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Professor Lesley Hoggart

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Professional biography

Dr. Lesley Hoggart is Associate Head of School (research excellence) in the School of Health, Wellbeing and Social Care at the Open University. She specialises in qualitative research, and spent many years working in the qualitative research group at the Policy Studies Institute. Her research interests are focused on reproductive health, abortion policy and politics, teenage pregnancy and sexual health. Her recent publications include: 2017, Hoggart, L. ‘Internalised abortion stigma: young women’s strategies of resistance and rejection’, Feminism and Psychology; 2016, Hoggart, L. ‘Collaboration or collusion? Involving research users in applied social research’, Women’s Studies International Forum; 2015, Hoggart, L. ‘Abortion counselling in Britain: understanding the controversy’, Sociology Compass; 2013. Hoggart, L. and Newton, V. ‘The contraceptive implant: understanding how experiencing side effects may challenge bodily control and lead to removal’, Reproductive Health Matters. Her most recent work on challenging abortion stigma has resulted in the multi-media MyBodyMyLife Travelling Exhibition and website: http://mybody-mylife.org/

Awards

  • 2018: ‘Highly Commended’ award for Excellence in Impact in the O2RB Excellence in Impact Awards run by Oxford University.
  • 2016: Best Poster at European Society of Contraception Congress.

 

Research interests

Lesley's research interests are focused on reproductive health, abortion policy and politics, teenage pregnancy and sexual health. She is currently involved in the following research projects:

  • Principal Investigator. An integrated programme of knowledge exchange activities designed to challenge abortion stigma in the UK. The multi-media MyBodyMyLife Travelling Exhibition and website: http://mybody-mylife.org/ has been funded by the ESRC and is a public engagement project based on research on women’s experiences of abortion in England.
  • Principal Investigator: A mixed method investigation into the acceptability of intrauterine contraception, from the perspectives of women, GPs and Practice Nurses. Funded by Bayer Pharmaceutical.
  • Wellcome Sexuality and Health Seed Funding. Exploring intersections of norms of female sexuality and abortion stigma: A feasibility study for using qualitative secondary analysis. Co-Investigator in collaboration with Universities of Glasgow and Ulster. 

Previous research projects include: 

  • Bilateral ESRC research grant, Perpetration of intimate partner violence by males in substance abuse treatment: a cross-cultural research learning alliance. Bilateral ESRC/FAPESP programme. Member of local learning alliance, with Gail Gilchrist , Kings College London, as Project Leader.
  • Principal Investigator: Investigating relationships between post abortion sexual and contraceptive behaviour and unwanted pregnancies among young women (under 25) in England and Wales: a qualitative longitudinal study. Funded by Marie Stopes International. 
  • Principal Applicant: ESRC Seminar Series on Understanding the Young Sexual Body. In collaboration with Kings College London, Institute of Education, Anglia Ruskin University and Cardiff University. 
  • Principal Investigator: Menstruation and Contraception: social and cultural influences on young women's decision-making. British Academy small grant (2011/13). 
  • Principal Investigator: Pan-London research on understanding LARC adherence amongst young women. London Sexual Health Programme. 
  • Principal Investigator: Evaluating sexual health outreach services for socially excluded young people. In collaboration with Kent County Council. 

Teaching interests

Public Health, Social Science Research Methods

Visiting Scholar: University of Ulster October to November 2014

Externally funded projects

Co-funded Studentships - IPPF (for one year 22/23 - continuation of funding)
RoleStart dateEnd dateFunding source
Lead01 Oct 202230 Sep 2023IPPF International Planned Parenthood Foundation

Sexual and Reproductive Health Co-funded (IPPF) PhD studentships.

Co-funded studentships - IPPF (for one year 21/22)
RoleStart dateEnd dateFunding source
Lead01 Oct 202130 Sep 2022IPPF International Planned Parenthood Foundation

Sexual and Reproductive Health Co-funded (IPPF ESRC) PhD studentship. The PhD will form part of the ACCESS Consortium project. The title is: The Search for Co-Creative Knowledge: Power and Transformation in Community Based Development: a case study of the Approaches in ... Show more

Making Abortion Safe
RoleStart dateEnd dateFunding source
Lead26 Jul 202112 Dec 2021RCOG Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Working with RCOG as research adviser for the making abortion safe project.

Reproductive Bodylore: the role of vernacular knowledge in women’s contraceptive decision making
RoleStart dateEnd dateFunding source
Co-investigator01 May 202031 Dec 2023AHRC Arts & Humanities Research Council

Unintended pregnancy remains a Public Health concern, yet we still do not know enough about the influences on women's contraceptive choices. Existing research calls for more insight about the influences of women's informal social networks on contraceptive choice. That is - ... Show more

FPA Brook Sexual Health Links between Schools and Local Authorities
RoleStart dateEnd dateFunding source
Lead01 Feb 201930 Nov 2019Brook

In 2019 Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) will be mandatory in all UK secondary schools. The focus of the legislation was on safeguarding issues – partly because the RSE legislation was an amendment to a safeguarding bill. There is a danger ... Show more

ACCESS – Approaches in Complex and Challenging Environments for Sustainable SRHR-CO-CREATION PHASE
RoleStart dateEnd dateFunding source
Lead01 Feb 201931 Oct 2019FCDO Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

The ACCESS project will generate sustainable, scalable, rights-based approaches to deliver comprehensive SRHR to all, ensuring no one is left behind, even in the most complex and challenging settings. It will work in Ethiopia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sierra Leone, and Uganda. Three ... Show more

Intra-uterine Contraception Impact Funds
RoleStart dateEnd dateFunding source
Co-investigator01 Jun 201731 Mar 2018Bayer Bayer HealthCare

Developing resources to support IUC consultations and address barriers to uptake in UK General Practice. Design and methods: The research draws on qualitative and quantitative data from practitioners and patients in General Practice in the UK to identify any barriers to ... Show more

Abortion Stories: showing and telling
RoleStart dateEnd dateFunding source
Lead01 Apr 201731 Jan 2018ESRC Economic and Social Research Council;University of Oxford

This project comprises two strands of an integrated programme of knowledge exchange activities designed to challenge abortion stigma in the UK. ‘Abortion Stories: showing and telling’ is a public engagement project based on research on women’s experiences of abortion in England. ... Show more

Abortion morality and abortion stigma: developing social media resources
RoleStart dateEnd dateFunding source
Lead01 Nov 201628 Feb 2017ESRC Economic and Social Research Council;University of Oxford

We will facilitate a workshop that will enable Oxford University, The Open University, and other academic and non-academic partners to develop a knowledge exchange project for challenging abortion stigma alongside an ongoing exploration of the moral dimensions of abortion decision-making. This ... Show more

TRANSFER-IN: A mixed method investigation into the acceptability of intrauterine contraception, from the perspectives of women, GPs and Practice Nurses
RoleStart dateEnd dateFunding source
Lead01 Apr 201431 Dec 2016Bayer Bayer HealthCare

The overall aim of the study is to understand the barriers to uptake of intrauterine contraception (the IUS and the IUD) in General Practice in the UK. The project investigates the acceptability, or otherwise, of these methods to women aged 18-49; ... Show more

TRANSFER-IN: 'Bilateral ESRC/FAPESP' Perpetration of intimate partner violence by males in substance abuse treatment: a cross-cultural research learning alliance
RoleStart dateEnd dateFunding source
Lead17 Mar 201416 Mar 2016ESRC Economic and Social Research Council

The aim of this research project is to quantitatively and qualitatively examine and compare the prevalence and cultural construction of intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration by males in substance abuse treatment in London and São Paulo. For the purpose of this ... Show more

Determinants of post abortion sexual and contraceptive behaviour that result in repeat abortion among young women (under 25yrs) in England and Wales: a mixed method study
RoleStart dateEnd dateFunding source
Lead01 Jan 201431 Jul 2016MSI Marie Stopes International

This research is an exploratory study that seeks to identify the behavioural, social and service related factors associated with why young women under 25 years continue to practice sexual behaviour that puts them at risk of repeat unintended and unwanted pregnancy ... Show more

TRANSFER IN: Menstruation and contraception: social and cultural influences on young women's decision making
RoleStart dateEnd dateFunding source
Lead22 Oct 201331 Jul 2014BRITAC British Academy

Helping young women to exercise effective reproductive control and avoid unintended pregnancy remains a public health priority. However, hormonal contraceptives (the Pill, contraceptive implant, Depo-Provera injection, Mirena coil) can cause side-effects, the most common being changes to uterine bleeding patterns (French ... Show more

Publications

Foregrounding pain in self-managed early medication abortion: A qualitative study (2025-03)
Purcell, Carrie; Newton, Victoria Louise; Bloomer, Fiona and Hoggart, Lesley
BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health, 51 (pp. 3-8)


‘Making abortion safe’: abortion and post-abortion care providers’ experiences of stigma in Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone and Nigeria (2024-12-25)
Bright, Suzanna; Parnham, Emma; Blaylock, Rebecca; Bury, Louise; Okonofua, Friday; Mukwambo, Sunhurai; Nyakanda, Munyaradzi; Sebazungu, Theodomir; Akaba, Godwin and Hoggart, Lesley
BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health ((early access))


Exploring provider preference and provision of abortion methods and stigma: Secondary analysis of a United Kingdom provider survey (2024-03)
Footman, Katy; Bury, Louise; Hoggart, Lesley and Parnham, Emma
Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 56(1) (pp. 50-59)


‘I have to pretend that I don’t care’: Stigma management among unmarried young mothers in South-Western Nigeria (2024)
Oluseye, Ayomide; Waterhouse, Philippa and Hoggart, Lesley
Global Public Health, 19, Article 2291699(1)


“It is not the end of my life”: positive identity (re)constructions among young mothers in rural South-Western Nigeria (2024)
Oluseye, Ayomide; Waterhouse, Philippa and Hoggart, Lesley
International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 29, Article 2301579(1)


Patient experiences of undergoing abortion with and without an ultrasound scan in Britain (2024)
Blaylock, Rebecca; Lohr, Patricia A; Hoggart, Lesley and Lowe, Pam
BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health, 50 (pp. 178-184)


"When you provide abortion services, you are looked upon as a bad guy": experiences of abortion stigma by health providers in Nigeria (2024)
Okonofua, Friday; Ntoimo, Lorretta; Bury, Louise; Bright, Suzanna and Hoggart, Lesley
Global health action, 17, Article 2401849(1)


Social connectedness and supported self-management of early medication abortion in the UK: experiences from the COVID-19 pandemic and learning for the future (2023)
Hoggart, Lesley; Purcell, Carrie; Bloomer, Fiona; Newton, Victoria and Oluseye, Ayomide
Culture, Health & Sexuality, 26(7) (pp. 855-870)


A qualitative analysis of medical students’ attitudes to abortion education in UK medical schools (2022-07-12)
Horan, C.; Zadeh, P. G.; Rennison, C.; Hoggart, L. and Kavanagh, J.
BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health, 48 (pp. 205-209)


“I really wanted to abort”: Desire for abortion, failed abortion and forced motherhood in South-Western Nigeria (2022)
Oluseye, Ayomide; Waterhouse, Philippa and Hoggart, Lesley
Global Public Health, 17(8) (pp. 1564-1577)


Making the case for supported self-managed medical abortion as an option for the future (2022)
Hoggart, Lesley and Berer, Marge
BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health, 48 (pp. 146-148)


Difficult data: reflections on making knowledge claims in a turmoil of competing subjectivities, sensibilities and sensitivities (2021)
Hoggart, Lesley
International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 24(5) (pp. 581-587)


[Editorial] The impact of COVID-19 on contraception and abortion care policy and practice: experiences from selected countries. (2020-08)
Bateson, Deborah J.; Lohr, Patricia A.; Norman, Wendy V.; Moreau, Caroline; Gemzell-Danielsson, Kristina; Blumenthal, Paul D.; Hoggart, Lesley; Li, Hang-Wun Raymond; Aiken, Abigail R. A. and Black, Kirsten I.
BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health, 46 (pp. 241-243)


Toward normalising abortion: Findings from a qualitative secondary analysis study (2020)
Purcell, Carrie; Maxwell, Karen; Bloomer, Fiona; Rowlands, Sam and Hoggart, Lesley
Culture, Health and Sexuality, 22(12) (pp. 1349-1364)


Young women’s fertility knowledge: partial knowledge and implications for contraceptive risk-taking (2020)
Newton, Victoria; Dickson, Jane and Hoggart, Lesley
BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health, 46(2)


Normalising abortion: what role can health professionals play? (2020)
Maxwell, Karen J.; Hoggart, Lesley; Bloomer, Fiona; Rowlands, Sam and Purcell, Carrie
BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health, 47(1) (pp. 32-36)


[Editorial] Progress toward Decriminalization of Abortion and Universal Access to Safe Abortions: National Trends and Strategies (2019-12)
Berer, Marge and Hoggart, Lesley
Health and human rights, 21(2) (pp. 79-83)


Paula Rego: personal and political (2019-08-24)
Hoggart, Lesley
The Lancet, 394(10199) (p 627)


Moral dilemmas and abortion decision-making: Lessons learnt from abortion research in England and Wales (2019)
Hoggart, Lesley
Global Public Health, 14(1) (pp. 1-8)


"I think maybe 10 years seems a bit long." Beliefs and attitudes of women who had never used intrauterine contraception (2018-04-12)
Walker, Susan; Hoggart, Lesley; Newton, Victoria and Parker, Michael
BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health, 44(2)


Provider-based barriers to provision of intrauterine contraception in general practice (2018-03-06)
Hoggart, Lesley; Walker, Susan; Newton, Victoria and Parker, Mike
BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health, 44(2) (pp. 82-89)


Editorial: Medical abortion pills have the potential to change everything about abortion (2018-02)
Berer, Marge and Hoggart, Lesley
Contraception, 97(2) (pp. 79-81)


The need to improve fertility awareness (2017-06)
Harper, Joyce; Boivin, Jacky; O'Neill, Helen C.; Brian, Kate; Dhingra, Jennifer; Dugdale, Grace; Edwards, Genevieve; Emmerson, Lucy; Grace, Bola; Hadley, Alison; Hamzic, Laura; Heathcote, Jenny; Hepburn, Jessica; Hoggart, Lesley; Kisby, Fiona; Mann, Sue; Norcross, Sarah; Regan, Lesley; Seenan, Susan; Stephenson, Judith; Walker, Harry and Balen, Adam
Reproductive Biomedicine and Society Online, 4 (pp. 18-20)


Abortion embedded and embodied in social relations: Challenges for feminist psychology (2017-05-01)
Marecek, Jeanne; Macleod, Catriona and Hoggart, Lesley
Feminism and Psychology, 27(2) (pp. 133-143)


Collaboration or collusion? Involving research users in applied social research (2017-03-31)
Hoggart, Lesley
Women's Studies International Forum, 61 (pp. 100-107)


Internalised abortion stigma: Young women’s strategies of resistance and rejection (2017-03-01)
Hoggart, Lesley
Feminism and Psychology, 27(2) (pp. 186-202)


Abortion in legal, social, and healthcare contexts (2017-02-01)
Marecek, Jeanne; Macleod, Catriona and Hoggart, Lesley
Feminism and Psychology, 27(1) (pp. 4-14)


‘Repeat abortion’, a phrase to be avoided? Qualitative insights into labelling and stigma (2017-01-01)
Hoggart, Lesley; Newton, Victoria and Bury, Louise
Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care, 43(1) (pp. 26-30)


Predictors of non-use of intrauterine contraception among women aged 18-49 years in a general practice setting in the UK (2016-10-21)
Walker, Susan H.; Newton, Victoria L.; Hoggart, Lesley and Parker, Mike J.
Open Access Journal of Contraception, 7 (pp. 155-160)


Hormonal contraception and regulation of menstruation: a study of young women's attitudes towards ‘having a period’ (2015-07-01)
Newton, Victoria Louise and Hoggart, Lesley
Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care, 41(3) (pp. 210-215)


Abortion Counselling in Britain: Understanding the Controversy (2015-04-24)
Hoggart, Lesley
Sociology Compass, 9(5) (pp. 365-378)


Unanticipated bleeding with the etonogestrel implant: advice and therapeutic interventions. (2014-07)
Dickson, Jane; Hoggart, Lesley and Newton, Victoria Louise
Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care, 40(3) (pp. 158-160)


'I think it depends on the body, with mine it didn't work': explaining young women's contraceptive implant removal. (2013-11)
Hoggart, Lesley; Newton, Victoria Louise and Dickson, Jane
Contraception, 88(5) (pp. 636-640)


Young women's experiences of side-effects from contraceptive implants: a challenge to bodily control (2013-05)
Hoggart, Lesley and Newton, Victoria Louise
Reproductive Health Matters, 21(41) (pp. 196-204)


‘I’m pregnant … what am I going to do?’ An examination of value judgements and moral frameworks in teenage pregnancy decision making (2012-09)
Hoggart, Lesley
Health, Risk & Society, 14(6) (pp. 533-549)


Teenage pregnancies that end in abortion: what can they tell us about contraceptive risk-taking? (2011-04)
Hoggart, Lesley and Phillips, Joan
Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care, 37(2) (pp. 97-102)


Rewarding responsibility? Long-term unemployed men and the welfare-to-work agenda (2009-12)
Ray, Kathryn; Hoggart, Lesley; Taylor, Rebecca; Vegeris, Sandra and Campbell-Barr, Verity
Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, 27(6) (pp. 975-990)


Observing the implementation of a social experiment (2008-08)
Walker, Robert; Hoggart, Lesley and Hamilton, Gayle
Evidence & Policy: A Journal of Research, Debate and Practice, 4(3) (pp. 183-203)


Random assignment and informed consent: a case study of multiple perspectives (2008-06)
Walker, Robert; Hoggart, Lesley and Hamilton, Gayle
American Journal of Evaluation, 29(2) (pp. 156-174)


Feminist Campaigns for Birth Control and Abortion Rights in Britain (2003-04)
Hoggart, Lesley
Studies in British History
ISBN : 0-7734-6868-4 | Publisher : The Edwin Mellen Press


Menstruation and contraception: social and cultural issues on young women's decision making (2015-10)
Newton, Victoria and Hoggart, Lesley
In : North American Forum on Family Planning (14-16 Nov 2015, Chicago) (p 403)


UK abortion study: “I didn't think it would happen to me.” Young women's accounts of preabortion contraceptive use (2015-10)
Hoggart, Lesley and Newton, Victoria
In : North American Forum on Family Planning 2015 (14-16 Nov 2015, Chicago) (p 399)


Principles in practice. Co-creation of Learning in complex and challenging environments. Discussion Guide and Toolkit. (2021-12)
Charitonos, Koula; Hoggart, Lesley; Jones, Rebecca; Keogh, Peter and Scott, Ellen
The Open University and the ACCESS consortium


Aide Memoire: 10 tips for discussing IUC (2018)
Newton, Victoria and Hoggart, Lesley
The Open University


Young women's experiences of unintended pregnancy and abortion: key findings (2015-10)
Bury, Louise; Hoggart, Lesley and Newton, Victoria Louise
The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.


"How could this happen to me?": Young women's experiences of unintended pregnancies: a qualitative study (2015-10)
Hoggart, Lesley; Newton, Victoria Louise and Bury, Louise
The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.


Barriers to intrauterine contraceptive uptake in General Practice: patient and practitioner perspectives - Findings from a mixed-method UK study (2015)
Hoggart, Lesley; Newton, Victoria; Walker, Susan and Parker, Mike
Anglia Ruskin University & The Open University


"I thought i was protected" Abortion, contraceptive uptake and use among young women: a quantitative survey (2014-04)
Bury, Louise; Hoggart, Lesley and Newton, Victoria Louise
The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.


Young people in London: abortion and repeat abortion (2010-01)
Hoggart, Lesley; Phillips, Joan; Birch, Angela and Koffman, Ofra
Government Office For London, London.


Better Off Working? Work, Poverty And Benefit Cycling (2010)
Ray, Kathryn; Hoggart, Lesley; Vegeris, Sandra and Taylor, Rebecca
Joseph Rowntree Foundation, York.