Technologies for care – the imperative for upskilling carers

Dr Verina Waights (OU), Prof Panos Bamidis (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece) and Ms Rosa Almeida (Fundacion Intras, Spain) Ageing populations, coupled with increasing retirement ages and lower ratios of workers to retirees, are negatively impacting health and social care. Currently, 11.8% of Northern Ireland (NI) residents are carers, but it is predicted that by … Read more

Acoustics for STEM and STEAM

Prof Keith Attenborough (OU) This presentation explains how acoustics can provide motivation for studies in STEM subjects and beyond. Studies of hearing difficulties, home listening systems and subjective response to noise, involve psychology and sociology. Medical applications include ultrasonic scanning and surgery with high intensity focussed ultrasound. But acoustics rarely features in school teaching or … Read more

Recomposing the City: How Sound Can Make Better Cities

Dr Sarah Lappin (QUB), Dr Gascia Ouzounian (Oxford University) and Rachel O’Grady (QUB) This presentation draws on findings of a research project funded by a three year grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Council. The project seeks to understand how sound can be understood in post-conflict cities. After several months in Berlin and Bonn … Read more

Health psychology: Behaviour change for health and well-being in adults and children in Northern Ireland

Dr Liz Simpson, Dr Marian McLaughlin and Prof Tony Cassidy (Ulster) Reducing health inequalities and promoting well-being is a main focus for Government health policies in Northern Ireland.  Many of the chronic health conditions that are prevalent in our society today, such as obesity, coronary heart disease and diabetes, all have one thing in common, … Read more

Teenage girls heading for a lifetime of ill-health. Using the school environment to enhance health-related behaviours: shared experiences and suggested future approaches

Prof Alison Gallagher, Dr Angela Carlin and Prof Marie Murphy (Ulster) Aside from home, children and adolescents spend more time in school than in any other setting. As such schools represent a key environment for promoting of health-related behaviours. Additionally, use of the school-setting has the potential to overcome health inequalities, as all children and … Read more

Sit Less – Move More. Reducing sedentary behaviour to improve health in overweight and obesity

Prof Marie Murphy (Ulster) There is strong relationship between time spent in sitting and many health outcomes including, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Sedentary behaviour is defined as waking activity with very low levels of energy expenditure and a sitting or reclining posture (SBRN 2012). In modern society sedentary behaviour in adults has become … Read more

Halting the rise of Obesity: making every clinical contact count

Dr Toni McAloon (Ulster), Prof Vivien Coates (Ulster) and Prof Donna Fitzsimons (QUB) Obesity is a major 21st century health challenge, contributing to chronic illnesses and presents a serious threat to world health. Obesity is associated with more deaths than underweight/malnutrition, imposing a serious financial burden on struggling health services. Northern Ireland has 60% prevalence … Read more