Ms Katie L. Heap MSc Social Statistics (Research Methods)*, BSc Population and Geography

Postgraduate research student in Social Statistics and Demography

Katie is a postgraduate research student within the division of Social Statistics & Demography at the University of Southampton who is interested in researching sexual and reproductive behaviour.

I am broadly interested in research around sexual and reproductive behaviour, with a particular focus on young people and contraception.

During the completion of a BSc in Population and Geography at the University of Southampton, I undertook an internship with the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (NATSAL) which encouraged me to pursue an MSc in Social Statistics (Research Methods) and a PhD in Social Statistics and Demography.

My PhD project investigates the differences in teenage pregnancy and abortion over space and time in England throughout the past two decades. It also considers the role of the local area, family, and personal characteristics on educational aspirations and teenage sexual and reproductive behaviour. My project uses data at various local and regional levels in England and from individual-level surveys. It includes repeated measures analysis such as random effect models and longitudinal data analysis.

During my PhD, I have also undertaken an internship within the Public Health team at Hampshire County Council to conduct a sexual health needs assessment.