Gina Higginbottom facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dr Gina Higginbottom
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| Born |
Gina Awoko
Sheffield, England, UK
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| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | University of Sheffield |
| Title | Professor |
| Awards | National Primary Care Fellowship
Smith & Nephew Nursing Research Scholar Mary Seacole Leadership Award Canada Research Chair Fellow Queens Nursing Institute Fellow American Academy of Nursing |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | University of Alberta, University of Nottingham |
Dr. Gina Marie Higginbottom MBE is a British expert in health and nursing. She has worked as a nurse, midwife, and health visitor. She specializes in how people moving from one country to another (international migration) affect health, especially for new mothers. Dr. Higginbottom made history as the first nurse of black and minority ethnic (BME) background to become a professor at a top university in England.
Contents
About Dr. Higginbottom
Early Life and School
Gina Higginbottom was born in Sheffield, England. Her family background is both white British and Ghanaian. She attended King Ecgbert Technical Grammar School for Girls. She later earned her PhD degree from the University of Sheffield in 2004. A PhD is the highest university degree you can get. Dr. Higginbottom was also the first BME nurse to receive a special award called the National Primary Care Fellowship.
Her Work and Research
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 of Ethnicity and Community Health at the University of Nottingham in England. This role meant she led research into how different ethnic backgrounds affect health. As of 2019, she is an Emeritus Professor, which means she has retired but still holds an honorary title.
Dr. Higginbottom also helped with an important study about how doctors check newborns. This study looked at tests like the Apgar score for babies with darker skin. Her work helped challenge older ways of checking babies' health.
She is also a leader in several health organizations. She helps run the International Collaboration for Community Health Nursing Research (ICCHNR). This group is a charity for nursing professionals. She is also part of an advisory group for the Chief Nurse for England, focusing on Black Minority Ethnic health issues. In 2019, she became a vice-president of the Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association (CPHVA). This is a professional group and union for nurses.
Awards and Recognition
Dr. Higginbottom received a special award called an MBE in 1998. This award was given to her by the Queen for her excellent work in promoting health and helping young people.
Important Research and Publications
Dr. Higginbottom has written many important research papers. Her work often focuses on improving healthcare for different communities. She has especially looked at the experiences of immigrant women and new mothers.
Some of her key research includes:
- Looking at how to make health checks for newborns more fair for all babies.
- Reviewing how doctors check babies with Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds.
- Finding ways to make maternity care better for immigrant women in England.
- Studying the food choices of immigrant women during pregnancy in Canada.
- Investigating the experiences of immigrant women with maternity care in Canada.
- Researching how migration affects mothers and babies in different countries like Germany, Canada, and the UK.
- Studying how Sudanese women in Canada experience maternity care.
- Exploring the experiences of young people from minority ethnic backgrounds who become parents early.
