Several group members took part in this exciting event, highlighting interdisciplinary work from across the university.
Dr Lucia D’Ambruoso gave a talk titled “Addressing the unequal world of global health data”, where she described her work on the VAPAR programme in rural South Africa. This study aimed to develop inclusive, sustainable knowledge partnerships, involving community and health systems actors, to strengthen the local health system. The process combined Verbal Autopsy (VA), a method to measure levels and causes of unrecorded deaths, with Participatory Action Research (PAR), in which different actors organise evidence for action. VAPAR improved quality and uptake of mortality data; supplemented statistical data with evidence on the human experience of the burden; and created, expanded, and embedded collaborative learning platforms in the district.
Lucia also presented a poster on her cost of living/cost of smoking work, a study of cooperative action learning to address smoking in deprived communities within the cost-of-living crisis. The team worked with people living in deprived neighbourhoods in rural northeast Scotland, to engage affected communities together with the health authority in ‘cooperative action learning’. The study provides holistic understandings of health and hardship and demonstrates that existing services can be enhanced with community intelligence.
Emma-Louise Tarburn presented a poster on her research exploring the potential role of environmental exposure to trace metals and metalloids in the development of the classical myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), essential thrombocythaemia, polycythaemia vera, and primary myelofibrosis. The study employed toenail analysis using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) combined with clinical and epidemiological information to assess long-term exposure to trace elements, providing insights into how these environmental factors might contribute to the pathogenesis and symptom burden of MPNs. The findings suggest a need for further evaluation of specific elements in understanding MPN development.
Dr Caroline Franco presented a poster on “An Arts-Based engagement approach to improve the impact of healthcare modelling”, a project involving university researchers, a visual artist and a musician. The study aimed to investigate new approaches for social, creative, and community based opportunities for strengthening methods for enacting modelling in a broad range of health care scenarios. The poster presented the initial findings from analysis of interview materials collected from conversations between eight NHS staff and the artists, presenting broad themes brought up by participants, recommendations gathered from the conversation data, and key quotes.
The symposium was well attended, and our team enjoyed the opportunity to discuss their work and exchange ideas with researchers from other Schools and disciplines.