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Health & Lifestyle

We play a crucial role in tracking the health of the nation. The scope of our research is broad, from general health and lifestyle studies to studies focusing on particular health issues or sections of the population. Findings from large-scale health surveys carried out in England, Scotland and Wales are used to improve the targeting of national health policies in each country. 
We have a large body of work looking at the lifestyles of the nation from smoking, drinking and drug use to gambling and leisure.

Health & Lifestyle
All our research
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Drug treatment outcomes research study
DTORS assessed the impact of drug treatment on drug and alcohol use, offending behaviour, health issues and social outcomes.
Gambling and Financial Management
ResearcherHeather Wardle
How factors relating to money management, income, financial attitudes and skills may both be risk factors for - and protective factors against - problem gambling.
Legal Representation Grant Scheme: a review
A qualitative study reviewing the Children’s Legal Representation Grant Scheme from the perspective of young people and adults involved in the Children’s Hearings System.
Offending Crime & Justice
ResearcherSarah Tipping
The Offending Crime & Justice study examined offences, anti-social behaviour and drug use among young people.
Understanding Society
The largest social research study of its kind in the world with 40,000 households - 100,000 individuals - taking part across the UK...
Aspirations for later life
This research presents new survey findings on people’s aspirations for later life in Great Britain.
Attitudes to Pensions
ResearcherElizabeth Clery
Results from the latest Attitudes to Pensions survey are now available ...
Defining elder mistreatment
Mar 2011Social Care
ResearcherMelanie Doyle
This study clarifies issues relating to the use of key concepts when studying cases of abuse, neglect and dignity in care.
English Longitudinal Study of Ageing wave 0
ResearcherNot available
The only UK study to follow the lives of people aged 50 and over. Wave 0 was the creation of the survey’s original sample.
English Longitudinal Study of Ageing wave 1
ResearcherNot available
The only UK study to follow the lives of people aged 50 and over. The wave 1 report was published in December 2003.
English Longitudinal Study of Ageing wave 2
ResearcherNot available
The only UK study to follow the lives of people aged 50 and over. The wave 2 report was published in July 2006.
English Longitudinal Study of Ageing wave 3
ResearcherNot available
The only UK study to follow the lives of people aged 50 and over. The wave 3 report was published in July 2008.
English Longitudinal Study of Ageing wave 4
ResearcherNot available
The only UK study to follow the lives of people aged 50 and over.
Health Survey for England 2004
ResearcherRachel Craig
The 2004 Health Survey for England focused on the health of minority ethnic groups...
Health Survey for England 2005
ResearcherRachel Craig
The Health Survey for England 2005 focused on the health of older people...
Health Survey for England 2006
ResearcherRachel Craig
The Health Survey for England 2006 focused on cardiovascular disease ...
Health Survey for England 2007
ResearcherRachel Craig
The 2007 Health Survey for England focused on the public’s attitudes towards smoking, drinking, eating and physical activity...
Health Survey for England 2008
ResearcherNot available
The 2008 Health Survey for England focuses on physical activity and fitness...
Health Survey for England 2009
ResearcherRachel Craig
The 2009 report for the Health Survey for England includes results about kidney disease and personal care plans...
Health Survey for England 2010
The 2010 report for the Health Survey for England focuses on respiratory health and lung function. The report provides the latest findings from the authoritative health survey with trends dating back to 1993.
Health Survey for England 2011
ResearcherNot available
The Health Survey for England 2011 included core modules such as general health, smoking, drinking, fruit and vegetable consumption, and a new core module on social care.
Health Survey for England 2012
ResearcherRachel Craig
The Health Survey for England 2012 includes core modules such as general health (including self care), smoking, drinking, and social care.
Living and caring?
This report assesses the impact of informal care provision on older people by comparing the experiences of carers and non-carers aged 50 and over.
Older people's use of concessionary bus travel
Dec 2012
Researcher
This study explores older people's use of concessionary bus travel
Pathways to retirement
This study illustrates the hugely different experiences of people as they retire and the influence of workplace policy and practice on these experiences.
Perceptions of Income in Retirement
The overall aim of this research was to provide greater understanding of how people feel about their retirement income.
Scottish Social Attitudes 2005
The Scottish Social Attitudes study aims to provide high quality survey data on a wide range of social and political issues...
Scottish Social Attitudes 2007
ResearcherRachel Ormston
The Scottish Social Attitudes study aims to provide high quality survey data on a wide range of social and political issues...
Wellcome Trust Monitor
Mar 2010Health
ResearcherElizabeth Clery
Tracking the public's attitudes to medical research and science over time ...
Welsh Health Survey
ResearcherNot available
Wales' largest annual survey of the health of the nation ...
Evaluation of the Family Nurse Partnership programme in Scotland
ResearcherRachel Ormston
The Family Nurse Partnership programme (FNP) is a preventive programme for vulnerable young first-time mothers.
Estimating the prevalence of young people absent from school due to bullying
ResearcherElizabeth Clery
Gives an estimate of the number of young people (aged 11-15) absent from state school because of severe experiences of bullying...
Evaluation of National Healthy Schools Programme
Jun 2012
The NHSP supports schools in encouraging healthy behaviours, raising pupil achievement, reducing health inequalities and promoting social inclusion.
Implementation Evaluation of the National Healthy Schools enhancement model
Oct 2010
A study which fed into the production of guidelines for Special Schools delivering the National Healthy Schools enhancement model...
Longitudinal data on food-related issues
ResearcherSally McManus
The Department of Health funded this scoping and analysis project, which builds on a scoping study previously undertaken by the Policy Studies Institute.
National Diet and Nutrition Survey
ResearcherNot available
This survey aims to track (and allow policy makers to quickly respond to) trends in diet and nutrition status...
Diet and Nutrition Survey of Infants and Young Children
ResearcherNot available
This study sets out to draw a detailed picture of what very young children eat ...
Evaluation of South West Healthy Schools Plus
Feb 2012
ResearcherNot available
The evaluation of the South West Healthy Schools Plus (SWHSP) initiative is being carried out on behalf of the Department of Health (DH) and the Government Office for the South West (GOSW).
The Big Eat In Follow-Up Study
Researcher
The Big Eat In Follow-Up Study is a qualitative study in relation to lunch time stay-on-site policies.
The Family Wellbeing Index
ResearcherSally McManus
Many areas of life influence the health and wellbeing of families. This study sought to identify some of the evidence about what is known to influence family wellbeing.
Evaluating P-ASRO outcomes
Oct 2010Crime policy
ResearcherNot available
This is a feasibility study into the possibility of evaluating an intervention programme with substance abusers in prison...
Evaluating the impact of Picture Health Warnings on Cigarette Packets
ResearcherHeather Wardle
Assessing the impact of health warnings messages on cigarette packets...
Evaluation of the Anticipatory Care Community Pharmacy programme
ResearcherRachel Ormston
The Anticipatory Care Community Pharmacy (ACCP) programme aimed to support the delivery of Keep Well, Scotland’s flagship anticipatory care programme, by offering people health checks in pharmacies.
Evaluation of Keep Well in Prisons
ResearcherClare Sharp
An evaluation to assess the delivery and impact of Keep Well in Prisons
The Dedicated Drug Courts Pilot Evaluation Process Study
ResearcherJane Kerr
Evaluating Dedicated Drug Court pilots and their potential for reducing drug related re-offending...
Is the built environment associated with physical activity?
Sep 2011Exercise
This feasibility study will test a research design and protocol, which if successful, may be adopted in a larger study to provide evidence on how the built environment influences physical activity.
British Gambling Prevalence Survey 1999
ResearcherHeather Wardle
The British Gambling Prevalence Survey series measures gambling participation in Great Britain.
British Gambling Prevalence Survey 2007
ResearcherHeather Wardle
The British Gambling Prevalence Survey series measures gambling participation in Great Britain.
British Gambling Prevalence Survey 2010
Feb 2011Gambling
ResearcherHeather Wardle
The British Gambling Prevalence Survey series measures gambling participation in Great Britain.
Adult Psychiatric Morbidity in England 2007
ResearcherSally McManus
The APMS survey series has recently provided valuable insights into the impact of recession on mental health.
Autism Spectrum Disorders in Adults Living in Households in England
ResearcherSally McManus
A report from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey 2007
Cigarette smoking & mental health
ResearcherSally McManus
People with a mental disorder are more likely to smoke according to a new report ...
Developing a Quality of Life Measure
The study aims to find out what is important to people in their quality of life, and how they weigh up different aspects, such as love and support vs independence. The measure we come up will be used to guide funding decisions in health and social care.
Effective responses to the long term effect of violence, trauma and abuse
ResearcherNot available
The study has been funded by the National Institute for Health Research Policy Research Programme, under a specific call on optimising outcomes for victims of violence, trauma and abuse.
Health, mental health & housing conditions in England
ResearcherSally McManus
An analysis of the links between fuel related poverty and poor mental and physical health
Intergenerational transmission of worklessness
ResearcherMatt Barnes
Mapping patterns of worklessness across successive generations...
Mind stakeholder consultation
Researcher
NatCen worked closely with Mind to conduct a robust, accessible and independent consultation with their key stakeholders early in 2011.
Parental Confidence in the Special Educational Needs System
This report presents findings from our study of parents’ experiences of the Special Educational Needs system...
Scottish Social Attitudes 2010
The Scottish Social Attitudes study aims to provide high quality survey data on a wide range of social and political issues...
Diet and Health Study 2011
The Department of Health (DH) has commissioned the Diet and Health Study 2011 to monitor progress towards the recommended adult salt intake target of 6g per day. The study is being carried out in England and involves adults aged 19-64.
Scottish Salt Intake 2011
Researcher
A survey of 24 hour urinary sodium excretion in a representative sample of the Scottish population as a measure of salt intake.
A test for racial discrimination
ResearchersMartin Wood
This report provides evidence on the extent to which ethnic minorities are discriminated against in the British job market.
British Social Attitudes 26th Report
The 26th report of the British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey series, conducted annually since 1983...
Citizenship survey
The Citizenship Survey contributes to the evidence base across the following policy areas: cohesion, community empowerment, race, equality, volunteering and charitable giving...
Living Apart Together
ResearcherNot available
New research into the 10% of British couples who live at seperate addresses ...
Evaluation of the quit4u smoking cessation scheme
ResearcherRachel Ormston
Quit4u is a smoking cessation initiative which combines up to 12 weekly payments of £12.50 for each week the participant is verified as 'smoke free' with pharmacotherapy and group or one-to-one support to support people to quit.
Care and caring
ResearcherMelanie Doyle
Looking at the type of social care employed by, or on behalf of adults with long term health needs...
Abuse and Neglect of Older People: Secondary analysis
ResearcherNot available
Reporting secondary analysis of data from the UK Study of Abuse and Neglect of Older People...
Adult Dental Health Survey 2009
Providing a picture of the dental health of the adult population and how this has changed...
BCG and health
www.natcen.ac.uk/bcgandhealthMultiple Researchers
This is an observational study investigating the effect that childhood vaccinations have on people's health.
British Social Attitudes 27th Report
Dec 2010
Every year the British Social Attitudes survey asks over 3000 people what it’s like to live in Britain and how they think Britain is run...
Early Education for Disadvantaged 2-year Olds
Aug 2009Childcare
ResearcherRachel Ormston
Our evaluation of the Government scheme providing free early-years education to disadvantaged 2-year olds...
Evaluation of the Lothian Deaf Counselling Service
Evaluating the success of a pilot scheme offering counselling in British Sign Language or English...
Helping out
ResearcherNot available
This study explores the views and experiences of people who volunteer or give money to charities...
Profiling London's rough sleepers
Communities and Local Government (CLG) should consider distinguishing between first-time rough sleepers, rough sleeper stock and returners for better monitoring and policy development.
Scottish Health Survey
The Scottish Health Survey provides a detailed picture of the health of the Scottish population...
Situating Problem Gambling
Despite the increased popularity of gambling, surprisingly little is known about the minority of people who experience problems as a result of their gambling...
UK Study of Abuse & Neglect of Older People
ResearcherNot available
This is the first study of its kind to reliably estimate the extent of abuse and neglect of older people...
Using national survey data in sight loss research
This project makes use of visual impairment research survey data...
Water in West Cumbria
ResearcherMelanie Doyle
'Water in West Cumbria' is being carried out on behalf of United Utilities in partnership with the Environment Agency.
Welsh Health Survey Boost
Sep 2011
ResearcherMelanie Doyle
In 2011, we're asking adult respondents to the Welsh Heath Survey for their permission to link survey answers with information from other records, like GP, hospital and education records.