Professor of International Health Financing and Health Systems
Division: Institute for Global Health and Development
Professor Sophie Witter (BA, MA, PhD) is a Professor of International Health Financing and Health Systems in the Institute for Global Health and Development Division at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. Sophie is also a member of the Institute for Global Health and Development Research Centre.
- Overview
- Research Interests
- Research Publications
- Funded Projects
- Teaching & Learning
Sophie Witter is a health economist specialising in health financing policy and health systems research in low and middle income countries. She has 35 years' experience in these areas, working first in development agencies and then in the universities of York, Aberdeen and QMU Edinburgh.
Research/Knowledge Exchange Centre Membership:
Professional Social Media:
Sophie is a Professor at IGHD, leading the Health system cluster and working on a number of programmes focused on health systems in low and middle income, including fragile, settings. She has extensive experience of health financing and human resources research, using mixed methods and leading complex evaluations, as well as providing technical advisory services for Ministries of Health and development partners, and teaching at post-graduate level.
Active research interests
Health systems research, health financing, human resources for health, health worker incentives and labour markets, performance-based financing, resilience of health systems, financial barriers, health systems in fragile and conflict-affected settings, gender equitable health systems, learningÌýhealth systems
Research Methods
Theory-based evaluation; participatory action research; life histories; mixed methods; realist evaluation; dynamic systems modelling,Ìýpolitical economy analysis, discrete choice experiments, economic evaluation, systematic reviews
Ongoing projects
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Refugee health care, integration and resilience
This project is examining evidence from global evidence and six country case studies to draw lessons on whether and how to integrate refugee health care into national health systems. This work was commissioned by UNHCR and feeds into important global debates on management of forcibly displaced populations.
More about The Health System Resilience, Enhancement and Refugee Response Project.
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Future of Global Health Initiatives
Sophie co-led a research consortium which supported consensus-building on needed reforms to the way global health initiative support country health systems ). This work is continuing with the development of accountability tools, such as .
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ReBUILD for Resilience
ReBUILD for Resilience is examining how to build resilience capacities in health systems in fragile and shock prone settings. As in ReBUILD the aim is to produce high-quality, practical, multidisciplinary and scalable health system research which can be used to improve the health and lives of many millions of people.
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Past projects
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Results4TB: Designing and evaluating provider results-based financing for tuberculosis care in Georgia: understanding costs, mechanisms of effect and impact
This 4-year project will help design aÌýpilot results-based financing (RBF) scheme with Georgian policy-makers and programme managers, examine its impact and cost effectiveness and give further evidence to RBF and TB programming around the globe.
Find out more about Result 4TB
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Verbal Autopsy with Participatory Action Research (VAPAR)
Co-Investigator of this programme, undertaken in collaboration with the University of Aberdeen and funded by the Medical Research Council, this project aims to co-create knowledge on how to strengthen health and health services and reduce inequalities of access and health in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa.
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NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Health in Situations of Fragility at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
In collaboration with the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, and COMAHS, Sierra Leone, this project is developing an understanding and the tools to address the relationships between health services and communities, focussing on mental health and non-communicable diseases. Sophie is Deputy Director of the Unit.
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Co-Voices application
Co-Voices is a bespoke web-based application developed as part of NIHR RUHF. The application allows for survey and photo-voice data collection: research participants can offer answers to specific questions, be followed-up over time, and additionally upload photographs and audio content.
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The Political Economy of Universal Health Coverage Reforms: building capacity and engagement of francophone West Africa
This project aims to develop a strong, effective and equitable research partnership between research institutions in the UK and francophone Africa and to strengthen research capacity in the area of political economy for UHC. The goal is to contribute to progress towards UHC by building networks with stakeholders and communities.
Find out more about the PEA of UHC
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Reducing the Burden of Severe Stigmatising Skin Diseases (REDRESS)
Researchers on the REDRESS project are working in Liberia to improve the management of SSSDs. Using an approach that focusses on the individual’s needs, REDRESS will compile a base of evidence to enable the development and testing of innovative health care interventions.
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ReBUILD research consortium, DFID, 2011-19
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Identifying and fostering resilience through health systems analysis of UNWRA provision for Palestinian refugees from Syria, R2HC, 2016-18
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Removing financial barriers to access reproductive, maternal and newborn health services, DFID, 2012
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Cost-effectiveness of community health worker, WHI, 2013
Sophie teaches on health financing, human resources for health, performance-based financing, and complex evaluation approaches.
Supervision
Sophie welcomes applications from those interested in pursuing a PhD in health systems research, especially in: health system reforms, health financing, and human resources for health.
