The Longitude and Latitude of health c/o BBC [ and h2cm? ]

The axes of Hodges' model, the bisection of HUMANISTIC ----- MECHANISTIC by INDIVIDUAL----GROUP provides a location in the sense of 'x' marks the spot. The axes form a reticle a cross hair scale from which things might be identified and located.

You could say that the axes lay out conceptual and contextual lines of longitude and latitude. Just to recap the full title of the model is:

Hodges' health career 
- care domains - model

The operative word here is 'career' referring to life chances. Like the global map with its universal application, h2cm can be used from birth, teens, adulthood and seniority.  H2CM can capture snapshots of an individual's life - (w)rite up to end of life: whatever the conceptual resolution. Think of a stacked series of H2CM frames.

A lifetime view of health is what researchers pursue in longitudinal research studies. There was a programme on Radio 4 this a.m. which I've just enjoyed Science: From Cradle to Grave with Ben Goldacre and there's the prospect of more to follow (Generations Apart).


Since the still ongoing 1946 cohort study there have been several others with the recruitment of parents and children for a 2012 cohort to be commenced. What I found particularly interesting is the way the emphasis of the cohorts in-between has emphasized medicine then shifted towards the needs of the social scientists. The programme highlights how given the increasing complexity of cause and effect, rapid developments in genetics, and the environment ... striking a balance is very important.

It certainly is - across the spectrum of individual health, community, population and ultimately global health.

Addendum (c/o Catherine Coleman LinkedIn):
Harvard researchers recruiting 100,000 nurses!

RNs and LPNs (US and Canada only) age 22-45 join Harvard researchers in the largest, longest study of women's health.

The Nurses Health Study (no longer) invites you to become part of its newest group. Participation only requires one online survey a year.

Since 1976, more than 200,000 US women in Nurses Health Study 1&2 have influenced what we know about cancer, diet, heart disease, and hormones.

In only an hour a year, you will be able to make a difference for your colleagues and for future generations!

Additional links:

UK Longitudinal Studies Centre (ULSC)

Understanding Society: Early findings from the first wave of the UK’s household longitudinal study

ESRC: The future of longitudinal studies
Lifelong Health & Ageing: LHA

National Survey of Health and Development: NSHD

Globe image source: http://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/imageg.htm

A call for applications for the 3rd phase of Lifelong Health and Wellbeing (LLHW)

Advanced Notice

A call for applications for the third phase of Lifelong Health and Wellbeing (LLHW) will be announced in early May 2010.

Lifelong Health and Wellbeing is a major cross-council initiative involving AHRC, BBSRC, EPSRC, ESRC and MRC in partnership with the UK health departments. LLHW supports multi-disciplinary research addressing factors across the life course that influence healthy ageing and wellbeing in later life.

The initiative aims to lead to improvements in health and quality of life in later life, inform policy and practice and increase capacity building in ageing related research.

Phase 3 will invite high-quality innovative multidisciplinary applications that focus on major ageing-related challenges faced by the UK in the 21^st century. Proposals will be welcome from multidisciplinary teams in the areas of, but not restricted to the following:

• Mental Health and Wellbeing including quality of life, preserving cognitive function and exploiting mental capital
• Resilience for successful ageing: from cell to society including life course influences, markers for ageing and processes of ageing
• Age-related conditions, including frailty and interventions to promote independence in later life.

Structure of the call
Funds will be available through two modes of support:

LLHW Research Grants - up to £10m will be available for multi-disciplinary research awards from £300k up to £2.5m over three to five years.

LLHW Pilot Studies - a total of £2.5m to fund up to 10 pilot or feasibility studies for a maximum of two years, aimed at informing the development of future cross-disciplinary research proposals.

Selection Criteria
Successful proposals will be of strategic importance, be truly multi-disciplinary, encompassing the remits of more than one Research Council, and have clearly articulated and robust methodology and design.

Further information
Updates and further information about phase 3 can be found on the website:
https://mrc.ukri.org/research/initiatives/lifelong-health-wellbeing/

My source:
Charlotte Jones
NDA Programme Secretary
The University of Sheffield
Department of Sociological Studies
Elmfield, Northumberland Road
Sheffield, S10 2TU, UK