Posted by Victoria Bartle, Fuse Public Partner, with tips for guests from Cassey Muir, Fuse & NIHR School for Public health Research (SPHR) funded PhD Researcher from Newcastle University Everyone seems to have a podcast these days and there are lots discussing research, but how many can say that they are totally led by the public? I have been participating in public involvement in research since 2016 and believe that it is a vital part of improving everybody’s health, but find that getting other people involved and informing the public about research projects is really difficul ..read more

By Liam Spencer, Research Assistant and ARC NENC Mental Health Research Fellow, Fuse & NIHR School for Public Health Research, Newcastle University Young people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) experience significant mental health inequalities in comparison with their peers. School environment is a major risk factor and is consistently associated with negative mental health for LGBTQ+ young people, as shown in research here, here and here. The UN Convention for the Rights of Child Committee has also specifically e ..read more

Posted by Claire Smiles, Fuse PhD student from Newcastle University and experts by experience Marie Warby and Kayleigh Cookson Presenters and experts by experience at the Fuse event on International Women's Day  On International Women’s Day 2023 we at Fuse celebrated by showcasing the lived experiences of women in the North East. This event brought together experts by experience, researchers and practitioners who engaged with presentations, shared experiences and devised top priorities to tackle women’s health inequalities.  I presented the early findings from the ‘Wome ..read more

Posted by Anita Attala, Lead Adult Weight Management Dietitian from Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, and research team from Teesside University We all like to have a ‘treat’ and to give ‘treats’ to others. Indeed, the use of food, and in particular what we in public health call ‘high fat, sugar, and salt’ containing foods or ‘HFSS’, are often chosen as rewards. The notion of food cultures is certainly a social anthropological (study of humans) concept, with an example being the use of food in positive reinforcement; using ‘treat’/HFSS foods to reward children in particular. Taken ..read more

Posted by Mark Welford, Fuse Communications Manager, Teesside University If you use Spotify (other streaming platforms are available) then you will no doubt have received your own personalised ‘Wrapped 2022’. A helpful (if somewhat creepy!) summary of your annual listening habits in one eye-searing psychedelically coloured package. Apparently, my most listened to song in 2022 was Baby Shark - I have a 3 year old. Around this time of year I do a similar (if slightly less garish) job of pulling together the top 5 Fuse blog posts from the previous year. But this year is a little dif ..read more

Posted by Helen Ball, Professor of Anthropology, Director of the Durham Infancy & Sleep Centre (DISC), and Fuse Associate at Durham University Anyone who’s cared for a young child will recognise the signs. They’ve had too little sleep or missed a nap, they’re cranky, tearful, and stroppy, and they can’t or won’t fall asleep. They are “overtired”. But is such a thing really possible – to be more tired than tired? What we tend to call overtiredness happens when an emotional state, such as anxiety, distress or fear, blocks our ability to go to sleep even when we’re really tired. This is a ..read more

Posted by Cassey Muir, Fuse & NIHR School for Public health Research (SPHR) funded PhD Researcher from Newcastle University and Kira Terry, Lived Experience Expert.  “No-one has ever asked me about how I feel in any of this.” I found the powerful quote above from a young person during my research exploring parent drug and alcohol (or substance) use from the young person’s perspective. Since then the question of ‘what support do children and young people ACTUALLY want?’ has remained central to my PhD research in this area. Most schemes focus on the parents themselves, to reduc ..read more

Posted by Pascal Landindome Navelle, FRSPH, Public Health Research Operations Officer and Doctor of Public Health Student at Teesside University. In today's Fuse blog, Pascal gives his top tips for anyone starting out in research, and shares his own experience which began working with Fuse and Teesside University. His advice? A passion for the "why?" question and accessing the right mentorship. As part of the NIHR ‘Your Path In Research’ campaign.   After working as a clinician for several years, I felt that my impact on service users was limited. So, upon a thorough reflection ..read more

Posted by Sheena Ramsay, Professor of Public Health & Epidemiology, (and team: Emma Joyes, Emma Adams, Laura McGowan) in collaboration with Fulfilling Lives Newcastle Gateshead Experts by Experience The way researchers approach some groups is often not sensitive to or inclusive of their needs. For example, the information can use technical language (such as ‘licit substances’ or ‘quasi-experimental’) which can be difficult to understand and off-putting. This can lead to people not wanting to take part in studies. Which means that new research insights, including changes to practice ..read more

Posted by Chloe Beck, Health and Social Care student, Northumbria University Before his resignation, Boris Johnson unveiled his flagship ‘Levelling Up’ plan. Hailed as the ‘defining mission’ of his Government, this new plan strives to transform the United Kingdom by increasing opportunities and prospects for the whole population. It aims to shift Government focus onto the so-called ‘forgotten communities’ of Great Britain, through a decade long project consisting of twelve missions that have been given status within UK law. Although changes are now afoot in the Government, both candidates to r ..read more