MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the volume of funding to develop and evaluate public health interventions. However, research on complex interventions which seek to bring about sustained improvements in population health remains hugely challenging.  This workstream provides methodological support and expertise to complex intervention development and evaluation studies. We work with policymakers, practitioners and the public to develop and test interventions to maximise the likelihood of identifying interventions that make a contribution to improving health in real world implementation. We provide world-class capacity in the design, conduct and delivery of evaluations of theory-based, systems informed, co-produced complex public health interventions. We primarily work with two population groups – young people and older adults and in three substantive areas; mental health, lifestyle behaviours (e.g. diet, physical activity, smoking) and healthy ageing (physical, social and mental health).