Dr Marta Santillo
- Lecturer in Social Psychology
- Email: m.santillo@bathspa.ac.uk
- School: School of Sciences
Personal statement
Marta is a Lecturer in Psychology with a background in health and social Psychology. Marta's research interests are in the development and evaluation of health and social interventions using the Person-Based Approach. She is interested in Behaviour Change and complex digital interventions. She is interested in maternal mental health and wellbeing and in the use of creative methodologies for research and public engagement. She is interested in art-based and nature-based interventions. She is a qualitative researcher with experience in a variety of qualitative methods and mixed-methods research.
Before joining the School of Sciences at BSU in September 2026, Marta worked as behavioural and qualitative researcher in the development and evaluation of digital interventions to support clinicians and patients in primary and secondary care. The clinical areas she explored were antibiotics stewardship and respiratory care as part of clinical trials at the University of Oxford and the University of Southampton. Marta worked as research and project manager for a NIHR Team Science programme on investigating quality of life for patients with multiple long term conditions. She has also worked on two social prescribing projects on tailoring cultural offers for older adults from minority community groups and on quality of life of post-natal mothers from minority ethnic communities.
Marta is interested in supporting wellbeing, using creative methodologies, such as writing and mixed media arts. She is passionate about promoting equality, diversity, inclusivity. She loves nature and yoga.
Academic qualifications
- PhD in Health and Social Psychology, School of Psychology, University of Leeds, UK
- MSc in Social Psychology, University of Padova, Italy
- BSc in Social Psychology, University of Padova, Italy.
Areas of expertise
-
Health and Social Psychology
-
Behaviour Change
-
Intervention development
-
Person-Based Approach
-
Nature-based interventions
-
Art-based interventions
-
Aaternal mental health
-
Qualitative methods.
Research outputs
article
Westlake, D, Mahtani, K.R, Wong, G, Gorenberg, J, Santillo, M, Husk, K, Vougioukalou, S, Baxter, R, Dawson, S, Potter, C.M, Warburton, H, McDougall, B and Tierney, S (2026) 'Delivering inclusive cultural offers for social prescribing: a realist evaluation involving older people from global majority backgrounds and cultural sector providers in the UK.' Health Expectations, 29 (1). e70550. ISSN 1369-6513
article
Santillo, M, Gray, L.J, Young, H.M.L, Batty, J.A, Brockett, C, Aggarwal, V.R, Beaney, T, Wu, L, Kamarajah, S, Davies, N, Roberts, N, MacKay, T and Kirk, M.A (2025) 'Patient-reported quality of life (QoL) measurements in adults with multiple long-term conditions: a scoping review protocol.' Journal of Multimorbidity and Comorbidity, 15. ISSN 2633-5565
article
Santillo, M, Roleston, C, Armitage, K, Porter, C, Fielding, J, Wanat, M, Ahmed, S, Savic, S, Butler, C, Pavitt, S, Sandoe, J and Tonkin-Crine, S (2025) 'Patients’ acceptance of a penicillin allergy de-labelling programme in primary care: a qualitative study.' BJGP Open, 9 (3). BJGPO.2024.0136. ISSN 2398-3795
article
Santillo, M, Morton, K, Van Velthoven, M.H, Yardley, L, Thomas, M, Wang, K, Ainsworth, B and Tonkin-Crine, S (2025) 'Optimising stakeholder engagement during intervention planning and development using the Person-Based Approach: the example of an online FeNO-guided asthma management intervention in primary care.' npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine, 35 (33). ISSN 2055-1010
article
Roleston, C, Santillo, M, Armitage, K.F, Porter, C.E, Ahmed, S, Fielding, J, Wanat, M, Butler, C.C, Pavitt, S, Sandoe, J.A.T and Tonkin-Crine, S (2025) 'Healthcare professionals’ experiences of de-labelling erroneous penicillin allergy records in general practice: a qualitative study.' BJGP Open, 9 (3). BJGPO.2024.0119. ISSN 2398-3795
article
Sandoe, J.A.T et al (2025) 'Penicillin allergy assessment pathway versus usual clinical care for primary care patients with a penicillin allergy record in the UK (ALABAMA): an open-label, multicentre, randomised controlled trial.' The Lancet Primary Care, 1 (1). e100006. ISSN 3050-5143
article
Morton, K, Santillo, M, Van Velthoven, M.H, Yardley, L, Thomas, M, Wang, K, Ainsworth, B and Tonkin-Crine, S (2025) 'Promoting the implementation of clinical decision support systems in primary care: a qualitative exploration of implementing a Fractional exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO)-guided decision support system in asthma consultations.' PLoS ONE, 20 (2). e0317613. ISSN 1932-6203
article
Tierney, S, Gorenberg, J, Santillo, M, Westlake, D, Wong, G, Husk, K, Vougioukalou, S, Baxter, R, Dawson, S, Roberts, N, Potter, C, Warburton, H, McDougall, B, Latchem, J and Mahtani, K.R (2025) 'Digging for literature on tailoring cultural offers with and for older people from ethnic minority groups: a scoping review.' Lifestyle Medicine, 6 (1). e70004. ISSN 2688-3740
article
Hoste, M.E, Borek, A.J, Santillo, M, Roberts, N, Tonkin-Crine, S and Anthierens, S (2025) 'Point-of-care tests to manage acute respiratory tract infections in primary care: a systematic review and qualitative synthesis of healthcare professional and patient views.' Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 80 (1). pp. 29-46. ISSN 0305-7453
article
Armitage, K.F et al (2024) 'Penicillin allergy status and its effect on antibiotic prescribing, patient outcomes and antimicrobial resistance (ALABAMA): protocol for a multicentre, parallel-arm, open-label, randomised pragmatic trial.' BMJ Open, 13 (9). e072253. ISSN 2044-6055
article
Santillo, M, Tonkin-Crine, S, Wang, K, Butler, C.C and Wanat, M (2023) 'Management of asthma in primary care in the changing context of the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative longitudinal study with patients.' British Journal of General Practice, 73 (737). pp. 903-914. ISSN 0960-1643
article
Wanat, M, Santillo, M, Galal, U, Davoudianfar, M, Bongard, E, Savic, S, Savic, L, Porter, C, Fielding, J, Butler, C.C, Pavitt, S, Sandoe, J and Tonkin-Crine, S (2022) 'Mixed-methods evaluation of a behavioural intervention package to identify and amend incorrect penicillin allergy records in UK general practice.' BMJ Open, 12 (6). e057471. ISSN 2044-6055
article
Santillo, M, Ainsworth, B, Van Velthoven, M.H, Yardley, L, Thomas, M, Wang, K and Tonkin-Crine, S (2022) 'Qualitative study on perceptions of use of Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO) in asthma reviews.' npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine, 32. e13. ISSN 2055-1010
article
Wanat, M, Santillo, M, Borek, A.J, Butler, C.C, Anthierens, S and Tonkin-Crine, S (2022) 'The value, challenges and practical considerations of conducting qualitative research on antimicrobial stewardship in primary care.' JAC-Antimicrobial Resistance, 4 (2). dlac026. ISSN 2632-1823
article
Borek, A.J, Santillo, M, Wanat, M, Butler, C.C and Tonkin-Crine, S (2022) 'How can behavioural science contribute to qualitative research on antimicrobial stewardship in primary care?' JAC-Antimicrobial Resistance, 4 (1). dlac007. ISSN 2632-1823
article
Santillo, M, Wanat, M, Davoudianfar, M, Bongard, E, Savic, S, Savic, L, Porter, C, Fielding, J, Butler, C.C, Pavitt, S, Sandoe, J and Tonkin-Crine, S (2020) 'Developing a behavioural intervention package to identify and amend incorrect penicillin allergy records in UK general practice and subsequently change antibiotic use.' BMJ Open, 10 (10). e035793. ISSN 2044-6055
article
Mowbray, F, Sivyer, K, Santillo, M, Jones, N, Peto, T.E.A, Walker, A.S, Llewelyn, M.J and Yardley, L (2020) 'Patient engagement with antibiotic messaging in secondary care: a qualitative feasibility study of the ‘review and revise’ experience.' Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 6. e43. ISSN 2055-5784
article
Santillo, M et al (2019) 'Intervention planning for Antibiotic Review Kit (ARK): a digital and behavioural intervention to safely review and reduce antibiotic prescriptions in acute and general medicine.' Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 74 (11). pp. 3362-3370. ISSN 0305-7453
article
Cross, E.L.A, Sivyer, K, Islam, J, Santillo, M, Mowbray, F, Peto, T.E.A, Walker, A.S, Yardley, L and Llewelyn, M.J (2019) 'Adaptation and implementation of the ARK (Antibiotic Review Kit) intervention to safely and substantially reduce antibiotic use in hospitals: a feasibility study.' Journal of Hospital Infection, 103 (3). pp. 268-275. ISSN 0195-6701
article
Walker, A.S et al (2019) 'Antibiotic Review Kit for Hospitals (ARK-Hospital): study protocol for a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised controlled trial.' Trials, 20. e421. ISSN 1745-6215
article
Harrison, R, Anderson, J, Laloë, P-A, Santillo, M, Lawton, R and Wright, J (2014) 'Mentorship for newly appointed consultants: what makes it work?' Postgraduate Medical Journal, 90 (1066). pp. 439-445. ISSN 0032-5473