Dr Maaike Seekles

Post-Doctoral Research Associate

Maaike is a social scientist with a background in Health Services Research (PhD, University of Salford), International Development (MSc, University of Ghent) and (Neuro-) Psychology (BSc & MSc, University of Utrecht).

In her research, Maaike uses mixed-method, community-based participatory research approaches to design and evaluate interventions focused on health systems strengthening and mental health/substance use prevention. In her role as post-doctoral associate, she currently leads the quantitative work package for the SHINE project, a multi-country project that aims to strengthen health systems by addressing community health workers’ mental well-being and agency. She evaluated integrated, community-based mental health interventions for people affected by Skin Neglected Tropical Diseases for the ‘Peace of Mind’ and REDRESS projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Liberia respectively. She also led a mixed-method adolescent alcohol prevention intervention design project in Tanzania.

Maaike was recently awarded two internal funds to explore adolescent mental health in Uganda and Liberia, using participatory, creative methods. Specifically, she received a Director Catalyst Fund for her project to complete a situation analysis of the mental health system in several schools in Liberia and adapt a Teacher Mental Health Promotion Manual developed by the WHO before national roll-out.

Selected publications

McCollum, Rosalind, Barrett, Carrie, Zawolo, Georgina, Johnstone, Rachel, Godwin-Akpan, Tiawanlyn G., Berrian, Hannah, Chowdhury, Shahreen, Kollie, Jerry, Kollie, Karsor, Rogers, Emerson, Parker, Colleen, Phillip, Maneesh, Sempe, Lucas, Seekles, Maaike , Smith, John Solunta, Seekey, Wede, Wickenden, Anna, Zaizay, Zeela, Theobald, Sally and Dean, Laura (2024) '‘The Lost Peace’: Evidencing the Syndemic Relationship between Neglected Tropical Diseases and Mental Distress in Liberia'. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, Vol 9, Issue 8, p. 183.

Seekles, Maaike , Mwita, Winfrida, Andongolile, Alice, Kihange, Abdulrahaman, Owen, Gilbert, Hudda, Aliza, Mmbaga, Blandina T. and Obasi, Angela (2024) '“Alcohol will never run out”: Socio-ecological drivers of adolescent boys’ alcohol use in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania'. PLOS Global Public Health, Vol 4, Issue 6, e0002443.

Nganda, Motto , Luhaka, Pierre, Kukola, Junior, Ding, Yan , Bulambo, Christian, Kadima, Jacob, Kim, Joy, Marshall, Sara, Mulamba, Raphael, Ngenyibungi, Stephanie, Ngondu, Florent, Seekles, Maaike , Sabuni, Louis and Dean, Laura (2024) 'Participatory development of a community mental wellbeing support package for people affected by skin neglected tropical diseases in the Kasai province, Democratic Republic of Congo'. International Health, Vol 16, Issue Supplement_1, i30-i41.

Seekles, Maaike , Kadima, Jacob K, Ding, Yan , Bulambo, Christian B, Kim, Joy J, Kukola, Junior K, Omumbu, Pierre O L, Mulamba, Raphael M, Nganda, Motto, Ngenyibungi, Stephanie M, Ngondu, Florent L, Sabuni, Louis P and Dean, Laura (2023) 'Mental health, stigma and the quality of life of people affected by neglected tropical diseases of the skin in Kasai Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo: a sex-disaggregated analysis'. International Health, Vol 15, Issue Supplement_3, iii28-iii36.

Seekles, Maaike , Twagira, Fantacy, Alam, Ali and Obasi, Angela (2023) 'Promotive and preventive interventions for adolescent mental health in Sub-Saharan Africa: a combined scoping and systematic review'. BMJ Public Health, Vol 1, Issue 1, e000037.

Auma, Judith, Ndawula, Allan, Ackers-Johnson, James, Horder, Claire, Seekles, Maaike , Kaul, Veena and Ackers, Louise (2023) 'Task-shifting for point-of-care cervical cancer prevention in low- and middle-income countries: a case study from Uganda'. Frontiers in Public Health, Vol 11, e1105559.

Seekles, Maaike , Briegal, Eleanor, Biggane, Alice and Obasi, Angela (2023) 'Measuring alcohol use among adolescents in Africa: A systematic scoping review of consumption, screening and assessment tools'. Drug and Alcohol Review, Vol 42, Issue 6, pp. 1375-1394.

Steel, James, Twagira, Fantacy, Seekles, Maaike and Obasi, Angela (2022) 'Promotive, preventive, and treatment interventions for adolescent mental health in sub-Saharan Africa: A protocol for two scoping reviews including systematic analyses of intervention effectiveness'. PLoS ONE, Vol 17, Issue 12, e0279424.

Saleh, Sepeedeh , Masekela, Refiloe, Heinz, Eva , Abimbola, Seye, Morton, Ben , Vercueil, Andre, Reimer, Lisa , Kalinga, Chisomo, Seekles, Maaike , Biccard, Bruce, Muhwa, Jeremiah, Obasi, Angela and Oriyo, Ndekya (2022) 'Equity in global health research: A proposal to adopt author reflexivity statements'. PLOS Global Public Health, Vol 2, Issue 3, e0000160.

Obasi, Angela , Seekles, Maaike , Boshe, Judith, Dow, Dorothy, Mmbaga, Blandina, Ngakongwa, Fileuka, Okello, Elialilia, Renju, Jenny, Shayo, Elizabeth, Simbee, Gema, Todd, Tim and Oriyo, Ndekya (2022) 'Adolescent mental health research in Tanzania - a study protocol for a priority setting exercise and the development of an inter-institutional capacity strengthening programme.'. BMJ Open, Vol 12, Issue 2, e054163.

Morton, Ben , Vercueil, A., Masekela, R., Heinz, Eva , Reimer, Lisa , Saleh, Sepeedeh, Kalinga, C., Seekles, Maaike , Biccard, B., Muhwa, Jeremiah, Abimbola, S., Obasi, Angela and Oriyo, N. (2021) 'Consensus statement on measures to promote equitable authorship in the publication of research from international partnerships'. Anaesthesia, Vol 77, Issue 3, pp. 264-276.

Dr Maaike Seekles

Selected publications

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