Community health, care & policy research

Community health, care and policy

Researchers examine and influence policy and practice that affects health, including within communities such as care homes, patient groups, the health workforce and prisons. Research interests within this topic range from food safety and standards law, cancer care, health inequalities and workplaces, to health systems modelling.

Colleagues work across health and medical sciences research groups and externally with partner universities, the health sector and governmental departments.

Research projects

Gender pay gaps in medicine review | Human Resource Management | Economics

This project, led by Dr Jo Blanden and colleagues, focuses on parents and examines the impact of school availability and attendance on parental labour supply, family finances and mental health. It is funded by the Nuffield Foundation and has been extended to run from Oct 2020 to March 2022.

Discarded plastic waste including bottles, yogurt pots and bags

How local and national governments in six Development Assistance Committee countries frame messages about plastics | Law

The Network will focus on Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania, examining how regulation, governance and enforcement structures affects the use of plastic. Professor Rosalind Malcolm will work with colleagues at the University of Nairobi. @plasticsgov

Comparing intersectional life course inequalities amongst LGBTQI+ people in Four European Countries (CILIA-LGBTQI+) | Sociology

The key objective is to provide novel cross-cultural evidence concerning life course inequalities experienced by LGBTQI+ people across four European countries: England, Scotland, Portugal and Germany. Additionally, the project, led by Professor Andrew King, examines how inequalities related to gender identity and/or sexuality vary and intersect with others, such as social class, ethnicity, citizenship status, health status, dis/ability, religion and geographical location across the life course. @LGBTQILives

Understanding women’s experiences of food in prison | Sociology

This project aims to analyse the experience of food in women’s prisons using an intersectional approach. The study, with Dr Vicki Harman as co-investigator, will open up wider conversations about food in prisons through an exhibition of prisoners’ art run in partnership with Koestler Arts.

Classification systems for processed foods | Psychology

Researchers, including Professor Monique Raats, reviewed scientific papers to examine if different criteria exist in developing classification systems for processed foods and, if so, what distinguishes them. Classification systems that categorise foods according to their “level of processing” have been used to predict diet quality and health outcomes, inform guidelines and in product development.

Person wrapping tape measure around their stomach

Genetic factors influencing adult obesity take effect in early childhood | Bioinformatics and Statistical Genomics

Researchers analysed measures such as BMI and growth rates from 2 weeks to 13 years of age of more than 22,000 children and compared these to variations in their genetic make-up. Dr Alex Couto Alves, first author of the study, said: “Between the ages of five and seven years old, the genetic determinants of adult obesity start acting, highlighting a critical developmental window when intervention strategies ...could be implemented.”