Dr Helen Quirk

BSc MSc PhD

School of Medicine and Population Health

Research Fellow

H.Quirk@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 0754
Room 2037, 2nd Floor, Regent Court (ScHARR)

Full contact details

Dr Helen Quirk
School of Medicine and Population Health
Room 2037, 2nd Floor
Regent Court (ScHARR)
30 Regent Street
Sheffield
S1 4DA
Profile

My background is in psychology (BSc University of Sheffield, 2010) and sport and exercise psychology (MSc Sheffield Hallam University, 2012). I have a PhD from the University of Nottingham. The subject of my thesis was understanding how to promote physical activity in children with type 1 diabetes. I am a chartered member of the British Psychological Society and Co-Deputy Chair of the parkrun Research Board, hosted at the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre (AWRC) at Sheffield Hallam University.

I joined the University of Sheffield as a Research Fellow in April 2020 having been awarded an NIHR School of Public Health Research Launching Fellowship. 

Research interests

My research interests are in the promotion of physical activity, exercise, health and wellbeing in clinical and non-clinical populations. Before working in ScHARR, I was a researcher in the Academy of Sport and Physical Activity at Sheffield Hallam University and continue to be a visiting researcher in the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre (AWRC) at Sheffield Hallam University. I have been involved in the development, implementation and evaluation of physical activity interventions and have been commissioned by organisations such as parkrun, Public Health England, Diabetes UK and Sport England to evaluate programmes.

Current projects

• NIHR SPHR Launching Fellow in Public Health - April 2020 to March 2022

Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Journal articles

  • Quirk H (2024) . BMC Public Health, 24.
  • Lowe A, Myers A, Quirk H, Blackshaw J, Palanee S & Copeland R (2022) . BJGP Open, 6(3).
  • Quirk H, Haake S, Goyder E, Bullas A, Graney M & Wellington C (2022) . Health Promotion International.
  • Haake S, Quirk H & Bullas A (2022) . PLOS Global Public Health, 2(2).
  • Woodrow N, Fairbrother H, Crowder M, Goyder E, Griffin N, Holding E & Quirk H (2022) . Qualitative Research Journal, 22(2), 197-208.
  • Dunne A, Haake S, Quirk H & Bullas A (2021) . International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(24).
  • Quirk H, Bullas A, Haake S, Goyder E, Graney M, Wellington C, Copeland R, Reece L & Stevinson C (2021) . BMC Public Health, 21.
  • Quirk H & Haake S (2021) . BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, 13.
  • Smith RA, Schneider PP, Cosulich R, Quirk H, Bullas AM, Haake SJ & Goyder E (2021) . Health & Place, 71.
  • Quirk H, Heller B & Wright N (2020) . Canadian Journal of Diabetes, 44(8), 688-696.
  • Schneider PP, Smith RA, Bullas AM, Quirk H, Bayley T, Haake SJ, Brennan A & Goyder E (2020) . Public Health, 189, 48-53.
  • Quirk H, Hock E, Harrop D, Crank H, Peckham E, Traviss-Turner G, Machaczek K, Stubbs B, Horspool M, Weich S & Copeland R (2020) . European Psychiatry, 63(1).
  • Dash K, Goyder EC & Quirk H (2020) . Diabetic Medicine, 37(6), 934-944.
  • Smith R, Schneider P, Bullas A, Haake S, Quirk H, Cosulich R & Goyder E (2020) . Wellcome Open Research, 5.
  • Quirk H & Haake S (2019) . BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, 11(1).
  • Reece LJ, Quirk H, Wellington C, Haake SJ & Wilson F (2019) . British Journal of Sports Medicine, 53(6), 326-327.
  • Quirk H, Crank H, Carter A, Leahy H & Copeland RJ (2018) . BMC Public Health, 18(1).
  • Quirk H, Glazebrook C & Blake H (2018) . BMC Pediatrics, 18(1).
  • Quirk H, Crank H, Harrop D, Hock E & Copeland R (2017) . Systematic Reviews, 6.
  • Quirk H, Blake H, Dee B & Glazebrook C (2015) . BMC Pediatrics, 15.
  • Quirk H, Blake H, Dee B & Glazebrook C (2014) . BMC Pediatrics, 14.
  • Quirk H, Blake H, Tennyson R, Randell TL & Glazebrook C (2014) . Diabetic Medicine, 31(10), 1163-1173.
  • () . Advances in Pediatric Research.

All publications

Journal articles

  • Bowes E, Burke T, Faires M, Jones G, Machaczek K, Quirk H, Traviss-Turner G, Beeken R & Peckham E (2025) . Mental Health and Physical Activity, 29.
  • Rousham O, Quirk H, Goyder E & Smith RA (2024) . BMC Public Health, 24(1).
  • Haake S, Quirk H & Bullas A (2024) . PLOS Global Public Health, 4(10).
  • Machaczek K, Quirk H & Burton H (2024) . European Journal of Public Health, 34(Supplement_2).
  • Dunne A, Quirk H, Bullas A & Haake S (2024) . European journal of public health, 34(Supplement_2).
  • Quirk H, Bullas A, Haake S & Ker S (2024) . European Journal of Public Health, 34(Supplement_2).
  • Quirk H, Bullas A, Haake S & Ker S (2024) . European journal of public health, 34(Supplement_2).
  • (2024) 162 A qualitative investigation into causal mechanisms underpinning adherence to physical activity programmes among people with serious mental illness. European journal of public health, 34(Suppl 2).
  • Fairbrother H, Woodrow N, Holding E, Crowder M, Griffin N, Er V, Dodd-Reynolds C, Egan M, Scott S, Summerbell C , Rigby E et al (2024) . BMC Public Health, 24(1).
  • Dunne A, Quirk H, Bullas A & Haake S (2024) . Health Promotion International, 39(3).
  • Quirk H (2024) . BMC Public Health, 24.
  • Jones G, Bailey L, Beeken RJ, Brady S, Cooper C, Copeland RJ, Crosland S, Dawson S, Faires M, Gilbody S , Haynes H et al (2024) . Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 10(1).
  • Relph N, Owen M, Moinuddin M, Noonan R, Dey P, Bullas A, Quirk H & Haake S (2023) . Health Promotion International, 38(5).
  • Quirk H (2023) . European Journal of Public Health, 33(Supplement_1), ckad133.160-ckad133.160.
  • Quirk H (2023) . European journal of public health, 33(Supplement_1).
  • Haake S, Johnson TW, Bourne J, Quirk H & Bullas A (2023) . Open Heart, 10(2).
  • Ashdown-Franks G, Sabiston CM, Stubbs B, Atkinson M, Quirk H & Bullas A (2023) . Psychology, Health & Medicine, 28(9), 2621-2634.
  • Machaczek KK, Quirk H, Firth J, Carney R, Copeland RJ, Pollard N, Peckham E, Hampshaw S, De-la Haye S, Burton H & Goyder E (2022) . Mental Health and Physical Activity, 23.
  • Haake S, Quirk H & Bullas A (2022) . British Journal of General Practice, 72(722), e634-e640.
  • Lowe A, Myers A, Quirk H, Blackshaw J, Palanee S & Copeland R (2022) . BJGP Open, 6(3).
  • Quirk H, Haake S, Goyder E, Bullas A, Graney M & Wellington C (2022) . Health Promotion International.
  • Cholerton R, Butt J, Quirk H & Breckon J (2022) . Journal of Aging and Physical Activity.
  • Haake S, Quirk H & Bullas A (2022) . PLOS Global Public Health, 2(2).
  • Woodrow N, Fairbrother H, Crowder M, Goyder E, Griffin N, Holding E & Quirk H (2022) . Qualitative Research Journal, 22(2), 197-208.
  • Dunne A, Haake S, Quirk H & Bullas A (2021) . International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(24).
  • Quirk H, Bullas A, Haake S, Goyder E, Graney M, Wellington C, Copeland R, Reece L & Stevinson C (2021) . BMC Public Health, 21.
  • Quirk H & Haake S (2021) . BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, 13.
  • Myers A, Quirk H, Lowe A, Crank H, Broom D, Jones N, Reid H, Speers C & Copeland R (2021) . PLoS ONE, 16(9).
  • Smith RA, Schneider PP, Cosulich R, Quirk H, Bullas AM, Haake SJ & Goyder E (2021) . Health & Place, 71.
  • Cholerton R, Quirk H, Breckon J & Butt J (2021) . Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 29(4), 573-585.
  • Quirk H, Heller B & Wright N (2020) . Canadian Journal of Diabetes, 44(8), 688-696.
  • Schneider PP, Smith RA, Bullas AM, Quirk H, Bayley T, Haake SJ, Brennan A & Goyder E (2020) . Public Health, 189, 48-53.
  • Quirk H, Hock E, Harrop D, Crank H, Peckham E, Traviss-Turner G, Machaczek K, Stubbs B, Horspool M, Weich S & Copeland R (2020) . European Psychiatry, 63(1).
  • Haake S, Quirk H & Bullas A (2020) . Proceedings, 49(1).
  • Dash K, Goyder EC & Quirk H (2020) . Diabetic Medicine, 37(6), 934-944.
  • Smith R, Schneider P, Bullas A, Haake S, Quirk H, Cosulich R & Goyder E (2020) . Wellcome Open Research, 5.
  • Cholerton R, Breckon J, Butt J & Quirk H (2020) . Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 28(4), 521-533.
  • Quirk H & Haake S (2019) . BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, 11(1).
  • Knox ECL, Quirk H, Glazebrook C, Randell T & Blake H (2019) . BMC Endocrine Disorders, 19(1).
  • Reece LJ, Quirk H, Wellington C, Haake SJ & Wilson F (2019) . British Journal of Sports Medicine, 53(6), 326-327.
  • Quirk H, Crank H, Carter A, Leahy H & Copeland RJ (2018) . BMC Public Health, 18(1).
  • Quirk H, Rosario DJ & Bourke L (2018) . BMC Urology, 18(1).
  • Quirk H, Glazebrook C & Blake H (2018) . BMC Pediatrics, 18(1).
  • Quirk H, Crank H, Harrop D, Hock E & Copeland R (2017) . Systematic Reviews, 6.
  • Blake H, Quirk H, Leighton P, Randell T, Greening J, Guo B & Glazebrook C (2016) . Trials, 17(1).
  • Quirk H, Blake H, Dee B & Glazebrook C (2015) . BMC Pediatrics, 15.
  • Quirk H, Blake H, Dee B & Glazebrook C (2014) . BMC Pediatrics, 14.
  • Quirk H, Blake H, Tennyson R, Randell TL & Glazebrook C (2014) . Diabetic Medicine, 31(10), 1163-1173.
  • Turner RR, Steed L, Quirk H, Greasley RU, Saxton JM, Taylor SJC, Rosario DJ, Thaha MA & Bourke L () . Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2018(9).
  • () . Advances in Pediatric Research.

Conference proceedings

  • Quirk H (2023) Is parkrun an equitable health intervention? A qualitative study exploring how a free, weekly, community-based physical activity initiative engages with underrepresented groups in the UK. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Vol. 33 (pp I64-I65)
  • Haake S, Quirk H & Bullas A (2021) What impact does parkrun have on previously inactive people? Results from the parkrun health and wellbeing survey 2018. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE, Vol. 28(SUPPL 1) (pp S117-S117)
  • Quirk H & Haake S (2018) Interim evaluation results from the parkrun PROVE project. JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & HEALTH, Vol. 15(10) (pp S100-S100)

Preprints

  • Dunne A, Bullas A, Quirk H & Haake S (2025) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
  • Quirk H (2023) , Research Square Platform LLC.
  • Quirk H & Haake S (2021) , Research Square Platform LLC.
  • Quirk H, Haake S, Goyder E, Bullas A, Graney M & Wellington C (2021) , Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
  • Quirk H, Bullas A, Haake S, Goyder E, Graney M, Wellington C, Copeland R, Reece L & Stevinson C (2020) , Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
  • Copeland RJ, Myers A, Quirk H, Crank H, Broom D & Goldsmith S (2020) , Center for Open Science.
  • Copeland RJ, Myers A, Quirk H, Crank H, Broom D & Goldsmith S (2020) , Center for Open Science.
Research group

PhD Supervision

I am currently supervising Research Students at Sheffield Hallam University conducting research into: i) the initiation and maintenance of walking football among older adults and ii) community-based physical activity and mental health; a case study of parkrun.

I am interested in supervising Research Students in topics/areas such as community-based physical activity promotion and/or associated health inequalities, physical activity for people with long-term health conditions, physical activity among children and young people and any research exploring the public health potential of parkrun.

Grants

NIHR SPHR Launching Fellow in Public Health - April 2020 to March 2022

NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research (PGfAR) Supporting Physical and Activity through Co-production in people with Severe Mental Illness (SPACES): £2,418,231 (Sept 2021 to present) Awarded to Helen Quirk as co-applicant.

Professional activities and memberships

• Co-Deputy Chair of the parkrun Research Board.
• Associate Editor for the International Journal of Sport Psychology.