CURRENT PROJECTS
The SoCiAL Connect study: Social prescribing and Community Activities for people Living with chronic pain: Leila Heelas
This mixed methods study is underpinned by patient and public involvement at all stages and is based on methodology for developing a complex intervention . Study 1 explores mechanisms of action for a social prescribing pathway for people living with chronic pain. Study 2 uses qualitative methodology involving interviews with adults with lived experience of chronic pain and professional stakeholders, to understand barriers, facilitators and contexts to target in an intervention. Lastly, co-production workshops will be held with stakeholders to develop and refine the intervention design.
How, where, and in what context does social prescribing work for young people? Investigating pathways of action: Lucas Umpierrez
This research examines how social prescribing produces mental health and wellbeing outcomes for young people, and the contexts in which it is most effective. Using a realist methodology, the study will explain how different service and socioeconomic conditions shape the pathways through which social prescribing leads to change. A theory driven approach will be used to develop and refine a programme theory, drawing on mixed methods that integrates qualitative and quantitative evidence.
Social prescribing mechanisms of action and wellbeing outcomes: Sophia Maguire
This research investigates the mechanisms of action underlying social prescribing for young people, with a particular focus on the psychological state of flow. Combining biological and psychological perspectives, the research explores wellbeing outcomes through self-reported wellbeing assessments and biomarkers, including cortisol data.
Psychological distress, socioeconomic position, and inflammatory pathways to health: A causal inference perspective: Martin Danka
This research combines methodological and applied work in causal inference. It adapts and extends existing applications of g-methods to new settings, and uses these methods to study how psychological distress and social disadvantage affect physical health across the life course. Systemic inflammation is of specific interest as a potential biological pathway through which psychological distress and social disadvantage may contribute to later health outcomes. The research uses data from three UK birth cohorts.
The relationship between cultural engagement and intrinsic capacity among older adults living in England: Jihee Kim
The project aims to measure the evolution of diverse health dimensions for monitoring changes in healthy ageing (HA), to elucidate the dynamic interactions between HA and its determinants, such as leisure activities, and antecedents, and to identify the impact of the pandemic on HA with the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).
Investigating the influence of social and community context on social prescribing for lonely young people: Lou Sticpewich
Embedded within the INACT (Increasing Adolescent social and Community supporT) project, this research examines and unpicks the overlapping influence of young people’s local environments on their experiences of social prescribing. This project included a systematic review and meta-analysis of school-based interventions’ impact on loneliness, which found a small effect with substantial between-study heterogeneity and is available as a preprint. The project also involves examining young people’s concepts of school and neighbourhood community using creative qualitative methods, and developing a multi-level model to analyse pupil questionnaire data from INACT to investigate how individual and school-level factors influence outcomes.
COMPLETED PROJECTS
The interplay of social connections, inflammation, and multiple long-term conditions: findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing: Robyn Jones
Multiple long-term conditions (MLTCs) are a major global concern, particularly in the context of ageing populations. While research increasingly highlights the social patterning of MLTC risk, important gaps remain – particularly regarding psychosocial determinants such as social connections and their potential biological pathways. This thesis used data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) to conduct a combination of cross-sectional, longitudinal, and causal mediation analyses to examine associations between social connections, pro-inflammatory biomarkers, and MLTCs.
Age, period, and cohort effects on loneliness trajectories among people aged 50 years and over living in England: Thamara Tapia
Loneliness keeps drawing attention as a global health concern because of its universal existence and detrimental effect on health. Using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) and a multilevel modelling framework, this thesis aimed to examine temporal changes in loneliness among older adults in England by analysing age, period, and cohort (APC) effects, as well as the role of personality, socioeconomic, social connection, and health-related factors
Early life social connections and adiposity across the lifecourse: Katie Taylor
Using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) and the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), this PhD examined how social connections in childhood and adolescence are associated with adiposity across the lifecourse. It considered a range of peer and family connections, including social support, social contact, loneliness, and participation in social activities. The adiposity measures used include weight, waist circumference, total fat mass, and android fat mass. The thesis also investigated whether these associations differed by developmental timing, duration, gender, age, and ethnicity.
Social factors, mental health and genetic propensity: Dr Saoirse Finn
This research aimed to understand the interplay between people’s genetic propensity for mental health traits, social connections, leisure engagement, and mental health, using polygenic scores (PGSs) and data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).
Social capital, mortality, and health: Dr Stergiani (Stella) Tsoli
Making use of the National Child Development Study (NCDS) and the British Cohort Study (BCS) datasets and using advanced statistical methods, this project examines the long-term impact of social capital on mortality and physical and mental health outcomes using health biomarkers.
Cultural capital and health outcomes: Dr Emma Walker
Using data from the UK representative longitudinal survey, Understanding Society, this study examined the associations between socioeconomic status, cultural engagement and biological health outcomes, such as stress hormone levels and immune function, as well as self-reported physical and mental health.
Reducing children’s anxiety before surgery: Dr Chris Evans
This research investigated the impact of a novel behaviour change intervention on children’s anxiety before surgery. The ‘Little Journey’ app was designed to help prepare and support children and their parents in their own home before and after an operation. It provides age-tailored, immersive and interactive information through animations, a virtual reality tour, therapeutic games and coping strategy teaching.
Social prescribing for mental health and well-being: Dr Henry Aughterson
This research contained two aims: first, to explore and understand the mechanisms of action underlying the mental health impacts of social prescribing activities on individuals and build a new ‘theory of change’ framework for social prescribing; and second, to identify the barriers and enablers to effective social prescribing amongst (i) GPs, (ii) link workers, and (iii) patients.
Digital delivery and assessment of holistic interventions for breathlessness: Dr Keir Philip
A range of research projects exploring the delivery and assessment of holistic interventions for people with breathlessness. This included investigating the impact of Singing for Lung Health on peoples’ heart rates, how much oxygen they used, and other ‘physiological’ measures, and a large clinical trial of the English National Opera’s ‘ENO Breathe’ programme, for people with breathlessness due to long COVID. This research also included two qualitative studies to understand the experience of people with breathlessness in the UK and Uganda participating in singing/dance interventions.
