Dr. med. Kerstin Sell, M.Sc.

Profile

I'm a public health researcher with a passion for the evaluation of public health interventions implemented in ‘systems’, in particular in the area of upstream policies to prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs). With my research, I aim to generate evidence to inform decisions that shape population health, including at policy level, both within and outside of the health sector. I am also interested in processes underpinning evidence-informed decision-making, including knowledge translation and the influence of commercial actors in this space.

Currently, I am primarily based at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom, where I work on a DFG-funded research fellowship in the area of transport policy evaluation and methods development (see below). At LMU, I remain involved in the international YAHEE project, where I lead on two qualitative evidence syntheses (see below).

Ongoing work

In my Walter Benjamin-Fellowship funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), I am bridging systems thinking and natural experiment evaluation methods to advance public health policy evaluation methods, using Germany’s Deutschlandticket policy as a case study. This work involves the development of a causal-loop-diagram by drawing on existing documents and literature, participatory work to develop new evaluation questions, and planning for a quantitative impact evaluation in the area of physical activity.

In the YAHEE project, I lead on two qualitative evidence syntheses that aim to identify strategies to facilitate the adoption of upstream policies for healthy food and physical activity environments. This involves synthesising qualitative policy analysis studies that examine, for example, taxation on sugar-sweetened beverages (food policy review) or urban planning policy (physical activity review). The protocol for this work, originally conceived as one review, is available here.

I frequently supervise M.Sc. theses in Public Health and Epidemiology and am happy to be approached to discuss supervision.

Past work

I draw on a broad range of qualitative and quantitative methods and a strong expertise in evidence synthesis. In previous projects, I have evaluated an integrated knowledge translation (IKT) approach implemented with policymakers in five African countries in the Collaboration for Evidence-based Healthcare and Public Health in Africa (CEBHA+); have contributed to WHO-mandated rapid reviews and national guideline development in COVID-19 prevention; and have led on meta-research on policy evaluation and a study mapping the research landscape on commercial determinants of health in Germany.

Major scientific outputs include publications on IKT outcomes, safe schooling in COVID-19, and equity considerations in policy evaluation.

Professional networks

• Google Scholar
• LinkedIn
• Bluesky: @kerstinsell.bsky.social

List of Publications:

Scientific Publications

Sell, K., Rehfuess, E., Osuret, J., Bayiga-Zziwa, E., Geremew, B., Pfadenhauer, L. Outcomes of an integrated knowledge translation approach in five African countries: a mixed-methods comparative case study. Health Res Policy Sys 22, 162 (2024). https://rdcu.be/d24e0

Sell, K., Rabbani S., Burns J., How is health equity considered in policy evaluations employing quasi-experimental methods? A scoping review and content analysis, European Journal of Public Health, 2024; available here: https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckae188

Littlecott, H.*, Krishnaratne, S.*, Burns, J., Rehfuess, E.A., Sell, K., Coenen, M., Jung-Sievers, C., Klinger, C., Metzendorf, M., Movsisyan, A., Müller-Eberstein, R., Schönweger, P., Strahwald, B., Voss, S., Pfadenhauer, L.M. Measures implemented in the school setting to prevent and control the transmission of SARS-CoV-2: a rapid review (update). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD015029.pub2

Okop, K.J., Kedir, K., Kasenda, S., Niyibizi, J.B., Chipeta, E., Getachew, H., Sell, K., Lambert, EV., Puoane, T., Rulisa, S., Bunn, C., King, A.C., Bavuma, C., Howe, R., Crampin, A.C., Levitt, N.S. Multi-country collaborative citizen science projects to co-design cardiovascular disease prevention strategies and advocacy: findings from Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, and South Africa. BMC Public Health, 2023, 23, 2484. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17393-x

Sell, K., Jessani, N.S., Mesfin, F. et al. Developing, implementing, and monitoring tailored strategies for integrated knowledge translation in five sub-Saharan African countries. Health Res Policy Sys 21, 91 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-023-01038-x.

Schmidt, B.-M., Cooper, S., Klerings, I., Head, K., Sell, K., Houghton, C., Jama, N.A., Pfadenhauer L.M., Mianda, S., Toomey, E. Health policymakers’ views and experiences of knowledge translation approaches to facilitate evidence‐informed decision‐making: a qualitative evidence synthesis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2022, Issue 10. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD015346.

Sell, K., Hommes, F., Fischer, F., Arnold, L. Multi-, Inter-, and Transdisciplinarity within the Public Health Workforce: A Scoping Review to Assess Definitions and Applications of Concepts, Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(17), 10902; doi:10.3390/ijerph191710902.

Krishnaratne, S., Littlecott, H., Sell, K., Burns, J., Stratil, J., Boger, A., Litwin, T., Coenen, M., Geffert, K., Kreutz, C., Movsisyan, A., Kratzer, S., Wabnitz, K., Strahwald, B., Verboom, B., Rehfuess, E.A., Biallas, R., Voss, S., Jung-Sievers, C., Pfadenhauer, L.M. Measures implemented in the school setting to contain the COVID-19 pandemic: a rapid review, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD015029.

Hommes. F.*, Mohsenpour, A.*, Kropff, D., Pilgram, L., Matusall, S., von Philipsborn, P., Sell, K. [Supra-regional public health actors in Germany—an overview and categorization] (article in German). Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung – Gesundheitsschutz, 2022, 65, pages 96–106, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00103-021-03456-0.

Sell, K., Oliver, K., Meiksin, R. Comprehensive sex education addressing gender and power: a systematic review to investigate implementation and mechanisms of impact, Sex Res Soc Policy, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-021-00674-8.

Sell, K.*, Kuhn, E.*, Arnold, L., Böhm, C., Gepp, S., Havemann, M., Herrmann, L., Hommes, F., Jung, L., Mathé, P., Mörschel, K., Stratil, JM., Fischer, F. [COVID-19 and Its Potential for Disruption and Transformation in Public Health: Lessons Learned from the Perspective of Young Professionals] (article in German), Das Gesundheitswesen, 2021; 83(11): 894-89, https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1630-7155.

Mpando, T.*, Sell, K.*, Delobelle, P., Osuret, J., Niyibizi, J.B., Ntawuyirushintege, S., Geremew, B., Jessani, N.S. Integrated knowledge translation in non-communicable disease research in Sub-Saharan Africa: case vignettes comparing systematic with ad hoc stakeholder engagement, Frontiers in Tropical Diseases, 2021, https://doi.org/10.3389/FITD.2021.753192.

Sell, K., Saringer-Hamiti, L., Geffert, K., Strahwald, B., Stratil, J.M., Pfadenhauer, L.M. [Expert committees in German public health policymaking during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: a document analysis] (article in German), Zeitschrift für Evidenz, Fortbildung und Qualität im Gesundheitswesen, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.zefq.2021.06.002.

Niyibizi, J. B., Nganabashaka, J. P., Ntawuyirushintege, S., Tumusiime, D., Umwali, G., Rulisa, S., Nyandwi, A., Okop, KJ., Ntaganda, E., Sell, K., Levitt, N., Jessani, N.S., Bavuma, C. M. Using Citizen Science Within an Integrated Knowledge Translation (IKT) Approach to Explore Cardiovascular Disease Risk Perception in Rwanda. Frontiers in Tropical Diseases, 2021, https://doi.org/10.3389/FITD.2021.752357

Burns, J., Movsisyan, A., Stratil, J.M., Biallas, R.L., Coenen, M., Emmert-Fees, K.M.F., Geffert, K., Hoffmann, S., Horstick, O., Laxy, M., Klinger, C., Kratzer, S., Litwin, T., Norris, S., Pfadenhauer, L.M., von Philipsborn, P., Sell, K., Stadelmaier, J., Verboom, B., Voss, S., Wabnitz, K., Rehfuess, E.A. International travel‐related control measures to contain the COVID‐19 pandemic: a rapid review. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2021, https://doi.org//10.1002/14651858.CD013717.pub2.

Pfadenhauer, L.M., Grath, T., Delobelle, P., Jessani, N., Meerpohl, J., Rohwer, A., Schmidt, B.M., Toews, I., Akiteng, A.R., Chapotera, G., Kredo, T., Levitt, N., Ntawuyirushintege, S., Sell, K., Rehfuess, E.A. Mixed method evaluation of the CEBHA+ integrated knowledge translation approach: a protocol. Health Res Policy Sys, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-020-00675-w.

Krishnaratne, S., Pfadenhauer, L.M., Coenen, M., Geffert, K., Jung-Sievers, C., Klinger, C., Kratzer, S., Littlecott, H., Movsisyan, A., Rabe, J.E., Rehfuess, E.A., Sell, K., Strahwald, B., Stratil, J.M., Voss, S., Wabnitz, K., Burns, J. Measures implemented in the school setting to contain the COVID‐19 pandemic: a rapid scoping review. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020, https://doi.org//10.1002/14651858.CD013812.

Burns, J., Movsisyan, A., Stratil, J.M., Biallas, R.L., Coenen, M., Emmert-Fees, K.M.F., Geffert, K., Hoffmann, S., Horstick, O., Laxy, M., Klinger, C., Kratzer, S., Litwin, T., Norris, S., Pfadenhauer, L.M., von Philipsborn, P., Sell, K., Stadelmaier, J., Verboom, B., Voss, S., Wabnitz, K., Rehfuess, E.A. International travel‐related control measures to contain the COVID‐19 pandemic: a rapid review. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2021, https://doi.org//10.1002/14651858.CD013717.

Burns, J., Movsisyan, A., Biallas, R., Coenen, M., Geffert, K., Horstick, O., Klerings, I., Pfadenhauer L.M., von Philipsborn, P., Sell, K., Strahwald, B., Stratil, J.M., Voss, S., Rehfuess, E.A. Travel-related control measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic: an evidence map, BMJ Open, 2021, e041619, 11(4), https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-041619.

Von Philipsborn, P., Biallas, R., Burns, J., Drees, S., Geffert, K., Movsisyan, A., Pfadenhauer, L.M., Sell, K., Strahwald, B., Stratil, J.M., Rehfuess, E.A. Adverse effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in patients with viral respiratory infections: Rapid systematic review, BMJ Open, 2020, e040990, 10(11), https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-040990.

Sell, K., Rapp, M., Muehlan, H., Spiegler, J., Thyen, U. Frequency of Participation and Association with Functioning in Adolescents Born Extremely Preterm – Findings from a Population-based Cohort in Northern Germany, Early Hum Dev, 2018, 120 (67-73), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2018.04.003.

*shared first authorship

Articles in Specialised Press

Sell, K., De Bock, F., Thyen, U. [A Public Health Strategie for Germany: Health for All] (article in German), Dtsch Arztebl, (2021), A-1810, 118(40).

Sell, K., Stratil, J.M., Pfadenhauer, L.M., Rehfuess, E.A., Coenen, M., [Evidence use in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: Challenges and opportunities] (article in German) Public Health Forum, 2020, 28 (3): 226-230.

Arnold, L., Drees, S., Geffert, K., Gepp, S., Jung, L., Sell, K., Stratil, J.M. [HiAP after COVID-19: a perspective of the German Network of Young Professionals in Public Health] (article in German), Public Health Forum, 2020, 28 (3): 223-225.

Von Philipsborn, P., Wabnitz, K., Sell, K., Maintz, E., Rehfuess, E.A., Gabrysch, S. [Climate Action as an opportunity for better health] (article in German), Public Health Forum, 2020, 28(1): 75-77.

Mörschel, K., Stratil, J., Drees, S. Broeder, J., Arnold, L., Wabnitz, K., Hommes, F., Pscheidt, C., Jung, L., von Philipsborn, P., Sell, K. [A Public Health Strategy for Germany] (article in German), Gesundheitswesen, 2019, 81(07), 522-523.

Akçay, M., Bröder, J., Geffert, K., Drees, S., Havemann, M., Hommes, F., Jaehn, P., Nohl-Deryk, P., Krisam, M., Mohsenpour, A., Sell, K., Stratil, J., von Philipsborn, P. [Public Health in Germany: Perspectives of Young Professionals] (article in German), Das Gesundheitswesen, 2018, 81(03), 176-181. [Preprint Link]