Oxford Health Histories

Oxford Health Histories (https://oxfordhealth.web.ox.ac.uk/) is a resource dedicated to uncovering, documenting, and disseminating histories of health and medicine in Oxfordshire. The platform shines a light on less well-known histories within the county and offers an opportunity to reflect on the continued relevance of these histories to the university, city, county and beyond.

Like many parts of the country, Oxfordshire remains subject to stark health inequities. Inequality in male life expectancy varies by up to a decade between the more wealthy and deprived areas of Oxford. These statistics are often hidden by the affluence of the county and their historical roots are overlooked.

Through Oxford Health Histories we seek to capture the diverse breadth of health history in the region, moving beyond institutional accounts of medicine in the city. The website offers an oral history repository, deep dives into stories from Oxfordshire’s history, as well as poetry and soundscapes created in response to some of those histories. The project is also developing work with local community partners such as Oxfordshire Recovery College as well as local schools.