Large Grant Scheme: Health, Econometrics and Data Group

This proposal seeks funding for a linked-project programme of research to support and develop the research activities of the Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG), a collaboration between the Centre for Health Economics (CHE) and the Department of Economics and Related Studies (DERS) at the University of York.

The focus of the group's work is the empirical analysis of health, health-related behaviour and health care. The group is distinct in its focus on both methodology and applications to important issues of policy relevance. This is supported by a
strong theoretical foundation grounded in economic principles. The overarching aims of HEDG are to provide empirical research evidence of the highest quality capable of informing health policy; to develop and disseminate novel research methodology through the application of quantitative techniques to substantive problems of policy relevance; and to exploit large and complex data resources to maximum potential.

Specific objectives relating to this funding bid are to:
1. develop innovative methodological and applied research within areas of central concern to health policy;
2. create a centre of excellence for quantitative research in health and health care;
3. promote a national and international network of researchers interested in applied health economics;
4. exploit synergies with other research centres within York and more broadly;
5. disseminate research that is relevant to both academic and policy communities;
6. support capacity building through visits by senior and early career researchers, supervising PhD students and developing training materials;
7. create capacity to bid for research funding from other sources.

Funding is requested to pursue a programme of research organized under three broad themes:
1. The Performance of Health Systems and Organizations,
2. Inequality of Opportunity in Health,
3. Evaluation of Public Health Interventions: Econometric Methods and Micro-simulation.
The themes cover subjects of central concern to health economics research and policy analysis and build on the existing expertise of the applicants. Theme (1) investigates at an international level health system performance and their
comparative analysis; theme (2) will develop and implement new methods to assess inequality of opportunity in health; and theme (3) represents an innovative programme of work developing econometic methods and micro-simulation
models for evaluating public health initiatives. The three themes have been selected on the basis of their policy relevance both nationally and internationally, but also because they exploit the use of innovative micro-econometric methods.
The research themes will be complemented by a programme of annual training courses aimed directly at responding to the needs of early and mid-career researchers for training in quantitative methods.

This programme of research will involve national and international collaborators within each of the themes. We will make use of the extensive list of internal and external affiliates to HEDG (http://www.york.ac.uk/res/herc/hedg_people.html),
working in areas of mutual interest.

The group has a strong track record of dissemination to both research and policy audiences, and the funding will enable it to develop and enhance its innovative dissemination activity still further.