School of Health & Wellbeing

Dr Meigan Thomson

  • Research Associate (Public Health)

email: Meigan.Thomson@glasgow.ac.uk

Public Health, Clarice Pears Building, 90 Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8TB

Import to contacts

ORCID iDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2171-9159

Biography

Meigan completed her PhD at the University of Glasgow in February 2023. Her doctoral research used a mixed-methods approach to explore the barriers and facilitators of weight loss in behavioural weight management programmes, applying a social-ecological framework to understand influences at multiple levels.

She holds an MSc in Clinical Health Psychology (Distinction) and an MA(Hons) in Psychology (First). Prior to her current role, Meigan worked as a researcher at the Universities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Nottingham on a range of projects focused on the development and evaluation of interventions to improve health outcomes.

Meigan has experience in mixed-methods research, qualitative methodologies, behavioural science, intervention development and evaluation, and public engagement and involvement. She is a member of the UK Society for Behavioural Medicine and sits on the Scottish committee for the Association for the Study of Obesity.

Current projects

  • A feasibility study to test the peer-led `A Stop Smoking In Schools Trial' intervention (ASSIST Global) in three culturally different middle income countries (Funded by: MRC)

  • Personalised Exercise-Rehabilitation for People With Multiple Long-term Conditions (PERFORM) Intervention (Funded by: NIHR)

Research interests

My research has a broad interdisciplinary social science focus, integrating psychological and behavioural theory with wider social and public health perspectives to support health behaviour change across diverse health contexts. I am particularly interested in how contextual, systemic, environmental, and social factors shape health behaviours, mental health, and wellbeing across the life course. My work focuses on the development and evaluation of behaviour change interventions, with a strong emphasis on the role of context and systems.

Research Interests:

  • Physical activity
  • Older adults
  • Carers
  • Social support and social networks
  • Public and patient involvement and engagement

Expertise & experience

  • Qualitative research methods
  • Mixed methods - integrating different research methods
  • Behaviour change
  • Public and patient involvement and engagement
  • Social networks
  • Systematic reviews

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2020 | 2018
Number of items: 16.

2026

Anderson, M. et al. (2026) Third-place visiting among mid-to-older adults: a cross-classified multilevel analysis. Health and Place, (Accepted for Publication)

Thomson, Meigan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2171-9159, Martin, Anne ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1614-6525, Long, Emily ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1512-4471, Logue, Jennifer ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9549-2738 and Simpson, Sharon A. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6219-1768 (2026) Differences and commonalities in barriers and facilitators experienced by participants enrolled in an online behavioral weight management program: a qualitative comparison. PLoS ONE, 21(2), e0339411. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0339411) (PMID:41628140) (PMCID:PMC12863570)

Tadrous, R. et al. (2026) Healthy ageing in place: perspectives on age-friendliness in ‘local’ communities. BMC Public Health, 26, 337. (doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-26050-4) (PMID:41437240) (PMCID:PMC12837096)

2025

Soe, Y. N. et al. (2025) A Stop Smoking In Schools Trial in three culturally different middle-income countries (ASSIST Global): protocol for a randomised feasibility study. BMJ Open, 15(6), e096963. (doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-096963) (PMID:40545305) (PMCID:PMC12184387)

Anderson, M. et al. (2025) Social network characteristics associated with mid-to-older aged adults’ co-engagement in physical activity. PLoS ONE, 20(5), e0319981. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0319981) (PMID:40333665) (PMCID:PMC12057854)

2024

Olsen, J. R. et al. (2024) Individual, social and area level factors associated with older people’s walking: analysis of an UK household panel study (Understanding Society). Social Science and Medicine, 358, 117083. (doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.117083) (PMID:39226800)

Thomson, Meigan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2171-9159, Henderson, Gregor, Rogers, Tim, Locke, Benjamin, Vines, John and MacBeth, Angus (2024) Digital mental health and peer support: building a Theory of Change informed by stakeholders’ perspectives. PLoS Digital Health, 3(5), e0000522. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000522) (PMID:38814923) (PMCID:PMC11139267)

Long, Emily ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1512-4471, Thomson, Meigan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2171-9159, Milicev, Jelena ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0120-7495, Goodfellow, Claire ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5990-8150, Letina, Srebrenka, Bradley, Sarah and McCann, Mark ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6100-1416 (2024) Loneliness, social support, and social networks: Urban-rural variation and links to wellbeing in Scotland. Journal of Public Health, 33, pp. 2651-2661. (doi: 10.1007/s10389-024-02236-9)

2023

Purcell, Carrie ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2651-9201, Dibben, Grace ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7254-5187, Hilton Boon, Michele ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2240-7923, Matthews, Lynsay ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5760-1080, Palmer, Victoria J., Thomson, Meigan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2171-9159, Smillie, Susie ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4748-0710, Simpson, Sharon A. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6219-1768 and Taylor, Rod S. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3043-6011 (2023) Social network interventions to support cardiac rehabilitation and secondary prevention in the management of people with heart disease. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2023(6), CD013820. (doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013820.pub2) (PMID:37378598) (PMCID:PMC10305790)

Thomson, M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2171-9159, Henderson, G., Vines, J., Rogers, T. and MacBeth, A. (2023) Towards a better understanding of peer support platforms for digital mental health. Learning from stakeholder engagement and mapping a Theory of Change. Documentation. The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh.

2022

Thomson, Meigan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2171-9159, Martin, Anne ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1614-6525, Long, Emily ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1512-4471, Logue, Jennifer ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9549-2738 and Simpson, Sharon A. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6219-1768 (2022) A qualitative exploration of weight management during COVID-19. Clinical Obesity, 12(3), e12512. (doi: 10.1111/cob.12512) (PMID:35194943) (PMCID:PMC9286397)

2020

Thomson, Meigan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2171-9159, Martin, Anne ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1614-6525, Logue, Jennifer ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9549-2738, Wells, Valerie ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7283-6208 and Simpson, Sharon A. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6219-1768 (2020) Barriers and facilitators of successful weight loss during participation in behavioural weight management programmes: A protocol for a systematic review. Systematic Reviews, 9, 168. (doi: 10.1186/s13643-020-01427-1) (PMID:32731884) (PMCID:PMC7393897)

Baylan, S. et al. (2020) Measuring the Effects of Listening for Leisure on Outcome after stroke (MELLO): a pilot randomised controlled trial of mindful music listening. International Journal of Stroke, 15(2), pp. 149-158. (doi: 10.1177/1747493019841250) (PMID:30940047) (PMCID:PMC7045280)

Tieges, Z. et al. (2020) A smartphone-based test for the assessment of attention deficits in delirium: a case-control diagnostic test accuracy study in older hospitalised patients. PLoS ONE, 15(1), e0227471. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227471) (PMID:31978127) (PMCID:PMC6980392)

2018

Rutter, L.-M. et al. (2018) Diagnostic test accuracy of a novel smartphone application for the assessment of attention deficits in delirium in older hospitalised patients: a prospective cohort study protocol. BMC Geriatrics, 18, 217. (doi: 10.1186/s12877-018-0901-5) (PMID:30223771) (PMCID:PMC6142423)

Baylan, S. et al. (2018) Participants’ experiences of music, mindful music, and audiobook listening interventions for people recovering from stroke. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1423(1), pp. 349-359. (doi: 10.1111/nyas.13618) (PMID:29727009)

This list was generated on Fri Sep 25 19:55:23 2026 BST.
Jump to: Articles | Research Reports or Papers
Number of items: 16.

Articles

Anderson, M. et al. (2026) Third-place visiting among mid-to-older adults: a cross-classified multilevel analysis. Health and Place, (Accepted for Publication)

Thomson, Meigan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2171-9159, Martin, Anne ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1614-6525, Long, Emily ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1512-4471, Logue, Jennifer ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9549-2738 and Simpson, Sharon A. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6219-1768 (2026) Differences and commonalities in barriers and facilitators experienced by participants enrolled in an online behavioral weight management program: a qualitative comparison. PLoS ONE, 21(2), e0339411. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0339411) (PMID:41628140) (PMCID:PMC12863570)

Tadrous, R. et al. (2026) Healthy ageing in place: perspectives on age-friendliness in ‘local’ communities. BMC Public Health, 26, 337. (doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-26050-4) (PMID:41437240) (PMCID:PMC12837096)

Soe, Y. N. et al. (2025) A Stop Smoking In Schools Trial in three culturally different middle-income countries (ASSIST Global): protocol for a randomised feasibility study. BMJ Open, 15(6), e096963. (doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-096963) (PMID:40545305) (PMCID:PMC12184387)

Anderson, M. et al. (2025) Social network characteristics associated with mid-to-older aged adults’ co-engagement in physical activity. PLoS ONE, 20(5), e0319981. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0319981) (PMID:40333665) (PMCID:PMC12057854)

Olsen, J. R. et al. (2024) Individual, social and area level factors associated with older people’s walking: analysis of an UK household panel study (Understanding Society). Social Science and Medicine, 358, 117083. (doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.117083) (PMID:39226800)

Thomson, Meigan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2171-9159, Henderson, Gregor, Rogers, Tim, Locke, Benjamin, Vines, John and MacBeth, Angus (2024) Digital mental health and peer support: building a Theory of Change informed by stakeholders’ perspectives. PLoS Digital Health, 3(5), e0000522. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000522) (PMID:38814923) (PMCID:PMC11139267)

Long, Emily ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1512-4471, Thomson, Meigan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2171-9159, Milicev, Jelena ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0120-7495, Goodfellow, Claire ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5990-8150, Letina, Srebrenka, Bradley, Sarah and McCann, Mark ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6100-1416 (2024) Loneliness, social support, and social networks: Urban-rural variation and links to wellbeing in Scotland. Journal of Public Health, 33, pp. 2651-2661. (doi: 10.1007/s10389-024-02236-9)

Purcell, Carrie ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2651-9201, Dibben, Grace ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7254-5187, Hilton Boon, Michele ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2240-7923, Matthews, Lynsay ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5760-1080, Palmer, Victoria J., Thomson, Meigan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2171-9159, Smillie, Susie ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4748-0710, Simpson, Sharon A. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6219-1768 and Taylor, Rod S. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3043-6011 (2023) Social network interventions to support cardiac rehabilitation and secondary prevention in the management of people with heart disease. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2023(6), CD013820. (doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013820.pub2) (PMID:37378598) (PMCID:PMC10305790)

Thomson, Meigan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2171-9159, Martin, Anne ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1614-6525, Long, Emily ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1512-4471, Logue, Jennifer ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9549-2738 and Simpson, Sharon A. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6219-1768 (2022) A qualitative exploration of weight management during COVID-19. Clinical Obesity, 12(3), e12512. (doi: 10.1111/cob.12512) (PMID:35194943) (PMCID:PMC9286397)

Thomson, Meigan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2171-9159, Martin, Anne ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1614-6525, Logue, Jennifer ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9549-2738, Wells, Valerie ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7283-6208 and Simpson, Sharon A. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6219-1768 (2020) Barriers and facilitators of successful weight loss during participation in behavioural weight management programmes: A protocol for a systematic review. Systematic Reviews, 9, 168. (doi: 10.1186/s13643-020-01427-1) (PMID:32731884) (PMCID:PMC7393897)

Baylan, S. et al. (2020) Measuring the Effects of Listening for Leisure on Outcome after stroke (MELLO): a pilot randomised controlled trial of mindful music listening. International Journal of Stroke, 15(2), pp. 149-158. (doi: 10.1177/1747493019841250) (PMID:30940047) (PMCID:PMC7045280)

Tieges, Z. et al. (2020) A smartphone-based test for the assessment of attention deficits in delirium: a case-control diagnostic test accuracy study in older hospitalised patients. PLoS ONE, 15(1), e0227471. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227471) (PMID:31978127) (PMCID:PMC6980392)

Rutter, L.-M. et al. (2018) Diagnostic test accuracy of a novel smartphone application for the assessment of attention deficits in delirium in older hospitalised patients: a prospective cohort study protocol. BMC Geriatrics, 18, 217. (doi: 10.1186/s12877-018-0901-5) (PMID:30223771) (PMCID:PMC6142423)

Baylan, S. et al. (2018) Participants’ experiences of music, mindful music, and audiobook listening interventions for people recovering from stroke. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1423(1), pp. 349-359. (doi: 10.1111/nyas.13618) (PMID:29727009)

Research Reports or Papers

Thomson, M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2171-9159, Henderson, G., Vines, J., Rogers, T. and MacBeth, A. (2023) Towards a better understanding of peer support platforms for digital mental health. Learning from stakeholder engagement and mapping a Theory of Change. Documentation. The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh.

This list was generated on Fri Sep 25 19:55:23 2026 BST.

Supervision

  • Retallick, Hanna
    Developing effective mobile app interventions to support transitions towards healthier, more plant-based diets

Current Supervisions:

  • Hanna Retalick: Developing effective mobile app interventions to support transitions towards healthier, more plant-based diets (PhD project)

Previous Supervisions:

  • Anas Feronika:Intergenerational interventions and the impact on health outcomes in older adults and young people: A systematic review (Master of Public Health)
  • Mohammed Ashraf Idris Bux: Evaluability Assessment of a skin camouflage service (MSc Developing and evaluating interventions).

Research datasets

Jump to: 2026 | 2023
Number of items: 2.

2026

Thomson, M. , Palmer, V., Rigby, B. , Lewis, R. , Mitchell, K. and Simpson, S. (2026) PACES Qualitative Dataset: Life Transitions, Physical Activity and Social Connectedness Among Adults Aged 55–75 in Scotland. [Data Collection]

2023

Thomson, M. , Henderson, G., Vines, J. and MacBeth, A. (2023) Stakeholder Engagement Focus Groups on Digital Mental Health and Peer Support, 2022. [Data Collection]

This list was generated on Sat Sep 26 10:03:07 2026 BST.

Dr Meigan Thomson on Twitter