University of Ghana

Bernard Afriyie Owusu is an early-career Public Health Scientist from Ghana, West Africa. He holds a Master of Philosophy degree in Population and Health from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. Bernard is an Assistant Programmes Manager for the Fondation Botnar-funded Adolescent Health and Well-being Check-up (Y-Check), and the NIHR funded Youth in Mind (Y-MIND) projects in Ghana.

Bernard has published twenty (20) peer-reviewed articles in reputable international public health journals. His research focus is the social, behavioural, and psychosocial determinants of health outcomes, especially of young people living with insulin-dependent diabetes in low-middle-income countries (LMICs). Bernard is currently pursuing a PhD at the School of Public Health, University of Ghana funded by the African Mental Health Research Initiative (AMARI) II.

For this PhD, Bernard’s research focuses on the synergy between insulin-dependent diabetes and common mental health outcomes including distress, depression, and anxiety among young people living with the disease. His research further aims to optimise interventions that seeks to improve psychosocial health and well-being for young people living with diabetes and their caregivers in Ghana. Bernard believes strongly in the transformation of the African mental health landscape through culturally appropriate interventions, research, advocacy, and leadership.

Supervisors:

• Prof Philip Baba Adongo, University of Ghana (Primary supervisor)

• Dr Amal Khanolkar, King's College London