Funding for research project to help reduce health inequalities

A project to help change attitudes to persistent pain in the workplace, led by a Teesside University academic, has won a share of £2m investment in research to tackle issues around economic inactivity.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is providing the funding for 16 new research projects which aim to help reduce health-related economic inactivity and provide important evidence to support people to enter, remain in, or re-enter the workforce.

The NIHR has launched its latest round of £1.8m funding for the Work and Health Research Initiative to support Government priorities.

The research projects are across a range of topics, including employment of the younger workforce, paid and unpaid adult social care workers, the neurodivergent workforce, the migrant workforce, and the armed forces. The research findings aim to help shape policy decisions, support more people to work and reduce health inequalities.

Flippin' Pain in the workplace: changing the culture towards persistent musculoskeletal pain in the workplace, is a project led by Professor Cormac Ryan, of Teesside University’s School of Health & Life Sciences.

This project, which has been awarded almost £120,000, aims to improve workplace culture around persistent musculoskeletal pain (PMP) by adapting the successful Flippin’ Pain campaign for use in employment settings.

Through coproduction with workers, employers, and stakeholders, the study will develop and test approaches to reduce misconceptions and stigma, strengthen understanding of modern pain science, and lay the groundwork for a larger research programme to evaluate its impact.

Professor Ryan said: “ We welcome this research project funding which aims to build on the successful work of Flippin’ Pain to help change societal attitudes towards persistent pain. Empowering people and raising awareness to create a better understanding of persistent pain is a crucial step towards tackling this major public health issue and promoting better pain management for all.”

Professor Danny McAuley, Scientific Director for NIHR Programmes, said: “Investing in research that supports employees to stay healthy, happy and remain in work is crucial for the future of our economy. It has the potential to deliver substantial economic and social benefits for individuals, employers and wider society.

“The NIHR’s Work and Health Research Initiative builds on existing investment in research in this area, helping to support the UK’s economic growth and boost health and wellbeing across the UK.”

The Government’s recent Keep Britain Working Review found that, compared to 2019, 800,000 more people are unemployed due to health conditions.

Unemployment is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, poor mental health, suicide, and long-term illnesses. This costs the UK £85b each year. Long-term sickness in the UK now makes up 30% of total economic inactivity.

The Work and Health Initiative highlights the NIHR’s ongoing support for research that tackles major issues in work, health, and occupational health. Since its inception in 2023, the Work and Health Research Initiative has invested £10m in research.

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