Project title and background | Potential research questions |
1. Understanding and reducing the increased levels of worklessness post pandemic. Project supervisor: Elaine Rashbrook Following the pandemic, there are increasing numbers of people who have left the workforce, primarily for long term health reasons. This is having an impact on local, regional and the national economy. There is a pressing need to enable people to be supported to return to work, to have access to good jobs, and to remain in work with health conditions. | • What are the key drivers to the increase in worklessness since the pandemic in London?
• What are the barriers and facilitators for people with musculoskeletal or mental health problems to engage in employment?
• What are effective interventions to support people with health problems, including disabilities, to engage with or return to work? Methods: Literature review; realist review with stakeholder interviews |
2. Review and interventions to tackle climate impacts on health inequalities in London Project supervisor: Julie Billett Climate impacts will widen health inequalities and affect our ability to deliver services: for example, on patient safety & service delivery: there were ~3000 excess deaths associated with heatwaves last summer, and approximately 1/3rd of excess deaths during heatwaves are in hospitals. Further reading | • What actions and interventions should we prioritise to build climate resilience for the health and care sector in London, building on the findings of the London Climate Resilience Review?
• Can we describe, quantify and characterise broadly who and where the vulnerable population groups are in London in relation to climate-related health harms?
• Using relevant data, consider implications for health inequalities, taking into account climate and population projections, and projected future health burden from climate sensitive health conditions. Methods: Routine data analysis, literature review; prioritisation framework development |
3. How do we measure progress on health equity in the new health and care system? Project Supervisor: Jennifer Yip/ Julie Billett/ Graeme Walsh Reducing health inequalities is a key focus for the health and care system, with increasing recognition that participation is a driver towards health equity. There are a wide range of routinely collected or recorded data in the health and care system, but the impacts of spend or interventions on health equity is difficult to identify and monitor. There is a great deal of interest in developing new ways of monitoring our progress in health equity that uses both quantitative and qualitative data. | • What tools or methods are available to measure and monitor progress in health equity?
• What are the current approaches to measuring health equity in London health and care system?
• How do we include participatory approaches and economic considerations in health equity metrics? Methods: literature review, stakeholder interviews, framework development |
4. Prevention of bacterial STIs in London Project supervisor: Kevin Fenton The incidence of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is increasing across England, with gonorrhoea, chlamydia and syphilis continuing to display a post-Covid resurgence. This increase in bacterial STIs has disproportionately affected certain population subgroups, particularly people aged 16 – 24, people who identify their ethnicity as Black Caribbean or Black Other and gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). In addition, many populations that had previously displayed a low prevalence are experiencing new increases in bacterial STIs; we are currently seeing increases in gonorrhoea rates among young women, and increases in syphilis rates among heterosexual people. This pattern is particularly visible in London, where the prevalence of STIs far outstrips the national average. | • Understanding the experiences of high risk groups with regards to STI prevention in London
• Outlining the short, medium and long term interventions that are required to reverse the increased prevalence of bacterial STIs in London
• Understanding the structural drivers of increased STI prevalence in London Methods: Stakeholder interviews with statutory organisations, providers and community groups |
5. Tackling Ethnic health inequalities through anti-racism approach: Lessons learnt and review of approaches in the UK Project supervisors: Jennifer Yip /Kevin Fenton Ethnic health inequalities were exacerbated by the pandemic, but patterns remain complex and changing due to an interplay of a range of factors. The impact of racism remains consistent as it reinforces the pre-existing inequities in health and care. Therefore tackling racism and focusing on improving health of ethnic minority groups have become a common focus on some parts of the UK, such as London, Birmingham and Manchester, as well as Wales and Scotland. Further reading | - What structures and activities are different parts of the UK (Birmingham, Manchester, Wales, Scotland and others in addition to London) developing to tackle ethnic health inequalities, with a focus on addressing racism?
- What are the common themes and variations in approaches?
- What are the lessons learnt so far and what are the barriers to progress?
Methods: stakeholder interviews and analysis |
6. Non-fatal overdoses and prevention of fatal overdoses: recommendations for action Project supervisors: Alison Keating/Jennifer Yip There is an increased risk of fatal overdoses during certain time periods, such as on discharge from community or inpatient services, on release from prison or in the weeks following a non-fatal overdose. These touchpoints for access to services could provide an opportunity for intervention to reduce the risk of subsequent fatal overdoses. Further reading | - What is the relationships between non-fatal overdoses and subsequent fatal overdoses?
- What actions can be taken to prevent fatal overdoses after treatment for non-fatal overdoses?
- What is the current status of service provision to undertake these actions?
Methods: literature review, data analysis (NPSAD, LA reports) and stakeholder interviews |
7. Improving access to alcohol treatment services for inclusion health group Project supervisors: Alison Keating/Julie Billett There is a well-established and complex link between drugs, alcohol and crime, and in the recent years there has been a particular emphasis on the links between drug misuse and offending. In a MoJ analysis, people who successfully completed their treatment, or were still in treatment at the end of the two years, were less likely to reoffend. Those accessing treatment for alcohol were the least likely to reoffend. Further reading | - What are the barriers and faciliators for uptake of drug and alcohol treatment services provided to people who are referred by the criminal justice system on release from prison in London?
- How accessible (approachable, available, acceptable and appropriate) are drug and alcohol treatment services for people who had treatment in prison?
Methods: stakeholder interviews, review of documents, data analysis where possible |
8. Inclusive engagement: A consideration of intersectionality for engaging people with disabilities Project supervisors: Elizabeth Walsh / Jennifer Yip "Both health and care organisations and Disabled People's Organisations need to improve their understanding of how people’s multiple identities shape their experiences, and embrace diversity of voices, opinions and challenges as an opportunity to think differently." Further reading Intersectionality is primarily a tool for understanding invisible power relations and how they shape inequality, not identity; and aims to shed light on how multiple dimensions and systems of inequality interact with one another and create distinct experiences and outcomes. We welcome applications from people with lived experience of disabilities. | - What is effective in community engagement approaches to be inclusive of people with intersectional needs?
- How do we effectively embed multiple voices and opinions in the decisions, design and delivery of health and care services?
Methods: literature review, stakeholder and expert interviews. |
9. Implementation of national guidance on identifying and responding to suicide clusters in London: an evaluation Project supervisor: Jackie Chin Suicide clusters understandably cause great concern, especially as they predominantly occur in young people, and may lead to hasty and potentially unhelpful responses. It is important that plans for such occurrences are prepared in advance, to ensure a measured and effective response. Authorities need to remain vigilant for potential clusters and possible contagion between deaths, and put strategies in place to forestall this. Further reading | - What are the structures and processes in place to identify and respond to suicide clusters in London?
- What are the knowledge, attitudes and practices of mental health practitioners in management of suicide clusters in London?
Methods: Stakeholder interviews, surveys and documentary analysis |
10. Families and weight management Project supervisors: Leah da Souza Thomas/ Jackie Chin Childhood obesity is a significant public health challenge facing London with multifaceted and often interlinked causes with significant health inequalities. Child overweight including obesity among year 6 children in London has consistently exceeded the national average with a trend that suggests that it is increasing and getting worse. Data from the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) programme is used to support local public health initiatives, and locally to inform the planning and delivery of services for children. | - What are the knowledge, attitudes and practices amongst parents of children identified as overweight or obese by the NCMP?
- What are the barriers and facilitators to access of weight management programmes for children?
Methods: surveys, stakeholder interviews, service evaluation |
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