Greater Manchester has amongst the worst air quality in the UK. Air pollution causes many health problems, as well as worsening pre-existing health conditions. Increasingly, Greater Manchester residents are concerned about poor air quality and want actions to be taken. Yet, budgets that could support change are under more and more constraints. In this article, […]
Communities, traffic and positive action to address air pollution
Air pollution levels in Greater Manchester are some of the highest in the UK. As air pollution can potentially worsen pre-existing health conditions, Greater Manchester residents are increasingly concerned about the high rates of air pollution and are seeking to find practical, place-based solutions to tackle the issue. In this article, Professor Sheena Cruickshank addresses […]
Improving air quality in urban areas
Air pollution is the biggest environmental threat to health in the UK, thought to cause between 28,000 and 36,000 deaths a year. It has also been linked with the development and worsening of coronary heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease and lung cancer, exacerbates asthma and hay fever, and worsens the outcomes of respiratory infections such […]
How to build healthy cities
Cities are key places. Changing the way we plan and develop cities will be essential to meet our net zero targets as well as improve the health and lives of people in urban areas. In this blog, Professor James Evans, Dr Luke Munford, Professor David Topping, Professor Sheena Cruickshank and Dr Jamie Anderson explore the […]
Air pollution: a place-based community-centred approach
There are major disparities in the impacts of air pollution, with low-income communities facing greater health risks due to higher exposure to air pollutants. In this blog, Professor Sheena Cruickshank, an immunologist and Academic Lead for Public Engagement with Research at The University of Manchester, outlines the disproportionate health effects of air pollution on marginalised […]
The scourge of summer: seasonal allergies, asthma and how your mobile phone could help
Asthma and allergies affect millions in the UK and abroad. Understanding what drives allergic reactions, both inside the body and in the wider environment, will strengthen the ability of public health policymakers to address and limit the impact of these conditions. Here, Professor Sheena Cruickshank introduces ‘Britain Breathing’, a mobile phone app that can help […]
Rethinking public engagement with health
Public engagement with health research and science is an issue of growing public importance. With a worrying trend towards ‘anti-science’ perspectives resulting in serious outbreaks of preventable disease, it is essential to consider bringing the wider public into the consultation and communication of health research and knowledge. Here, Sheena Cruickshank, Lamiece Hassan, and Emily Dawson […]