Research themes within the Centre for Public Health and Wellbeing (CPHWB)

We have a strong track record of methodological expertise in social science research applied to health and delivering research with impact on health, wellness and wellbeing in community populations. 

Global Public Health

Theme Lead: Dr Santosh Bhatta

Research in this theme applies social science health and implementation research for impact on population health globally. To date, research funded by the NIHR Global Health Research Programme has been conducted in partnership with the Nepal Injury Prevention Centre at Kathmandu Medical College. There are two components: interdisciplinary learning for road danger reduction and exploring cultural and sociological factors that influence injury risk and prevention in Nepal.

Ageing Well

Theme Lead: Dr Emily Dodd

Research in this theme aims to carry out and support inclusive, interdisciplinary and world-leading research that promotes healthy ageing including dementia across the life course.

Healthy and Sustainable Places

Theme Lead: Dr Emma Bird

Research on how changes in the design of places modify risk, change behaviour and impact on health and wellbeing in community populations. Research takes a socio-ecological approach to place-making and prevention strategies in road danger reduction, community safety and integrating health in spatial planning (better consideration of health in the planning process).

Healthy Communities

Theme Lead: Dr Amy Beardmore

Community development, community-based activity and social work, brings community groups, organisations and networks together with institutions and agencies (public, private and non-governmental) to shape social action and social change in dialogue with the public.

Public Involvement and Co-production of Research

Theme Lead: Dr Jo White

The Centre leads People in Health West of England, a UWE Bristol-led collaborative initiative on Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement in research. It has strategic partnerships across the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) infrastructure, the Applied Research Collaboration (ARC West), the West of England Academic Health Science Network (AHSN), the Clinical Research Network West of England (CRN), the Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU), Bristol Biomedical Research Centre (BBRC) and Bristol Health Partners (BHP).

Public Health Economics and Evaluation

Theme Lead: Dr Hamed Zandian 

The Centre has methodological expertise and skills in evaluation of health services and healthcare interventions, realist evaluation, participatory approaches, co-design, public involvement and engagement, conceptualising evidence for change in social and physical environments, developing evidence-based tools for application in practice, evidence synthesis, meta-ethnography, accessing, analysing and interpreting data and economic analysis.