On April 10th, Romana presented at the second workshop for the Health Data Research Network (HDRN), in Bristol. The event welcomed around 25 attendees from across the university and beyond to discuss best practices in working with health data, through a series of talks and open discussion.
Romana’s presentation focused on the lab’s use of shopping data for health research. She introduced the concept of digital footprint data, highlighting both its potential and its limitations. Drawing on examples from her own research, Romana shared how shopping data can provide insights into public health behaviours.
Her talk sparked conversation around topics such as:
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Biases in digital footprint data;
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The trade-offs between individual- and population-level insights;
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The critical role of individual consent in data-driven research.
In the afternoon, group discussions also touched on the lab’s public and participant involvement and engagement (PPIE) work—particularly our recent exhibit hosted at We The Curious. This part of the session focused on how to meaningfully involve the public in research using health data, and the benefits of doing so: from debunking myths, to building trust, and encouraging transparency in research.
Romana’s talk may be watched in full below!