Biography
Andrew James Williams is an epidemiologist and statistician, who joined the University of St Andrews as Senior Lecturer in Public Health in 2020. As part of the Division of Population and Behavioural Science within the University of St Andrews School of Medicine, Andrew is excited to be establishing some new projects and collaborations as well as continuing to lead work package 1 of the NIHR funded ‘Is 20 plenty for health?’ project. At the European Centre for Environment and Human Health, Andrew was a research lead on the ERDF Smartline, Inclusivity projects. He teaches ecological public health, global public health and evaluation at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Andrew’s research interests lie in the social and cultural determinants of health (the fifth wave of public health), especially among children and young people, and the use of administrative and secondary data.
He is interested in the applications of theories such as complexity theory and salutogenesis to bring about improvements in the health of the public. His research is often collaborative and transdiciplinary, including engaged research (such as his work with the TR14ers). Previously Andrew was the Research Fellow in natural experimental approaches for the Farr Institute @ Scotland within the Scottish Collaboration for Public Health Research and Policy, University of Edinburgh. As an epidemiologist and statistician, Andrew has a strong foundation in public health and is keen to support public understanding, use and involvement in research.
PhD supervision
- Katrin Metsis
- Katie Smith
Selected publications
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Open access
Inequality trends in general health among young people across the 2001, 2011, and 2021 UK censuses
Metsis, K., Inchley, J., Williams, A. J. & Sullivan, F., 24 Sept 2025, In: Discover Public Health. 22, p. 1-15 15 p., 573.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Longitudinal and bidirectional relationships between sleep, emotional wellbeing and weight status in childhood and adolescence: growing up in Scotland cohort analysis
Gale, E. L., Cecil, J. E. & Williams, A. J., 14 Nov 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Journal of Sleep Research. Early View, p. 1-10 10 p., e70239.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Shared determinants of poor sleep, obesity and adiposity in adolescents aged 8–18-years: a systematic review
Gale, E. L., Cecil, J. E. & Williams, A. J., 2025, In: Journal of Sleep Research. Early View, 40 p., e70029.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
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Open access
Conceptualisation of health among young people: a protocol for systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies
Metsis, K., Inchley, J., Williams, A. J., Vrahimis, S., Brown, L. & Sullivan, F., 27 Jul 2024, In: Systematic Reviews. 13, 8 p., 200.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
The relationship between multiple sleep dimensions and obesity in adolescents: a systematic review
Gale, E. L., Williams, A. J. & Cecil, J. E., Feb 2024, In: Sleep Medicine Reviews. 73, 11 p., 101875.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
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Open access
A complexity-informed in-depth case study into the sustainability and impact of a culture of health: the TR14ers community youth dance group
Williams, A. J., Wyatt, K., Stevens, K. & Price, L., 25 Oct 2023, In: PLoS ONE. 18, 10, e0293274.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
A school-based cross-sectional study to understand the public health measures needed to improve the emotional and mental wellbeing of young carers aged 12-14 years
Sharpe, R., Russell, N., Andrews, R., Curry, W. & Williams, A. J., 1 May 2023, In: Families, Relationships and Society. 12, 2, p. 253-271 19 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Investigating the impact of a 20 miles per hour speed limit intervention on road traffic collisions, casualties, speed and volume in Belfast, UK: 3 year follow-up outcomes of a natural experiment
Hunter, R., Cleland, C., Busby, J., Nightingale, G., Kee, F., Williams, A. J., Kelly, P., Kelly, M., Milton, K., Kokka, K. & Jepson, R., 1 Jan 2023, In: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. 77, 1, p. 17-25 9 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Developing and implementing 20-mph speed limits in Edinburgh and Belfast: mixed-methods study
Jepson, R., Baker, G., Cleland, C., Cope, A., Craig, N., Foster, C., Hunter, R., Kee, F., Kelly, M. P., Kelly, P., Milton, K., Nightingale, G., Turner, K., Williams, A. J. & Woodcock, J., 27 Sept 2022, In: Public Health Research. 10, 9, p. 1-164 164 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Developing public health interventions: a step-by-step guide
Jepson, R., McAteer, J., Williams, A. J., Doi, L. & Buelo, A., 1 Jan 2022, London: SAGE Publications Ltd STM. 247 p.Research output: Book/Report › Book