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Suruchi
Sood
,
PhD

Senior Scientist

Suruchi Sood, PhD, is a global health communication expert advancing behavior and social change through innovative research and capacity strengthening while spearheading impactful projects worldwide. 

Contact Info

111 Market Pl. , Ste 310
Baltimore
Maryland
21202
US        

Research Interests

Dr. Suruchi Sood's research centers on health communication and social and behavior change communication (SBCC) with a strong focus on vulnerable populations. Her work spans critical global health issues, including violence against children, female genital mutilation (FGM), child marriage, sexual and reproductive health, vaccine hesitancy, and menstrual health management. Dr. Sood's research often explores how communication strategies can shift harmful social norms and behaviors, mainly through evidence-based frameworks like the ACT framework, which addresses FGM.

Her research incorporates mixed methods and participatory approaches, combining quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate the effectiveness of health interventions. She has led numerous international studies funded by organizations such as UNICEF, USAID, and UNFPA, often using entertainment education, social media, and community engagement to promote health behaviors. Dr. Sood’s research also emphasizes monitoring and evaluation, ensuring that programs reach and resonate with communities, fostering long-term behavior change across diverse global contexts.

 

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Experiences & Accomplishments
Education
PhD
University of New Mexico
1999
MAIA
Ohio University
1995
BA
Jadavpur University
1990
Overview

Dr. Suruchi Sood's research centers on health communication and social and behavior change communication (SBCC) with a strong focus on vulnerable populations. Her work spans critical global health issues, including violence against children, female genital mutilation (FGM), vaccine hesitancy, and menstrual health management. Dr. Sood's research often explores how communication strategies can shift harmful social norms and behaviors, particularly through evidence-based frameworks like the ACT framework, which addresses FGM.

Her research incorporates mixed methods and participatory approaches, combining quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate the effectiveness of health interventions. She has led numerous international studies, funded by organizations such as UNICEF, USAID, and UNFPA, often using entertainment-education, social media, and community engagement to promote health behaviors. Dr. Sood’s research also emphasizes monitoring and evaluation, ensuring that programs not only reach but resonate with communities, fostering long-term behavior change across diverse global contexts.

Honors & Awards

2022: Best of UNICEF Research (BOUR) Award for publishing the ACT framework package on measuring social norms around Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

2019: American Public Health Association (APHA) Public Health Education and Health Promotion (PHEHP) Section’s Everett M. Rogers Award.

2016 & 2018: Department of Community Health and Prevention Advisor Award.

2015: Golden Apple Award for excellence in teaching at Drexel University.

2015: Nominated for Best of UNICEF Research for a publication on Communication for Development (C4D) approaches to address Violence against Children (VaC).

Select Publications

Most Recent Publications (2023-2024)

  • Selected 

    Sood, S., & Rimon II, J. (2024). Social and Behavior Change Communication in Sexual and Reproductive Health. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Global Public Health. Oxford University Press.

    Sood, S., and Haile-Selasse, R.* (2024). Entertainment-education and linguistic diversity, In S. Ramirez (Ed). The handbook of language in public health and health care. Wiley Publications.

    Sood, S., Riley, A. H., & Birkenstock, L. *(2024). Entertainment-education and climate change: Program examples, evidence, and best practices from around the World. In  Stover, J.,* 

    Avadhanula, L.,* & Sood, S. (2024). A review of strategies and levels of community engagement in strengths-based and needs-based health communication interventions. Frontiers in Public Health12, 1231827. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1231827

    Snyder, K.,* HaileSalease, R.J.,* Kaimal, G., & Sood, S. (2023). Assessing social norms, health behavior, and change using visually informed participatory research tools: Social Network Mapping and 2x2 Tables. Journal of Participatory Research Methods. https://doi.org/10.35844/001c.74809

     

Projects
Baseline Study to measure FGM and Child Marriage Related Social Norms in Uganda. UNICEF, Uganda. Total Award $277, 816 Principal Investigator.
Strengthening Monitoring and Evaluation of the Sudan Free of FGM+ and the Joint Program on FGM in Sudan for social norms change. 2020 –2022. UNICEF Sudan. Total Award: $245,384.00. Principal Investigator.
Formative research and communication strategy development to achieve justice for children in contact with the law in Sudan. 2019–2020. UNICEF, Sudan. Total Award: $104,209. Principal Investigator.
Development of a global framework to measure and evaluate social norms changes in FGM programming. 2016–2020. UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on FGM/C: Accelerating Change. Total Award: $440,113.00. Principal Investigator.
Evaluation of the Social and Behavior Change Activity in Ugnda, USAID's Flagship Program Breakthrough, ACTION