Health Behaviour and Behaviour Change

This group uses a range of methods to assess behaviour and develop, implement and evaluate behaviour change interventions. This research draws upon expertise in systematic reviewing, meta-analysis, intervention co-design, and conducting randomised and pragmatic trials across a range of populations. 

This group’s work contributes to the Behaviour Change Programme for Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health. Fuse brings together the North East’s five Universities in a unique collaboration to improve health and wellbeing, and tackle inequalities through high-quality research.  

Projects and Partnerships 

As part of the National Institute of Health Research Public Health Research Programme, researchers are exploring the impact of a community social prescribing intervention on people with type 2 diabetes living in an ethnically diverse area of high socio-economic deprivation.   

As part of the QR Global Challenges Research Fund researchers are investigating the acceptability and feasibility of visual health communication in Guatemala, a multilingual and multicultural country. The prevention of COVID-19 transmission is being used as a basis for this.  

As part of the NENC NIHR ARC, researchers are exploring the implementation and delivery of ‘Making Every Contact Count’ (MECC) across the North East and Cumbria, and working to improve the accessibility of medicines review services in primary care for people from BAME communities. 

We are undertaking research looking into the factors that influence organ donation. In this area, we are looking at the factors that influence family member’s willingness to donate a deceased loved one’s organs. We are also looking into what influences people’s willingness to register as an organ donor. This research is supported by a British Academy Small Research Grant (SRG1819\191190).