People

Professor Stephen Platt

Professor of Health Policy Research

Public Health Sciences section
Division of Community Health Sciences
The University of Edinburgh
Medical School, Teviot Place
Edinburgh
EH8 9AG
Tel: 0131 650 6194
Fax: (0131) 650 6902
Steve.Platt@ed.ac.uk

ROLE

Head, Community Health Sciences
Co-convenor, Inequalities, Risk and Social Context Topic Group (Centre for Population Health Sciences)

Teaching Responsibilities

Undergraduate

Course co-organiser: MBChB Year 1: Health and Society

Postgraduate

Course organiser, Evaluation of Complex Interventions for Health Improvement, MSc in Public Health Research

Research Interests

Socio-economic and socio-cultural aspects of suicidal behaviour
Evaluation of complex policy and practice interventions for health improvement
Health impact of organisational change and restructuring
Smoking and socio-economic disadvantage
Supporting practice and policy development relating to public mental health and wellbeing (particularly at the community level)

Current Research Involvement

National evaluation of KeepWell (O'Donnell C [University of Glasgow], Mackenzie M [University of Glasgow], Sridharan S [University of Toronto], Platt S)
Impact of smokefree legislation in England on individuals and communities: qualitative longitudinal study (Platt S, Amos A, Godfrey C [University of York], Martin C [Scottish Centre for National Research], Ritchie D, White M [Newcastle University])
Risk and protective factors for suicide and suicidal behaviour: a literature review (MacLean J [Scottish development Centre for Mental Health], Maxwell M [University of Stirling], Platt S, Harris F, Jepson R [University of Stirling])
Public Health Research Consortium (Graham H [University of York], Platt S, Petticrew M [London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine], Law C [UCL], Power C [UCL], Shaw C [National Children's Bureau], Whitehead M [University of Liverpool], Costigan P [National Centre for Social Research], White M [Newcastle University], Hastings G [University of Stirling], Sowden A [University of York], Rice N [University of York], Ferguson B [Yorkshire & Humber PHO])

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES/ACTIVITIES

Trustee, Samaritans
Fellow, Royal Society of Medicine
Hon Member, Faculty of Public Health
Member, MRC College of Experts
Member, National Advisory Group to the Scottish Executive National Programme for Improving Mental Health and Well-being
Member, International Academy for Suicide Research
Member, Scientific Review Board, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Member, Scottish Policy Innovation Forum
Member, Public Health Research Portfolio Steering Group (Chief Scientist Office)
Member, Public Policy Network (University of Edinburgh)

FURTHER INFORMATION

Work History

Previous Appointments

1974-1977	Social science research worker, Queen Mary's Hospital, London
1977-1989	(Senior) non-clinical scientist, MRC Unit for Epidemiological Studies in Psychiatry
1989-1992	Senior non-clinical scientist, MRC Medical Sociology Unit
1992-1995	Director of Development & Evaluation, Health Education Board for Scotland
1995-2008	Director, Research Unit in Health, Behaviour & Change (RUHBC)

Appointed to University of Edinburgh

1995	Director, RUHBC

Education

1970	BA (Hons) Sociology, University of Essex
1972	MSc in Social Administration, London School of Economics
1984	PhD, University of Edinburgh

SELECTED GRANTS

Lothian health and lifestyle survey. (NHS Lothian, 2009-2010) Platt S, Forbes J, Mackie P
National evaluation of KeepWell (NHS Health Scotland, 2007-2010) O'Donnell C, Mackenzie M, Sridharan S, Platt S (CI University of Glasgow)
Impact of smokefree legislation in England on individuals and communities: qualitative longitudinal study (Department of Health, 2007-2008) Platt S, Amos A, Godfrey C, Martin C, Ritchie D, White M Further info
Risk and protective factors for suicide and suicidal behaviour: a literature review. (Scottish Executive, 2007-2008) MacLean J, Maxwell M, Platt S, Harris F, Jepson R (CI Scottish Development Centre for Mental Health) Further info
Public Health Research Consortium (Department of Health (London), 2005-2010) Graham H, Platt S, Petticrew M, Law C, Power C, Shaw C, Whitehead M, Costigan P, White M, Hastings G, Sowden A, Rice N, Ferguson B Further info
Evaluation of the Healthy Living Centre Support and Development Programme (NHS Health Scotland, 2005-2008) Sridharan S, Platt S
Evaluation of Have a Heart Paisley phase 2 (NHS Health Scotland, 2005-2008) Sridharan S, Platt S, Gnich W
Public Health Research Consortium (Department of Health, 2005-2010) Graham H, Platt S, Petticrew M, Law C, Power C, Shaw C, Whitehead M, Costigan P, White M, Hastings G, Sowden A, Rice N, Ferguson B (CI University of York)
Evaluating the Healthy Living Centre programme in Scotland: phase 2. (Scottish Executive and NHS Health Scotland, 2005-2007) Platt S, Backett-Milburn K, Rankin D Further info
Epidemiology of Suicide in Scotland 1989-2004. (Scottish Executive, 2005-2006) Platt S, Crombie I, Boyle P
Evaluation Programme (NHS Health Scotland, 2004-2008) Sridharan S, Platt S
Mental health improvement: an appraisal of Scottish policy. (NHS Health Scotland, 2004-2004) Platt S, Petticrew M, McCollam A, McLean J
Evaluation of the first phase of 'Choose Life'. (Scottish Executive, 2004-2006) Platt S, Blamey A, McCollam A, McDaid D, McLean J, Maxwell M
Scottish Executive Central Heating Programme: assessing impacts on health. (Scottish Executive, 2002-2006) Platt S, Petticrew M, Mitchell R, Hopton J, Hope S, Martin C
Evaluation of the Healthy Living Centre programme in Scotland. (Scottish Executive, 2002-2005) Platt S, Petticrew M, Backett-Milnburn K
Evaluation of a national programme of smoking cessation initiatives for young people. (NHS Health scotland, 2002-2006) Platt S, Amos A, Parry O, Gnich W, Jones L, Bitel M
Live Long In Scotland: Relative Contributions of Medicine and Standards Of Living to Scotland's Falling Mortality Rates, PhD Studentship award for student at RUHBC. (CSO, 2001-2004) Mitchell R, Platt S
Extending the Scottish Longitudinal Study. (Chief Scientist Office, 2001-2004) Boyle P, Findlay A, Flowerdew R, Macintyre S, Platt S (CI University of St Andrews)
The Scottish Centre for Longitudinal Population Studies. (Scottish Higher Education Funding Council, 2001-2004) Boyle P, Findlay A, Flowerdew R, Macintyre S, Platt S (CI University of St Andrews)
The health impact of major restructuring of service provision within the NHS: a prospective, comparative, longitudinal study. (Medical Research Council, 2001-2004) Platt S, Pavis S, Loretto W, Hardy G
Evaluation of New Opportunities Fund's Healthy Living Centres programme. (Big Lottery Fund, 2001-2005) The Bridge Consortium (Stern E, Platt S, McDaid D, Petticrew M, Mitchell R, Popay J, Williams G) (CI Tavistock Institute)
A participatory approach to developing community-based indicators and measures relating to health improvement: a feasibility study. (Chief Scientist Office, 1999-2000) Jones J, Platt S, Namdaran F, Brook C, Greaves D (CI West Lothian Council)
Social deprivation and health: area and individual effects in the 1995 Scottish Health Survey. (Chief Scientist Office, 1999-2000) Raab G, Carstairs V, Platt S (CI Napier University)
Social exclusion and insertion of young people in rural areas: a mixed methods case study in two contrasting Scottish regions. (Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 1998-1999) Pavis S, Platt S, Hubbard G
The social context of non-fatal deliberate self-harm: a qualitative exploration of lay and professional perspectives. (Chief Scientist Office, 1998-2000) Sharpe M, Platt S, Pavis S, Potts S
Employment and health: a review of the literature. (European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, 1998-1998) Platt S, Pavis S
To assess the potential for compiling a retrospective and prospective health related information database at national and health board level: a feasibility study. (Chief Scientist Office, 1998-1999) Hanlon P, Ecob R, Kohli H, Platt S, Whyte B (CI University of Glasgow)
Evaluating a community-based anti-smoking intervention in a low income area: a quasi-experimental study. (Department of Health, 1998-2002) Platt S, Parry O, Ritchie D

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Walker JW, Mitchell RJ, Petticrew M, Platt SD. The effects on health of a publicly-funded domestic heating programme : a prospective controlled study. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health 2009; 63: 12-17
Gnich W, Sheehy C, Amos A, Bitel M, Platt S (2088) A Scotland-wide pilot programme of smoking cessation services for young people: process and outcome evaluation. Addiction, 103: 1866-1874.
Ogilvie D, Mitchell R, Mutrie N, Petticrew M, Platt S (in press) Personal and environmental correlates of active travel and physical activity in a deprived urban population. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.
Ogilvie D, Mitchell R, Mutrie N, Petticrew M, Platt S (2008) Perceived characteristics of the environment associated with active travel: development and testing of a new scale. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 5:32.
Petticrew MJ, Platt S, McCollam A, Wilson S, Thomas S (in press) “We’re not short of people telling us what the problems are. We’re short of people telling us what to do”: Theory, methods and findings of a mental health impact assessment. BMC Public Health.
Ritchie D, Gnich, W, Parry, O, Platt S (2008) ‘People pull the rug from under your feet’: barriers to successful public health programmes. BMC Public Health 8: 173.
Bauld L, Judge K, Platt S (2007) Assessing the impact of smoking cessation services on reducing health inequalities in England: observational study. Tobacco Control 16: 400-4.
Giskes K, Kunst AE, Benach J, Borrell C, Helmert U, Judge K, Lahelma E, Moussa K, Ostergren, Patia K, Platt S, Prattala R, Willemsen M, Mackenbach JP (2007) Applying an equity lens to tobacco-control policies and their uptake in six Western-European countries. Journal of Public Health Policy 28 (2): 261-80.
Hume M, Platt S (2007) Appropriate interventions for the prevention and management of self-harm: a qualitative exploration of service-users’ views. BMC Public Health 7:9
Mackenzie M, Blamey A, Halliday E, Maxwell M, McCollam A, McDaid D, MacLean J, Woodhouse A, and Platt S (2007) Measuring the tail of the dog that doesn't bark in the night: the case of the national evaluation of Choose Life (the national strategy and action plan to prevent suicide in Scotland). BMC Public Health 7: 146.
Tennant R, Hiller L, Fishwick R, Platt S, Joseph S, Weich S, Parkinson J, Secker J, Stewart-Brown S (2007) The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS): development and UK validation. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 5:63.
Truman J, Rankin D, Backett-Milburn K, Platt S (2007) Drop-in centres in theory and practice: findings from an evaluation of the Healthy Living Centre programme in Scotland. Health Education Journal 66(1):22-31.
Tunstall H, Mitchell R, Gibbs J, Platt S, Dorling D (2007) Is economic adversity always a killer? Disadvantaged areas with relatively low mortality rates. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 61:337-43.
Hunt K, Sweeting H, Keoghan M, Platt S (2006) Sex, gender role orientation and attitudes and suicidal thoughts in three generations. A general population study. Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology 41:641-7.
Ogilvie D, Mitchell R, Mutrie N, Petticrew M, Platt S (2006) Evaluating health effects of transport interventions: methodological case study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 31 (2): 118-26.
Rankin D, Truman J, Platt S, Backett-Milburn K and Petticrew M. (2006) The contextual development of Healthy Living Centres services: an examination of food-related initiatives. Health and Place 12(4):644-655.
Sridharan, S., Platt, S, and Hume, M (February 2006). A review of methods for evaluating complex health interventions. Paper presented at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh Symposium on “Interventions to Address Major Public health Challenges: Do we know what words and does this influence National Policy?”
Walker J, Mitchell R, Platt S, Petticrew M, Hopton J (2006) Does usage of domestic heating influence internal environmental conditions and health? European Journal of Public Health 16:463-9.
Cronin de Chavez A, Backett-Milburn K, Parry O and Platt S. (2005) Understanding and researching wellbeing: Its usage in different disciplines and potential for health research and health promotion. Health Education Journal. 64 (1): 70-87
Giskes K, Kunst AE, Benach J, Borrell C, Costa G, Dahl E, Dalstra JAA, Federico B, Helmert U, Judge K, Lahelma E, Moussa K, Ostergren PO, Platt S, Prattala R, Rasmussen NK, Mackenbach JP. Trends in smoking behaviour between 1985 and 2000 by education. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 2005;59(5):395-401
Loretto W, Popham F, Platt S, Pavis S, Hardy G, Macleod L, Gibbs J (2005) Assessing psychological wellbeing: a holistic investigation of NHS employees. International Review of Psychiatry 17 (5): 329-36. Link
Platt S, Pavis S, Sharpe M, O'May F. Contextual effects in suicidal behaviour: evidence, explanation and implications. In: K Hawton (ed) Prevention and treatment of suicidal behaviour. 2005;Oxford University Press: Oxford pages 53-70
Platt S, Backett-Muilburn K, Gnich W, Rankin D, Ritchie D, Truman J (2004) Applying process evaluation: learning from two research projects. In: M Thorogood and Y Coombes (eds) Evaluating Health Promotion, 2nd edition. Oxford University Press: Oxford, pages 73-92.
Ritchie D, Parry O, Gnich W, Platt S (2004) Issues of participation, ownership and empowerment in a community development programme: tackling smoking in a low-income area in Scotland. Health Promotion International 19: 51-9.
Hopton J, Platt S, Macleod L (2003) Housing conditions and health consequences. In: P. Gill and G. de Wildt (eds) Housing and Health: the Role of Primary Care. Radcliffe Medical Press: Oxford, pages 17-45.
Mackenbach JP, Bakker MJ for the European Network on Interventions and Policies to Reduce Inequalities in Health (including Platt S). Tackling socioeconomic inequalities in health: analysis of European experiences. The Lancet 2003;362: 1409-14
Markwell S, Watson J, Speller V, Platt S, Younger T (2003) The Working Partnership. Health Development Agency: London .
Platt S, Amos A, Gnich W, Parry O (2002) Smoking policies. In: J. Mackenbach and M Bakker (eds) Reducing inequalities in Health: a European Perspective. Routledge: London, pages 125-143.
Secker-Walker RH, Gnich W, Platt S, Lancaster T. Community interventions for reducing smoking among adults (Cochrane Review) Oxford: Update Software. The Cochrane Library 2002;Issue 4
Parry O, Gnich W, Platt S (2001) Principles in practice: reflections on a 'postpositivist' approach to evaluation research. Health Education Research 16: 215-26.
Pavis S, Hubbard G, Platt S (2001) Young people in rural areas; socially excluded or not? Work Employment and Society 15: 291-309.
Parry O, Platt S (2000) Smokers at risk: implications of an institutionally bordered risk-reduced environment. Health and Place 6: 117-23.
Parry O, Platt S, Thomson C (2000) Out of sight, out of mind: workplace smoking bans and the relocation of smoking at work. Health Promotion International 15: 125-33.
Pavis S, Platt S, Hubbard G (2000) Young People in Rural Scotland: Pathways to Social Inclusion and Exclusion. JRF and York Publishing Services: York.
Platt S (2000) Suicide risk among adults in Scotland: examining the evidence, explaining the trends, and reviewing the options for prevention. In: A Morton and J Francis (eds) The Sorrows of Young Men. Exploring Their Increasing Risk of Suicide. Occasional Paper no 45, Centre for Theology and Public Issues, University of Edinburgh: Edinburgh, pp1-30.
Platt S, Hawton K (2000) Suicidal behaviour and the labour market. In: K Hawton and K van Heeringen (eds) International Handbook of Suicide and Attempted Suicide. John Wiley and Son: London, pages 309-384.
Squires T, Gorman D, Arrundale J, Platt S, Fineron P (2000) Reduction in drug-related suicide in Scotland 1990-96: an artefactual explanation. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 53: 436-7.
Watson J, Platt S (2000) Connecting policy and practice: the challenge for health promotion. In: J Watson and S Platt (eds) Researching Health Promotion. Routledge: London, pp1-20
Watson J, Platt S (eds) (2000) Researching Health Promotion. Routledge: London.

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