Developing structures to support researchers studying health-harming industries

It is well-documented that health-harming industries and the groups they fund use a range of tactics that seek to interfere with academic research. With the development of scholarship relating to the Commercial Determinants of Health (CDoH), an increasing number of public health researchers are working to examine the activities of health-harming industries and the impacts they have on health and equity. However, there has been limited research investigating the experiences of these researchers and the range of strategies that could be used to support them. This qualitative interpretivist study involved 10 online focus groups with 28 public health researchers (ranging from PhD students to emeritus professors) in Australia and the UK. The researchers worked on issues related to the alcohol, gambling, tobacco or ultra-processed food industries. Participants outlined a range of personal and professional risks relating to their research, including social media attacks, complaints to university personnel and funders, attempts to discredit their research, legal threats and freedom of information requests. Some described the impacts this had on their overall well-being, and even on their family life. They commented that current university systems and structures to support them were variable and could differ between individuals within institutions. This often left researchers feeling isolated and unsupported. Universities should recognize the risks to researchers working on issues relating to health-harming industries. They should proactively develop strategies and resources to inform and support researchers to conduct research that is important for public health and equity.