BC-DTP_2027_30
Exploring the role of intersectional minoritised identities in assessing and addressing risk factors for cancer and cardiovascular disease
Primary Supervisor
Dr Alison May Berner
Institute/ School: Wolfson Institute of Population Health
Secondary Supervisor
Prof Rohini Mathur
Institute/ School: Wolfson Institute of Population Health
Project Video
Lay Summary
Background: Minority groups, for example people who are racially minoritised, don’t speak English or earn less, have poorer health. They are more likely to get cancer or heart problems. This is partly because they experience more risk factors, including smoking, high blood pressure or diabetes. We don’t know which minority groups are most at risk and how risk differs for people who belong to more than one group. It might also be that these risk factors are recorded less well by doctors, so people from minority groups miss out on medications or tests that could stop them getting health problems.
Aim: This PhD aims to quantify inequalities in the prevalence, recording and management of cancer and cardiovascular risk factors across minority groups, and to show how these translate into missed opportunities for prevention.
Skills: The project will use Our Future Health, a UK study following millions of adults with linked health records. Partnering with the public, the student will consider how best to use the results to benefit minority groups in East London.
The student will be trained in health-data science and epidemiology: managing linked datasets, statistical modelling, intersectional methods and coding in R, and working with community groups.
Objectives
Year 1:
- Establish community panels (Study objective 6).
- Develop analysis plan.
- Complete training in R and research environment.
- Progress at 9-month viva.
Year 2:
- Measure risk-factor prevalence across groups (Study objective 1).
- Measure accuracy of risk factor recording across groups (Study objective 2).
Year 3:
- Complete intersectional analyses of risk factor prevalence and recording (Study objective 3)
- Estimate impacts on screening and prevention (Study objective 4)
- Write manuscripts from Objectives 4 and 5
Year 4
- Examine prescribing inequalities, write associated manuscript (Study objective 5)
- Coproduce recommendations (Study objective 6)
- Write thesis
References
- Brown J, Pfeiffer RM, Shrewsbury D, O'Callaghan S, Berner AM, Gadalla SM, Shiels MS, Jackson SS. Prevalence of cancer risk factors among transgender and gender diverse individuals: a cross-sectional analysis using UK primary care data. Br J Gen Pract. 2023 Jun 29; 73(732): e486-e492. doi:10. 3399/BJGP. 2023.0023.
- Wing A, Mathur R. The impact of learning disabilities on control, management, and outcomes of type 2 diabetes mellitus in the UK: an observational cohort study using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink. BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. 2025 Sep 2;13(5):e004879. doi: 10.1136/bmjdrc-2024-004879. PMID: 40897640; PMCID: PMC12406900.
- Szabo L, Cooper J, Condurache DG, Dostal I, Andriamiadana G, Mathur R, Walter FM, Mamas MA, Manisty CH, Harvey NC, Neubauer S, Petersen SE, Robson J, Raisi-Estabragh Z. Cardiovascular disease burden and risk factor management in cancer survivors: insights into a multiethnic, socioeconomically deprived urban population. Heart. 2025 Dec 11;112(1):37-45. doi: 10.1136/heartjnl-2024-325309. PMID: 40081937; PMCID: PMC12703254.