BU Research Blog

Behaviour and lifestyle factors are major contributors to morbidity and mortality; some are well recognised such as unhealthy diet and lack of exercise while effects of others such as social isolation and social relationships are less clear. We are a vibrant group and experienced in working with communities, voluntary organisations, businesses, local authorities and health and social care providers. We lead on a range of local, national and global projects and publish in top international journals.

Work within this theme has a broad focus across several disciplines within the fields of health and nursing, midwifery, nutrition, social work and social policy, and psychology. The main research activities include:

•             Promoting public health and effective nutrition

•             Addressing social exclusion and improving social relationships

•             Older people and marginalised groups and interagency working;

•             Psychological interventions in chronic conditions;

•             Socioeconomic investigation;

•             Midwifery, maternal and perinatal health;

•             Qualifying and post-qualifying social work practice and education;

•             Visual cognition;

•             Tourism and wellbeing;

•             Mental and physical wellbeing across the lifespan;

•             Early year’s development

We have a membership of approximately 90 academics across the University and have a very active PhD group led by Ashley Mitchell (HSC).

Highlights this year have included our success at securing an EU IAPP award (VeggiEAT), worth 1.6 million Euros and active participation in the Festival of Learning where the theme hosted over 29 events.

Each term we have a meeting with the next one being on September 18^th in EBC 202 where we are fortunate to have Rachael Craig Senior Research Director, Health Survey for England who will share with us the data sets and blood samples that are available for us to use for research purposes.

If this interests you please sign up and come along to the next meeting, we would love to see you.

Assoc Prof Heather Hartwell

School of Health and Social Care

School of Tourism

Sign up to the Lifelong Health and Wellbeing research themes here: