The focus of this theme is to help adolescents and young people who have been diagnosed with long-term conditions such as obesity, diabetes epilepsy and inflammatory bowel disease understand their condition and how best to improve their own health. We are particularly interested in the quality of healthcare they receive and in improving health policy that may affect their physical and mental health.

Funded projects

  • Health inequalities in preschool wheeze and asthma
  • Mental health and obesity in children and young people
  • Management of inflammatory bowel disease in primary care

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  • News
Social disadvantage in the UK has a lasting impact on childhood asthma

Children experiencing social disadvantage in their first few years have a greatly increased risk of asthma persisting into adulthood.
Person holding their stomach
  • Research
Health of young people with ulcerative colitis at risk due to ceasing medication

Nearly 70% of adolescents and young adults with ulcerative colitis stop taking medication to treat the disease within a year of diagnosis.
A doctor delivering medicine to a patient
  • News
Poor self-esteem and body image increase weight and poor mental health in teens

Promoting positive body image and self-esteem among children could help reduce poor mental health associated with being higher weight.

Staff and students

Professor Sonia Saxena

Professor Sonia Saxena
Clinical Professor in Primary Care

Dr Alex Bottle

Dr Alex Bottle
Professor of Medical Statistics

Dr Hanna Creese

Dr Hanna Creese
Research Associate

Dr Dougal Hargreaves

Dr Dougal Hargreaves
Houston Reader in Paediatrics and Population Health

Nishani Jayasooriya

Nishani Jayasooriya
Clinical Research Fellow, St Georges University of London

Professor Sonia Saxena

Head of the Child Health Unit
Professor Saxena's research aim to find better ways to prevent, detect and treat childhood illness.