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DECIPHer’s Scientific Programmes
DECIPHer's aims and objectives will be achieved through
five inter-linked scientific programmes which relate to the five levels
of change in McLeroy’s socio ecological framework for public health
research. Each of these programmes will draw on the expertise of academics
across DECIPHer who are leaders in their fields in a wide range of methodological
and substantive areas relevant to public health improvement. In particular,
they will build on strengths in:
- (i) the development of epidemiologically and social scientifically
informed complex and multi-factorial interventions that are effective
across settings and behaviours
- (ii) the rigorous evaluation of complex interventions, often using
pragmatic controlled trial designs with nested process evaluation
and including natural experiments of new policy programmes
- (iii) the use of routine data to develop and target interventions
and to provide sources of data on contexts and long term outcomes
for intervention studies.
DECIPHer addresses health behaviour in its widest sense,
encompassing individual risk and protective behaviour and the contexts
and structures that improve, sustain or undermine health and well-being.
Adopting a socio ecological approach to public health improvement means
that the focus is on multiple behaviours and complexity covering smoking,
alcohol and drug use, diet, physical activity, sexual and mental health.
The aim is to develop and evaluate multi-factorial interventions that
work within and across contexts and that address the inherent complexity
of ecological systems for health. Five programmes of work are proposed,
which will be highly interdependent, and the scope and content of DECIPHer
research projects will not be proscribed by a need to fit neatly within
any one of them:
- Multiple risk behaviours in young people and their underlying
causes
- Developing innovative and sustainable child and youth centred
interventions
- Health promoting schools and other youth settings
- Sustainable health improvement in communities, households and
families
- Environmental determinants of health and the evaluation of environmental
and policy interventions
In this way, intra and interpersonal, organizational,
community and environmental approaches to promoting health will be addressed.
Significantly, collaborative partnerships with policy makers and practitioners
will mean that innovative and effective interventions developed by the
Centre will be able to be implemented locally and nationally and existing
planned policies will be able to be evaluated effectively.
DECIPHer builds upon the success of PHIRN (Public Health Improvement
Research Network) in Wales to develop a vibrant multidisciplinary collaborative
culture, with a strong emphasis on engagement with non-academic users.
This involves developing enduring partnerships with policy and practice
organisations around a comprehensive programme of activities, and a
developing portfolio of collaborative projects. DECIPHer will also develop
a comprehensive and flexible capacity development programme that will
focus on developing early stage researchers. A major component will
be an expanded public health research short course programme, which
along with exchanges, placements and action learning sets will be open
to and maximise engagement with policy-makers and practitioners. DECIPHer
will have a strong emphasis on public involvement at all levels of the
proposed research programme, working with partners to develop innovative
ways to ensure equitable and diverse representation of public views,
including those of young people and their carers.
Through its research, increased academic and practitioner capacity,
and active public involvement, DECIPHer will lead to a step-change in
the conduct of important, challenging and methodologically sound studies
to improve public health.
Investigators Group
Meeting
one agenda
Scientific Advisory Board
Meeting
one agenda
Scientific Programmes
Document (pdf)
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