Dr. Ernestina Coast

Biography

Professor Ernestina Coast is a social scientist with expertise in health and international development, focusing on the intersection of social science approaches to health, gender, and development. She has a strong background in demography and anthropology, employing mixed methods to understand the complex relationships between social contexts and health-related behaviors, particularly in the domain of sexual and reproductive health. Professor Coast is the Principal Investigator for various initiatives aimed at improving adolescent access to contraception and safe abortion in sub-Saharan Africa. She serves as a thematic lead on projects addressing sexual and reproductive health and has acted as an adviser for notable organizations, including DFID, UNAIDS, and Marie Stopes International. Additionally, she is a Visiting Scholar at the African Population and Health Research Centre and supervises PhD students on health-related topics across diverse countries. As Program Co-Director of the MSc in Health & International Development, she continues to contribute significantly to the field, evidenced by her past role on the Guideline Development Group for Maternal Newborn Health and her Board membership at the Guttmacher Institute. Professor Coast’s research interests extend to public health, HIV/AIDS, and reproductive health, reflecting her commitment to improving health outcomes globally.

Research Interests

Courses