Dr Erica Cook

Associate Professor

Erica Cook I am a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS), a Registered Health Psychologist with the UK Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) with interests in health psychology and public health.

I am the course director for the BPS accredited Stage 1 MSc Health Psychology Programme, Psychology Placement Year (PPY) coordinator for Psychology and contribute widely to the coordination and teaching across the MSc Health Psychology and BSc Psychology programmes. I have co-authored two undergraduate texts ‘Health Psychology: The Basics’ and ‘Psychology Express: Health Psychology’, both of which underpin my knowledge and expertise within the discipline of Health Psychology.

I am also a Research Design Advisor for the NIHR Public Health Research Applications and Design Advice (PHRADA) where I advise academic staff, practitioners, and local authorities on submitting grants applications to NIHR and other health-based funding streams.

ORCId

Research Gate

Stage 2 Health Psychology (2012-2015) Independent Route, British Psychological Society
PhD (2009-2012) 'Who uses NHS Direct? Factors that impact on the uptake of telephone-based healthcare' University of Bedfordshire (Jointly funded by NHS Direct and the University of Bedfordshire)
MSc Health Psychology (Distinction) - the University of Bedfordshire, 2008-2009
BSc Health Psychology (First class) - University of Bedfordshire, 2005-2008

Course coordinator MSc Health Psychology programme
Director of Research Centre for Applied Psychology (RCAP)
Director of Research Centre for Applied Psychology (RCAP) Research Ethics Committee
Unit Co-ordinator: MSc Health Psychology Dissertation
Unit Co-ordinator MSc Health Psychology: Public Health

Equity of access to healthcare for underserved populations
Patient experience of healthcare
Technology adoption in healthcare and intervention delivery
Developing and evaluating complex interventions

Registered Practitioner Health Psychologist (HCPC) (PYL32868)
Chartered Member of the British Psychological Society (212064)
Registered Health Psychology Practice Supervisors (RAPPS)
The Science Council - Chartered Scientist (CSci)
Fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health (120024)
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (PRO76183)
Contributor to the University of Bedfordshire’s 2014 and 2021 REF exercise
National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Public Health Research Applications Design Advisor (PHRADA) (2020 – Current)
Division of Health Psychology Training Committee (DHPTC) Member & Reviewer
Associate Editor: PLoS One
NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research reviewer
Peer reviewer for various high impact journals

Cook, E. J., Pappas, Y., Randhawa, G. (2024-26) Evaluating the impact of Automatic Medication Reminders (AMRs) in a primary care setting to reduce unintentional drug non-adherence and improve health status in older people. Funded by Bedfordshire, Luton, and Milton Keynes Integrated Care System Research and Innovation Hub. £251,185.
Randhawa, G., Ali, N., Wilkinson, E., Cook, E. J. (2023-2004). A pilot study and process evaluation of a complex intervention in cancer and Palliative and End-of-Life Care (PEoLC) for ethnic minorities: Community Connector roles. Funded by Bedfordshire, Luton, and Milton Keynes Integrated Care System. £81,000.
Cook, E. J.,Yannis, P., Randhawa, G. (2022). Improving access to primary care for older people, minority ethnic, and disadvantaged communities post-COVID-19 pandemic. Funded by BLMK ICS Research and Innovation Hub. £175,117
Ali, N & Cook, E.J. (2022). Improving physical activity levels among Luton’s diverse communities. PhD Studentship. £70,800. UoB Match Funding with Luton Borough Council (LBC).
Puthussery, S., Cook E. J., Tseng P-C. (2022-2024) Use of electronic cigarettes in pregnancy and new-born health outcomes: a prospective observational study—University of Bedfordshire PhD Studentship Match Funding.
Cook, E., Powell, F. (2022). A co-production of an intervention package to improve the well-being of parents who experience early pregnancy loss. Research England Participatory Research Fund & School of Psychology, University of Bedfordshire. £18,000. For more information, please visit beds.ac.uk/earlypregnancylossproject
Ali, N., Randhawa, G., Cook, E. J.(2022). Young Luton Voices: exploring the impact of COVID-19 on young people’s mental health and co-creating solutions. Funded by Luton Borough Council. £46,000.
Cook, E. J., Tolliday, E., Ali, N., Suleman, M., Wilkinson, E., Randhawa, G. (2021-22). Keech End of life research Partnership NETwork (KEEPNET): A partnership network to enhance research capacity and capability to improve access to palliative and end-of-life care among the ethnic minority population across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, and Milton Keynes. Funded by National Institute for Health Research (NIHR135381). £108,000
Murphy, S., Crafter, S., Cook, E.J., Messer, D., Joffe, V. (September 2021-2024). E-PLAYS Enhancing Pragmatic LAnguage Skills for Young Children with Social Communication Impairment trial; evaluation of a collaborative Computer Intervention. Funded by NIHR Public Health Research. £1,493.561.00, For more information, please visit beds.ac.uk/eplays
Ali, N., Cook, E.J., Randhawa, G. (September 2021 - 22). Chalkscapes: Community Development and Engagement. Funded by The Chilterns Conservation Board (CCB). £25,000
Ali, N., Cook, E. J., Cartwright, S., Randhawa, G. (October 2020- June 21). Engaging in a dialogue on reasons for the disproportionate impact of COVID-19, tackling inequalities and co-developing solutions: a community engagement project in Luton. Funded by Luton Borough Council. £50,000

Araghi, M., Sahota, A., Czachorowski, M., Naicke, K., Bohm, N., Phillipps, K., Gaddum, J., Cook, E.J. (November 2023). Social Media Insights During the COVID-19 Pandemic in The United Kingdom. UK Health Security Agency Conference. Leeds, UK.
Powell, F., Cook, E.J. (September 2023). Priorities in early pregnancy loss care in England: A participatory approach to improve psychological well-being for parents. [Oral Presentation]. 43rd Annual SRIP Conference 2023. Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland.
Moffat, A., Smith, L., Spanou, C. & Cook, E.J. (September 2023). The use of behavioural science within public health: A cross-sectional survey of UK local authority government [Oral Presentation]. 37th Annual Conference of the European Health Psychology Society, Breman, Germany.
Moffat, A.,Cook, E.J., Smith, L., & Chater, A.M. (2022). Behavioural Science in Public Health: Exploring the Influences on the Use and Integration of Behavioural Science in Everyday Practice. Division of Health Psychology Annual Conference, Bristol, UK.
Vincent, B.P., Randhawa, G. and Cook, E.J.(2021). Barriers toward deceased organ donor registration among Indians living in India and the United Kingdom: An integrative systematic review using narrative synthesis. Congress of Asian Society of Transplantation. 25th – 28th July. Malaysia.
Vincent, B.P., Randhawa, G. and Cook, E.J.(2021). Organ donation behaviour from the context of Indian Culture. 26th – 30th July. Donor Research Network, University of Queensland, Australia.
Constantinou, G., Randhawa, G., Cook, E.J.(2020). Children’s unmet palliative care needs: a scoping review of parents’ perspectives. Together for Short Lives: Time for Change? A new vision for Children’s Palliative Care, Hilton Deansgate, Manchester, UK.
Balal, S., Hassan, A., Cook, E.J, Ahmad, S., Sharma, A. (2020). A Multi-Center Randomized, Single Masked, Controlled trial to Evaluate the Quantitative and Qualitative Efficacy of Finger-Prick Autologous Blood (FAB) in Severe Dry Eye Disease. Presented at; The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). Baltimore, USA.
Constantinou, G., Randhawa, G., Cook, E.J.(2019). Children's palliative care: An exploration of the unmet needs of children and their families. Hospice UK Conference, ACC Liverpool, UK.
Constantinou, G., Randhawa, G., Cook, E.J.(2019). Children’s unmet palliative care needs: a scoping review of parent perspectives. Complexities in Palliative Care Conference Rennie Grove Hospice Care, Hertfordshire, UK.

Vincent, B.P., Sood, V., Thanigachalam, S. Cook, E. J., Randhawa, G. (2024). Barriers and Facilitators Towards Deceased Organ Donation: A Qualitative Study Among Three Major Religious Groups in Chandigarh, and Chennai, India. J Relig Health. doi.org/10.1007/s10943-024-02148-8
Al-Abdulghani., Vincent, B-P., Randhawa, G., Cook, E. J., Fadhil, R. (2024). Barriers and facilitators of deceased organ donation among Muslims living globally: An integrative systematic review. Transplantation Reviews, 38, 100874, doi.org/10.1016/j.trre.2024.100874.
Osode, E, Cook, E. J., Tomlin, A. (2024). Child maltreatment and metabolic syndrome: A systematic review. Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity, 17, 3163–3176, doi.org/10.2147/DMSO.S460058.
Murphy, S., Bell, K., Cook, E. J. et al. (2024). Enhancing Pragmatic Language skills for Young children with Social communication difficulties (E-PLAYS-2) trial: study protocol for a cluster-randomised controlled trial evaluating a computerised intervention to promote communicative development and collaborative skills in young children. BMC Psychol, 12, 266. doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-01749-y.
Cook, E. J., Tolliday, E., Ali, N., Suleman, M., Wilkinson, E., Randhawa, G. (2024). Exploratory study from an end-of-life research partnership to improve access for ethnically diverse communities in one region. NIHR Journals.
Cook, E. J., Kabasinguzi, I., Randhawa, G., & Ali, N. (2024). Factors influencing urban greenspace use among a multi-ethnic community in the UK: The Chalkscapes Study. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 92, 128210. org/10.1016/j.ufug.2024.128210
Nduka, I., Kabasinguzi, I., Ali, N., Ochepo, P., Abdy, D., Cook, E. J., & Randhawa, G. (2023). The impact of COVID-19 on the changes in health behaviours among Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities in the United Kingdom (UK): a scoping review. BMC Public Health, 23(1), 1466. doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15978-0
Miah, J., Guppy, A., Cook, E. J. (2023). Can travel advisors influence physical activity in personal travel planning projects using the Theory of Planned Behaviour? A longitudinal study. Psychreg Journal of Psychology, 7 (2), 30-43.
Al-Abdulghani A, Vincent BP, Randhawa G, Cook, E.J., Fadhil, R. (2023). Barriers and facilitators of deceased organ donation among Muslims living globally: protocol for an integrative systematic review using narrative synthesis. BMJ Open,13:e069312. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2022-069312
Cook, E. J., Elliott, E., Donald, L., Gaitan, A., Randhawa, G., Cartwright, S., Waqar, M., Egbutah, C., Nduka, I., Guppy, A., Ali, N. (2023) Knowledge, perceived risk, and attitudes towards COVID-19 protective measures amongst ethnic minorities in the UK: A cross-sectional study. Public Health 10:1060694. doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1060694
Constantinou, G., Cook, E. J., Tolliday, E., Randhawa, G. (2023). Children’s Palliative Care: A phenomenological study exploring professionals’ perspectives of the unmet needs, access, and expectations of children with life-limiting conditions and their families. Journal of Child Health Care. org/10.1177/13674935221147716.
Moffat, A., Cook E. J., Chater, A. M. (2022). Examining the influences on the use of behavioural science within UK local authority public health: Qualitative thematic analysis and deductive mapping to the COM-B model and Theoretical Domains Framework. Front. Public Health 10:1016076. org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1016.
Hassan, A., Balal, S., Cook, E. J., Pappas, Y., Barton, G., Pardhan, S., Bourne, R., Ahmad, S., Sharma, A. (2022). Finger-prick autologous blood eye drops for dry eye disease: randomised controlled trial and evaluation of patient perspectives on therapy. Clinical Ophthalmology, 3973-3979.
Vincent, B., Randhawa, G., Cook, E.J.(2022). Barriers toward deceased organ donation among Indians living globally: An integrative systematic review using narrative synthesis. BMJ Open.12:e056094. org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056094.
Cook E. J, Elliott E, Gaitan A, Nduka I, Cartwright S, Egbutah C, Randhawa G, Waqar M, Ali N. (2022). Vaccination against COVID-19: Factors That Influence Vaccine Hesitancy among an Ethnically Diverse Community in the UK. Vaccines, 10(1):106. doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10010106.
Cook, E. J., Powell, F. C., Ali, N., Penn-Jones, C., Ochieng, B., Constantinou, G., Randhawa, G. (2021). They are kids, let them eat’: A qualitative investigation into the parental beliefs and practices of providing a healthy diet for young children among a culturally diverse and deprived population in the UK. Obesity Knowledge and Health Risk Series. The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,18,13087. doi:10.3390/ijerph182413087.
Balal, S., Jbari, A., Cook, E. J., Akhtar, W., Din, N & Sharma, A. (2021). Management and outcomes of the small pupil in cataract surgery: iris hooks, Malyugin ring or phenylephrine? Eye, 35(10):2714-2718. doi:10.1038/s41433-020-01277-0.
Ali, N., Cook E. J., Qureshi, I., Sidika T., Mahmood, S., Waqar, M., and Randhawa G. (2021). The Collaborative Targeted Outreach Programme (CTOP): A feasibility intervention to increase the recruitment of "Home Grown" South Asians onto Nursing and Midwifery courses. Diversity, Equality in Health, and Care. 18 (7), 370-377.
Cook, E. J., Powell, F.C., Ali, N., Penn-Jones, C., Ochieng, B., Randhawa, G. (2021). Improving support for breastfeeding mothers: a qualitative study on the experiences of breastfeeding among mothers who reside in a deprived and culturally diverse community. (Breastfeeding Series). International Journal for Equity in Health, 20(1), 1-14. doi:1186/s12939-021-01419-0.
Cook, E. J., Powell, F. C., Ali, N., Penn-Jones, C., Ochieng, B., Randhawa, G. (2020). Parents’ experiences of complementary feeding among a United Kingdom culturally diverse and deprived community. Maternal and Child Nutrition, e13108. doi:10.1111/mcn.13108.
Vincent, B. P., Randhawa, G., Cook, E. J. (2020). Barriers towards organ donor registration and consent among people of Indian origin living globally: a systematic review and integrative synthesis—protocol. BMJ Open, 10(6), e035360. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035360.
Penman, J., Cook, E. J., & Randhawa, G. (2019). A collaborative brief engagement with medically unresolved sexual and other persistent physical symptoms: a realist service evaluation. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 35:4, 433-449. doi:10.1080/14681994.2019.1693531.
Constantinou, G., Garcia, R., Cook, E. J., Randhawa, G. (2019). Children’s unmet palliative care needs: a scoping review of parents’ perspectives. BMJ supportive and palliative care, bmjspcare-2018. doi:10.1136/bmjspcare-2018-001705.

For a full list of my publications, please visit ORCiD

Completed

Jean Penman (UoB – completed 2016) ‘Engaging with Persistent 'Medically Unexplained' Physical Symptoms in Healthcare: A Realist Psychosexual Service Evaluation’ (Second supervisor)
Jolel Miah (UoB – completed 2020) ‘Can 'Travel Advisors' influence behaviour? A longitudinal study to examine the psycho-social predictors of Residents' level of physical activity’ (Second supervisor)
Georgina Constantinou (UoB – completed 2022) ‘Children’s Palliative Care, Needs, Access and Expectations: The Lived Experiences of Parents and Healthcare Professionals’ (Second supervisor)
Britzer Paul Vincent Raj (UoB – completed 2023) ‘Barriers and Facilitators towards Registration, Consent and Procurement for Deceased Organ Donation in Chandigarh and Chennai’ (Second supervisor)

Current Research students

Eno Osode ‘Child Abuse and Metabolic Syndrome in Midlife: A life-course approach’ (Director of studies)
Abigail Moffat ‘Examining the use and factors that influence the successful use and implementation of behavioural science in UK local authority public health and recommendations for supporting implementation and use in practice’. (Director of Studies)
Krishna Pillai ‘Utilisation of physician associates in the Emergency Department’ (Director of studies).
Asmaa Al-Abdulghani. ‘Barriers and Facilitators towards Deceased Organ Donation among Muslims in Qatar’ (Second Supervisor)
Sajan Thomas ‘Examining the use of electronic cigarettes in pregnancy and newborn health outcomes using a prospective observational study’ (Second Supervisor)
Olivia Flemons ‘Embracing Active Communities in the Outdoors to Enhance Physical Literacy, Meaningful Physical Activity, and Human Flourishing’ (Director of Studies).
Danny Golding ‘Challenging Journeys: Stress, Coping and Expeditions’ (Director of Studies).