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Changing behaviour and implementing best practice to promote health
We are a team of behavioural and implementation scientists dedicated to improving population health by understanding, changing, and sustaining health behaviours through the integration of evidence-based interventions into real-world health systems and communities. Our research focuses on supporting healthier lifestyles—helping people to stop smoking, be more physically active, eat well, reduce risky alcohol consumption, and take medications as prescribed.
We use digital technologies to deliver and implement effective interventions at scale, ensuring that effective solutions reach the people and communities who need them most.
We use innovative methods from diverse fields—including health system design, quality improvement, artificial intelligence (AI) and creative and social art approaches — to conduct inclusive, real-world research that translates evidence into practice. Our work is shaped by local, national, and global health priorities, with the goal of creating sustainable change that improves lives and reduces health inequalities.
UEA Health and Social Care Partners ‘Changing Behaviours and Implementing Best Practice’
We engage with regional health and social care partners, including Public Health teams at Suffolk and Norfolk County Councils, East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust, Norfolk and Waveney ICB. Our quarterly meetings provide a sounding board for clinical challenges and research ideas. Further information can be found on the Health and Social Care Partners site.
Thinking about a PhD?
Are you considering your next steps in research and would like to know about opportunities to work with us? Have a look at our showcase research projects below to get some idea about what we do and get in touch to discuss your ideas.
eSign Study
Cancer causes one in six deaths worldwide. Changing health behaviours, such as dietary intake, alcohol consumption, tobacco use and physical activity can prevent almost 40% of cancers. However, there are barriers to implementing effective interventions that support behaviour change.
The eSign study will use text-messages to signpost people to weight-management services across the East of England. People who may benefit from weight-management services will be identified through hospital and GP electronic health records. By raising awareness of behaviour change support in more effective ways, electronic signposting (e-signposting) could improve the reach of services and ultimately prevent cancer and cancer disparities.
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eSupport Study
Smoking during pregnancy causes many health problems for babies before and after they are born. NHS pregnancy stop smoking support includes specialist counselling and Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) delivered by a trained advisor. This support is effective, but not many pregnant people use it. Therefore, we need to explore different ways of delivering this support.
This project will create ‘eSupport’, a digital support package designed to help people stop smoking in pregnancy. This would include help to use NRT, and possibly vapes (if these become recommended in guidance). eSupport will be designed for use on its own and as an ‘add on’ to existing NHS pregnancy stop smoking support.
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The CHERISH Project
People living in low-income communities spend on average nearly 20 years more in poor health compared to people living in affluent communities. They could benefit the most from behaviour change interventions, but research has failed to engage them. CHERISH, a partnership of community organisations, communities and researchers is evaluating creative and social approaches (e.g., fishing, zumba, collage, cooking, photo walks) to engage low-income communities and hear their views on support for healthy eating and physical activity.
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