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 Research within AUTHeR (Africa Unit for Transdisciplinary Health Research) focus on transdisciplinary health promotion centred within the Social Sciences. We positioned ourselves explicitly within the World Health Organization's (2007) definition of health in which it is stated that "Optimal health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity". This implies that we approach health holistically taking cognisance of the physical, mental, social and contextual dimensions and that we conceptualize health on a continuum from pathology to thriving.
Currently AUTHeR has two main sub-programmes combining MODE 1 and MODE 11 principles. Each of the two sub-programmes consists of several large funded projects or programmes with individual studies to accommodate our large number of post graduate students. With these two sub-programmes the integration between the different disciplines as well as our research over the broad health continuum (pathology to thriving) becomes functional. Many of the large projects/programmes within each of these two sub-programmes developed from one another, for example basic and epidemiological studies (programme 1; MODE 1 principles) lead to applied research with implementation and evaluation of interventions (programme 2; MODE 11 principles), leading back to basic research on identified issues in the process. This interaction is indicated by arrows in the diagram below.
SUB-PROGRAMME 1
Epidemiology, prevalence and identification of problems and strengths over the continuum of health (pathology to thriving) as well as the dynamics of behaviour in various contexts.
Large funded projects/programmes in this sub-programme are: PURE, FORT, QOLPLPH, DCS, CON-WEL, Forensic Social Work and OPQUAL |
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SUB-PROGRAMME 2
Interventions to enhance health and quality of life in various contexts on individual, community, social and systems levels.
Large funded projects/programmes in this sub-programme are: CENPOLL, HOLDING HANDS THROUGH LIFEPLAN, EBPQI. |
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