Mia Closs (previously Nelson) is a Research Fellow working at the Centre for Population Health Sciences. Mia holds a PhD in Psychology and an MSc in Health Promotion and Health Education.  She is also a registered nurse and midwife.

Mia undertook her clinical training at Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie Maternity Hospital in Cambridge, where she continued to work in the care and management of acute and chronic medical patients.  Her clinical practice later specialised in the field of communicable diseases and sexual health, working in medical hepatology wards, infectious and tropical disease isolation units, and HIV centres around London and the South East of England.

Mia has a broad experience of research design but specialises in qualitative and mixed methodologies in applied research. Her research interests draw equally on her psychology, nursing and midwifery backgrounds and her clinical experience facilitates particular insight into the theoretical, organisational and social issues important for studies conducted within the NHS.  Mia's work focuses on the experience of health, illness and healthcare provision and she has a specific interest in inequalities in service access and provision, quality-of-life, and end-of-life care. 

Mia is currently involved in a 2-year mixed methods study at the University.  The study aims to assess the feasibility and acceptability of offering opportunistic HPV vaccination during standard sexual health care to people at high risk of HPV and cervical cancer and identify the type-specific prevalence of HPV amongst the study participants. 

Previously, Mia was the Qualitative Research Fellow on the recently completed DENS Study, which explored how using/not using hard collar management following a dens fracture affects older/frail adults’ everyday QoL, and the SCREEN Project, examining Cervical Screening in minority ethnic populations in Scotland.  Mia was also involved in the initial stages of the LUNGSCOT study, piloting Lung Cancer Screening in Scotland.  

Outside the university, Mia has worked as an independent researcher, Co-leading a 3-year project undertaking an independent evaluation of a Hospice@Home service in central Scotland.