Heriot-Watt University’s Health Applications Lab (HeAL) is a social science research unit focused on the areas of medicine and health. We generate insights and tools that complement biomedical approaches to healthcare by providing a deeper understanding of the human, social, and cultural factors underlying it. Our research contributes to the development of more effective, equitable, and humane healthcare systems through providing policy-relevant evidence on:

• How health contexts (such as culture, socioeconomic status, and community networks) influence
  health behaviours.
• Determinants of health disparities such as how race, gender, income, and education impact health
  outcomes.
• Patient-provider relationships and effective strategies for healthcare delivery.
• The design and evaluation of public health policies.
• Social factors in understanding mental health conditions.
• The function of healthcare systems and how different models of healthcare delivery affect access to
  care.
• Health communication for public health campaigns, patient education, and disease prevention.
• Global health: how cultural, economic, and political factors affect health outcomes across different
  countries. This helps in designing interventions that are culturally appropriate and effective in diverse
  settings.
• Evaluation of health interventions to determine their effectiveness and impact on different populations.