Dr Beatriz Goulao
- MVLS Futures Fellow (Health Economics & Health Technology Assessment)
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1490-7183Biography
Dr Beatriz Goulão is a senior research fellow with expertise in medical statistics, trial methodology, and elicitation methods. Beatriz holds a senior Futures Fellowship from the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences (CMVLS). Beatriz's Fellowship focuses on maximising the role of data and statistics in achieving a more sustainable and greener NHS. Beatriz also holds a prestigious MRC New Investigator award from the Better Methods, Better Research programme developing new methods to involve patients and the public in determining minimally important differences and sample sizes in clinical trials.
Beatriz has over a decade of experience in clinical trials and implementation science. She currently sits at two NIHR funding panels: Health and care Services and Delivery (HSDR) and Decarbonining Health. Beatriz is also part of the executive team of the Trial Methodology Research Partnership (TMRP) co-leading the statistical analysis working group.
Previously, Beatriz spent 11 years at the Aberdeen Centre for Evaluation where she started as trial statistician and, later, led the statistics team of the Centre for Healthcare Randomised Trials (CHaRT). Beatriz continues working with the CHaRT team as an honorary research fellow.
Beatriz has authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications, secured more than £3.5 million in research funding including over 600k as Principal or Chief Investigator, and is recognised among Scotland’s Top 40 under 40 for her contributions to research, patient and public engagement with statistics, and methodological innovation.
Research interests
Beatriz is particularly interested in the role of data and statistics in decision making, and in developing elicitation methods to incorporate "non-expert" views in health research design and practice. The elicitation methods Beatriz has used include specialist surveys, preference and Bayesian elicitation methods. Beatriz has a track record of designing and analysing clinical trials in implementation science. Beatriz leads the statistical methodology of multiple national NIHR-funded clinical trials including in dentistry and urology.
Publications
Prior publications
Article
Beatriz Goulão, Dwayne Boyers, Oscar Forbes, Kristin Konnyu (2025) Measuring the environmental impact of health interventions in randomized controlled trials – A scoping review Journal of Clinical Epidemiology Crossref. (doi: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2025.111751)
Karla Hemming et al. (2025) Guidelines for the content of statistical analysis plans in clinical trials: protocol for an extension to cluster randomized trials Trials Beatriz Goulao. ISSN 1745-6215 (doi: 10.1186/s13063-025-08756-3)
Brennan C Kahan et al. (2025) Guidance for protocol content and reporting of factorial randomised trials: explanation and elaboration of the CONSORT 2010 and SPIRIT 2013 extensions BMJ Beatriz Goulao. ISSN 1756-1833 (doi: 10.1136/bmj-2024-080785)
Karla Hemming, Laura Kudrna, Sam Watson, Monica Taljaard, Sheila Greenfield, Beatriz Goulao, Richard Lilford (2024) Interpretation of statistical findings in randomised trials: a survey of statisticians using thematic analysis of open-ended questions BMC Medical Research Methodology Beatriz Goulao. ISSN 1471-2288 (doi: 10.1186/s12874-024-02366-4)
Rachel Phillips et al. (2024) Public perspective on potential treatment intervention harm in clinical trials—terminology and communication Trials Beatriz Goulao. ISSN 1745-6215 (doi: 10.1186/s13063-024-08418-w)
Laura Beaton et al. (2024) Sustainable oral healthcare: what is it and how do we achieve it? British Dental Journal Beatriz Goulao. ISSN 1476-5373 (doi: 10.1038/s41415-024-7460-2)
Claire Scott, Beatriz Goulao, Lee McArthur, Jennifer Knights, Kristin Konnyu, Vitri Darlene, Jan Clarkson, Craig Ramsay, Linda Young, Eilidh Duncan (2024) Protocol for the process evaluation of a cluster randomised trial of audit and feedback and in practice educational training to reduce antibiotic prescribing in dental primary care: the TiPTAP trial. Beatriz Goulao. (doi: 10.31219/osf.io/u7pvs)
Emilia Piltonen, Beatriz Goulao, Katie Gillies (2024) Designing greener participant-centred trials: an analysis of ‘carbon relevant’ factors within items that influence participants’ decisions about trial recruitment and retention Trials Beatriz Goulao. ISSN 1745-6215 (doi: 10.1186/s13063-024-08083-z)
Beatriz Goulao, Susan Morisson (2024) “The power imbalance was blown out the window”: developing and implementing creative workshops to enhance communication of statistics in patient and public involvement in clinical trials Research Involvement and Engagement Beatriz Goulao. ISSN 2056-7529 (doi: 10.1186/s40900-024-00560-8)
Beatriz Goulão et al. (2023) Involving patients and the public In sTatistIcal Analysis pLans (INITIAL): A delphi survey PLOS ONE Crossref. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292257)
Beatriz Goulao, Anne Duncan, Karen Innes, Craig R. Ramsay, Brennan C. Kahan (2023) Using re-randomisation designs to increase the efficiency and applicability of retention studies within trials: a case study Trials Crossref. (doi: 10.1186/s13063-023-07323-y)
Naomi Attard, Nikki Totton, Katie Gillies, Beatriz Goulao (2022) How do we know a treatment is good enough? A survey of non-inferiority trials Trials Crossref. (doi: 10.1186/s13063-022-06911-8)
Katie Banister et al. (2022) Non-invasive testing for early detection of neovascular macular degeneration in unaffected second eyes of older adults: EDNA diagnostic accuracy study Health Technology Assessment Crossref. (doi: 10.3310/VLFL1739)
Khadhouri, S. et al. (2022) Developing a Diagnostic Multivariable Prediction Model for Urinary Tract Cancer in Patients Referred with Haematuria: Results from the IDENTIFY Collaborative Study European Urology Focus Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 24054569 (doi: 10.1016/j.euf.2022.06.001)
Patrick A. Fee, Heather Cassie, Jan E. Clarkson, Andrew F. Hall, David Ricketts, Tanya Walsh, Beatriz Goulão (2022) Development of a Root Caries Prediction Model in a Population of Dental Attenders Caries Research Crossref. (doi: 10.1159/000526797)
Kahan, B.C., Morris, T.P., Goulão, B., Carpenter, J. (2022) Estimands for factorial trials Statistics in Medicine Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 10970258 02776715 (doi: 10.1002/sim.9510)
Beatriz Goulao, Claire Scott, Irene Black, Jan Clarkson, Lee McArthur, Craig Ramsay, Linda Young, Eilidh Duncan (2021) Audit and feedback with or without training in-practice targeting antibiotic prescribing (TiPTAP): a study protocol of a cluster randomised trial in dental primary care Implementation Science Crossref. (doi: 10.1186/s13012-021-01098-z)
Beatriz Goulao, Hanne Bruhn, Marion Campbell, Craig Ramsay, Katie Gillies (2021) Patient and public involvement in numerical aspects of trials (PoINT): exploring patient and public partners experiences and identifying stakeholder priorities Trials Crossref. (doi: 10.1186/s13063-021-05451-x)
Beatriz Goulão, Graeme S. MacLennan, Craig R. Ramsay (2021) Have you had bleeding from your gums? Self‐report to identify giNGival inflammation (The SING diagnostic accuracy and diagnostic model development study) Journal of Clinical Periodontology Crossref. (doi: 10.1111/jcpe.13455)
Beatriz Goulao, Camille Poisson, Katie Gillies (2021) Patient and public involvement in numerical aspects of trials: a mixed methods theory-informed survey of trialists’ current practices, barriers and facilitators BMJ Open Crossref. (doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-046977)
Duncan, E.M., Goulao, B., Clarkson, J., Young, L., Ramsay, C.R. (2021) 'You had to do something': prescribing antibiotics in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and remobilisation British Dental Journal Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 14765373 00070610 (doi: 10.1038/s41415-021-3621-8)
Turner, E.L. et al. (2021) Completeness of reporting and risks of overstating impact in cluster randomised trials: a systematic review The Lancet Global Health Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 2214109X (doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(21)00200-X)
Sivaprasad, S. et al. (2021) Diagnostic Accuracy of Monitoring Tests of Fellow Eyes in Patients with Unilateral Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Early Detection of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Study Ophthalmology Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 15494713 01616420 (doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2021.07.025)
Hernandez, R. et al. (2021) Early detection of neovascular age-related macular degeneration: An economic evaluation based on data from the EDNA study British Journal of Ophthalmology Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 14682079 00071161 (doi: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2021-319506)
Shen, J. et al. (2021) Endoscopic urethrotomy versus open urethroplasty for men with bulbar urethral stricture: the OPEN randomised trial cost-effectiveness analysis BMC Urology Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 14712490 (doi: 10.1186/s12894-021-00836-1)
Clarkson, J.E. et al. (2021) Examining the effectiveness of different dental recall strategies on maintenance of optimum oral health: the INTERVAL dental recalls randomised controlled trial British Dental Journal Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 14765373 00070610 (doi: 10.1038/s41415-021-2612-0)
Clarkson, J. et al. (2021) Examining the impact of oral hygiene advice and/or scale and polish on periodontal disease: the IQuaD cluster factorial randomised controlled trial British Dental Journal Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 14765373 00070610 (doi: 10.1038/s41415-021-2662-3)
Cameron, S.T. et al. (2021) Provision of the progestogen-only pill by community pharmacies as bridging contraception for women receiving emergency contraception: The bridge-it RCT Health Technology Assessment Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 20464924 13665278 (doi: 10.3310/hta25270)
Vale, L., Goulao, B., MacLennan, G., Watkin, N. (2021) Reply to Amit Bansal, Ruchir Maheshwari, and Anant Kumar's Letter to the Editor re: Beatriz Goulao, Sonya Carnell, Jing Shen, et al. Surgical Treatment for Recurrent Bulbar Urethral Stricture: A Randomised Open-label Superiority Trial of Open Urethroplasty Versus Endoscopic Urethrotomy (the OPEN Trial). Eur Urol 2020;78:572–80 European Urology Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 18737560 03022838 (doi: 10.1016/j.eururo.2020.10.021)
Clarkson, J.E. et al. (2021) Selective Caries Removal in Permanent Teeth (SCRiPT) for the treatment of deep carious lesions: a randomised controlled clinical trial in primary care BMC Oral Health Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 14726831 (doi: 10.1186/s12903-021-01637-6)
Boyers, D., van der Pol, M., Watson, V., Lamont, T., Goulao, B., Ramsay, C., Duncan, A., Macpherson, L., Clarkson, J. (2021) The Value of Preventative Dental Care: A Discrete-Choice Experiment Journal of Dental Research Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 15440591 00220345 (doi: 10.1177/0022034521989943)
Rzewuska, M., Lamont, T., Banister, K., Gillies, K., Goulao, B., Locock, L., Nevin, G., Clarkson, J.E., Ramsay, C.R. (2021) Twitter communication of the uk public on dental health and care during a covid lockdown: “my kingdom for a dentist” Community Dental Health Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 25151746 0265539X (doi: 10.1922/CDH_00026Rzewuska07)
Robert Pickard et al. (2020) Open urethroplasty versus endoscopic urethrotomy for recurrent urethral stricture in men: the OPEN RCT Health Technology Assessment Crossref. (doi: 10.3310/hta24610)
Jan E Clarkson et al. (2020) Risk-based, 6-monthly and 24-monthly dental check-ups for adults: the INTERVAL three-arm RCT Health Technology Assessment Crossref. (doi: 10.3310/hta24600)
Christine Hemming et al. (2020) Surgical interventions for uterine prolapse and for vault prolapse: the two VUE RCTs Health Technology Assessment Crossref. (doi: 10.3310/hta24130)
Burton, M.J., Clarkson, J.E., Goulao, B., Glenny, A.-M., McBain, A.J., Schilder, A.G.M., Webster, K.E., Worthington, H.V. (2020) Antimicrobial mouthwashes (gargling) and nasal sprays administered to patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection to improve patient outcomes and to protect healthcare workers treating them Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 14651858 (doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013627)
Burton, M.J., Clarkson, J.E., Goulao, B., Glenny, A.-M., McBain, A.J., Schilder, A.G.M., Webster, K.E., Worthington, H.V. (2020) Antimicrobial mouthwashes (gargling) and nasal sprays administered to patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection to improve patient outcomes and to protect healthcare workers treating them Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 14651858 (doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013627.pub2)
Burton, M.J., Clarkson, J.E., Goulao, B., Glenny, A.-M., McBain, A.J., Schilder, A.G.M., Webster, K.E., Worthington, H.V. (2020) Antimicrobial mouthwashes (gargling) and nasal sprays to protect healthcare workers when undertaking aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) on patients without suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 14651858 (doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013628.pub2)
Burton, M.J., Clarkson, J.E., Goulao, B., Glenny, A.-M., McBain, A.J., Schilder, A.G.M., Webster, K.E., Worthington, H.V. (2020) Antimicrobial mouthwashes (gargling) and nasal sprays to protect healthcare workers when undertaking aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) on patients without suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 14651858 (doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013628)
Goulao, B. et al. (2020) Surgical Treatment for Recurrent Bulbar Urethral Stricture: A Randomised Open-label Superiority Trial of Open Urethroplasty Versus Endoscopic Urethrotomy (the OPEN Trial)[Formula presented] European Urology Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 18737560 03022838 (doi: 10.1016/j.eururo.2020.06.003)
Goulao, B., Duncan, A., Floate, R., Clarkson, J., Ramsay, C. (2020) Three behavior change theory–informed randomized studies within a trial to improve response rates to trial postal questionnaires Journal of Clinical Epidemiology Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 18785921 08954356 (doi: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2020.01.018)
Burton, M.J., Clarkson, J.E., Goulao, B., Glenny, A.-M., McBain, A.J., Schilder, A.G., Webster, K.E., Worthington, H.V. (2020) Use of antimicrobial mouthwashes (gargling) and nasal sprays by healthcare workers to protect them when treating patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection The Cochrane database of systematic reviews Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 1469493X (doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013626.pub2)
Madeira, T. et al. (2019) Malnutrition among older adults living in Portuguese nursing homes: The PEN-3S study Public Health Nutrition Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 14752727 13689800 (doi: 10.1017/S1368980018002318)
Tickle, M. et al. (2019) Protocol for a Randomised controlled trial to Evaluate the effectiveness and cost benefit of prescribing high dose FLuoride toothpaste in preventing and treating dEntal Caries in high-risk older adulTs (reflect trial) BMC Oral Health Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 14726831 (doi: 10.1186/s12903-019-0749-x)
Craig R Ramsay et al. (2018) Improving the Quality of Dentistry (IQuaD): a cluster factorial randomised controlled trial comparing the effectiveness and cost–benefit of oral hygiene advice and/or periodontal instrumentation with routine care for the prevention and management of periodontal disease in dentate adults attending dental primary care Health Technology Assessment Crossref. (doi: 10.3310/hta22380)
Goulão, B., Stewart, F., Ford, J.A., Maclennan, G., Avenell, A. (2018) Cancer and Vitamin D supplementation: A systematic review and meta-analysis American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 19383207 00029165 (doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqx047)
Clarkson, J.E. et al. (2018) INTERVAL (investigation of NICE technologies for enabling risk-variable-adjusted-length) dental recalls trial: A multicentre randomised controlled trial investigating the best dental recall interval for optimum, cost-effective maintenance of oral health in dentate adults attending dental primary care BMC Oral Health Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 14726831 (doi: 10.1186/s12903-018-0587-2)
Goulão, B., MacLennan, G., Ramsay, C. (2018) The split-plot design was useful for evaluating complex, multilevel interventions, but there is need for improvement in its design and report Journal of Clinical Epidemiology Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 18785921 08954356 (doi: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2017.10.019)
Goulao, B., MacLennan, G.S. (2016) Mindfulness-based stress reduction for veterans with PTSD JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 15383598 00987484 (doi: 10.1001/jama.2015.15170)
Madeira, T. et al. (2016) National survey of the Portuguese elderly nutritional status: Study protocol BMC Geriatrics Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 14712318 (doi: 10.1186/s12877-016-0299-x)
Glazener, C. et al. (2016) Two parallel, pragmatic, UK multicentre, randomised controlled trials comparing surgical options for upper compartment (vault or uterine) pelvic organ prolapse (the VUE Study): Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial Trials Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 17456215 (doi: 10.1186/s13063-016-1576-x)
Stephenson, R. et al. (2015) Open urethroplasty versus endoscopic urethrotomy -clarifying the management of men with recurrent urethral stricture (the OPEN trial): Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial Trials Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 17456215 (doi: 10.1186/s13063-015-1120-4)
Goulão, B., Santos, O., Alarcão, V., Portugal, R., Carreira, M., Do Carmo, I. (2015) Overweight prevalence in Brazilian and African immigrants living in Portugal,Prevalência de excesso de peso nos imigrantes brasileiros e africanos residentes em Portugal Revista Portuguesa de Saude Publica Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 08709025 (doi: 10.1016/j.rpsp.2014.06.002)
Goulão, B., Santos, O., do Carmo, I. (2015) The authors reply,Os autores respondem,Los autores responden Cadernos de Saude Publica Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 16784464 0102311X
Goulão, B., Santos, O., do Carmo, I. (2015) The impact of migration on body weight: A review,O impacto da migração no peso corporal: Uma revisão,El impacto de la migración sobre el peso corporal: Una revisión Cadernos de Saude Publica Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 16784464 0102311X (doi: 10.1590/0102-311X00211913)
Supervision
Vitri Darlene - experiences and acceptability of novel methods to elicit target differences from patients and the public - University of Aberdeen (co-supervisor, Chief Investigator)
Mojca Cerar - using audit and feedback to improve recruitment and retention in trials - University of Aberdeen (co-supervisor)
Morgaine Stiles - implementation of estimands in clinical trials - Institute of Cancer Research (co-supervisor)
Alice Hamilton - behavioural science to support implementation of findings from dental trials - University of Dundee (co-supervisor)
Sophie Greenwood - developing Bayesian elicitation methods to elicit patients opinions on missing data in clinical trials - University of Aberdeen (primary supervisor)
