Professor Ruth Garside
Last modified: August 21, 2025
@Ruth_GarsideAbout
About the organisation(s) I've worked for
Organisation name:
University of ExeterAbout my experience and expertise
Personal statement:
I am a social science researcher specialising in systematic review and evidence synthesis about the interconnections between environment and health. I use quantitative and qualitative research methods to investigate policy relevant questions. My work has informed a range of national policy customers. I am particularly interested in methods of synthesis for qualitative research and in theory led methods of review.
I am also involved in a suite of projects related to Green Social Prescribing.
I am an advocate of public / patient involvement in research.
Key topic areas of research or interest:
Systematic reviews to inform policy making across a range of health, social and environmental topics.
Qualitative evidence synthesis
Mixed methods systematic reviews
Green Social Prescribing
Collaboration opportunities:
Training and support around methods for systematic review and evidence synthesis including rapid reviews, qualitative evidence synthesis and mixed methods synthesis.
Green/ nature-based Social prescribing.
Happy to do media work, consultancy, commissions etc.
Publications:
Haywood, A, Dayson, C, Garside, R Foster, Lovell, R, Husk, K et al (2024) National Evaluation of the Preventing and Tackling Mental Ill Health through Green Social Prescribing Project. Final Report. Report for Defra. Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. (Available here)
Thomas J, Kneale D, Booth A, Garside R, Noyes J. “Selecting and using theory” Chapter 3. Cochrane-Campbell Handbook for Qualitative Evidence Synthesis, Version 1. London: Cochrane. (Available here)
Kneale D, Thomas J, Booth A, Garside R, Noyes J. Chapter 4. Developing and using logic models. Draft version (October 2023) for inclusion in: Noyes J, Harden A, editor(s). Cochrane-Campbell Handbook for Qualitative Evidence Synthesis, Version 1. London: Cochrane. (Available here)
Sutcliffe K, Harden A, Noyes J, Thomas J, Garside R. Chapter 14. Integrating qualitative and quantitative review evidence. Draft version (February 2024) for inclusion in: Noyes J, Harden A, editor(s). Cochrane-Campbell Handbook for Qualitative Evidence Synthesis, Version 1. London: Cochrane. (Available here)
Using qualitative evidence in decision-making: An approach to assess confidence in findings from qualitative evidence syntheses (GRADE-CERQual). https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1001895. PLOS Medicine 2015
Understanding how environmental enhancement and conservation activities may benefit health and wellbeing: a systematic review. https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-015-2214-3 BMC Public Health 2015
Is it safe to go back in the water? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the risk of acquiring illnesses from recreational exposure to seawater. https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/47/2/572/4911079 International Journal of Epidemiology 2018.
What approaches to social prescribing work, for whom, and in what circumstances? A realist review. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/hsc.12839 Health Soc Care Community. 2019.
Developing methods for the overarching synthesis of quantitative and qualitative evidence: the interweave synthesis approach. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jrsm.1383 Research Synthesis Methods. 2019.
Review of the evidence for oceans and human health relationships in Europe: A systematic map. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412020322303?via%3Dihub Environment International 2021
Human health impacts of exposure to phthalate plasticizers: An overview of reviews. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412021005286. Environment International 2022
Existing evidence on antibiotic resistance exposure and transmission to humans from the environment: a systematic map. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13750-022-00262-2 Environmental Evidence 2022
What are the effects of animals on the health and wellbeing of residents in care homes? A systematic review of the qualitative and quantitative evidence. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-023-03834-0. BMC Geriatrics, 2023.
National Evaluation of the Preventing and Tackling Mental Ill Health through Green Social Prescribing Project. Interim Report. September 2021 to September 2022. (2023) Report for Defra. Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. https://beyondgreenspace.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/15783_gsp_evaluation_interim_report_-_main_report_jan_2023.pdf
Other projects and networks:
A Handbook for Nature on Prescription to promote mental health. Version 1. University of Exeter. DOI/10.5281/zenodo.4817914.svg https://www.ecehh.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/A-Handbook-for-Nature-on-Prescription-to-Promote-Mental-Health_FINAL.pdf
Podcast BMJ Performing medicine, and prescribing nature. (2023) https://thebmjpodcast.podbean.com/e/christmas-2023-performing-medicine-and-prescribing-nature/
Conducting a meta-ethnography. in: Noyes J, Harden A, editor(s). Cochrane-Campbell Handbook for Qualitative Evidence Synthesis, Version 1. 0. London: Cochrane https://training.cochrane.org/cochrane-campbell-handbook-qualitative-evidence-synthesis
European Centre for Environment and Human Health https://www.ecehh.org/
Cochrane Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group https://methods.cochrane.org/qi/
Campbell Collaboration Methods group https://www.campbellcollaboration.org/contact/coordinating-groups/methods.html
Collaboration for Environmental Evidence https://environmentalevidence.org/the-board/
