Dr Dia Soilemezi
Biography
Dr Dia Soilemezi is a Researcher Psychologist and a Qualitative Methodologist. She is a Visiting Senior Research Fellow in Department of Psychology and currently works part-time as a Senior Research Adviser at the NIHR-funded Research Support Service Hub (delivered by the University of Southampton and partners).
Dia graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Psychology from the University of Crete (Greece), has an MSc in Health Psychology from Sussex University and a PhD in Psychology from the University of Portsmouth. Dia’s PhD project focused on the impact of the home environment in dementia care and was shortlisted for best research 2016 by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
Before joining RSS (previously RDS) in 2017, Dia worked as a post-doc researcher in ageing-related projects at the University of Portsmouth and University of Southampton. Before embarking on research, Dia was employed in a variety of NHS clinical settings in Brighton and Portsmouth, supporting adults and the elderly with stroke, dementia and mental health problems. She has also been a project worker implementing European integration projects, focusing on work-training and education for ex-drug addicts in Athens, Greece.
Research interests
My current research interests are: dementia; homecare; meaning of home; family carers; dementia-friendly design; healthcare environments; ageing and later life; use of herbal medicine
My main research interests lie within the field of dementia and particularly home care and support to family care of people with dementia. I am interested in the meaning of home and how it might change throughout the lifespan and especially in relation to health and care at home. I am using qualitative methods and I am particularly interested in using naturalistic methods, such as walking interviews.
Research outputs
2025
Safety, feasibility and efficacy of exercise as an airway clearance technique in cystic fibrosis: a randomised pilot feasibility trial
Urquhart, D. S., Taylor, E., Cunningham, S., Lewis, S., Neilson, A. R., Soilemezi, D., Ensor, H., Vogiatzis, I., Allen, L. J., Saynor, Z. L.
1 Oct 2025, In: Thorax
Research output: Article
2024
Social workers’ consideration of dental support for people living with dementia: Findings from interviews and care assessment documentation
Soilemezi, D., Wanyonyi, K., Hill, V., Manthorpe, J.
16 Sep 2024, In: Dementia
Research output: Article
2023
Views of homecare staff and carers on oral needs and dental care for people living with dementia: A qualitative study
Soilemezi, D., Wanyonyi, K., Hill, V., Manthorpe, J.
15 Dec 2023, In: International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 38, 12, 10p., e6039
Research output: Article
Perspectives of people with Parkinson's disease and family carers about disease management in community settings: A cross‐country qualitative study
Navarta‐Sánchez, M. V., Palmar‐Santos, A., Pedraz‐Marcos, A., Reidy, C., Soilemezi, D., Haahr, A., Sørensen, D., Smidt, H. R., Bragstad, L. K., Hjelle, E. G., Haavaag, S. B., Portillo, M. C.
2 Feb 2023, In: Journal of Clinical Nursing
Research output: Article
2022
Understanding support systems for Parkinson's disease management in community settings: a cross-national qualitative study
Soilemezi, D., Palmar-Santos, A., Navarta-Sánchez, M. V., Roberts, H. C., Pedraz-Marcos, A., Haahr, A., Sørensen, D., Bragstad, L. K., Hjelle, E. G., Haavaag, S. B., Portillo, M. C.
27 Dec 2022, In: Health Expectations
Research output: Article
Exercise as an Airway Clearance Technique in people with Cystic Fibrosis (ExACT-CF): rationale and study protocol for a randomised pilot trial
Urquhart, D. S., Cunningham, S., Taylor, E., Vogiatzis, I., Allen, L., Lewis, S., Neilson, A. R., Soilemezi, D., Akooji, N., Saynor, Z. L.
19 Dec 2022, In: NIHR Open Research. 2, 16p., 64
Research output: Article
Managing Parkinson’s during the COVID‐19 pandemic: perspectives from people living with Parkinson’s and health professionals
Soilemezi, D., Roberts, H. C., Navarta‐Sánchez, M. V., Kunkel, D., Ewings, S., Reidy, C., Portillo, M. C.
17 May 2022, In: Journal of Clinical Nursing, 12p.
Research output: Article
2021
Pelargonium sidoides root extract for the treatment of acute cough due to lower respiratory tract infection in adults: a feasibility double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised trial
Willcox, M., Simpson, C., Wilding, S., Stuart, B., Soilemezi, D., Whitehead, A., Morgan, A., Wrixon, E., Zhu, S., Yao, G., Webley, F., Yan, R., Bostock, J., Bell, M., Griffiths, G., Leydon, G., Little, P.,
29 Jan 2021, In: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. 21, 1, 16p., 48
Research output: Article
2020
Herbal medicine for acute bronchitis: A qualitative interview study of patients’ and health professionals’ views
Soilemezi, D., Leydon, G. M., Yan, R., Simpson, C., Bell, M., Bostock, J., Moore, M., Willcox, M.
1 Dec 2020, In: Complementary Therapies in Medicine . 55, 7p., 102613
Research output: Article