Dr Jinan Rabbee

Profile

I am a researcher with an academic background in nutrition and public health. I completed a BSc in Nutrition (2014) followed by an MSc in Food Innovation (2015), and subsequently gained industry experience within the FMCG sector. This early career phase strengthened my expertise in food science, sustainability, and the translation of evidence into real-world public health interventions.

In 2022, I completed my PhD at Leeds Beckett University, where my research explored the feasibility and acceptability of intervention components for the prevention of Type 2 diabetes in UK Arabs. This work focused on addressing health inequalities through culturally-sensitive and faith-based, community-based participatory research methods, aiming to reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes among UK Arabs. This combined behavioural science with public health strategies to explore the feasibility and acceptability of interventions that are both practical and impactful.

More recently, I have become increasingly interested in maternal health in ethnic minority groups, shaped by my academic background and my own experience as a mother of two. I am particularly interested in how community and faith-based spaces might help make maternity and postnatal care easier to access, more welcoming, and fairer for families who face barriers to care. This growing area of interest is guiding my future work, with a focus on working alongside communities to explore practical, real-world approaches that support parents and families.

Research interests

My research focuses on improving maternal health during pregnancy and the postnatal period, with a particular emphasis on physical activity and equitable access to care. I am committed to supporting maternity and postnatal services that are more accessible, inclusive, and responsive, particularly for ethnically diverse and underserved communities. I am especially interested in how culturally sensitive and faith-informed approaches can support engagement with care and promote sustainable health behaviours across a range of settings, including clinical services, community hubs, and faith-based spaces. Through collaboration with NHS organisations, local authorities, and community partners, my work aims to address inequalities in maternal outcomes. Across my research, I examine the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of interventions, with a focus on physical activity, health behaviours, and overall wellbeing. Co-production is central to my approach, ensuring that services are shaped by and reflect the needs, priorities, and lived experiences of parents and families.

Overall, my work seeks to bridge evidence, policy, and practice, contributing to maternity care models that are not only effective but also equitable, practical, and meaningful in real-world contexts.

Current Projects

My current research spans a portfolio of applied maternal health projects focused on improving physical activity, wellbeing, and equitable access to care, particularly for underserved and ethnically diverse communities.

Maternal Postnatal Check Project

I am currently working as a Research Fellow on an ESRC-funded quality improvement project aimed at improving the 6 to 8 week maternal postnatal check within one of Leeds’ most underserved and ethnically diverse Primary Care Networks (PCNs). Working in partnership with the Burmantofts, Harehills and Richmond Hill PCN, this project involves co-producing a Maternal Postnatal Check Toolkit to support more consistent, inclusive, and evidence-informed care. The toolkit includes a standardised GP consultation template, referral prompts, and accessible patient-facing resources hosted on the Women’s Health Hub. Through listening groups, implementation support, and evaluation of practice data, the project aims to enhance how postnatal checks address maternal physical activity, pelvic health, emotional wellbeing, and recovery.

MAMA-Move (Muslim and Motherhood Activity)

MAMA-Move is a mixed-methods study exploring how faith and culture shape physical activity during pregnancy and the first year after birth among Muslim women in the UK. The study combines a UK-wide online survey (available in English and Arabic) with women-only focus groups involving participants who are pregnant or up to 12 months postpartum. It aims to understand how cultural and faith-based influences shape movement behaviours and to identify meaningful, culturally sensitive approaches to supporting physical activity.

The project has been co‑developed with my colleague, Dr Camilla Nykjaer; with MSc Sport and Exercise Medicine student and physiotherapist, Khadija Baghdady, who is undertaking this work as part of her dissertation under supervision.

Using an online UK‑wide survey available in English and Arabic, alongside women‑only focus groups for those who are pregnant or up to 12 months postnatal, the study aims to understand how faith and culture influence movement behaviours and to identify what meaningful, culturally sensitive support looks like from the perspective of Muslim women themselves. If you would like to be involved or learn more, please email mamamove@leeds.ac.uk.

Enhancing Access to Maternity Care Through Wellbeing Pods

I am a researcher on a project exploring how community-based “Wellbeing Pods” in libraries and hubs can improve access to maternity care for individuals in socioeconomically deprived areas. Developed by Leeds City Council, Leeds Health Partnership, and the NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, these wellbeing pods provide alternative, non-clinical spaces for accessing care and support. My role involves contributing to the design and delivery of a mixed-methods evaluation, including surveys, focus groups, and interviews, to assess utilisation, acceptability, and impact. The research also examines engagement with wider community services, such as welfare advice and digital support. Findings will inform future commissioning and service development.

Bump and Baby Fit

I provide qualitative research support to the evaluation of Bump and Baby Fit, a programme designed to support women at risk of gestational diabetes through accessible physical activity opportunities, including yoga and swimming. My contribution focuses on exploring participants’ experiences of the programme, including perceived benefits, barriers to engagement, and factors influencing sustained participation, alongside impacts on physical activity and wellbeing.

The Athena Pathway

The Athena Pathway is an enhanced midwifery care model for pregnant people with a BMI of 40 kg/m² or above. I contribute to ongoing work to strengthen and evaluate the pathway, including supporting a rapid review of care models and a UK-wide mapping of obesity-in-pregnancy pathways across NHS Trusts. This work will help inform the continued development of more personalised and responsive maternity care.

Co-investigator (Co-I)

• Enhancing access to maternity care using Wellbeing Pods in community hubs and libraries
• MAMA‑Move (Muslim and Motherhood Activity)

Qualifications

• PhD Public Health (2022)
• MSc Food Innovation (2015)
• BSc Human Nutrition (2014)
• Level 3 - Exercise Referral Specialist (2019)
• Level 3 - Personal Trainer (2018)