Gina Higginbottom facts for kids

Dr. Gina Higginbottom is a British professor, nurse, and midwife. She is an expert in how people move between countries and how this affects maternity care. She made history by becoming the first Black and minority ethnic (BME) nurse to be a professor at a top university in England.

Early Life and Education

Gina was born in Sheffield, England. Her family background is both British and Ghanaian. She went to King Ecgbert Technical Grammar School for Girls. Later, she earned her PhD from the University of Sheffield in 2004. She was the first BME nurse to receive a special National Primary Care Fellowship.

Her Career in Health

From 2007 to 2015, Dr. Higginbottom worked at the University of Alberta in Canada. There, she held a special research position focusing on ethnicity and health. She was the first woman of BME origin to hold this important role in Canada.

In 2015, she became the Mary Seacole Professor at the University of Nottingham. This role focused on ethnicity and community health. She is now an Emeritus Professor, meaning she has retired but keeps her title.

Dr. Higginbottom also helped with an important study. This study looked at how neonatal tests, like the Apgar score, work for babies with darker skin. Her work helped challenge older ways of checking newborns.

She is a leader in several health organizations. She helps run the International Collaboration for Community Health Nursing Research (ICCHNR). This group is a charity for health professionals. She is also part of an advisory group for the Chief Nurse for England. In 2019, she became a vice-president of the Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association (CPHVA). This group supports nurses and health visitors.

Awards and Recognition

Dr. Higginbottom has received many honors for her work. In 1998, she was awarded an MBE. This award was given for her great work in promoting health and helping young people.

Key Research and Publications

Dr. Higginbottom has written many important papers. Her research often focuses on health for different ethnic groups. She also studies how moving to a new country affects women's health during pregnancy.

Here are some examples of her important work:

• Soltani H, Fair R, Higginbottom GMA, & Puntis, S (2023) Inclusive assessments for newborns Community Practitioner Nov/Dec 2023
• Fair R, Furness A, Higginbottom GMA, Oddie B & Solani R (2023) Review of neonatal assessment and practice in Black, Asian and minority ethnic newborns: exploring the Apgar score, the detection-of cyanosis and jaundice. NHS Race and Health Observatory
• Higginbottom GMA, Evans C, Morgan M, Bharj K K, Eldridge J and Hussain B (2020) Interventions that improve maternity care for immigrant women in England: a narrative synthesis systematic review Health Serv Deliv Res 2020:03 DOI:10.3310/hsdr08140
• Higginbottom GMA, Evans C, Morgan M, Bharj K K, Eldridge J and Hussain B (2019) Immigrant women’s experience of maternity care services in the UK:a narrative synthesis review BMJ Open DOI:10.1136/bmjopen-2019-029478
• Higginbottom GMA, Vallianatos H, Shankar J, Safipour J and Davey C, (2017).Immigrant women’s food choices in pregnancy: Perspectives from women of Chinese origin in Canada Ethnicity and Health.
• Higginbottom GMA, Safipour J, O'brien B, Mumtaz Z, Paton P, Chiu Y and Barolia R, (2016).An ethnographic investigation of maternity healthcare experience of immigrants in rural and urban Alberta, Canada: DOI: 10.1186/s12884-015-0773-z BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
• Higginbottom GMA, Reime, B, Bharj K K, Chowbey P, Ertan K, Foster C, Friedrich K, Gerrish K, Kentenich H, Mumtaz Z and O'brien B, (2013).Migration and maternity: insights of context, health policy and research evidence on experiences and outcomes from a three-country preliminary study across Germany, Canada and the UK. Health Care for Women International. 34(11), 936-965
• Higginbottom GMA, Morgan M, O'Mahoney M, Chiu Y, Kocay D, Alexandre M and Fogeron J, (2013). Immigrant women’s experiences of postpartum depression in Canada: a protocol for systematic review using a narrative synthesis. Systematic Reviews. 65
• Higginbottom GMA, Safipour J, Mumtaz Z, Patton P and Chiu Y, (2013). "I have to do what I believe": Sudanese women’s belief and resistance to hegemonic practices at home and during experiences of maternity care in Canada. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. 51
• Higginbottom, GMA and Serrant-Green,L (2005). "Developing Culturally Sensitive Skills in Health and Social Care with a Focus on Conducting Research with African Caribbean Communities in England". The Qualitative Report. 10 (4): 662–686. ISSN 1052-0147.
• Higginbottom GMA, Marsh P, Kirkham M, Owen Jm.Gma, Mathers N. (2006). "Young people of minority ethnic origin in England and early parenthood: views from young parents and service providers". Social Science & Medicine. 63 (4): 858–870. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2006.03.011