This research project is being undertaken to investigate the specific pathways (social, biological, behavioural, psychological, environmental) to identify trajectories, transitions and tipping points in physical and mental health as people age, to advise when, where and for whom preventive health interventions can be optimally targeted.
1. To determine the extent that trajectories, transitions and tipping points in
physical health, mental health, related lifestyles, healthrelevant
behaviours
and health service use vary as people age, between social groups and
across different geographical areas.
2. To examine the degree to which related health enhancing and/or
diminishing social, biological, behavioural, psychological and environmental
circumstances vary as people age, between social groups and across
different geographical areas.
3. To investigate to what extent changes in social, biological, behavioural,
psychological and environmental circumstances are related to, or determine,
trajectories, transitions, tipping points in physical health, mental health,
related lifestyles, healthrelevant
behaviours and health service use.
4. To explore the extent to which certain socioeconomic and geographical
circumstances and inequalities in physical health, mental health, related
lifestyles, healthrelevant
behaviours and health service use in older age are
potentially preventable through early intervention, to explore what might those
interventions consist of, whether they are dependent upon critical periods,
location of residence and other contingencies, and where and for whom
would they be optimally targeted.
5. To conduct methodological research to test model specification,
adjustment for confounding, potential exposureoutcome
misclassification,
attrition and missing data, propensity score matching and instrumental
variable techniques, applications of spatial statistics, challenges of mediation
analysis and the amount of bias be ascertained through quantitative bias
analysis.