Our academic partners
University College London
Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim
Indiana University Bloomington
Qualitative Applied Health Research Centre
Mental health networks
Our centre has links with the Mental Health Networks, funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI):
Improving health and reducing health inequalities for people with severe mental illness
Life expectancy is reduced by 20 to 25 years among people with severe mental ill health. This profound health inequality is mostly due to physical health problems such as heart disease, diabetes or cancers associated with lifestyle factors. Rates of smoking and obesity are also much higher in this population, housing is often poor, and people do not benefit from the opportunities offered by exercise and interaction with the natural environment. This network will facilitate interdisciplinary research to understand and close this mortality gap.
Social, cultural and community assets for mental health
Community assets such as the arts, heritage sites, libraries, parks, allotments, volunteer associations and community groups can play a huge role in building resilient individuals and communities. The MARCH network will bring researchers together with policymakers, commissioners and third-sector organisations to further understand how these social, cultural and community assets can enhance public mental health and wellbeing, prevent mental illness and support those living with mental health conditions.
Loneliness and social isolation in mental health
The negative effects of loneliness and social isolation on physical and mental health are increasingly recognised. People with mental health problems are at high risk of loneliness and social isolation. However, we do not have a good understanding of how some people with mental health problems come to be lonely, or how they feel about it. Reducing loneliness and social isolation may be a way to improve lives of people with mental health problems, or even of preventing these problems. Our network brings together experts and people with lived experience to research how to achieve this.
Student mental health research network (SMARtEN)
There is increasing concern for the mental health of university students. The number of students seeking help for mental health problems has increased dramatically, as have the number of students with mental health problems dropping out of university. Some reports suggest that the mental well being of university students may be among the lowest in the population. However a lack of strong data in this sector presents a barrier to implementing an evidence based strategic response to concerns. The aim of this network is to address this gap, and change the higher education experience to support strong mental well being for all students.
Violence, abuse and mental health: opportunities for change
People with mental health problems are more likely to have been victims of domestic or sexual violence, and/or witnessed or experienced violence or abuse as a child. This network will bring together experts on violence, abuse and mental health to investigate the impact of domestic and sexual violence and abuse on mental health and well being and evaluate potential interventions.
Transdisciplinary research for the improvement of youth mental public health
In today’s society young people face extraordinary pressures to maintain their mental health. They live in an ever-changing environment, driven by changes in technology, communications and the media. These changes have coincided with an increase in mental health problems among young people, especially girls. In this network academics will work with young people, health practitioners, policymakers and voluntary organisations to find new ways to improve mental health and well being, especially among vulnerable and disadvantaged populations.
Emerging minds: action for child mental health
Approximately one in ten children and young people have a diagnosable mental health problem. Research has shown that there are clear indicators that predict the emergence of these conditions in children, but despite this only a small minority of children receive effective support. This network will bring together academics from health research, arts, design, humanities and physical science disciplines in order to establish the best ways of helping children, young people and families benefit from mental health research.
Nurture network: promoting young people’s mental health in a digital world
How do we equip parents, teachers, practitioners, policy makers and young people with the information, support and resources they need to promote positive mental health in our modern digital age? This multidisciplinary e-Nurture network will explore how the digital environment has changed the ways in which children experience and interact with their family, school and peers, and what effect this has on their mental health.