Having graduated as an engineer in biological sciences, with a Masters in cellular nutrition and a PhD in sociology, I am a lifelong researcher. As a social scientist, I have expertise in marginalisation, welfare and wellbeing. My work focuses on understanding processes of engagement for groups which are often deemed ‘hard to reach’ or in situations of social or health precarity. I have expertise in a number of research methodologies and I am particularly known for my innovative work in realist approaches to research.
I am Director of the Centre for Health and Social Equity; and deputy lead for the theme of Health Inequalities and Marginalised Communities of the NIHR North East North Cumbria Applied Research Collaboration ().
I have held awards, as Principal Investigator and collaborator, totalling over £14 million from funders including the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), which focus on knowledge translation and on the experiences of people who are marginalised or find themselves in situation of social or health precarity.
My research is two pronged. On the one hand it focuses on the use of metaphors and discursive formations in culturally specific understandings of key societal concepts such death, attachment, or quality of life. On the other hand, I focus on the pragmatic understanding of ‘what works’ in service delivery to meet the needs of people who may have complex and multiple needs. I use theory to explain the vagaries of public health interventions in their broadest possible sense, with a focus on the broader societal and structural determinants of health. As well as embracing postmodern approaches to research, I have expertise in soft system methodology and realist evaluation and synthesis.
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I have also recently undertaken .
Helen Forrow Why we should worry about falls in hospices - a realist evaluation Start Date: 01/03/2020
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Research is the life blood of a University and at 51 we pride ourselves on research that makes a difference; research that has application and affects people's lives.
A recent study, published online in the European RespiratoryJournal on 26 February, showed…
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51 has secured sponsorship that will give two students the opportunity…
51 has received a grant of £26,150 from the Sir Halley Stewart Trust to…
51 graduates are achieving major successes in the global film industry.
Analysis of fossilised rocks known as stromatolites from more than two-and-a-half billion years…
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