New research institute will tackle health inequalities

A major new research institute at Cardiff University aims to improve the nation’s health through a range of projects which will directly inform policy-makers in Wales and beyond.

The Cardiff Institute of Society, Health and Ethics brings together social scientists, ethicists and medical experts from the School of Social Sciences and Cardiff Law School at Cardiff University, and from the Department of General Practice at the University of Wales College of Medicine.

The Institute’s emphasis is on internationally excellent research which will tackle health inequalities and will have an impact on policy and practice.

A range of projects is already under way, including research into combating smoking among schoolchildren, encouraging fruit tuck shops, and reducing alcohol consumption among teenagers. Others include studies of community-based initiatives to tackle inequalities in health, and of the effectiveness of services for those suffering from urinary disorders.

"Health inequalities and poor health generally are major problems for Wales," said the Institute’s Director, Professor Laurence Moore. "We will be producing high quality evidence to help policy makers deal with these issues in an informed and practical way."

The Institute has been established with funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales. It will be officially launched on Tuesday May 18th, when speakers will include Dr Ruth Hall, the Chief Medical Officer for Wales, and Professor Ian Diamond, Chief Executive of the Economic and Social Research Council.