Staff profile

About me

I have worked in the Department of Anthropology at Durham since 2019, first as a Teaching Fellow (2019-2020) and Postdoctoral Research Associate (2019-2023) before being promoted to Assistant Professor (Research) in 2023.

My current project, led by Prof Kate Hampshire and funded by the World Health Organization, is a mixed-methods evaluation of the WHO’s risk communication campaign on substandard and falsified medicines in sub-Saharan Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Uganda).

In my previous postdoctoral position (2019-2022), I did the statistical analysis for a wide range of projects under the supervision of Prof Adetayo Kasim. I was trial statistician for four randomized controlled trials (single-site, multi-site, cluster-randomized, and feasibility/pilot) and led the analysis of multi-country survey data commissioned by the WHO. I also led the processing, analysis and interpretation of accelerometry data collected within two clinical trials, and led/contributed to the synthesis of quantitative and qualitative evidence in four systematic reviews.

I was awarded my PhD in 2019 for a thesis entitled 'Sedentary time during pregnancy and gestational diabetes risk: a mixed methods approach among women in the UK'. The main aim of the project, which was funded by the Durham Doctoral Studentship, was to test associations between objectively measured sedentary time during pregnancy, as well as time spent in two specific sedentary behaviours (television time and occupational sitting time) with incident gestational diabetes, glucose levels, and other pregnancy-related outcomes. The study also used semi-structured interviews to explore the social context of sedentary time during pregnancy. 

Prior to beginning my PhD, I completed an MSc Evolutionary Medicine with Distinction in 2015, also at Durham University. I earned my undergraduate degree in Applied Human Biology from Seattle Pacific University in 2013.

• Advanced quantitative methods
• Mixed methods
• Accelerometry
• Sedentary time
• Physical activity
• Medical anthropology

Journal Article

• Wagnild, J. M., Lee, D., Jayeola, B., Lukito, P. K., Fimbo, A., & Hampshire, K. (2023). Can a Smartphone Application Help Address Barriers to Reporting Substandard/Falsified Medical Products? A Pilot Study in Tanzania and Indonesia. Global Health: Science and Practice, 11(4), Article e2300034. https://doi.org/10.9745/ghsp-d-23-00034
• Akowuah, E., Mathias, A., Bardgett, M., Harrison, S., Kasim, A. S., Loughran, K., …Maier, R. H. (2023). Prehabilitation in elective patients undergoing cardiac surgery: a randomised control trial (THE PrEPS TRIAL) – a study protocol. BMJ Open, 13(1), Article e065992. https://doi.org/10.1136/+bmjopen-2022-065992
• Wagnild, J. M., & Pollard, T. M. (2022). Socioeconomic correlates of sedentary time during pregnancy among women at risk of gestational diabetes in the UK. Journal of Biosocial Science, 54(5), 876-887. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0021932021000377
• Aunger, J., & Wagnild, J. (2022). Objective and subjective measurement of sedentary behavior in human adults: A toolkit. American Journal of Human Biology, 34(1), Article e23546. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.23546
• Ahmed, S., Chase, L. E., Wagnild, J., Akhter, N., Sturridge, S., Clarke, A., …Hampshire, K. (2022). Community health workers and health equity in low- and middle-income countries: systematic review and recommendations for policy and practice. International Journal for Equity in Health, 21(1), Article 49. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-021-01615-y
• Wagnild, J., & Pollard, T. (2021). How is television time linked to cardiometabolic health in adults? A critical systematic review of the evidence for an effect of watching television on eating, movement, affect and sleep. BMJ Open, 11, Article e040739. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-040739
• Wagnild, J. M., Akowuah, E., Maier, R. H., Hancock, H. C., & Kasim, A. (2021). Impact of prehabilitation on objectively measured physical activity levels in elective surgery patients: a systematic review. BMJ Open, 11(9), Article e049202. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049202
• Wagnild, J., & Pollard, T. (2020). “Sit yourself down”: women’s experiences of negotiating physical activity during pregnancy. Qualitative Health Research, 30(7), 1072-1082. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732320909103
• Wagnild, J., & Pollard, T. (2020). Associations Between Television Time and activPAL-Measured Duration and Pattern of Sedentary Time Among Pregnant Women at Risk of Gestational Diabetes in the UK. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 17(4), 471-474. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2019-0315
• Beasley, J., Wagnild, J., Pollard, T., Roberts, T., & Akhter, N. (2020). Effectiveness of diet and physical activity interventions among Chinese-origin populations living in high income countries: a systematic review. BMC Public Health, 20, Article 1019. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-08805-3
• Wagnild, J. M., Hinshaw, K., & Pollard, T. M. (2019). Associations of sedentary time and self-reported television time during pregnancy with incident gestational diabetes and plasma glucose levels in women at risk of gestational diabetes in the UK. BMC Public Health, 19(1), Article 575. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-6928-5
• Pollard, T. M., & Wagnild, J. M. (2017). Gender differences in walking (for leisure, transport and in total) across adult life: a systematic review. BMC Public Health, 17(1), Article 341. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4253-4
• Wall-Scheffler, C., Wagnild, J., & Wagler, E. (2015). Human footprint variation while performing load bearing tasks. PLoS ONE, 10(3), Article e0118619. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0118619
• Wagnild, J., & Wall-Scheffler, C. (2013). Energetic consequences of human sociality: walking speed choices among friendly dyads. PLoS ONE, 8(10), Article e76576. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0076576