Mrs. Preethi Mistri

Preethi Mistri is a public health researcher whose work centers on HIV prevention, treatment engagement, and health systems strengthening in South Africa. Her scholarship integrates behavioural economics with implementation science to design and evaluate pragmatic interventions that improve uptake of testing, voluntary medical male circumcision, and antiretroviral therapy services. She has contributed to studies published in leading global health and infectious disease journals.

Her recent research explores behaviourally informed messaging strategies, including text-based “fresh start” prompts and digital demand-generation tools delivered through mobile platforms. Through randomized and quasi-experimental designs, she assesses how nudges, message framing, and service visibility influence care-seeking and return to treatment. This work highlights both the promise and limits of low-cost behavioural interventions in real-world clinical settings.

Earlier contributions addressed lay health worker programmes for HIV-exposed mother–child pairs, lung cancer system barriers, and skin cancer awareness in deeply pigmented populations. Across these themes, a consistent strength lies in translating behavioural and systems insights into actionable policy recommendations aimed at improving equitable access, early detection, and continuity of care in resource-constrained environments.