Episode 4: Public health research

Read a full transcript of this episode.

This podcast explores public health research - what it is and how it can help people to live healthier and longer lives. 

For many people their only experience of public health research will be related to infection prevention and protection during the COVID-19 pandemic. But that's just one area of public health research, this podcast explores the bigger picture of what public health research is and how it can benefit us all. 

Dr Jane West is the NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) National Specialty Lead for Public Health.

Jane is the Director of Public Health Research and the ActEarly Consultant in Public Health at the Bradford Institute for Health Research. She also is an honorary Professor of Public Health at ScHARR University of Sheffield.

Her research interests include geographical, income and ethnic inequalities and their impact on child health, size and growth, wider determinants of health and wellbeing, and systems approaches to disease prevention and population health.

“Public health is really around keeping us all well so that we all live longer and healthier lives. It’s better for all of us if that happens, but it’s also better for the NHS.

“It’s also really about reducing those unfair differences between the most advantaged communities and the least advantaged communities and unfortunately there are still quite marked differences.” 

Professor Rosie McEachen is the Director of Born in Bradford and a proud (Scottish) Bradfordian. She is an experienced applied health researcher and particular interests include cohort studies, environmental determinants of health, green space and air quality.

Rosie holds a visiting Professor position at University College London and an honorary chair position at the University of Bradford.

“... the Born in Bradford cohort study was set up to really shine a spotlight on what is happening within Bradford to describe and explain the reasons why some families stay healthy and why other families fall ill but crucially to use that information as a force for good in the city.

“... I always say when I am talking about Born in Bradford, we are not a dusty shelf academic research study, we are really woven and integrated within the fabric of the city and we use the results of our study to make improvements.” 

Cohort study - a research project that follows groups of people over time

Health inequalities - avoidable, unfair and systematic differences in health between different groups of people

Clean air zone - a defined area within a city where targeted action is taken to improve air quality.

Born in Bradford is an internationally-recognised research programme which aims to find out what keeps families healthy and happy by tracking the lives of over 40,000 Bradfordians.

Transport for London junk food advertising ban was an initiative announced in February 2019 to help tackle child obesity in London.

NIHR Yorkshire and Humber Applied Research Collaboration supports people-powered research that aims to tackle inequalities and improve health and well-being for the region’s communities.

The views expressed in this podcast are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.