Lifelong Health
Background information
The Lifelong Health and well-being research group amalgamates previous CCSR research groups (Health Inequalities Research Group, Manchester Well-being Research Group) and works closely with allied Cathie Marsh Institute-based research projects (e.g. MICRA, fRaill).
We aim to foster world-class research into the social causes, correlates and consequences of variation in health and well-being. As well as established researchers, we specifically aim to bring together the new generation of doctoral researchers, regardless of disciplinary boundaries.
The group comprises two leads based in Sociology and Social Statistics, 20 academic staff from schools within and outside of the School of Social Sciences, nine doctoral students, and affiliates from other universities.
Events and activities
- Challenges to achieving Lifelong Health & Well-being for all: A PhD symposium (16/04/15) - The research group will host an event solely for PhD researchers from across the university. All attendees will present for 10 minutes, outlining what they see as the main barrier to achieving lifelong health and well-being for all social groups, and how this might be addressed. The best presentation will be decided by majority vote, and the winner awarded a £100 prize.
- Symposium on Isolation and older men: Issues for Health and Wellbeing (in association with Manchester Museum/Whitworth Art Gallery, Independent Age and the International Longevity Centre-UK) - This event will showcase two major reports: one using data from ELSA to examined issues relating to isolation in later life and the particular problems facing older men, especially in the context of divorce and poor health. The other report looked at the value of cultural resources to provide enhance health and well-being in later life.
- Neighbourhood Effects Symposium (25/06/15) -The research group will be playing a small role in co-hosting a wider Cathie Marsh Institute event on neighbourhood effects in social science research, to take place on Saturday, 25 June. More details on this event will be provided by the other research groups involved.
Selected projects
- English Longitudinal Study of Ageing -The primary objective of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) is to collect longitudinal multidisciplinary data from a representative sample of the English population aged 50 and older. We collect both objective and subjective data relating to health and disability, biological markers of disease, economic circumstance, social participation, networks and well-being.
- Frailty, Resilience And Inequality in Later Life - Krisztina Mekli, Bram Vanhoutte and Nicholas Rattray form the research team of Frailty, Resilience And Inequality in Later Life (fRaill), a project directly concerned with providing an integrated understanding of processes leading to positive and negative outcomes in later life in the context of social inequalities.
- Manchester Institute for Collaborative Research on Ageing (MICRA) - Chris Phillipson is the Institute Executive Director for the Manchester Institute for Collaborative Research on Ageing (MICRA). MICRA promotes interdisciplinary research on all aspects of ageing.
- The Health, Work and Wellbeing Network - This network, led by Tarani Chandola, brings together those who contribute to and benefit from, research in the areas of health, work and well-being. Its aim is to encourage the sharing of expertise, provide opportunities for collaboration and generate more research on these topics.