Population Health Sciences

Why are around a third of pregnant women not vaccinated against whooping cough?

20 January 2021

Whooping cough is widespread, highly contagious and serious for new-born babies. However, 30 per cent of pregnant women in the UK do not receive the whooping cough vaccine, leading to avoidable illness and death and the Covid-19 pandemic appears to be having a negative impact on these numbers. New research led by the University of Bristol aims to understand why pregnant women are not being vaccinated against whooping cough and how to improve delivery by maternity services and mothers’ uptake of vaccines.

How Bristol research saved 20,000 babies' lives

10 February 2017

Twenty five years ago, University of Bristol Professor, Peter Fleming, pioneered research which showed lives could be saved if babies were placed on their backs - and not their fronts- to sleep. His ground-breaking research informed the high profile Back-to-Sleep campaign in the early 90s. It is estimated his research has saved the lives of more than 20,000 babies in the UK alone and has changed official advice about safer sleeping for babies the world over.

Professor Alastair Hay appointed to NICE committee for managing infections

10 January 2017

Alastair Hay, Professor of Primary Care at the University of Bristol’s Centre for Academic Primary Care (CAPC), has been appointed to the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Management of Common Infections committee.

Bristol researchers reveal findings of a major international study into the diets and lifestyles of European children

9 February 2017

European governments must act to help families improve their children’s health and tackle the obesity epidemic. That’s the advice of I.Family researchers who today [9 Feb] revealed the findings of a major international study into the diets and lifestyles of European children.

Embed Germ Defence behaviours at home to reduce virus spread now and in the future

26 February 2021

As COVID-19 vaccines are rolled out, a roadmap for unlocking Britain is announced, new research which looked at data from over 28,000 users of the website 'Germ Defence' since May 2020 highlights the continued, critical importance of breaking chains of virus transmission within our homes.

Impact of Covid-19 pandemic on domestic abuse referrals in primary care to be explored

25 February 2021

A new study, led by researchers at the University of Bristol's Centre for Academic Primary Care in collaboration with colleagues in Queen Mary University of London, UCL, University of Oxford and IRISi will explore whether and how GP referrals to domestic abuse services have changed during the coronavirus pandemic.

How sure would you want to be that you have coeliac disease before starting a gluten-free diet?

14 January 2021

A new survey from researchers at NIHR ARC West and the University of Bristol has been launched to understand how sure people want to be that they’ve got coeliac disease before starting a gluten-free diet.

Child body weight has limited effects on mood and behavioural disorders, study suggests

20 December 2022

Childhood body mass index is unlikely to have a big impact on children's mood or behavioural disorders, according to a study led by the University of Bristol and published today [20 December] in eLife.

NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre: £21 million research partnership launches

3 April 2017

A £21 million National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) in Bristol will launch this week [3 April]. The research centre, awarded to University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust (UH Bristol) and the University of Bristol by the NIHR, will conduct cutting-edge research to develop new, ground-breaking treatments, diagnostics, prevention and care for patients in a wide range of diseases.

High fructose diets could cause immune system damage

22 February 2021

New research led by Swansea University in collaboration with researchers at the University of Bristol and the Francis Crick Institute in London has indicated that consuming a diet high in the sugar fructose might prevent the proper functioning of peoples' immune systems in ways that has, until now, largely been unknown.