Welcome

Abstract

Welcome to the sixth issue of the PHI journal. Our guest editorial comes from Charley Wilson who  is a recent graduate of our MSc Public Health: Addictions Programme. Charley now works at LJMU and has recently published his MSC findings in Journal of Public Health

Undertaking a dissertation can be a challenging, exciting, and at times overwhelming experience. With such a range of interesting topics in the field of public health, trying to find just one to focus on  can be a tricky hurdle. In my BSc dissertation I had picked a topic that, frankly, I didn’t have any interest in (and it probably showed). Fortunately, for my Public Health: Addictions MSc, I made sure I wouldn’t make this same mistake again, and focussed on a subject I am passionate about, gambling marketing and products. Working on this topic was a massively rewarding experience and only fuelled my interests further. Undertaking the dissertation opened the opportunity for me to stay in research, and I am grateful to now be working at LJMU alongside my brilliant dissertation supervisors, and I have managed to publish my findings as an academic journal article. While choosing a topic you genuinely care about and find interesting can be difficult, it is important and can help to shape the entire dissertation process into an engaging and enjoyable experience.

The breadth of topics covered by public health is one of my favourite things about working in research in this field. There are continuous fresh perspectives and insights which help to shape our understanding of public health challenges and interventions. Although I have not been working at LJMU for a very long time, when I have had the chance to supervise students’ MSc dissertations, I found this to be a rewarding experience. Not only did I have the opportunity to pass on some of my skills and knowledge, but in return to learn about and explore interesting new public health questions, gaining from students’ valuable insights and perspectives.

The dissertations included in this journal cover a broad range of interesting public health topics. The students have produced insightful research studies into areas of public health for which their enthusiasm is clear. Through conducting their dissertations, the students have displayed and developed a diversity of different strengths in key research and communication skills and have expanded their knowledge and interests on key public health issues. These skills and knowledge will no doubt be of benefit to future public health research teams and the wider public health workforce, having positive impacts across a variety of areas of public health. Their hard work should be celebrated, and this journal offers students the chance to recognise and share their achievements at LJMU. I congratulate all the students on their fantastic work and wish them all every success in their careers.