Dr Ruth Naughton-Doe

Profile

Areas of expertise

• Perinatal Loneliness
• Loneliness and isolation
• Unpaid/family carers
• Collaborative and co-produced research
• Evaluation of social interventions

Academic biography

Ruth joined the University of York in October 2020 and commenced an NIHR Three Schools Mental Health Fellowship in November 2022. Her current research explores solutions to loneliness experienced by new and expecting parents in collaboration with people with lived and practitioner experience. Her research aims to inform action to reduce or prevent loneliness across policy, healthcare and community services. 

Ruth is part of the Mental Health Incubator GROW Researcher Development Cohort for 2022. With supervision from the McPin Foundation, Ruth is currently exploring how her own lived experience of recovering from mental illness and perinatal loneliness can become part of her academic identity. 

Ruth is also interested in improving support for unpaid carers. Related to this, Ruth has worked on an NIHR SSCR funded project to develop support for mental health carers, a project examining the social care needs of older carers, and an evaluation of a young carers service.

Professional activities

• Coordinator of the Perinatal Loneliness Research Network
• Member of the Centre for Loneliness Studies, Sheffield Hallam
• Member of PRIME-RU Perinatal Mental Health and Parenting Research Unit, University of Manchester

Publications

Full Publications List

View in PURE

View in Google Scholar

Research

Current research interests and projects

Solutions for Perinatal Loneliness (2022-)

www.solutionsforloneliness.uk

This is the research project page for the Solutions to Perinatal Loneliness project. This site posts regular updates about the project, including opportunities to get involved and early findings.

Section 17 leave: supporting unpaid carers (2020-2023)

Funded by the NIHR SSCR, University of York, Social Policy and Social Work

Research Associate

This study aims to develop a new s.17 standard for the Triangle of Care (guidance for NHS Mental Health Trusts on how to fully engage with carers) and test if it shows promise in practice. The s.17 standard will define the support to be provided to carers before, during and after periods of s.17 leave.

Alone but Together – sharing our stories of lockdown (2020)

A project that encouraged connection through storytelling during lockdowns through a series of zine making workshops.

Evaluation of Time to Shine (2020)

University of Sheffield, Department of Sociological Studies

Research Associate

Time to Shine’ is a six year, cross-partnership project, commissioned by Leeds Older People’s Forum and funded through the Big Lottery. Fulfilling lives: Ageing Better Programme. The programme aimed to reduce the social isolation and loneliness of people over 50 with a ‘co-production’ approach. The evaluation study involved a mixed method approach of analysis of monitoring and survey data and focus groups and individual interviews with project beneficiaries, volunteers, and staff. 

Productive Margins, regulating for engagement: isolation and loneliness among older people (2016)

Funded by the AHRC University of Bristol, Department of Education

Research Associate

The project explored the experiences of isolation and loneliness for older people using a co-produced action-research approach.

Support for older carers of older people: the impact of the 2014 Care Act (2016)

Funded by the NIHR SSCR, University of Bristol, School for Policy Studies

Research Associate