To give a flavour of the type and range of research projects we undertake, this page offers some short summaries of some recent projects.
In 2009/2010 we conducted analysis and reporting for this large-scale survey (more than 8,200 interviews). This covered a wide range of measures of health, lifestyles, social capital and psychosocial factors. We produced a trends report which examined trends across the last four surveys (since 1999) including an examination of the gap between the most deprived areas and other areas. We also produced an area-wide report and reports for each of the 11 CH(C)P areas. These explored differences between each CH(C)P area and the NHSGGC area as a whole, and significant differences for socio-economic other subgroups.
The main report we produced for this study can be found at the following link:
We conducted this evaluation of a national programme for NHS Health Scotland. The programme aims to roll out training to teachers and others working with adolescent people in schools and elsewhere. The programme brings together complex issues around healthy eating including eating disorders, body image, physical activity and the role of the media. The evaluation included interviews with stakeholders, group discussions and with trainers and trainees, a survey of trainers and a survey of local participants as well as an in-depth case study in one area of Scotland.
In 2011 we conducted an evaluation of a new Food Train branch in West Lothian. This is a national charity which provides a shopping delivery service to elderly people. The evaluation involved documentation review, interviews with volunteers, elderly customers, project staff and key partners/stakeholders in the statutory sector. Our evaluation report highlighted key learning points, impacts and implications for future national expansion of the service. Our report has been published at:
We were commissioned by sportscotland to undertake a multiple counting study. Monitoring data received by sportscotland showed the number of extra-curricular activity sessions attended by pupils across Scotland. The multiple counting study sought to ascertain the number of individual pupils who took part, taking account of the fact that many pupils will attend more than one activity session. We obtained activity registers from a sample of schools, and derived weighting factors to compensate for multiple counting. We also derived weighting factors to compensate for errors in the monitoring data and made recommendations for future monitoring data collation.
We conducted a series of focus groups with parents, teachers and P4 pupils in Glasgow schools in order to explore behaviour, attitudes, perceptions and experience of physical activity opportunities for young people. Three years later we followed up the same pupils (then P7) as well as a new group of P4s, parents and teachers in order to assess the impact of the Active Schools programme. Our report highlighted positive impacts of the programme and also made recommendations for future changes to the programme.
Healthier and Safer Play Areas (report on attitudes towards smoking and alcohol consumption in play areas in Glasgow)
Evaluation of The Patient Equalities Monitoring Pilot Training for NHS Health Scotland
Audit of Keep Well Programme Board Reports for NHS Health Scotland
In 2009/2010 we conducted analysis and reporting for this large-scale survey (more than 8,200 interviews). This covered a wide range of measures of health, lifestyles, social capital and psychosocial factors. We produced a trends report which examined trends across the last four surveys (since 1999) including an examination of the gap between the most deprived areas and other areas. We also produced an area-wide report and reports for each of the 11 CH(C)P areas. These explored differences between each CH(C)P area and the NHSGGC area as a whole, and significant differences for socio-economic other subgroups.
We conducted this evaluation of a national programme for NHS Health Scotland. The programme aims to roll out training to teachers and others working with adolescent people in schools and elsewhere. The programme brings together complex issues around healthy eating including eating disorders, body image, physical activity and the role of the media. The evaluation included interviews with stakeholders, group discussions and with trainers and trainees, a survey of trainers and a survey of local participants as well as an in-depth case study in one area of Scotland.
In 2011 we conducted an evaluation of a new Food Train branch in West Lothian. This is a national charity which provides a shopping delivery service to elderly people. The evaluation involved documentation review, interviews with volunteers, elderly customers, project staff and key partners/stakeholders in the statutory sector. Our evaluation report highlighted key learning points, impacts and implications for future national expansion of the service. Our report has been published at:
We were commissioned by sportscotland to undertake a multiple counting study. Monitoring data received by sportscotland showed the number of extra-curricular activity sessions attended by pupils across Scotland. The multiple counting study sought to ascertain the number of individual pupils who took part, taking account of the fact that many pupils will attend more than one activity session. We obtained activity registers from a sample of schools, and derived weighting factors to compensate for multiple counting. We also derived weighting factors to compensate for errors in the monitoring data and made recommendations for future monitoring data collation.
We conducted a series of focus groups with parents, teachers and P4 pupils in Glasgow schools in order to explore behaviour, attitudes, perceptions and experience of physical activity opportunities for young people. Three years later we followed up the same pupils (then P7) as well as a new group of P4s, parents and teachers in order to assess the impact of the Active Schools programme. Our report highlighted positive impacts of the programme and also made recommendations for future changes to the programme. 
