Mrs Soazig Clifton
- Senior Research Scientist (Public Health)
email:
Soazig.Clifton@glasgow.ac.uk
pronouns:
She/her/hers
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4171-0805Biography
I am a survey researcher and epidemiologist in the Public Health Unit at the University of Glasgow. I am experienced in the design, delivery, analysis, publication and dissemination of large-scale general population health research, with a focus on sexual behaviour and sexual and reproductive health in Britain. I hold joint affiliations with the Biomedical Surveys team at the National Centre for Social Research, and the Institute for Global Health at UCL.
Education
- BSc Natural Sciences, Durham University
- MSc Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Research interests
My research focuses on population sexual and reproductive health, and survey research methods. I have been part of the core team on the British National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (www.natsal.ac.uk) since 2008.
In additional to publishing findings in peer-reviewed journals, I am interested in other ways of achieving impact for scientific research. My public engagement work has included a range of artistic collaborations, youth projects, and public events to promote discussion of the research and of sex more generally.
Current projects
- Natsal-4: The fourth British National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles
- A project with Scottish Government, designing goals and indicators to promote sexual wellbeing in Scotland
Publications
2025
Fischer, N., Kozák, M., Graham, C.A., Clifton, S. 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4171-0805, Mercer, C.H. and Mitchell, K.R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4409-6601
(2025)
Trends in masturbation prevalence and associated factors: findings from the British national surveys of sexual attitudes and lifestyles.
Journal of Sex Research,
(doi: 10.1080/00224499.2025.2555053)
(PMID:40932457)
(Early Online Publication)
Jordan, Emily, Dema, Emily, Clifton, Soazig ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4171-0805, Copas, Andrew, Riddell, Julie ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8084-4566, Bosó Pérez, Raquel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7342-4566, Mercer, Catherine H., Mitchell, Kirstin Rebecca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4409-6601, Field, Nigel and Sonnenberg, Pam
(2025)
Sexual behaviours and lifestyles associated with poor mental health among British adults during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: findings from a large, quasi-representative, cross-sectional web-panel survey (Natsal-COVID).
BMJ Public Health, 3(1),
e001443.
(doi: 10.1136/ bmjph-2024-001443)
(PMID:40391246)
(PMCID:PMC12086888)
Articles
Fischer, N., Kozák, M., Graham, C.A., Clifton, S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4171-0805, Mercer, C.H. and Mitchell, K.R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4409-6601
(2025)
Trends in masturbation prevalence and associated factors: findings from the British national surveys of sexual attitudes and lifestyles.
Journal of Sex Research,
(doi: 10.1080/00224499.2025.2555053)
(PMID:40932457)
(Early Online Publication)
Jordan, Emily, Dema, Emily, Clifton, Soazig ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4171-0805, Copas, Andrew, Riddell, Julie ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8084-4566, Bosó Pérez, Raquel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7342-4566, Mercer, Catherine H., Mitchell, Kirstin Rebecca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4409-6601, Field, Nigel and Sonnenberg, Pam
(2025)
Sexual behaviours and lifestyles associated with poor mental health among British adults during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: findings from a large, quasi-representative, cross-sectional web-panel survey (Natsal-COVID).
BMJ Public Health, 3(1),
e001443.
(doi: 10.1136/ bmjph-2024-001443)
(PMID:40391246)
(PMCID:PMC12086888)
Prior publications
Article
Soazig Clifton, Hikaru Bolt, Hamish Mohammed, Katy Town, Martina Furegato, Michelle Cole, Oona Campbell, Helen Fifer, Gwenda Hughes (2018) Prevalence of and factors associated with MDR Neisseria gonorrhoeae in England and Wales between 2004 and 2015: analysis of annual cross-sectional surveillance surveys Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Crossref. (doi: 10.1093/jac/dkx520)
Tanton, C., Mesher, D., Beddows, S., Soldan, K., Clifton, S., Panwar, K., Field, N., Mercer, C.H., Johnson, A.M., Sonnenberg, P. (2017) Human papillomavirus (HPV) in young women in Britain: Population-based evidence of the effectiveness of the bivalent immunisation programme and burden of quadrivalent and 9-valent vaccine types Papillomavirus Research Scopus - Elsevier. (doi: 10.1016/j.pvr.2017.01.001)
Clifton, S., Nardone, A., Field, N., Mercer, C.H., Tanton, C., Macdowall, W., Johnson, A.M., Sonnenberg, P. (2016) HIV testing, risk perception, and behaviour in the British population AIDS Scopus - Elsevier. (doi: 10.1097/QAD.0000000000001006)
Woodhall, S.C. et al. (2016) Is chlamydia screening and testing in Britain reaching young adults at risk of infection? Findings from the third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3) Sexually Transmitted Infections Scopus - Elsevier. (doi: 10.1136/sextrans-2015-052013)
Clifton, S., Mercer, C.H., Woodhall, S.C., Sonnenberg, P., Field, N., Lu, L., Johnson, A.M., Cassell, J.A. (2016) Patterns of chlamydia testing in different settings and implications for wider STI diagnosis and care: A probability sample survey of the British population Sexually Transmitted Infections Scopus - Elsevier. (doi: 10.1136/sextrans-2016-052719)
Keevil, B.G., Fiers, T., Kaufman, J.-M., Macdowall, W., Clifton, S., Lee, D., Wu, F. (2016) Sex hormone-binding globulin has no effect on salivary testosterone Annals of Clinical Biochemistry Scopus - Elsevier. (doi: 10.1177/0004563216646800)
Mercer, C.H. et al. (2016) The health and well-being of men who have sex with men (MSM) in Britain: Evidence from the third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3) BMC Public Health Scopus - Elsevier. (doi: 10.1186/s12889-016-3149-z)
Field, N. et al. (2016) Trichomonas vaginalis infection is uncommon in the British general population: Implications for clinical testing and public health screening Sexually Transmitted Infections Scopus - Elsevier. (doi: 10.1136/sextrans-2016-052660)
Burkill, S., Copas, A., Couper, M.P., Clifton, S., Prah, P., Datta, J., Conrad, F., Wellings, K., Johnson, A.M., Erens, B. (2016) Using the web to collect data on sensitive behaviours: A study looking at mode effects on the British national survey of sexual attitudes and lifestyles PLoS ONE Scopus - Elsevier. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0147983)
Prah, P. et al. (2015) Asking about sex in general health surveys: Comparing the methods and findings of the 2010 health survey for England with those of the third national survey of sexual attitudes and lifestyles PLoS ONE Scopus - Elsevier. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135203)
Field, N. et al. (2015) Confirmatory assays are essential when using molecular testing for Neisseria gonorrhoeae in low-prevalence settings: Insights from the third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3) Sexually Transmitted Infections Scopus - Elsevier. (doi: 10.1136/sextrans-2014-051850)
Sonnenberg, P. et al. (2015) Epidemiology of Mycoplasma genitalium in British men and women aged 16-44 years: Evidence from the third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3) International Journal of Epidemiology Scopus - Elsevier. (doi: 10.1093/ije/dyv194)
Tanton, C. et al. (2015) High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cervical cancer prevention in Britain: Evidence of differential uptake of interventions from a probability survey Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention Scopus - Elsevier. (doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-14-1333)
Prah, P. et al. (2014) Consistency in reporting sensitive sexual behaviours in Britain: Change in reporting bias in the second and third National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-2 and Natsal-3) Sexually Transmitted Infections Scopus - Elsevier. (doi: 10.1136/sextrans-2013-051292)
Prah, P. et al. (2013) Consistency in reporting sensitive sexual behaviours in Britain: Change in reporting bias in the second and third National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-2 and Natsal-3) Sexually Transmitted Infections Scopus - Elsevier. (doi: 10.1136/sextrans-2013-051360)
Aicken, C.R.H., Gray, M., Clifton, S., Tanton, C., Field, N., Sonnenberg, P., Johnson, A.M., Mercer, C.H. (2013) Improving questions on sexual partnerships: Lessons learned from cognitive interviews for Britain's third national survey of sexual attitudes and lifestyles ("Natsal-3") Archives of Sexual Behavior Scopus - Elsevier. (doi: 10.1007/s10508-012-9962-2)
Sonnenberg, P. et al. (2013) Prevalence, risk factors, and uptake of interventions for sexually transmitted infections in Britain: Findings from the National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal) The Lancet Scopus - Elsevier. (doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)61947-9)
Wellings, K. et al. (2013) The prevalence of unplanned pregnancy and associated factors in Britain: Findings from the third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3) The Lancet Scopus - Elsevier. (doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)62071-1)
