Personal profile
Research interests
I am a clinical epidemiologist who uses routinely collected health record data to study public health, with a focus on vaccine uptake, safety and effectiveness.
I previously led the research theme 'Making the most of real-world data' at the NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Vaccines and Immunisation, a partnership between LSHTM and UK Health Security Agency.
I first joined the NHS as a nursing auxiliary, then studied medicine (intercalating in philosophy). I was a clinical advisor to the Chief Medical Officer from 2007 to 2008. I then worked as a junior doctor in London, and trained in public health, working across a variety of organisations including local health protection teams, Local Authorities, NHS England (London) and the Department of Health.
External positions
Honorary Consultant in Public Health, UK Health Security Agency
10 Apr 2023 → …
Honorary Assistant Professor, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
1 Apr 2023 → …
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):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
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Projects
- 1 Finished
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Evaluation of COVID-19 vaccine schedules and products
McDonald, H. (PI)
National Institute for Health Research
1/10/24 → 2/04/26
Project: Central government, health and local authorities
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The association of maternal mental health with vaccination coverage and timeliness in early childhood - A historical cohort study in England using electronic health records
Suffel, A. M., Carreira, H., Walker, J., Grint, D., Osborn, D., McDonald, H. I. & Warren-Gash, C., 31 Jan 2025, In: Vaccine. 43, Pt 2, 126529.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (SciVal) -
Quantifying and Adjusting for Confounding From Health-Seeking Behavior and Health Care Access in Observational Research
Graham, S., Walker, J. L., Andrews, N., Hulme, W. J., Nitsch, D., Parker, E. P. K. & McDonald, H. I., 31 Oct 2024, In: Open Forum Infectious Diseases. 11, 10, 10 p., ofae598.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access3 Link opens in a new tab Citations (SciVal) -
A New Validated Approach for Identifying Childhood Immunizations in Electronic Health Records in the United Kingdom
Suffel, A. M., Walker, J. L., Campbell, C., Carreira, H., Warren-Gash, C. & McDonald, H. I., 31 Aug 2024, In: Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety. 33, 8, e5848.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (SciVal) -
Factors associated with COVID-19-related death using OpenSAFELY
Williamson, E. J., Walker, A. J., Bhaskaran, K., Bacon, S., Bates, C., Morton, C. E., Curtis, H. J., Mehrkar, A., Evans, D., Inglesby, P., Cockburn, J., McDonald, H. I., MacKenna, B., Tomlinson, L., Douglas, I. J., Rentsch, C. T., Mathur, R., Wong, A. Y. S., Grieve, R. & Harrison, D. & 10 others, , 20 Aug 2020, In: Nature. 584, 7821, p. 430-436 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
4751 Link opens in a new tab Citations (SciVal) -
Bias assessment of a test-negative design study of COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness used in national policymaking
Graham, S., Tessier, E., Stowe, J., Bernal, J. L., Parker, E. P. K., Nitsch, D., Miller, E., Andrews, N., Walker, J. L. & McDonald, H. I., 6 Jul 2023, In: Nature Communications. 14, 1, 3984.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access7 Link opens in a new tab Citations (SciVal)
Activities
- 1 Media article or participation
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Chickenpox: why the UK has approved the MMRV vaccine in under-fours but the US is preparing to restrict it
McDonald, H. (Author)
29 Sept 2025Activity: Media article or participation, blog › Media article or participation