ESRC supports the creation of new insights from research and data collections into health and care services as well as research into the wider factors affecting physical and mental health including income, housing, social deprivation, and behaviours.
We support the creation of new insights from research and data collections into health and care to inform and shape the development and delivery of equitable and efficient services across the UK and internationally.
We fund research at the interface between social, biological and biomedical sciences increasing our understanding of infections and informing the development of treatments by exploring the wider factors that affect health, ageing, wellbeing and social care.
Our funding also helps improve the evidence on the wider influences on physical and mental health across all ages including income, housing, social deprivation, and behaviours.
Partnering with patients and other people who use health and social care systems is an important part of our work. This improves the quality of the care they receive, drawing on individuals’ experiences to improve services for everyone.
We fund work throughout the UK and overseas, sharing data and knowledge around the globe.
Sharing insights into social care
Delivering effective social care is crucial to enabling the population to live well throughout their lives. ESRC has invested in research and data collections that investigate sustainability and wellbeing in care holistically across systems, as well as what enables promising innovations in social care service delivery and how they can be scaled up.
Our funding enables researchers to gather and analyse data about social care throughout the UK, including the Centre for Care led by the University of Sheffield which provides accessible evidence on care to inform changes that could improve the lives of millions of people.
In response to the growing evidence around the complexities of delivering adult social care, we and the Health Foundation have invested in a flagship initiative Improving Adult Care Together (IMPACT) to help share evidence and develop best practice in the sector.
Administrative Data Research UK, which enables research using government data, provides insights to inform social care services and policy for children and young people.
Dementia is one of the key drivers behind the need to strengthen social care. The Dementia Network Plus, supported by National Institute for Health and Care Research and Alzheimer’s Society, aims to improve the lives of those affected by dementia through tackling inequalities, preventing illness, and enhancing experiences at work. We have worked with Marie Curie and other funders to understand priorities in end of life care.
Understanding ageing and demography
The shape of our population is changing, and there are significant variations in people’s experiences of ageing and their care. From demographic research to enhancing quality of life and supporting independent living, our programs aim to make a difference.
The Centre for Population Change Connecting Generations investigates how and why our population is changing and what this means for people, communities and governments.
An international collaboration, JPI More Years Better Lives, focuses on addressing the challenges of ageing by enhancing health, social care, and overall quality of life for older adults.
Inclusive Ageing projects examine later life inequalities, consider the impact of loneliness, frailty, and enabling independent living through home modifications.
Finding solutions to improve mental health
Preventing, diagnosing and treating mental illness is as important as addressing physical health issues. Our researchers provide evidence on which interventions work and how factors such as gender, age, ethnicity or class impact on mental health.
Our Centre for Society and Mental Health at King’s College London is helping to promote and sustain good mental health in communities. We also fund large, nationwide data collections that support analyses of mental health such as the Millennium Cohort Study and Understanding Society.
Public health and behaviour
Prevention-related research informs the development of programmes and policies that help to keep people healthy. This often draws on understanding of behaviours, which is supported by our investment in Behavioural Research UK. Our researchers examine ways to improve population health and reduce health inequalities by focusing on important areas such as the health impacts of climate change and work, care, health and wellbeing over the lifecourse.
The Centre for Net Positive Health and Climate Solutions is focused on gathering evidence and developing solutions to address the challenges that climate change poses to our health.
The Centre for Lifecourse Health Equity focuses on the experiences of different populations and inequalities and informs the design and delivery of health and care services. It aims to provide essential evidence and insights to mitigate and reduce health inequalities with a lifecourse perspective.
Studies about the take up of COVID-19 vaccines by people in minority ethnic groups highlight the social and behavioural aspects of infections and communicating risks.
Working with partners on a global scale
As well as working throughout the UK, ESRC’s health and care focus extends internationally. Explore our funded projects dedicated to shaping a better future through the CHANSE initiative, a collaboration of humanities and social sciences in Europe, or the Trans-Atlantic Platform working across North and South America, Europe and Africa to address twenty-first century challenges.
Our work also looks at the causes of ill health and solutions to help developing countries, including through our work on poverty alleviation. An outstanding example is Josephine Borghi’s project at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine on Building resilience to floods and heat in the maternal and child health system in Brazil and Zambia.