NIHRDataInsights/HRCSData huggingface dataset:
Title: A life-course approach to measuring capability for economic evaluation of health and social care interventions
Funder: Wellcome Trust

Abstract: Health services face increasingly difficult decisions about what interventions to provide from available resources. These economic decisions currently concentrate on maximising health gain, but there is growing recognition that this is too narrow. An important alternative is to focus on generating capability wellbeing in the population. There are generic capability (ICECAP) measures for assessing the impact of health and care interventions for adults, older people and those at end of life, but not for younger people. Extending measurement of capability to children requires innovative step-changes in thinking (i) to a life-course approach that accepts differing values at different stages of life and (ii) to a dual focus on current wellbeing and future ‘well-becoming’, situating child measures in the context of development to adulthood. This research addresses these complex conceptual and empirical issues in a UK setting. In brief, key goals are to: (a) generate, value and validate new measures of capability wellbeing for children; (b) explore evidence on values during the life-course and generate an integrated framework for measuring capability wellbeing/well-becoming across the life-course; and (c) explore end of life assessment in children, given this life-stage does not typically directly follow childhood. Keywords: capability, children, economic evaluation, qualitative methods, life-course

Lay abstract: No Data Entered

Research activity codes: 1.2 PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC PROCESSES
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH;GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Investing in mental health promotion across the life-course
Funder: Wellcome Trust

Abstract: Background: This project will provide a comprehensive understanding of the processes by which schools and workplaces invest in mental health promotion. This is urgently needed, as these organisations, though not traditionally designed for this function, are increasingly seen as a key influence on individuals’ mental health across the life-course. Goals: The project will: (i) Establish the diversity of attitudes to mental health promotion (MHP) in schools and workplaces; (ii) Develop a typology of resource use for MHP and way of tracking resource needs; (iii) Identify the way in which evidence is used and needed in schools and workplaces to support investment decisions; and (iv) Explain how investment and provision decisions relating to MHP in schools and workplaces are made in practice. Methodologies: A diverse set of case study schools and workplaces will be recruited. Interviews and focus groups will be conducted with individuals with responsibilities for MHP investment (managerial staff, senior teachers, wellbeing specialists). Targeted techniques will used to study participants' attitudes, reactions to evidence, and investment decisions. Outputs: The research programme will guide policy-makers and researchers as to how to inform, support, resource, incentivise and regulate mental health promotion in schools and workplaces.

Lay abstract: Schools and workplaces are increasingly viewed as a key influence on people’s mental health. However, we know very little about how these organisations invest in mental health promotion and what further support they may need. This project will investigate this issue, through in-depth interviews and focus groups with staff at schools and workplaces. As part of these discussions, we will ask about what resources (such as people, money, information, space) are needed and how investment decisions were made. We will study documents, such as business cases, reports, and minutes to understand more. We will use specialist techniques to study attitudes to mental health promotion and how evidence is used in investment decisions. This research will provide insights for policy-makers about how to support, regulate, and incentivise the provision of mental health promotion. And it will help researchers generate useful evidence for these organisations on what works.

Research activity codes: 3.1 PRIMARY PREVENTION INTERVENTIONS TO MODIFY BEHAVIOURS OR PROMOTE WELL-BEING
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH;GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Extension Grant for the Institute for Medical Humanities, Durham
Funder: Wellcome Trust

Abstract: In 2017, we set out a vision to develop ‘a nexus for world class medical humanities research that aims to improve human health through an enhanced understanding of human experience’. As the newly formed Institute for Medical Humanities (IMH), we have refined this original vision to focus on human experience that is variously marginalised, difficult, unspeakable, unacknowledged, invisible and hidden. This focus has developed from successful research on the experience of breathlessness, voice-hearing and collective wellbeing, and through developing work on dreams, memory, drug use, interoceptive sensation and the menopause. The extension grant will enable IMH to take forward a substantial programme of work, ‘Researching Hidden Experience’; to expand our team and embed new permanent academic staff; to develop further our capacity to influence health research policy and expertise in public engagement; and to extend our global influence. The current background of increasingly complex, intersecting, and socially embedded health problems, including the experience of inequality in its various forms, requires a fundamental questioning of structures, models and assumptions that perpetuate hidden health problems. Such research is only possible within a culture that is aware of its own hidden inequities. We address this through a ten-year strategy for diversifying medical humanities.


Research activity codes: 8.1 ORGANISATION AND DELIVERY OF SERVICES
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH;GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Development of the Durham Centre for Medical Humanities
Funder: Wellcome Trust

Abstract: With the support of the Wellcome Trust, the Durham Centre for Medical Humanities will become a nexus for world class medical humanities research. Spanning disciplines and periods, this research seeks to improve human health through an enhanced understanding of human experience. Over the next five years we will extend the significance and impact of existing medical humanities initiatives at Durham, while also fostering new ideas and projects within four distinct strands of work. Our central goals are to develop more effective ways of understanding human experience; to build interdisciplinary research projects that will enable us to influence clinical and health research, practice and policy; to transform views about and approaches to health care research by involving multiple stakeholders; and to promote and champion our approach across disciplinary, institutional and wider research contexts. Key to achieving these ambitious and longer-term goals will be an application for Wellcome Trust Centre status to continue our work beyond the period of this award.

Lay abstract: No Data Entered

Research activity codes: 1.1 NORMAL BIOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AND FUNCTIONING
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH;GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Balancing Best Interests in Health Care, Ethics and Law (BABEL)
Funder: Wellcome Trust

Abstract: Building on successful (Trust-funded) Seed work, BABEL asks: How should the ‘best interests’ of incapacitated/incompetent patients be interpreted and applied in medico-legal decision-making? ‘Medico-legal decision-making’ covers medical treatment decisions in the legal and healthcare settings, thus (distinctively) encompassing judges, lawyers, healthcare professionals, advocates, and, of course, patients, families and carers. The best interests standard pervades medico-legal decision-making about the treatment of incapacitated patients, young and old, and BABEL will examine various ethically-charged decisions to treat or not treat a range of incapacitated patients in their best interests (e.g. sterilisation, vaccination, dementia care, and the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment). The collaborators aim to: map the nature and purpose(s) of the best interests standard; frame how it operates in medico-legal decision-making; and shape how it should operate going forward. BABEL will explore and utilise methodologies from empirical bioethics and socio-legal studies, combining documentary analysis, normative arguments and empirical enquiry. Through workshops, engagement activities and other networking opportunities, the collaboration will enhance the links between Bristol’s healthcare ethics and healthcare law communities, engage, inform and empower a range of stakeholders, and provide a national meeting place for medical law and bioethics.

Lay abstract: BABEL is a project in medical ethics and law, which explores healthcare decisions that are made in the ‘best interests’ of patients who are unable to make decisions for themselves because they lack (what the law calls) mental capacity or competence. BABEL asks how the ‘best interests’ of such patients should be understood – which factors and values should be considered, who should be involved, and indeed whether ‘best interests’ is even the best approach. We will examine various complex and difficult decisions, such as the treatment of critically ill infants (like Charlie Gard) and older adults with dementia. In addition to looking at previous research, we will meet with and interview a range of interested people, including healthcare and legal professionals, patients, their families, carers and advocates. BABEL ultimately aims to help everyone to make ‘best interests’ decisions in the future – whether they are professionals, patients or carers.

Research activity codes: 8.3 POLICY, ETHICS AND RESEARCH GOVERNANCE
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH;GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: ALIVE: Improving Adolescent mentaL health by reducing the Impact of poVErty
Funder: Wellcome Trust

Abstract: Depression and anxiety are leading contributors to the burden of disease among adolescents in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), and they disproportionally affect adolescents living in poverty. Yet, the evidence base for interventions that effectively prevent depression and anxiety among adolescents living in poverty is weak. One major shortcoming is that interventions often fail to address poverty-related social determinants of mental health and neuropsychological consequences of poverty (such as impaired self-regulation). The aim of this study is to develop and pilot-test an intervention that equips adolescents with skills to escape poverty and strengthens self-regulation, thus preventing adolescent depression and anxiety in urban LMIC settings.The study objectives are to: (1) develop a theoretical model of the causal mechanisms linking poverty, self-regulation, and depression and anxiety among adolescents (age 10-19 years); (2) collaboratively develop a multi-component selective prevention intervention targeting self-regulation and skills for academic and employment success among adolescents at high risk of developing depression or anxiety living in urban poverty in Colombia, Nepal and South Africa; (3) adapt and validate key instruments to measure eligibility, implementation, mediators, and outcomes of the intervention; and (4) undertake a 4-arm pilot randomized controlled trial of the selective prevention intervention in each site.

Lay abstract: Most of the world’s adolescents live in low and middle-income countries (LMIC), where poverty levels are high, and there are few effective interventions to prevent depression and anxiety. Poverty influences adolescent depression and anxiety both directly, and through its effect on self-regulation. We propose to develop and conduct a small pilot evaluation of an intervention that both addresses poverty and strengthens self-regulation among adolescents living in urban poverty in Colombia, Nepal and South Africa. We aim to eventually test whether the anti-poverty component or the self-regulation component, or both combined are most effective in preventing adolescent depression and anxiety in LMIC. We also propose to adapt and validate key measurement instruments, to assess how the intervention is delivered, how much it costs, the way in which it works and its effect. Our pilot evaluation will allow us to test all the procedures required for a future large randomised controlled trial.

Research activity codes: 3.1 PRIMARY PREVENTION INTERVENTIONS TO MODIFY BEHAVIOURS OR PROMOTE WELL-BEING
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH;GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: The Intergenerational Transmission of Mental Health Problems: Identifying Causal Pathways and How to Interrupt Them
Funder: Wellcome Trust

Abstract: I propose to use my SRF to investigate the intergenerational transmission of mental health problems. Previously, in my Sir Henry Dale Fellowship, I have developed statistical models for use with genetically informative intergenerational data (composed of many extended families) for use in distinguishing genetic transmission from the potential causal effects of parent on child. In my SRF I will build on this work: 1. I will establish to what extent the treatment of mental health problems in parents reduces the transmission of problems to children (and vice versa). 2. Combine pedigree-based approaches with genomic data to draw on the strengths of each. This will enable the identification of the direction and magnitude of intergenerational causal effects, and identify polygenic scores involverd in gene-environment interplay relevant to the intergenerational transmission of mental health problems. 3. Explore the biases inherent in our use of volunteer based cohorts to understand mental health aetiology. 4. Extend my own children-of-twins study, funded as part of my SHDF, CoTEDS (the Children-of-TEDS). CoTEDS is the second generation of an ongoing twin study, and the first twin study in the world to include information on parents and children from birth.

Lay abstract: Mental health problems run in families, with evidence indicating this is partly for genetic reasons and partly because exposure to problems in close family members is detrimental to mental health. Understanding the processes behind parent-child mental health associations is complex and requires genetically informative datasets and advanced statistical methods. In my research I develop and apply these methods to distinguish genetic from environmental routes of transmission. In this fellowship I will build on prior work to assess to what extent treatment of parent mental health problems can reduce the chances of children developing problems, and vice versa. I will also incorporate personalised genetic risk scores into my work to identify people who are particularly susceptible/resilient to exposure to parent mental health problems . In these ways I hope to be able to influence policy surrounding investment in mental health treatment and advice offered to families with mental health issues.

Research activity codes: 2.3 PSYCHOLOGICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH;GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Cultures and Environments of Health
Funder: Wellcome Trust

Abstract: Our vision is to create and sustain cultures and environments that enable health and well-being across the life course. Combining expertise from the humanities, social sciences and biomedical sciences, the Centre will provide a unique opportunity to work together to address health challenges facing socially and culturally diverse populations. We aim to: a) determine how health and well-being are shaped by cultural contexts, environmental conditions and social relations; b) extend the evidence base for cross-sectoral policies and interventions that help to create and sustain `healthy publics’. Building on the methodological approaches, expertise and interests of existing research groups, research will explore four core interdependent areas of enquiry that traverse disciplinary boundaries and generate innovative methods for investigating and addressing contemporary health and environmental challenges: 1. Enabling health - investigating changing experiences and meanings of health and developing methods for addressing health inequalities; 2. Health across the life course - studying patterns of emotional well-being and cognitive health in children, families, and older people; 3. Relational approaches to health - assessing the value of social relations and identities in promoting resilience and enhancing health; 4. Environmental and cultural engagement - exploring how cultures and environments can be used to promote health.

Lay abstract: No Data Entered

Research activity codes: 1.2 PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC PROCESSES
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH;GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Genomic Epidemiology and Public Health Genomics
Funder: Wellcome Trust

Abstract: Key goals This transformative programme will train professionals able to address key public health research needs including: • Improved healthcare through genetically-driven drug discovery, genetic prediction of disease progression and drug response; • Equal representation of minority ethnic and non-European ancestry individuals in genetic research; • The needs of deprived communities who have disproportionate environmental or lifestyle exposures with consequences that are better understood using genomic information; • Advancing the benefits of developments in genomics for hard-to-reach communities and; • Understanding the implications of genomics for healthcare professionals and policy-makers. We will achieve these goals through an agile, flexible trainee-centred programme designed using feedback from PhD trainees and early career researchers, including WTISSF Fellows, and from UoL Biomedical and Humanities DTPs, WTISSF best practice models and the Wellcome Trust Review on PhD Training. Our innovative programme will deliver: • Skills development in priority areas of statistics, data science, computer programming, epidemiology, genomics and social science, medical law and ethics, and public health; • Trainee-centred development of inter-disciplinary skills and perspectives that enable success in different workplaces; • Opportunities for research placements in industry or that address the priorities of LMICs; • The development of trainee track-records of high-quality, visible research outputs; • Preparation for career transitions throughout trainees’ journeys.


Research activity codes: 8.1 ORGANISATION AND DELIVERY OF SERVICES
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH;GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Whole genome sequencing (WGS) of 450,000 UK Biobank samples
Funder: Wellcome Trust

Abstract: Large-scale WGS of the UK Biobank cohort to generate and evaluate therapeutic hypotheses regarding targets, biomarkers and pathways implicated in disease


Research activity codes: 2.1 BIOLOGICAL AND ENDOGENOUS FACTORS
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH;GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Supporting Children to be Active: identification of objective and perceived neighbourhood environmental features supportive of physical activity and mental wellbeing
Funder: The British Academy

Abstract: In recent decades, many developing countries, including Turkey, have seen an increased physical inactivity among children (WHO, 2016). This has important implications for child health conditions such as mental wellbeing, obesity; and air quality and traffic. While there is ample research highlighting the role of the built environment in encouraging increased physical activity (PA) levels among school children (Morton et al., 2016); there is limited evidence on children’s preferences and experiences regarding their place use and PA in their local neighbourhoods and implications for mental wellbeing. Adopting a child-centred approach, this project employs a mixed-method design, including participatory mapping, qualitative GIS, and space syntax modelling, to (1) Investigate the extent to which neighbourhood built environment is related to PA among 9-12 year-old children; and (2) Explore the extent to which children’s PA levels are associated with their mental wellbeing. The findings may have significant implications for urban designers and policy-makers.


Research activity codes: 2.2 FACTORS RELATING TO PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH;GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Psychiatric disorder and accelerated aging: The Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Longitudinal Cohort Study
Funder: Medical Research Council

Abstract: BACKGROUND: We propose to test the novel hypothesis that a persistent history of psychiatric disorder might accelerate individuals' risk of progression toward age-related disease. Specifically, the hypothesis is that people who suffer chronic or recurrent psychiatric disorders during early adulthood will, already by their late thirties, show cognitive decline and abnormal status on sub-clinical biomarkers that are known to be prognostic early warning signs for late-life diseases, frailty and disability. METHOD: We will test this hypothesis in the Dunedin Study, a longitudinal study from birth to age 38 of a representative birth cohort of New Zealand men and women (N=1037). A unique design feature is that baseline physical health and baseline neuropsychological assessments were carried out from birth to age 13, prior to the onset of most psychiatric disorders. To our knowledge, no other study of the health consequences of psychiatric disorder has these prospective baseline data, which are essential to test whether health and neuropsychological functions have actually deteriorated in individuals who have experienced persistent psychiatric disorder. Cohort members' psychiatric histories of recurrent Depression, recurrent Anxiety, chronic Schizophrenia-syndrome, persistent Alcohol Dependence, and persistent Cannabis Dependence will be defined using data from repeated assessments across 25 intervening years in this longitudinal study. We most recently assessed the cohort again at age 38. We assessed sensitive outcome measures of sub-clinical health status that are known predictors of age-related diseases in later life: neuropsychological tests of memory and executive functions, the metabolic syndrome, inflammation biomarkers, retinal micro-vasculature, and shortened telomere length. These markers were chosen because they show meaningful variation among people in their late 30's and are known early warning signs for dementia, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.


Research activity codes: 2.3 PSYCHOLOGICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS;2.4 SURVEILLANCE AND DISTRIBUTION
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH;GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE