Dr William Rugard

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  

Dr William  Rugard is a Senior Post-doctoral Researcher at the Department of Social Policy and Intervention, Univeristy of Oxford; and Honorary Research Associate at the the Adolescent Accelerator Research Hub at the Centre for Social Science Research, University of Cape Town. His work focuses on identifying ways to support and empower adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa to overcome interconnected adversities. William completed his PhD in Epidemiology and Population Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

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