Rural and Coastal Health in a Changing World
The Lincoln International Institute for Rural Health (LIIRH) conducts world-class interdisciplinary research to address the most challenging health issues facing rural and coastal communities locally, nationally, and internationally. We aim to 'shine a light' on the unacceptable place-based health inequities across the rural-urban divide and to find innovative ways of reducing or ideally eliminating that inequality.
The institute brings together world-leading specialists, conducting research across a range of rural health related concerns, ranging from oral health, cancer care, infectious disease epidemiology, HIV, mental health through to sustainable remote health care delivery solutions, place-based community-engaged methods, meta-governance approaches, and m-health technological innovation.
LIIRH is supported by generous grants from the Wolfson Foundation, and the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership
Our research benefits from strong links and cross-disciplinary working with members of CAHRU, the School of Psychology, the School of Health and Social Care, the Department of Geography, particularly DIRE, and the School of Computer Science. Nationally, the institute has strong links to researchers at University College London and is a key partner of the National Centre for Rural Health and Care.
Lincoln Institute for Rural and Coastal Health Research (LIRCH)
Following a £10.9 million grant from UK Research and Innovation's E3 fund, the LIIRH will be scaled up to become the Lincoln Institute for Rural and Coastal Health Research. The LIRCH will be the country's first integrated and multi-disciplinary research institute dedicated to bringing together rural and coastal health and wellbeing research to help tackle the place-based inequalities experienced in these communities. By bringing together various disciplines, the LIRCH will create a multi-faceted approach to both rural and coastal health, delivering research and solutions with the people and communities affected.
Research Themes and Sustainable Development Goals
Our research is embedded in the following University research themes, a unique set of areas that key into our goals as a civic university undertaking internationally significant research with local relevance, and as researchers engaged in the pursuit of excellence. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals badges represent our research and collaborations in terms of their contribution to the issues the world faces today and into the future.
Our Purpose – is to improve the health and wellbeing of rural, remote, and coastal populations. We have a commitment to include communities and people in research and knowledge exchange that is regionally relevant and addresses national and global challenges.
Our Vision – is to be the preeminent rural and coastal health research institute worldwide.
Our Mission – is to conduct world-class research that seeks to address the most challenging health issues facing rural and coastal communities locally, nationally, and internationally.
Our Strategic Goals – are to conduct collaborative and innovative research across regional, national, and international contexts to:
• Address knowledge and data gaps relating to health demographics, epidemiology, and gaps in rural health and care systems.
• Develop opportunities for influence of policy, knowledge exchange, community engagement and academic development including public health, clinical training, and sustainable development of healthcare professionals within remote and rural populations.
• Design, build and evaluate innovative and sustainable rural/coastal models of care.
• Develop new high-quality data frameworks and tools to improve planning approaches and provide more appropriate outcome and impact indicators for rural and coastal population health.
• Translate our context-specific knowledge of rural population health realities into actionable high fidelity healthcare solutions applicable to real world contexts.
• Develop innovative approaches to effective inclusion and engagement of rural and coastal citizens in health and care research and health system design.
• Create and support evaluation and post-graduate teaching expertise in rural and coastal health and care.
• Provide strategic and practical leadership and support for developing public health capacity across the college, university, and region.
