Mrs April Coombe BSc.Econ, MSc

April Coombe

Institute of Applied Health Research
Information Specialist

Contact details

Address
Public Health, Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Institute of Applied Health Research
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

April Coombe is an information specialist and works in the Biostatistics, Evidence Synthesis and Test Evaluation Research Group at the Institute of Applied Health Research.

April trained as a librarian, and has wide ranging information specialist and team leading experience across the academic/NHS sectors in NICE/NIHR/PHE and other funded projects.

April’s current focus is on developing search strategies to support bid submissions and evidence synthesis products across the institute and in collaboration with other universities. She also assists on the post-graduate taught module in Systematic Reviews and Evidence Synthesis; signposts students to appropriate search support and aids the Birmingham Clinical Trials Unit with their search requirements. She is an advisor in search methods for the West Midlands Research Design Service. Her interests include mobile health technology and search methodology.

Qualifications

  • MSc in Library/information studies: University of Central England 1998.
  • BSc (Hons) Philosophy: University of Wales, Swansea 1994.

Teaching

Other activities

Publications

Recent publications

Article

De Pablo, P, Dinnes, J, Berhane, S, Osman, A, Lim, Z, Coombe, A, Raza, K, Filer, A & Deeks, J 2022, 'Systematic review of imaging tests to predict the development of rheumatoid arthritis in people with unclassified arthritis', Seminars in arthritis and rheumatism, vol. 52, 151919. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.semarthrit.2021.10.003

Woolley, K, Dickinson-Craig, E, Bartington, S, Oludotun, T, Kirenga, B, Mariga, S, Kabera, T, Coombe, A, Pope, F, Singh, A, Avis, W, Day, R, Warburton, D, Manaseki-Holland, S, Moore, D & Thomas, GN 2021, 'Effectiveness of interventions to reduce household air pollution from solid biomass fuels and improve maternal and child health outcomes in low and middle income countries: a systematic review protocol', BMC Systematic Reviews, vol. 10, no. 1, 33. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-021-01590-z

Coombe, A 2019, 'Effects of physical activity calorie equivalent food labelling to reduce food selection and consumption: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled studies.', Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2019-213216

Commissioned report

Coombe, A 2015, New and emerging mobile health interventions that promote behavioural change.

Other contribution

Coombe, A 2005, Currency versus quality: the challenge for the Cardiovascular Diseases Specialist Library..

Poster

Simpson, S, Coombe, A, Tavener, J, Genus, T, Trevitt, S & Ward, D 2015, 'Using social media in early awareness and alert activities', HTAi Annual Meeting - Global Efforts in Knowledge Transfer, Oslo, Norway, 15/06/15 - 17/06/15.

Review article

Kettle, VE, Madigan, CD, Coombe, A, Graham, H, Thomas, JJC, Chalkley, AE & Daley, AJ 2022, 'Effectiveness of physical activity interventions delivered or prompted by health professionals in primary care settings: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials', BMJ, vol. 376, e068465. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2021-068465

View all publications in research portal

Culture and collections

Schools, institutes and departments

Services and facilities