Research Streams
Our research themes share the common goal of producing research that informs the improvement of quality of life here in Northern Ireland and elsewhere. A social, behavioural, and management science perspective on health and wellbeing includes a focus on how to enable individuals to make better choices; how to make organisations more effective at improving the wellbeing of their employees and customers, and how to help policymakers develop initiatives targeting population health. An additional unifying theme across all three research themes is a focus on causal inference and application of innovative methodologies to understand these questions.
HealthWe have expertise in healthcare quality management and patient safety ; the impact of early life conditions on later life health; understanding the impact of financial stress on health; economic and social impacts of economic and social impacts of substance use; mortality modelling; residential segregation in Northern Ireland and mental health; health insurance and the use of technology in incentivising physical activity; the evolution of new business models in response to resource constraints; interventions using the arts to realize particular health and wellbeing goals; non-communicable diseases in developing countries; healthcare management in developing countries; and identification and analysis of health risks.
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Employee Wellbeing
Research interests include program evaluation and welfare reform; disability, unemployment and inactivity; the impact of human resource management practices and job characteristics on employee well-being and performance; the effects of demographic change and workforce ageing on public (government) policy; individual decision-making processes regarding work-retirement transitions; and exploring attitudes to work disability through vignettes; occupational health, and safety.
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Population Science
The Population Science group focuses on measuring differences in population health, wellbeing, and development, and establishing the causal determinants of these disparities. Topics include establishing the prevalence of ill-health or health conditions, identifying and evaluating policies to improve maternal/child health, the bi-directional relationship between health and development, fertility choice and its consequences, and the historical origins of heterogeneity in welfare outcomes.
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