and Antenatal Depression Among HIV-Infected Pregnant Women in South Africa . AIDS and Behavior.

M le Roux S, Jao J, Brittain K, Phillips TK, Olatunbosun S, Ronan A, Zerbe A, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2017). Tenofovir exposure in utero and linear growth in HIV-exposed, uninfected infants . AIDS (London, England).

Wong M, Myer L, Zerbe A, Phillips T, Petro G, Mellins CA, Remien RH, Shiau S, Brittain K, Abrams EJ (2016). Depression, alcohol use, and stigma in younger versus older HIV-infected pregnant women initiating antiretroviral therapy in Cape Town, South Africa . Archives of Women's Mental Health.

Budree S, Goddard E, Brittain K, Cader S, Myer L, Zar HJ (2016). Infant feeding practices in a South African birth cohort-A longitudinal study . Maternal & Child Nutrition.

Bernstein M, Phillips T, Zerbe A, McIntyre JA, Brittain K, Petro G, Abrams EJ, Myer L (2016). Intimate partner violence experienced by HIV-infected pregnant women in South Africa: a cross-sectional study . BMJ Open.

Myer L, Phillips TK, Zerbe A, Ronan A, Hsiao NY, Mellins CA, Remien RH, Le Roux SM, Brittain K, Ciaranello A, et al. (2016). Optimizing Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) for Maternal and Child Health (MCH): Rationale and Design of the MCH-ART Study . Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (1999).

Barnett W, Brittain K, Sorsdahl K, Zar HJ, Stein DJ (2016). Maternal participant experience in a South African birth cohort study enrolling healthy pregnant women and their infants . Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine : PEHM.

Vanker A, Barnett W, Brittain K, Gie RP, Koen N, Myers B, Stein DJ, Zar HJ (2016). Antenatal and early life tobacco smoke exposure in an African birth cohort study . The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease : The Official Journal of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease.

Hacking D, Haricharan HJ, Brittain K, Lau YK, Cassidy T, Heap M (2016). Hypertension Health Promotion via Text Messaging at a Community Health Center in South Africa: A Mixed Methods Study . JMIR mHealth and uHealth.

Koen N, Brittain K, Donald KA, Barnett W, Koopowitz S, Maré K, Zar HJ, Stein DJ (2016). Psychological trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder: risk factors and associations with birth outcomes in the Drakenstein Child Health Study . European Journal of Psychotraumatology.

Brittain K, Myer L, Koen N, Koopowitz S, Donald KA, Barnett W, Zar HJ, Stein DJ (2015). Risk Factors for Antenatal Depression and Associations with Infant Birth Outcomes: Results From a South African Birth Cohort Study . Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology.

van den Berg W, Brittain K, Mercer G, Peacock D, Stinson K, Janson H, Dubula V (2015). Improving men's participation in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV as a maternal, neonatal, and child health priority in South Africa . PLoS Medicine.

Stein DJ, Koen N, Donald KA, Adnams CM, Koopowitz S, Lund C, Marais A, Myers B, Roos A, Sorsdahl K, et al. (2015). Investigating the psychosocial determinants of child health in Africa: The Drakenstein Child Health Study . Journal of Neuroscience Methods.

Brittain K, Giddy J, Myer L, Cooper D, Harries J, Stinson K (2015). Pregnant women's experiences of male partner involvement in the context of prevention of mother-to-child transmission in Khayelitsha, South Africa . AIDS Care.

Lau YK, Cassidy T, Hacking D, Brittain K, Haricharan HJ, Heap M (2014). Antenatal health promotion via short message service at a Midwife Obstetrics Unit in South Africa: a mixed methods study . BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth.