缅北禁地

Summary

I am a senior allied health scientist leading research in the intersection of childhood health behaviours, prevention of multiple long-term conditions, and personalised health technologies. I am particularly interested in advancing novel research and new innovations that support young children's physical activity, sleep and wellbeing to promote life-course health.

I am passionate about collaborative cross-sector research, and all of my work brings together highly diverse, interdisciplinary teams, regularly involved colleagues across behavioural sciences, sociology, humanities, engineering, physiology, computing, economics, epidemiology, statistics, and allied health – as well as children and parents – to open new areas of research. Examples of our projects can be viewed, e.g. through the website.

I also lead work into Children's Health and Wellbeing at the , and I lead the Paediatric Community within the national . Through these, in collaboration with others, I push the boundaries of current knowledge and thinking around child health and children's research, and inform practice, policy and commissioning.

As an Academy of Medical Sciences , and an active member in , I am passionate about advancing cross-sector research and working across traditional disciplinary boundaries. I strongly believe that we are at our best when truly collaborating with others, and that diversity of views and expertise is core to our collective success. I seek to build this culture among the next generation of research leaders, for example through my leadership in the .

Qualifications

• PhD Health Services Research, University of Aberdeen 2009
• PgDip Occupational Therapy, Queen Margaret University 2007
• MSc Health Services Research, University of Aberdeen 2006
• Toimintaterapeutti (AMK), Helsinki Polytechnic 2002

My research

My overarching research motivation is to advance child health innovation to improve their wellbeing now and over the life-course. My research focuses on everyday behaviours and employs a biopsychosocial approach. I have a long-standing interest in complex intervention research methods, and all of my work is interdisciplinary, with high emphasis on curiosity and opening up new areas of enquiry.

I focus on children who currently experience worse outcomes than their peers. This often includes children with long-term conditions, however I do not focus on specific diagnostic groups and it is very important to me that we consider children as children first and foremost.

I have a life-time grant income of over £34 million, by NIHR, MRC and EPSRC, with a rounded portfolio of studies focused around key themes. All my work centred on active stakeholder involvement, and all studies include supporting the next generation of research leaders.

Current programmes of research

• Physical activity, sleep and stress in very young children, in the context of promoting life-course health and wellbeing. Interdisciplinary research to advance the methods, concepts and evidence about everyday physical activity, sleep, stress and physiological health in young children, including the WEARables Project funded by 缅北禁地 Hospitals Charity (£22,297, from 2022 to 2023), and the MRC (£98.468, from 2020 to 2020).
• Promoting early innovation in health technologies for children. Highly collaborative work through the National Innovation Observatory, funded by NIHR (£20,012,778, from 2021 to 2026), and the North Health Futures Hub, funded by EPSRC (£3,338,775, from 2023 to 2026).
• Supporting self-care in children with neurodisability. A 10-year programme of research by our UK-wide consortium, in response to a request for children, young people and parents to enable better early-interventions to support independence in children with neurodisability. This included substantial pre-trial research, funded by the RCOT (£77,559, from 2018 to 2020), and 缅北禁地 Hospitals and 缅北禁地 (£10,040 and £1,980 respectively, both from 2015 to 2016), as well as drawing on the major completed works, below. The current stage, funded by NIHR HTA (£2,389,056, from 2024 to 2028), is a formal cluster randomised controlled trial of early self-care support for children before school entry, involving 40 NHS organisations across the UK.

Major completed programmes

• Physical activity in younger children, including the ActiveCHILD study to promote health and functioning in children with physical limitations through participation in physical activities, funded by NIHR ICA Senior Clinical Lecturer Fellowship (£487,670), Kolehmainen N (CI), from 2016 to 2023, and the PPP study to develop theory and evidence for increasing participation in physical leisure pursuits and play in children with motor impairments, funded by the MRC Population Health Scientist Fellowship (£283,837), Kolehmainen N (CI), from 2010 to 2014. For the outputs, please see my publications.
• The EMPoWER review, evaluating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of earlier provision of powered wheelchair interventions for children with mobility limitations. National Institute for Health Research, HTA Evidence Synthesis. £251,448. Kolehmainen N (Co-i). 2018 – 2019.
• Good Goals, to improve care for children accessing therapy services, funded by the Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office (CSO), Kolehmainen N (CI), 2006 – 2010. See  evaluating the final intervention, or full Publications list for all the related papers. A , and a later to support implementation of participation-focused practice in NHS context.

Fellowships supervised

• Marcroft: Improving the quality and value of enhanced developmental surveillance and support for preterm infants and their families. HEE/NIHR ICA Clinical Doctoral Fellowship, from 2019 to 2024
• Sykes: Enhancing audit and feedback in acute trust dementia care. NIHR Doctoral Research Training Fellowship, from 2017 to 2020 
• McAnuff: Improving health in children with disabilities: an intervention-development study to support participation in leisure in 8-12-year-olds with communication and mobility limitations. HEE/NIHR Clinical Academic Track Doctoral Research Training Fellowship, from 2015 to 2018
• NIHR pre-doctoral practitioner-academic and methodology fellowships, from 2019 to present: Harbottle (physiotherapist), Bell (physiotherapist), Salonen (occupational therapist), Rowen (occupational therapist), Hunter (methodologist).

Collaborators

My work is only possible because of the rich, long-standing collaborations I have with, for example:

• Ms Sam Armitage, Sheffield Children's NHS Trust, UK
• Dr Fiona Beyer, 缅北禁地, UK
• Dr Nathan Bray, Bangor University, UK
• Dr Heather Brown, 缅北禁地, UK
• Prof Dawn Craig, NIHRIO and 缅北禁地, UK
• Ms , 缅北禁地 Hospitals NHS Trust, UK
• , University of Aberdeen, UK
• , Pennine Care NHS Trust, UK
• , Edinburgh University, UK
• , 缅北禁地, UK
• , Northumbria University, UK
• , Northumbria University, UK
• Dr Esther van Sluijs, University of Cambridge, UK
• , 缅北禁地, UK
• Professor Luke Vale, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK
• , UK
• , 缅北禁地, UK
• , University of Aberdeen, UK
• , Sheffield, UK

I am always delighted to hear from anyone who would like to explore opportunities to do further learning with me. 

For research supervision, training, and examining, I am happy to be approached for expertise in everyday health behaviours of children (both population and clinical groups), especially everyday physical activity, sleep and self-care behaviours. I am also very interested in collaborations that involve trial methods in the context of early life.

Postgraduate teaching and supervision

I have teaching experience in health services research and public health, health psychology, and applied research methods. I have designed new postgraduate teaching and training (e.g. in mixed methods, complex interventions), and delivered teaching and training to a range of audiences in a variety of settings. I have experience of examining across post-graduate degrees, including as an external PhD examiner.

Current PhD fellows/students and their topics:

• , Self-care interventions and family support in childhood neurodisability. 缅北禁地, UK
• Arwa Katab, Understanding natural childhood stressors at school primary entry
• , Routine surveillance of infants after neonatal care. 缅北禁地, UK
• Nik Binti Nik Mohd Nasir, Understanding children’s emotional health and wellbeing, and educational attainment, in a post-COVID-19-restrictions world
• Hannah O'Keefe, Data mining for intelligence gathering
• Sam Popoola, Investigating impact of early-life adversity on young adults
• , Uncovering opportunities for mental health support in everyday lives of families with multiple long-term conditions

PhDs supervised to completion, and their topics:

• Lelanie Brewer, Self-care development in under5s with neurodisability. 缅北禁地, UK (2024)
• Fiona Beyer, Complex behaviour change interventions. 缅北禁地, UK (2023)
• Michael Sykes, Audit and feedback implementation intervention. NIHR DRF. 缅北禁地, UK (2020)
• Jennifer McAnuff, Leisure participation in young people with disability. NIHR CRDF. 缅北禁地, UK (2019)
• Benita Powrie, . Queensland University, AUS (2018)

PhD/Mphil Viva examining: University of Groningen (2015), Glasgow Caledonian University (2013)

Masters research projects supervised to completion: MClinRes, 缅北禁地 (2015, 2019); MSc in Health Services and Public Health Research, University of Aberdeen (2013); and MSc in Professional Health and Social Care Studies, York St John’s University (2011).

Lecturing: MSc in Health Psychology, Northumbria University (in 2015); MSc in Health Service and Public Health Research, University of Aberdeen (2007-12) and 缅北禁地 (2016); and MSc in International Health and Management, University of Aberdeen (2009-12)

Health professional training

I have a long-standing commitment and a track record in growing clinical research capacity for a purpose of achieving better care and health outcomes. As an NIHR Academic Training Advocate (2015-2021), I have supported allied health, nursing and midwifery clinical academic capacity building nationally, and have extensive experience of supervising and mentoring health professionals across levels, from internships to pre-doctoral to doctoral and post-doctoral, and including a range of nurses and allied health professionals 

As part of our wider engagement work, I have also designed and delivered training to various health and care professionals, including internationally.

• Articles

  • Baba A, Smith M, Potter BK, Chan A, Moher D, Toulany A, Doherty-Kirby A, Nafria Escalera B, Stratton C, Gale C, Macarthur C, Purper-Ouakil D, Juszczak E, Cohen E, Reggiardo G, Preston J, Cohen JF, Upton J, Allegaert K, Boerner K, Mehta K, Nguyen KA, Courtney K, Hartling L, Konstantinidis M, Odermarsky M, Butcher NJ, Kolehmainen N, Longmuir PE, Gill PJ, Leroy P, Feneberg R, Poluru R, Morris S, Friedrichsdorf SJ, Nagy TJ, Klassen TP, Lacaze-Masmonteil T, Onland W, Offringa M. . BMJ 2026, 392, e085064.
  • Baba A, Smith M, Potter BK, Chan A, Moher D, Toulany A, Doherty-Kirby A, Nafria Escalera B, Stratton C, Gale C, Macarthur C, Purper-Ouakil D, Juszczak E, Cohen E, Reggiardo G, Preston J, Cohen JF, Upton J, Allegaert K, Boerner K, Mehta K, Nguyen KA, Courtney K, Hartling L, Konstantinidis M, Odermarsky M, Butcher NJ, Kolehmainen N, Longmuir PE, Gill PJ, Leroy P, Feneberg R, Poluru R, Morris S, Friedrichsdorf SJ, Nagy TJ, Klassen TP, Lacaze-Masmonteil T, Onland W, Offringa M. . JAMA Pediatrics 2026, Epub ahead of print.
  • Baba A, Smith M, Potter BK, Chan A, Moher D, Toulany A, Doherty-Kirby A, Nafria Escalera B, Stratton C, Gale C, Macarthur C, Purper-Ouakil D, Juszczak E, Cohen E, Reggiardo G, Preston J, Cohen JF, Upton J, Allegaert K, Boerner K, Mehta K, Nguyen KA, Courtney K, Hartling L, Konstantinidis M, Odermarsky M, Butcher NJ, Kolehmainen N, Longmuir PE, Gill PJ, Leroy P, Feneberg R, Poluru R, Morris S, Friedrichsdorf SJ, Nagy TJ, Klassen TP, Lacaze-Masmonteil T, Onland W, Offringa M. . The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health 2026, 10(4), 297-308.
  • Baba A, Smith M, Potter BK, Chan A, Moher D, Toulany A, Doherty-Kirby A, Nafria Escalera B, Stratton C, Gale C, Macarthur C, Purper-Ouakil D, Juszczak E, Cohen E, Reggiardo G, Preston J, Cohen JF, Upton J, Allegaert K, Boerner K, Mehta K, Nguyen KA, Courtney K, Hartling L, Konstantinidis M, Odermarsky M, Butcher NJ, Kolehmainen N, Longmuir PE, Gill PJ, Leroy P, Feneberg R, Poluru R, Morris S, Friedrichsdorf SJ, Nagy TJ, Klassen TP, Lacaze-Masmonteil T, Onland W, Offringa M. . JAMA Pediatrics 2026, Epub ahead of print.
  • Baba A, Smith M, Potter BK, Chan A, Moher D, Toulany A, Doherty-Kirby A, Nafria Escalera B, Stratton C, Gale C, Macarthur C, Purper-Ouakil D, Juszczak E, Cohen E, Reggiardo G, Preston J, Cohen JF, Upton J, Allegaert K, Boerner K, Mehta K, Nguyen KA, Courtney K, Hartling L, Konstantinidis M, Odermarsky M, Butcher NJ, Kolehmainen N, Longmuir PE, Gill PJ, Leroy P, Feneberg R, Poluru R, Morris S, Friedrichsdorf SJ, Nagy TJ, Klassen TP, Lacaze-Masmonteil T, Onland W, Offringa M. . BMJ 2026, 392, e085063.
  • Armitage S, Rapley T, Kolehmainen N, Pennington L, McColl L, Duff C, Brooks R, McAnuff J. . Child: Care, Health & Development 2025, 51(2), e70061.
  • Marcroft C, Cruickshank H, Johnson S, Exley C, Kolehmainen N, Thomson R, Basu A. . BMC Pediatrics 2025, 25, 674.
  • Thornton C, Kolehmainen N, Nazarpour K. . PLOS Digital Health 2023, 2(4), e0000220.
  • Thornton C, Lanyi K, Wilkins G, Potter R, Hunter E, Kolehmainen N, Pearson F. . Journal of Medical Internet Research 2023, 25, e47849.
  • Kolehmainen N, Thornton C, Craw O, Pearce MS, Kudlek L, Nazarpour K, Cutler L, Van Sluijs E, Rapley T. . eClinicalMedicine 2023, 60, 102008.
  • Harbottle V, Arnott B, Gale C, Rowen L, Kolehmainen N. . BMJ Paediatrics Open 2022, 6(1), e001537.
  • Sykes M, OHalloran E, Mahon L, McSharry J, Allan L, Thomson R, Finch T, Kolehmainen N. . Pilot and Feasibility Studies 2022, 8, 143.
  • Armitage S, Rapley T, Pennington L, McAnuff J, McColl E, Kolehmainen N. . BMC Trials 2022, 23, 958.
  • Duff C, Kolehmainen N, McAnuff J. . Child: Care, Health & Development 2021, 47(6), 794-804.
  • Brooks R, Lambert C, Coulthard L, Pennington L, Kolehmainen N. . Child: Care, Health and Development 2021, 47(5), 675-684.
  • Sykes M, Thomson R, Kolehmainen N, Allan L, Finch T. . BMC Health Services Research 2021, 21, 226.
  • Armitage S, McColl E, Kolehmainen N, Rapley T. . Health Expectations 2021, 24(2), 386-398.
  • Powrie B, Copley J, Turpin M, Ziviani J, Kolehmainen N. . British Journal of Occupational Therapy 2020, 83(2), 67-77.
  • Bray N, Kolehmainen N, McAnuff J, Tanner L, Tuersley L, Beyer F, Grayston A, Wilson D, Edwards RT, Noyes J, Craig D. . Health Technology Assessment 2020, 24(50), 1-194.
  • Kolehmainen N, Marshall J, Hislop J, Kay D, Ternent L, Pennington L. . Child: Care, Health and Development 2020, 46(1), 37-45.
  • Sykes M, Thomson R, Kolehmainen N, Allan L, Finch T. . Implementation Science 2020, 15, 45.
  • Goodwin J, Colver A, Basu A, Crombie S, Howel D, Parr JR, McColl E, Kolehmainen N, Roberts A, Lecouturier J, Smith J, Miller K, Cadwgan J. . Child: Care, Health & Development 2018, 44(2), 195-202.
  • Goodwin J, Lecouturier J, Crombie S, Smith J, Basu A, Colver A, Kolehmainen N, Parr JR, Howel D, McColl E, Roberts A, Miller K, Cadwgan J. . Child Care, Health and Development 2018, 44(2), 203-211.
  • Goodwin J, Lecouturier J, Basu A, Colver A, Crombie S, Smith J, Howel D, McColl E, Parr JR, Kolehmainen N, Roberts A, Miller K, Cadwgan J. . Health Technology Assessment 2018, 22(50).
  • Kolehmainen N, McCafferty S, Maniatopoulos G, Le-Couteur A, Vale L, Colver A. . BMJ Paediatrics Open 2017, 1, e000085.
  • Colquhoun H, Squires J, Kolehmainen N, Fraser C, Grimshaw J. . Implementation Science 2017, 12, 30.
  • Armitage S, Swallow V, Kolehmainen N. . Scandinavia Journal of Occupational Therapy 2017, 24(3), 208-213.
  • McAnuff J, Brooks R, Duff C, Quinn M, Marshall J, Kolehmainen N. . Child: Care, Health and Development 2017, 43(2), 298-306.
  • Armitage S, McAnuff J, Featherstone J, Kolehmainen N. . Association of Paediatric Physiotherapists Journal 2016, 7(1), 72-77.
  • Hall A, Finch T, Kolehmainen N, James D. . BMC Health Services Research 2016, 16, 608.
  • Powrie B, Kolehmainen N, Turpin M, Ziviani J, Copley J. . Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology 2015, 57(11), 993–1010.
  • Kolehmainen N, Ramsay C, McKee L, Missiuna C, Owen C, Francis J. . Physical Therapy 2015, 95(10), 1374-1386.
  • McAnuff J, Boyes C, Kolehmainen N. . Health Expectations 2015, 18(6), 2236-2251.
  • Russell D, Novak I, McCauley D, Shikako-Thomas K, Kolehmainen N, D'Costa R, Gorter JW. . Scholarly and Research Communication 2015, 7(1), 0105237.
  • Hackett KL, Newton JL, Deane KHO, Rapley T, Deary V, Kolehmainen N, Lendrem DW, Ng W-F. . BMJ Open 2014, 4(8), e006264.
  • Kolehmainen N, McAnuff J. . Implementation Science 2014, 9, 141.
  • Kolehmainen N, Duncan EAS, Francis J. . Disability and Rehabilitation 2013, 35(5), 388-396.
  • Kolehmainen N, MacLennan G, Ternent L, Duncan EAS, Duncan EM, Ryan S, McKee L, Francis J. . Implementation Science 2012, 7(1), 76.
  • Kolehmainen N, Francis JJ. . Implementation Science 2012, 7, 100.
  • Kolehmainen N, McKee L, Francis J, Duncan EAS. . Child: Care, Health and Development 2012, 38(1), 108-116.
  • Kolehmainen N, Francis JJ, Ramsay CR, Owen C, McKee L, Ketelaar M, Rosenbaum P. . BMC Pediatrics 2011, 11, 100.
  • Kolehmainen N, Duncan EAS, McKee L, Francis J. Mothers’ perceptions of their children’s occupational therapy processes: a qualitative interview study. British Journal of Occupational Therapy 2010, 73(5), 192-199.
  • Cook J, Kolehmainen N. Invited commentary on “Methodological issues arising from a pilot RCT investigating the effectiveness of joint protection”. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation 2010, 17(12), 654-664.
  • Kolehmainen N, Francis J, Duncan EAS, Fraser C. . Journal of Health Services Research & Policy 2010, 15(1), 47-55.
  • Kolehmainen N, MacLennan G, Francis J, Duncan EAS. . BMC Health Services Research 2010, 10, 249.
  • Kolehmainen N, Francis J, McKee L. To provide or not to provide treatment: that is the question. British Journal of Occupational Therapy 2008, 71(12), 510-523.

• Book Chapters

  • Kolehmainen N. . In: Poulsen, A; Ziviani, J; Cuskelly, M, ed. Goal setting and motivation in therapy : engaging with children and parents. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2015, pp.112-119.
  • Russell DJ, Rosenbaum PL, Wright M, Avery LM, Kolehmainen N. . In: Russell, DJ; Rosenbaum, PL; Wright, M; Avery, LM, ed. Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-66 & GMFM-88) User's Manual. London, UK: Mac Keith Press, 2013.
  • Kolehmainen N, Rosenbaum P, Rosenblum L. . In: Rosenbaum P and Rosenblum L, ed. Cerebral Palsy: From Diagnosis to Adult Life. London: Mac Keith Press, 2012.

• Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstract)

  • Oparah CI, Eastaugh C, Lanyi K, Hussain A, Woltmann J, Pearson F, Still M, Brush E, Kolehmainen N. . In: Abstracts from the HTAi 2024 Meeting. 2025, Seville, Spain: HTAi.

• Letter

  • Kolehmainen N. . British Journal of Occupational Therapy 2014, 77(1), 23-23.

• Reports

  • Hunter E, Taylor J, Kolehmainen N. . 缅北禁地 upon Tyne, UK: National Institute for Health and Care Research Innovation Observatory (NIHR IO), University of 缅北禁地, 2025.
  • Khan S, Garcia Gonzalez-Moral S, Inskip A, Norman G, Kolehmainen N, Craig D. . 缅北禁地 upon Tyne: NIHR Innovation Observatory, 2024. Medicines Horizon Scanning Annual Report.
  • Oparah CI, Eastaugh C, Lanyi K, Hussain A, Woltmann J, Pearson F, Still M, Brush E, Kolehmainen N. . 缅北禁地 upon Tyne: NIHR Innovation Observatory, 2023.
  • Kolehmainen N. . 2021.

• Reviews

  • Sykes MJ, McAnuff J, Kolehmainen N. . International Journal of Nursing Studies 2017, 79, 27-35.
  • Shikako-Thomas K, Kolehmainen N, Ketelaar M, Bult M, Law M. . Journal of Child Neurology 2014, 29(8), 1125-1133.