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Dr Santosh Vijaykumar

Associate Professor

School: Psychology

Santosh is a health and risk communication scientist with research interests at the intersection of public health, behavioural science and new media technologies.

Specifically, he studies mobile and social media interventions for addressing global health challenges with a focus on tropical and infectious diseases. Santosh’s research analyses and evaluates the effects of both, bespoke innovations (like crowdsourced surveillance applications) as well as generic platforms (like Twitter and Facebook) on individuals, communities and health systems during infectious disease outbreaks. The research approach involves mixed methodologies, trans-disciplinary conceptualization and collaborations with policymakers, activists and the industry. His work, spanning the US, Singapore, Sri Lanka and India, has been published in PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Journal of Medical Internet Research, Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and Journal of Nutrition Education and Behaviour among others. 

Campus Address

Northumberland Building



  • Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
  • Examining public acceptance of AI versus human-centric dementia care across NHS England’s dementia pathway stages, O'Fee, T., Vijaykumar, S., Craig, M. 2 Nov 2025
  • Illustrating Key Components to Co-Creation Through Preventive Care mHealth Messaging with Underserved Communities and Expert Partners, Stadnick, N., Geremia, C., Cain, K., Oswald, W., Watson, P., Ibarra, M., Nguyen, M., Altemimi, Z., Hammi, N., Bautista, M., Alrefaee, M., Chu, T., Wagner, N., Vijaykumar, S., O’Leary, S., Diaz, E., Aldous, J., Rabin, B. 12 Dec 2025, In: Journal of Medical Systems
  • Overcoming informational conflict: The role, limits, and new opportunities of expert voices in crisis and risk communication, Lu, X., Jin, Y., Vijaykumar, S. 6 Nov 2025, In: Crisis and Risk Communication
  • Trust Erosion Framework for Organisational Responses to and Management of Global Emergencies, Eaddy, L., Vijaykumar, S., Jin, Y., Lu, X., Sharma, S., Raamkumar, A. 1 Jun 2025, In: Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management
  • Understanding How Privacy and Data Protection Perceptions Shape Nigerian Journalists' Use of AI Tools: A Work in Progress, Tijani, O., Mahoney, J., Vijaykumar, S., Nicholson, J. 1 Sep 2025, 2025 IEEE European Symposium on Security and Privacy Workshops (EuroS&PW), Piscataway, IEEE
  • Understanding How Privacy and Data Protection Perceptions Shape Nigerian Journalists’ Use of AI Tools, Tijani, O., Mahoney, J., Vijaykumar, S., Nicholson, J. 9 Apr 2025, Socio Technical Aspects in Security Workshop (STAST)
  • Animations to communicate public health prevention messages: a realist review protocol, McCorry, K., Maniatopoulos, G., Errington, L., Land, E., Craig, M., Vijaykumar, S., Bärnighausen, T., O'Brien, N. 9 Aug 2024, In: BMJ Open
  • Crisis Communication, Jin, Y., Vijaykumar, S. 2023, The International Encyclopedia of Health Communication, Hoboken, NJ, Blackwell Publishing
  • How do we differentiate not demonise – Is there a role for healthier processed foods in an age of food insecurity? Proceedings of a roundtable event, Lockyer, S., Spiro, A., Berry, S., He, J., Loth, S., Martinez‐Inchausti, A., Mellor, D., Raats, M., Sokolović, M., Vijaykumar, S., Stanner, S. 1 Jun 2023, In: Nutrition Bulletin
  • Influences of News and Social Media on Food Insecurity and Hoarding Behavior During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Charilaou, L., Vijaykumar, S. 2023, In: Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness

  • Health Studies PhD September 20 2010
  • Journalism MA December 30 2005


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