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Senior Technical Team

Diksha Sapkota

Senior Health and Justice Advisor

Dr. Diksha Sapkota is a distinguished researcher and academic with extensive expertise in public health, domestic violence, and mental health. She earned her PhD from Griffith University in 2021, focusing on domestic violence and mental health among pregnant women in Nepal. She also holds Master’s degree in Public Health from B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Nepal.

With nearly a decade of experience in research and academic roles, Dr. Sapkota has significantly contributed to public health initiatives at both national and international levels. Her research is dedicated to improving health and social outcomes for women in challenging circumstances, particularly those experiencing domestic violence, pregnancy or criminal justice involvement. Her interdisciplinary work bridges multiple fields, including public health, social work, psychology, nursing, midwifery, epidemiology, and criminology. 

Dr. Sapkota’s scholarly contributions include pioneering studies on psychosocial interventions for women affected by domestic violence, systematic reviews of support interventions for abused pregnant women in low- and middle-income countries, and innovative use of population-based administrative datasets to examine the burden of mental disorders and violence among women in contact with the criminal justice system. With over 30 peer-reviewed publications and extensive experience as an academician, nurse and researcher, she has made significant contributions in advancing the science of women’s health issues.

At PERC, Dr. Sapkota provides critical technical guidance on research design, intervention development, analysis methodologies, and gender-based violence frameworks, enhancing the rigor and impact of public health studies. Her unwavering commitment to advancing public health research has established her as a leading figure in addressing health disparities related to violence, reproductive health, and mental health.

What supports do incarcerated mothers and their families need? The views of incarcerated mothers and service providers

Women & Criminal Justice, 1–20

https://doi.org/10.1080/08974454.2024.2425967

Lockwood, K., Sapkota, D., Thompson, C., McGee, T. R., Ransley, J., Williams, C., … Dennison, S.

Timing, frequency, and duration of incarceration and their impact on mental illness: Evidence from and Australian birth cohort.

Journal of Criminal Justice. 94, 102246.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2024.102246

Sapkota D., Ogilvie, J., Thompson, M.C., Kuluk, A., & Dennison, S. (2024).

Perceptions on violence against women and its impacts on mental health and response mechanisms among community-based stakeholders: A qualitative study from Nepal.

BMC Women’s Health. 24, 258.

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-024-03064-5%20

Shrestha, R., Sapkota, D., Sarraf, R. R, et al. (2024).

Feasibility and effectiveness of an intervention to reduce intimate partner violence and psychological distress among women in Nepal: Protocol for the Domestic Violence Intervention (DeVI) cluster-randomized trial.

Shrestha, R., Sapkota, D., Mehra, D., Ekstrom, M.A., & Deuba, K. (2023).

https://doi.org/10.2196/45917

JMIR Research Protocols, 12, e45917.

Development and validation of an information booklet aimed at promoting mental health for pregnant women with a history of abuse.

Journal of Nepal Health Research Council, 17(4), 456-462.

http://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027436

Sapkota, D., Baird, K., Saito, A., Budhathoki, S. S., Pokharel, R., Basnet, S., & Anderson, D. (2020).

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