Jessica Neicun
PhD Candidate
Biography
As a PhD candidate at the Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI) of Maastricht University, I am currently conducting a socio-epidemiological study on new trends in drugs use and health harms in Europe from a global perspective. Having a background in sociology with specialisation in development studies, I have spent the last decade carrying out social research and public policy evaluation in Chile, France and the UK. I have worked for charities, research centres and government agencies in fields such as youth employment, housing, local development, migration and government modernisation.
The work presented here is a substantial part of my current research as it analyses the evolution of drug-related deaths while providing an overview of measures undertaken to improve health and social outcomes in France and Ireland. In so doing, it brings relevant inputs to the debate about drug-related health harms, drug policy frameworks and public health responses.