Personal profile
Biography
Dr Anne Moorhead is a Senior Lecturer in Health Communication within the School of Communication and Media, and also a member of the Institute for Nursing and Health Research (INHR) at Ulster University. She is a Registered Nutritionist, Public Health (RNutr), and a professional background in Public Health. She has experience working in clinical and consultancy in the areas of public health. She teaches healthcare communication, research methods and mental health and well-being. Her research interest is in healthcare communication, in particular communication relating to obesity and mental health. This includes the use of digital communication tools to support health professionals’ and patients’ interactions. She has expertise in a range of qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Her research includes children, young people, adults, and patients with mental health related conditions. She has completed various civic activities over many years, worked with numerous organisations and community partners in the area of public health locally and nationally. She has led interdisciplinary research and has a result has numerous global networks, working with universities, clinical partners, and industries in Ireland, the UK, Europe, USA and Australia. She has secured research funding and achieved extensive publications.
Dr Moorhead is a Board member and Section Editor for the Journal of Medical Internet Research, the leading e-health peer-reviewed journal, and a Board member for the Journal, Patient Education and Counselling. She is a reviewer for various international journals and funding organisations and is currently a member of several funding panels including Horizon Europe. She has supervised and is currently supervising numerous PhD students, including being a PhD examiner, and line manager to Research Associates. She is a member of several external committees, including the research committee for the International Association for Communication in Healthcare, also the Chair of the NHS Research Ethics Committee, Office of Research Ethics Committees for Northern Ireland. She has been awarded the International Association for Communication in Healthcare (EACH) Fellowship (2024), which is a global recognition of substantial contributions in communication in healthcare.
Education/Academic qualification
PhD, Biomedical Sciences (Human Nutrition), Ulster University
Award Date: 1 Jul 2005
Master, Human Nutrition , Ulster University
Award Date: 13 Sept 2001
Master, Food and Welfare Studies , University of Dundee
Award Date: 8 Jul 1999
External positions
Board Member , Journal for Medical Internet Research
2016 → …
Vice Chair , Office for Research Ethics for Northern Ireland
2014 → …
Committee Member , Research Committee - International Association for Communication in Healthcare
2014 → …
Committee Member , Association for Healthcare in Communication and Marketing (AHCM) UK
2011 → …
Keywords
- HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare
- Communication
- communication technologies
- RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
- Public Health
- e-health
- m-health
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
-
SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
-
SDG 4 Quality Education
-
SDG 5 Gender Equality
-
SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
-
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
-
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
-
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
-
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Fingerprint
- 1 Similar Profiles
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
-
How do health professionals and the public perceive the use of digital communication tools in obesity and mental health care?
Kearns, A., Mulvenna, M., Bond, R. & Moorhead, A., 3 Mar 2026, (Published online) In: Behaviour and Information Technology. p. 1-15 15 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Assessing the Uses, Benefits, and Limitations of Digital Technologies Used by Health Professionals in Supporting Obesity and Mental Health Communication: Scoping Review
Kearns, A., Moorhead, A., Mulvenna, M. & Bond, R., 10 Feb 2025, In: Journal of Medical Internet Research. 27, 20 p., e58434.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile5 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)36 Downloads (Pure) -
A Virtual Simulator to Improve Weight-Related Communication Skills for Health Care Professionals: Mixed Methods Pre-Post Pilot Feasibility Study
Quigley, F., Ryan, L., Bond, R., McAloon, T., Zheng, H. & Moorhead, A., 15 Aug 2025, In: JMIR Medical Education. 11, p. 1-12 12 p., e65949.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile12 Downloads (Pure) -
Biopsychosocial benefits of animal-assisted activities for children aged 8–16 years from providers' perspectives
Harkness, T. & Moorhead, A., 31 Dec 2025, In: International Journal of Adolescence and Youth. 30, 1, p. 1-15 15 p., 2580774.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile8 Downloads (Pure) -
Digital Health Communication Strategies for Supporting Healthy Lifestyles in Adults with Noncommunicable Diseases and Limited Health Literacy: A Scoping Review
Malale, K., Reid, M. & Moorhead, A., 8 Nov 2025, In: Iranian Journal of Public Health. 54, 10, p. 2059-2072 14 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Downloads (Pure)
Prizes
-
Best Paper Award
Lindsay, L. (Recipient), Coleman, S. (Recipient), Kerr, D. (Recipient), Taylor, B. (Recipient) & Moorhead, A. (Recipient), 18 Jul 2019
Prize
-
Ulster University Students Union Learning and Teaching Award
Brogan, P. (Recipient), Moorhead, A. (Recipient), Long, M. (Recipient) & Giffney, N. (Recipient), 25 May 2018
Prize: Honorary award
-
UUSU Staff Team of the Year: MSc Counselling Studies and Therapeutic Communication
Giffney, N. (Recipient), Long, M. (Recipient), Moorhead, A. (Recipient), Brogan, P. (Recipient) & Irwin, A. (Recipient), 25 May 2018
Prize
-
Planning, designing and testing a self-management intervention to promote social eating for patients with head and neck cancer: Eating with Others
Semple, C. (Speaker), Moorhead, A. (Contributor) & Dornan, M. (Contributor)
18 Jul 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation
-
Eating with others: A self-management intervention to promote social eating for people living with and beyond HNC
Dornan, M. (Speaker), Semple, C. (Contributor) & Moorhead, A. (Contributor)
15 Apr 2024Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation
-
Planning, designing and testing a self-management intervention to promote social eating for patients with head and neck cancer: "Eating with Others"
Dornan, M. (Contributor), Semple, C. (Speaker) & Moorhead, A. (Contributor)
19 Apr 2024 → 20 Apr 2024Activity: Talk or presentation › Poster presentation
File -
Planning and developing an intervention to promote social eating for patients living with and beyond head and neck cancer
Dornan, M. (Speaker), Semple, C. (Speaker) & Moorhead, A. (Speaker)
11 Nov 2022Activity: Talk or presentation › Poster presentation
File -
Innovation Voucher: User Data Analysis
Bond, R. (Consultant), Moorhead, A. (Consultant) & Mulvenna, M. (Consultant)
19 Feb 2019Activity: Consultancy
Profiles
-
VITAL-COMS: Innovative digital training tool to enhance communication skills in healthcare professionals
Moorhead, A. (PI) & Quigley, F. (CoI)
24/10/25 → 29/11/26
Project: Research
-
Supporting the development of digital healthcare technologies including AI to improve patients' outcomes
Moorhead, A. (PI)
31/03/25 → 31/10/25
Project: Research
-
Safefood Tender - Project Ref 02-2022: Food messaging to children and adolescents – what works?
Moorhead, A. (PI), Gallagher, A. (CoI), Hollywood, L. E. (CoI) & Price, R. (CoI)
1/02/23 → 31/10/24
Project: Research
-
-
Stop: Stop Obesity Platform
Zheng, H. (PI), Moorhead, A. (CoI), McTear, M. (CoI), Wang, H. (CoI) & Bond, R. (CoI)
1/03/19 → 28/02/23
Project: Research