Profile: Professor Astrid Fletcher
Professor Astrid Fletcher from the Nutrition and Public Health Intervention Research Unit talks about her career and research
"My first degree in Social Anthropology was followed by biological anthropology at postgraduate level. I entered epidemiology with my first post at the Institute of Cancer Research where I worked in cancer epidemiology and screening. Later work on hypertension and stroke prevention led me to focus increasingly on the health of the older population.
From the public health perspective, the research agenda that has arisen from population ageing includes: (i) identifying the determinants of the major causes of mortality, morbidity and poor quality of life in old age; (ii) estimating health needs for policy and planning; (iii) reducing the burden of ill health in old age through effective and equitable interventions and services, and (iv) understanding the social and economic context of older people and how this relates to health outcomes. The theme that underpins much of my research relates to understanding and identifying the ways in which the experience of ill health in old age may be improved and the associated theme of health inequalities. We have shown that there are persistent inequalities in old age in health outcomes. Among disadvantaged older people, especially the oldest age groups, health and social services play a potentially important role in improving quality of life and alleviating health inequalities. We are conducting a large trial of screening older people for a wide range of physical and social problems to see if this results in better outcomes including quality of life.
I have a particular interest in eye diseases of the older population including the aetiology aspects, eye care delivery and access. We are looking at the role of diet and solar radiation as risk factors for cataracts, macular degeneration in a pan-European study, and have been involved in studies of cataract surgery services in India, The Gambia and China.
I am Director of the School's Centre for Ageing and Public Health, an initiative which draws together the School's work on ageing and enhances research through collaborative projects. We are working on a series of projects concerned with investigating how social and personal capital in later life influence health outcomes and possible pathways."
Professor Ian Roberts also works in the Nutrition and Public Health Intervention Research Unit
