Dr William Rugard

Honorary Research Associate, Adolescents Accelerators Research Hub

Research Project(s)

  • UKRI GCRF Accelerate Hub

  • Mzantsi Wakho Adolescent Adherence Study

  • HEY BABY (Helping Empower Youth Brought up in Adversity with their Babies and Young children)

Research Interests

  • Social Epidemiology
  • Adolescent Health
  • Social Protection

Biography  

William is a senior postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford’s Department of Social Policy and Intervention, working at the intersection of global health, social policy, and development studies. He is also a Research Fellow at Nuffield College and an Honorary Research Affiliate at the University of Cape Town’s Centre for Social Science Research.

His research focuses on identifying cost-effective combinations of social and health interventions to improve adolescent health and well-being across Africa. He has contributed to 29 peer-reviewed publications, including nine as first author, with a focus on evaluating the impacts of social protection and community health worker programmes on adolescent health, education, and child protection outcomes. His methodological expertise includes quantitative causal inference, multilevel modelling, and simulation-based economic decision modelling to inform policy and investment.

Recent Publications 

  • Rudgard WE, Saminathen MG, Orkin M, Banougnin B, Shenderovich Y, Toska E. Protective factors for adolescent sexual risk behaviours and experiences linked to HIV infection in South Africa: a three-wave longitudinal analysis of caregiving, education, food security, and social protection. BMC Public Health 23, 1452 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-16373-5
  • Rudgard WE, Cluver LD (equal first author), Toska E, Orkin M, Ibrahim M, Langwenya N, Kuo C, Xaba N, Roehm K, Smith M, Yates R, Sherr L. Food security reduces multiple HIV infection risks for adolescent mothers in South Africa: A cross-sectional study. Journal of the International AIDS Society. 2022; 25: e25928. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/jia2.25928
  • Rudgard WE, Dzumbunu SP, Yates R, Toska E, Stockl H, Orkin M, Cluver LD. Multiple Impacts of Ethiopia’s Health Extension Programme on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing: a Quasi-Experimental Study 2002-2013. Journal of Adolescent Health. 2022. 71(3), 308-316. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2022.04.010