Viviana Orena

Profile

I am a Chilean researcher specialising in epidemiology and public health, with expertise in both quantitative and qualitative research. I completed my academic training in Chile, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Physiotherapy, a Master’s degree in Epidemiology, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Effective Teaching in Higher Education. I am currently in the final stages of a PhD in Public Health and Primary Care at the University of Cambridge.

My doctoral research explored the behavioural barriers and facilitators influencing referrals of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to pulmonary rehabilitation in primary care in England. This work drew on systematic review methods, qualitative research, the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behaviour (COM-B) model, and the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF).

I have over ten years of experience across research, higher education, and clinical practice. I am currently a Methods Advisor at Queen Mary University of London, within the Wolfson Institute of Population Health (Centre for Evaluation & Methods, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry), working as part of the NIHR Research Support Service (Imperial College London and Partners). In this role, I advise researchers at all career stages on study design, methodology, and funding applications, supporting the development of high-quality proposals for NIHR funding schemes.

Previously, I was a lecturer at Universidad Mayor in Chile, where I taught health research methods, respiratory physiotherapy, and evidence-based healthcare to undergraduate and postgraduate students. I have also led, coordinated, and collaborated on observational epidemiological studies focused on lung health and the health effects of environmental exposures.

I am co-founder of the Lung Health Equity Group, a network of researchers and practitioners working to address inequalities in respiratory health, and founder of TopFastResearch (TFR), an independent consultancy supporting health research and methodological development.

Research

Research Interests:

Health Inequalities, Behaviour Change, Health Services Research, Epidemiological Research, Lung Health