Social and Environmental Determinants of Health
Lead Research Organisation:
Health Data Research UK (HDR UK)
Department Name: UNLISTED
Abstract
The Social and Environmental Determinants of Health programme will enable data from many different sources to be linked together to support research into understanding how different social and environmental factors affect our health and wellbeing, initially looking at childhood and ageing. With public involvement, it will develop the secure and trustworthy approaches needed to build up detailed pictures, whilst still preserving privacy, of how such factors affect individuals, their homes and households so that new approaches, services and policies can be developed to improve people's lives.
Technical Summary
This work is funded by the UKRI Medical Research Council, UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, UKRI Economic and Social Research Council, Department of Health and Social Care, National Institute for Health Research (England), Chief Scientist Office (Scottish Government), Health and Care Research Wales, Public Health Agency HSC (Northern Ireland), British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK
The Social and Environmental (S&E) Determinants of Health Driver Programme will achieve a step change in capability across UK Trusted Research Environments (TREs) for data linkage using the de-facto UK address identification number, known as the Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN). It will build on methods, privacy protection and public involvement developed in HDR UK’s first five years to standardise the use of a pseudonymised UPRN spine for research that connects individuals to homes and households over time. It will standardise and share modelled environmental variables at address level to enhance administrative and recruited cohorts across TREs. The programme will engage the public, TREs and data custodians in standardising the assignment and use of UPRN-linked data for research, ensuring privacy protection and advancing science and evidence for policy and services.
UPRN will be embedded into data resources across the UK, covering >65 million people in national administrative datasets and millions in recruited cohorts. New linkages will cover the life course, but the Driver Programme’s scientific questions will focus on childhood and ageing - periods of rapid physiological development or decline and increased susceptibility to environmental hazards and to social risk factors through dependency on carers. The programme's scientific exemplars and pilot work will assess the quality and utility of UPRN-linked social, environmental and longitudinal administrative or recruited cohort data, and triangulate evidence across data sources, TREs and UK countries. By 2028, this programme will deliver a standardised approach to UPRN linkages for research across TREs, a UK-wide capability to link multi-domain data resources to people’s homes and households, and FAIR data assets accessible safely and securely for research throughout the network of TREs.
The Social and Environmental (S&E) Determinants of Health Driver Programme will achieve a step change in capability across UK Trusted Research Environments (TREs) for data linkage using the de-facto UK address identification number, known as the Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN). It will build on methods, privacy protection and public involvement developed in HDR UK’s first five years to standardise the use of a pseudonymised UPRN spine for research that connects individuals to homes and households over time. It will standardise and share modelled environmental variables at address level to enhance administrative and recruited cohorts across TREs. The programme will engage the public, TREs and data custodians in standardising the assignment and use of UPRN-linked data for research, ensuring privacy protection and advancing science and evidence for policy and services.
UPRN will be embedded into data resources across the UK, covering >65 million people in national administrative datasets and millions in recruited cohorts. New linkages will cover the life course, but the Driver Programme’s scientific questions will focus on childhood and ageing - periods of rapid physiological development or decline and increased susceptibility to environmental hazards and to social risk factors through dependency on carers. The programme's scientific exemplars and pilot work will assess the quality and utility of UPRN-linked social, environmental and longitudinal administrative or recruited cohort data, and triangulate evidence across data sources, TREs and UK countries. By 2028, this programme will deliver a standardised approach to UPRN linkages for research across TREs, a UK-wide capability to link multi-domain data resources to people’s homes and households, and FAIR data assets accessible safely and securely for research throughout the network of TREs.
Organisations
- Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) (Lead Research Organisation)
- OFFICE FOR NATIONAL STATISTICS (Collaboration)
- Thames Water Utilities Limited (Collaboration)
- Ordnance Survey (Collaboration)
- Natural Environment Research Council (Collaboration)
- DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH (Collaboration)
- Meteorological Office UK (Collaboration)
- Drinking Water Inspectorate (Collaboration)
- UK Centre For Ecology & Hydrology (Collaboration)
- Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) (Collaboration)
- Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) (Collaboration)
- NHS ENGLAND (Collaboration)
Publications

Akaraci S
(2025)
Kids' Environment and Health Cohort: Database Protocol
in International Journal of Population Data Science

Baranyi G
(2024)
Higher air pollution exposure in early life is associated with worse health among older adults: A 72-year follow-up study from Scotland.
in Health & place

Baranyi G
(2023)
Early life PM2.5 exposure, childhood cognitive ability and mortality between age 11 and 86: A record-linkage life-course study from Scotland
in Environmental Research

Beevers S
(2025)
Climate change policies reduce air pollution and increase physical activity: Benefits, costs, inequalities, and indoor exposures.
in Environment international

Belcher RN
(2024)
Socioeconomic deprivation modifies green space and mental health associations: A within person study.
in Environment international


Davies J
(2024)
Residential mobility amongst children and young people in Wales: A longitudinal study using linked administrative records.
in International journal of population data science

Feng Q
(2024)
Data Resource Profile: A national linked mother-baby cohort of health, education and social care data in England (ECHILD-MB).
in International journal of epidemiology

Feng Q
(2024)
Creating an intergenerational cohort of mothers and their children using administrative data from health, education and social care in England (ECHILD)
in International Journal of Population Data Science

Feng Q
(2024)
Data Resource Profile: ECHILD only-children and siblings (ECHILD-oCSib): a national cohort of linked health, education and social care data on mothers and children in England
in International Journal of Population Data Science
Description | Contribution to Houses of Parliament call for evidence on the SEND crisis |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | Contribution to Houses of Parliament call for evidence on the SEND crisis |
URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/call-for-evidence/3517/ |
Description | Contribution to Sudlow Review: ECHILD is an exemplar mentioned in report |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Impact | The Sudlow review sets out suggested changes to how access to health data should be taken forward in the UK |
URL | https://www.hdruk.ac.uk/helping-with-health-data/the-sudlow-review/ |
Description | Contribution to Sudlow Review: Kids' Environment and Health is an exemplar mentioned in report |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Impact | The Sudlow review sets out suggested changes to how access to health data should be taken forward in the UK |
URL | https://www.hdruk.ac.uk/helping-with-health-data/the-sudlow-review/ |
Description | Written evidence to the Environmental Audit Committee's 'Heat resilience and sustainable cooling' inquiry. Sep 2023. D Fecht et al |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/work/7811/heat-resilience-and-sustainable-cooling/publications/ |
Description | Child And Adolescent Health Impacts Of Learning Indoor Environments Under Net Zero : The Chili Hub |
Amount | £5,500,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/Z50645X/1 |
Organisation | United Kingdom Research and Innovation |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2025 |
End | 01/2030 |
Description | MRC Mid-range Equipment grant World Class Labs award 2022-23. Geospatial processing system for social and environmental health research |
Amount | £137,734 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MC_PC_MR/Xx013332/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2022 |
End | 03/2023 |
Description | Collaboration to research water quality, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and birth/perinatal outcomes. |
Organisation | Drinking Water Inspectorate |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Collaboration to research water quality, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and birth/perinatal outcomes. |
Collaborator Contribution | Collaboration to research water quality, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and birth/perinatal outcomes. |
Impact | In progress, collaboration between UCL, Swansea and the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Drinking Water Inspectorate, Environment Agency and Thames Water to research water quality, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and birth/perinatal outcomes. |
Start Year | 2024 |
Description | Collaboration to research water quality, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and birth/perinatal outcomes. |
Organisation | Thames Water Utilities Limited |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Collaboration to research water quality, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and birth/perinatal outcomes. |
Collaborator Contribution | Collaboration to research water quality, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and birth/perinatal outcomes. |
Impact | In progress, collaboration between UCL, Swansea and the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Drinking Water Inspectorate, Environment Agency and Thames Water to research water quality, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and birth/perinatal outcomes. |
Start Year | 2024 |
Description | Collaboration to research water quality, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and birth/perinatal outcomes. |
Organisation | UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Collaboration to research water quality, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and birth/perinatal outcomes. |
Collaborator Contribution | Collaboration to research water quality, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and birth/perinatal outcomes. |
Impact | In progress, collaboration between UCL, Swansea and the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Drinking Water Inspectorate, Environment Agency and Thames Water to research water quality, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and birth/perinatal outcomes. |
Start Year | 2024 |
Description | Collaboration with DfE for best practice technical principles for UPRN linked ONS data assets. |
Organisation | Department for Education |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Collaboration with DfE for best practice technical principles for UPRN linked DfE data assets. |
Collaborator Contribution | Collaboration with DfE for best practice technical principles for UPRN linked DfE data assets. |
Impact | Collaboration with DfE for best practice technical principles for UPRN linked DfE data assets. |
Start Year | 2023 |
Description | Collaboration with MET Office on linkage to environmental data to health records |
Organisation | Meteorological Office UK |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Provision of expertise and methodologies on linking environmental and geosptial data to health records. |
Collaborator Contribution | Collaboration is still in developing stage and we are currently scoping out via various workshops on how we can best work together. The contribution will most likely be in the form of environmental data assessts being made available to us for integration to health records. |
Impact | Collaboration is still in developing stage and we are currently scoping out via various workshops on how we can best work together. |
Start Year | 2023 |
Description | Collaboration with NERC Digital Solutions Programme and JASMIN around best practice technical principles for importing large GIS data and dataflows and UPRN linked NERC data assets. |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Collaboration with NERC Digital Solutions Programme to develop UPRN linked NERC data assets. Further collaboration around best practice technical principles for importing large GIS data and dataflows with the NERC JASMIN team. |
Collaborator Contribution | Collaboration with NERC Digital Solutions Programme to develop UPRN linked NERC data assets. Further collaboration around best practice technical principles for importing large GIS data and dataflows with the NERC JASMIN team. |
Impact | Collaboration is still in developing stage and we are currently scoping out via various workshops on how we can best work together. |
Start Year | 2024 |
Description | Collaboration with NHSE for best practice technical principles for UPRN linked ONS data assets. |
Organisation | NHS England |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Collaboration with NHSE for best practice technical principles for UPRN linked NHSE data assets. |
Collaborator Contribution | Collaboration with NHSE for best practice technical principles for UPRN linked NHSE data assets. |
Impact | Collaboration with NHSE for best practice technical principles for UPRN linked NHSE data assets. |
Start Year | 2023 |
Description | Collaboration with ONS for best practice technical principles for importing large GIS data and dataflows and UPRN linked ONS data assets. |
Organisation | Office for National Statistics |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Collaboration with ONS for best practice technical principles for importing large GIS data and dataflows and UPRN linked ONS data assets. |
Collaborator Contribution | Collaboration with ONS for best practice technical principles for importing large GIS data and dataflows and UPRN linked ONS data assets. |
Impact | Collaboration with ONS for best practice technical principles for importing large GIS data and dataflows and UPRN linked ONS data assets. |
Start Year | 2023 |
Description | Collaboration with OS for best practice technical principles for UPRN linked OS data assets. |
Organisation | Ordnance Survey |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Collaboration with OS for best practice technical principles for UPRN linked OS data assets. |
Collaborator Contribution | Collaboration with OS for best practice technical principles for UPRN linked OS data assets. |
Impact | Collaboration with OS for best practice technical principles for UPRN linked OS data assets. |
Start Year | 2023 |
Description | Collaboration with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and ISI Global in Madrid investigating UVA, tuberculosis and cognition. |
Organisation | Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) |
Country | Spain |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Collaboration with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and ISI Global in Madrid, looking at the potential protective effect of sunlight for tuberculosis, with further linked UVA work examining population impact on cognition. |
Collaborator Contribution | Collaboration with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and ISI Global in Madrid, looking at the potential protective effect of sunlight for tuberculosis, with further linked UVA work examining population impact on cognition. |
Impact | Collaboration with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and ISI Global in Madrid, looking at the potential protective effect of sunlight for tuberculosis, with further linked UVA work examining population impact on cognition. |
Start Year | 2024 |
Description | Collaboration with the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) for open and reusable historic 20th century air pollution estimates |
Organisation | UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Collaboration with the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH). Working with CEH to provide open and reusable historic 20th century air pollution estimates, as part of the UK-SCAPE programme delivering National Capability. |
Collaborator Contribution | Collaboration with the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH). Working with CEH to provide open and reusable historic 20th century air pollution estimates, as part of the UK-SCAPE programme delivering National Capability. |
Impact | In progress, but will delivery open and reusable historic 20th century air pollution estimates. |
Start Year | 2024 |
Description | Great Ormond Street Hospital - clean air framework initiative as part of policy on Social determinants of environmental sustainability |
Organisation | Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Hospitals |
PI Contribution | Collaborated with GOSH to generate and integrate air pollution estimates with hospital system EPIC at Great Olmond Street Hospital to improve information available to patients and clinicians about the residential air pollution levels of patients |
Collaborator Contribution | GOSH led the project and report as part of the development of a Clean air framework initiative as part of policy on Social determinants of environmental sustainability. |
Impact | "Acting on the social determnants of health to reduce health inequalities: innovative approaches by provider trusts" learning report. Matilda Allen et al for UCL Partners (health innovation partnership including 17 provider trusts). Published 2023. |
Start Year | 2023 |
Description | Support for Olivia Swann's Wellcome Trust fellowship application |
Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The PI (PH) is a sponsor of Dr Olivia Swann's application for a Wellcome Trust Early Career Award. |
Collaborator Contribution | Dr Swann will further develop the PICNIC Scotland data |
Impact | N/A no outputs yet |
Start Year | 2023 |
Description | Blog about PPIE in Kids' Environment and Health cohort |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | PH (the PI) wrote a blog for the ADRUK website about the public engagement work involved in setting up the Kids' Environment and Health Cohort |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
URL | https://www.adruk.org/news-publications/news-blogs/kids-environment-and-health-cohort-reflections-on... |
Description | Discussion with UKRI on use of JASMIN computing infrastructure |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
Results and Impact | Discussion with MRC lessons learned from our study which could feed into the future of use/direction of UKRI-funded computer facility JASMIN. This could lead to future collaborations with other UKRI-funded infrastructure. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | Presentation to Scientific Advisory Board |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Presentation to the Scientific Advisory Board of Our Future Health on 'Geolocation for cohort studies' - 26 Feb 2024 by Daniela Fecht |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | Presentation to the Scientific Advisory Board ofOur Future Health on 'Geolocation for cohort studies'. 26 Feb 2024- D Fecht |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Invited to give a presentation to the Scientific Advisory Board of Our Future Health on 'Geolocation for cohort studies'. 26 Feb 2024. Presentation was part of the Data Enrichment session on the topic of Geolocation, which will form part of the OFH additional exposure ascertainment discussions. Presentation focused on advances in this area with a view to it being incorporated into the Our Future Health cohort, and was followed by a discussion with the Board. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | Various knowledge sharing events (talks, abstract presentations etc.) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Various knowledge sharing events (talks, abstract presentations etc.). In total, engaging around 1000 individuals across 33 organisations. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024,2025 |