Research interests and projects of the Prevention Group
The overall aims of the group are to:
- Quantify the impact of health behaviours on outcomes, and identify determinants of health behaviours.
- Develop practical strategies to identify individuals or groups at increased risk of chronic disease and likely to benefit from interventions.
- Develop and evaluate ways to communicate information about health behaviours, risk factors and disease risk.
- Develop and evaluate interventions to reduce disease risk.
Current projects include:
- Systematic reviews and external validation of existing risk prediction models for prostate cancer and colorectal cancer to inform the development of risk stratified screening programmes
- A longitudinal qualitative study over ten years to explore patient views on patient-practitioner interactions in type 2 diabetes
- Multiple cohort analysis nested within the ADDITION-Cambridge trial to examine the impact of patient-centred care on CVD risk factor levels, incidence of CVD events and mortality, and health care costs in type 2 diabetes
- A qualitative interview study with practitioners and patients to investigate how and why consultations might influence health behaviours and outcomes in type 2 diabetes
- A review on screening for malnutrition among older people in the community
- 5- and 10- year follow-up of the ADDITION-Cambridge and ADDITION Plus studies to examine the impact of intensive treatment in individuals with screen detected diabetes
- Establishing the diagnostic validity of cardiovascular disease in primary, secondary and tertiary care and disease registry records using the ADDITION-Cambridge data
- A rapid evidence synthesis of the NHS Health Check programme
We also collaborate closely with colleagues within other groups in the Primary Care Unit and both nationally and internationally.