Hello and welcome to my website!

I am a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Konstanz, having completed my doctoral studies at the Medical School of University of Porto, Portugal.

My research explores the intersection between poverty, violence, migration and health, with particular focus in transcultural psychology and mental health interventions for low-resource and conflict-affected populations. With experience in global health, I typically use experimental and quasi-experimental designs and often combine mixed-methods and interdisciplinary approaches.

I have conducted fieldwork in Africa, Europe and Latin America and I am co-lead of project Vivac, funded by DFG and by GLOHRA.

As an interdisciplinary academic and Fulbright Scholar, I have taught courses on global health and health systems, global mental health, randomized control trials and systematic literature reviews.

My work bridges the gap between research and practice, offering innovative, evidence-based solutions to some of the most pressing global mental health challenges, using quantitative and qualitative methods.

Projects since 2019

(1) BW Schuetzt! Trauma rehabilitation for refugees in Germany 2023-2028; (2) ViVac Project – Violence, Trust and Vaccine Hesitancy – Assessing trust in vaccination in conflict areas: Evidence-based data on the link between exposure to violence and health-seeking behaviors in Nigeria – 2023 – 2025; (3) Prevalence of Sexual Violence in Mozambique (Coordinator) – 2022-2023; (4) Randomized Control Trial in Haiti – Preventing Violence in Primary Schools – 2020-2024; (5) Life with Corona Project 2020-2022; Life with Corona – Africa 2021 – 2023; (6) Co-developing a program with Brazilian prisoners and stakeholders to address trauma related mental ill health and facilitate reintegration: a qualitative pilot study in Ponta Grossa (Brazil) – 2022; (7) Obstetric Violence in Ghana –  mix methods study, 2022; (8) Strenght of Health care system in Ethiopia – Mental Health Assessment Needs – 2023; (9) CANVAS – CANVAS (Children, attitudes, norms, violence, and society): do social meanings of violence affect development of adverse outcomes?.

The ViVac Project

BW Schuetzt!

Childrens´ and adolescents experiences of violence

Areas of expertise

Methods

I specialise in research methodology with a strong focus on qualitative approaches. My expertise spans the design, implementation, and analysis of complex qualitative and mixed-methods studies, including narrative, thematic, and grounded theory analyses. I am particularly interested in innovative applications of qualitative methods in global health and mental health research, as well as in advancing methodological excellence through teaching, mentoring, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Public Health

Focus on health inequalities and the influence of social determinants of health, mental health, and health systems. My expertise in public health combines research, teaching, and interdisciplinary collaboration to strengthen health systems and promote resilience in underserved populations globally, bridging the gap between global research and local practice.

Violence prevention

My work in violence prevention focuses on addressing the psychosocial impacts of violence through innovative, evidence-based interventions in vulnerable populations. By integrating transcultural psychology with public health strategies, my work tackles the root causes of violence, promotes community resilience, and strengthens the capacity of systems to support survivors, contributing to sustainable and equitable approaches to breaking cycles of violence.

Trauma rehabilitation

Specialization in trauma rehabilitation, with a focus on culturally sensitive approaches. My work incorporates innovative methodologies like Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) to address trauma-related mental health challenges at both individual and community levels. Currently, with the BW Schutzt project with refugees, a new narrative trauma coaching (NAT) is being developed and tested and I am part of the core scientific developing team.

Teaching experience

Extensive experience on teaching topics related to global health, mental health and research methodologies – Offering one course at the Konstanz Methods Excellence workshops KOMEX 2026 systematic literature reviews.

KOMEX 2026
  • Publications
    • Abreu, L. et al. (2025) Caregivers’ Qualitative Insights on Trust, Resilience and Vaccine Hesitancy Shaping Child Health in Conflict-affected Northeast Nigeria. doi.org/10.1101/2025.09.18.25335857
    • Schaub, M. (…) & Abreu, L. (2025). Maternal and child healthcare-seeking among victims of violence in armed conflict: A matched case-control study in northeast Nigeria. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.03.11.25323760
    • Serpeloni, F. (…) & Abreu, L. (2025). Os impactos da violência sobre a saúde mental global: contribuições da Terapia de Exposição Narrativa em diferentes sistemas de saúde. Cadernos de Sáude Pública. https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-311XPT199124
    • Abreu, L. Hecker, T., Goessman, K, Abyoie, D., Olurambane, W., Hoeffler, A. (2025) Prevalence and correlates of sexual violence against adolescents: Quantitative evidence from rural and urban communities in South-West Nigeria.
    • Abreu, L, Beck, J., Hoeffler, A., Rockstroh, B, Sill, J., Elbert, T, Schauer, M & Koebach, A. (forthcoming). Effect of a stepped care trauma rehabilitation programme for refugees in Germany: BW Schuetzt! Study protocol for a naturalistic parallel group trial with a regression discontinuity design for a quasi-randomization. BMC Pilot and Feasibility Studies.
    • Orth, G, Abreu, L, Hoeffler, A, Serpeloni, F (..). (forthcoming). Traumatic experiences, PTSD and appetitive aggression: study with prisoners southern Brazil. PLOS One
    • Abreu, L, Steinert, J., Hecker, T., Hoeffler, A, Torres, N. Adolescents, mental health and sexual violence: Qualitative insights into nature, consequences, and support systems in Mozambique. (submitted Nov. 2024)
    • Adeyanju, C., Abreu, L, Schaub, M. Understanding Influence of Armed Violent Conflict on Healthcare-Seeking Behaviour in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review (Submitted PLOS One, April 2024).
    • Jule Beck, Anke Köbach, Liliana Abreu, Mekdim Dereje Regassa, Anke Hoeffler, Wolfgang Stojetz and Tilman Brück. 2024. COVID-19 pandemic and food insecurity fuel the mental health crisis in Africa. International Journal of Public Health 68: 1606369.
    • Yalley AA, Jarašiūnaitė-Fedosejeva G,Kömürcü-Akik B and de Abreu L (2024). Addressing obstetric violence: a scoping review of interventions in healthcare and their impact on maternal care quality. Front. Public Health 12:1388858. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1388858
    • Katy Robjant, Sabine Schmitt, Samuel Carleial, Thomas Elbert, Liliana Abreu, Amani Chibashimba, Anke Hoeffler, Brigitte Rockstroh, Anke Koebach (2023). NETfacts – an integrated intervention at the individual and collective level for resilient communities: a randomized controlled trial in Eastern DR Congo, PNAS, 119 (44) e2204698119. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2204698119
    • Stojetz, W,  Fergusson, N., Baliki, G., (…) Abreu, L. Brueck, T. (2022). The Life with Corona Survey. Social Science and Medicine, 306.
    • Abreu L. & Hoeffler A. (2021).Safer spaces: The impact of a reduction in road fatalities on the life expectancy of South Africans. Accident Prevention & Analysis, Volume 157.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2021.106142
    • Abreu, L. Koebach, A, Diaz, O., Carleial, S., Hoeffler, A., Stojetz, W, Freudenreich, H., Justino, P., Brueck, T. (2021). Life with Corona: Increased gender differences in aggression and depression symptoms due to COVID-19 pandemic burden in Germany. Frontiers of Psychology.https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.689396
    • Abreu L, Mendes A, Vilar-Correia MR and Borlido-Santos J. (2020) Patients’ perceptions of family engagement in health information practices: influences on the self-management of asthma. Journal of Communication in Healthcare http://doi.org/10.1080/17538068.2020.1742490
    • Paiva* D, Abreu* L, Azevedo A, Silva S. (2019). Patient-centered communication in type 2 diabetes: facilitating and constraining factors in clinical encounters. Health Services Research. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6773.13126 (* Paiva D. and Abreu L are equal first authors).
    • Moura A, Silva S, Freitas C, Abreu L, Baía I, Samorinha C. (2019) Concerns with educating the public about donating and receiving gametes. The European Journal of Contraception & Reproductive Health Care. https://doi.org/10.1080/13625187.2019.1662392
    • Abreu L, Nunes JA, Taylor P, Silva S. (2018). The role of distributed health literacy in asthma integrated care: a public medical context from Portugal. International Journal of Integrated Care 18(2),18 http://doi.org./10.5334/ijic.3301
    • Abreu L, Nunes JA, Taylor P, Silva S. (2018). Distributed health literacy among people living with type 2 diabetes in Portugal: defining levels of awareness and support. Health and Social Care in the Community. 26(1):90-101. https://doi: 10.1111/hsc.12465
    • Mendes* A, Abreu* L, Vilar-Correia MR and Borlido-Santos J. (2016). “That Should Be Left to Doctors, That’s Why They are There For!” – Exploring the Reflexivity and Trust of Young Adults When Seeking Health Information. Health Communication, Aug 2:1-6 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2016.1199081  (*Mendes A and Abreu L. are equal first authors)

Dr. Liliana de Abreu