Data is key to the health of future generations: Lessons shared at Waterloo Foundation public lecture
3 July 2024
At the 2024 Waterloo Foundation public lecture, Professor Simon Murphy shared how strategic partnerships, data and innovation have the potential to reduce health inequalities in young people.
The benefits of promoting children’s rights and encouraging data literacy and participation were amongst the ten lessons shared as part of the annual lecture, hosted by Neuroscience and Mental Health Innovation Institute. The Waterloo Foundation Public Lecture takes place in May each year, showcasing some of the most current research, with a special focus on the developing mind.
Professor Simon Murphy outlined opportunities to reduce health inequalities for young people to improve future wellbeing using examples from his work on School Health Research Network (SHRN). The network collects data from all secondary schools and now primary schools across Wales every two years, supporting Welsh Government monitoring as well as driving school health action planning. It also supports research studies that can identify effective approaches in schools, including a recent study in primary schools that identified the spaces and places that made children feel safe.
SHRN data can help schools to understand the impact of their policies and practice on their pupils, from the length of lunch breaks to approaches to leadership. We can think of Wales as a living lab for innovation and evaluation, generating knowledge to improve population health.
A summary of the ten lessons recommended for future projects:
1. Schools have a big impact on young people's mental health
The school ‘climate’ has an effect on young people. Climate can be affected by leadership, ethos, the role of young people in the school and the relationships with parents and carers. An emphasis on acceptance, respect and values equals more positive outcomes. Those who have a trusted adult are associated with higher levels of wellbeing, particularly if there is poor support at home.
2. Creating a research infrastructure fit for purpose is challenging
There are all sorts of barriers to creating an effective data infrastructure, including a lack of existing data, political policy and the research burden.
3. A reciprocal partnership approach is vital to engagement
Aligning activities and policy goals with research can create a holistic and useful network where everyone is getting what they want. This means that the schools and regions understand their data and metrics, reduces the cost of conducting studies in Wales and reduces the research burden on schools.
4. Take a children’s rights approach to co-production
Bringing the anonymised data back to students helps drives interest and better data literacy. They see the relevance and this promotes future engagement.
5. Research understanding informs more targeted interventions for young people
6. Policies at national level drive change in schools
7. Schools are complex system within complex system
8. Understanding how schools respond and change is vital
9. Achieving change takes time
There is a danger of disregarding effective interventions because they don't show results quickly enough.
10. Lessons learned must be shared
Although research needs contextualising and translating, there is value in sharing outcomes outside Wales. The SHRN approach is spreading effectively at regional, country and city level.
Professor Murphy’s parting advice was to think of Wales as a living lab for innovation and evaluation. With SHRN in place, there is a stable data infrastructure to support research and engagement from schools and students. SHRN is helping to create more citizen scientists and the approach is spreading effectively across contexts in regions, countries and cities.
Watch the Waterloo Foundation public lecture
