Prof Liz McDermott

Job Title: Professor of Mental Health & Society; Deputy Director of the Institute for Mental Health
Organisation: University of Birmingham
Chief Investigator

Liz is a public health specialist in LGBTQ young people’s mental health. She is a public health practitioner by background and previously worked for a decade in the NHS. Her research expertise is focussed on explaining why there are inequalities in young people’s mental health, and unravelling the mechanisms by which poor mental health is distributed unfairly across the adolescent and young adult population.

Liz was also the Chief Investigator of the Queer Futures study funded by the Department of Health that produced the first national evidence in England on LGBTQ youth, suicide, self-harm and help-seeking. The results from the study have made an important contribution to explaining why young people who are non-heterosexual may self-harm or feel suicidal, and how they seek help. The study results have contributed to mental health policy and practice both nationally and internationally and have been utilized by the UK Government National Suicide Prevention Strategy, Deputy Chief Medical Office Public Health England, and Government Equalities Office.

https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/staff/profiles/social-policy/mcdermott-elizabeth.aspx