Health

Through multidisciplinary research and policy engagement we bring new understanding and action on critical issues around health and health systems, and how they overlap with other systems such as food, as well as nutrition, sanitation, epidemics and zoonotic diseases.  Enhancing understanding of how to ensure healthy lives for all is a vital part of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Agenda 2030) and has been an integral focus of IDS’ work since its inception.

Our research and analysis on innovations in health services and systems – including work on identifying effective strategies to address the challenges of antimicrobial resistance – is accelerating progress towards achieving universal health coverage in Asia and Africa. Our work on nutrition spans the spectrum from dietary transition and globalisation of food systems, through to responding to the ways that marginalisation and inequity drive high child malnutrition rates.  We bring vital social knowledge to aid effective preparedness and response on pandemics. We show how direct impacts on the spread of diseases such as Ebola can be achieved by bringing learning from research on social issues and contexts to the right people in the right organisations at the right time.  Together with our global partners, we are generating and sharing new knowledge and evidence to identify the underlying causes of poor health and social inequalities, and the progressive policies and practices that can help bring about transformative change.

People

Gerald Bloom

Research Fellow

Hayley MacGregor

Research Fellow

Nicholas Nisbett

Research Fellow

Tom Barker

Senior Health & Nutrition Convenor

Melissa Leach

Emeritus Fellow

Annie Wilkinson

Health and Nutrition Cluster Lead

Linda Waldman

Director of Teaching and Learning

Inka Barnett

Health and Nutrition Cluster Lead

Programmes and centres

Recent work

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Showing 1–12 of 15265 results

Upcoming Event

Food Equity

Power relationships and aquaculture livelihoods in Vietnam

Join us for this seminar that explores different kinds of power relationships that influence people’s access to resources, livelihood options and sustainability outcomes. This seminar looks at a case study of aquaculture production systems in northern Vietnam and the power relationships...

15 July 2025

Upcoming Event

The Lancet Commission on Gender and Global Health: IDS launch event

We are delighted to invite you to attend the IDS launch of The Lancet Commission on Gender and Global Health (LCGGH) report. The rollback in gender rights and challenges to global health organisations around the world threatens to reverse decades of progress on global health. This...

14 May 2025

Upcoming Event

Development Studies Week 2025

The Institute of Development Studies (IDS), in partnership with the University of Sussex, has been ranked first in the world for Development Studies in the QS World University Rankings for the ninth consecutive year. Together with the University of Sussex, we provide 29 postgraduate degrees...

1 May 2025

Upcoming Event

We power our own change: The future of community-led development

Can principles of Community-led Development define the future of our sector? By introducing their recent publication, We Power our Own Change, authors in this seminar will reflect on the practices, insights, and the potential principles of Community-led Development and what it holds for the...

30 April 2025

Upcoming Event

Food Fight: From plunder and profit to people and planet

Join us for the launch of ‘Food Fight’ – a book by food and nutrition expert Stuart Gillespie that shines a light on the evolution of our global food system from its origins in colonial plunder through the last fifty years of neoliberalism, before concluding with a set of actions to put...

29 April 2025

Brief

Rapid Scoping Review 2025: Türkiye

Countering Rollback Country Brief

Anti-feminist discourse has long been present among groups across the political spectrum in Türkiye. Erdoğan has explicitly stated that he is against gender equality, that abortion is murder, and that using contraception undermines the nation. This rhetoric influenced the official stance on...

16 April 2025

Brief

Rapid Scoping Review 2025: South Africa

Countering Rollback Country Brief

South Africa’s Constitution offers protection, and formal recognition as equal citizens, to women and to LGBTQI+ people. It also positions South Africa as an important regional place of refuge for LGBTQI+ Africans, despite the country’s high rates of gender-based violence and xenophobia.

16 April 2025

Brief

Rapid Scoping Review 2025: Philippines

Countering Rollback Country Brief

Feminist and LGBT+ movements in the Philippines face mounting challenges that are deeply rooted in cultural, religious, and political dynamics. Machismo culture continues to reinforce strict gender roles and perpetuate male dominance, leaving little room for gender equality.

16 April 2025

Brief

Rapid Scoping Review 2025: Pakistan

Countering Rollback Country Brief

Ongoing political and economic turmoil has deepened existing gendered inequities and compounded rollback in Pakistan. Increasing political polarisation has led to greater restrictions on civil and political rights and a crackdown on dissent.

16 April 2025

Brief

Rapid Scoping Review 2025: Nigeria

Countering Rollback Country Brief

Nigeria’s socio-political and economic environment presents significant challenges for women’s rights and for LGBTQI+ rights. Women also face discriminatory practices, such as in the northern Kano state, where civil service rules penalise women for pregnancy-related training interruptions.

16 April 2025

Brief

Rapid Scoping Review 2025: Mexico

Countering Rollback Country Brief

In Mexico, significant progress has been made in promoting gender equality but, despite these advances, organisations operate in an environment that remains adverse for women and LGBTQI+ people.

16 April 2025

Why learn with us.

In an extraordinary time of challenge and change, we use more than 50 years of expertise to transform development approaches that create more equitable and sustainable futures. The work you do with us will help make progressive change towards universal development; to build and connect solidarities for collective action, locally and globally. The University of Sussex has been ranked 1st in the world for Development Studies for the past five years (QS World University Rankings by Subject).

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