Long-term Physical Health Outcomes Among Transgender People in the UK: A PhD Studentship Analysing Linked Electronic Health Records

Supervisors:

Professor S Vittal Katikireddi, Professor of Public Health & Health Inequalities

Professor Christian Delles, Head of School, Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health

Dr. Desmond Campbell, Research Associate

Start date: January 2024

Transgender people are thought to experience poor health outcomes, both for physical and mental health. However, robust quantitative data have generally been lacking, with most existing research based on convenience samples and often with no comparison groups. This project will help address this research gap, with a focus on assessing physical health outcomes (such as cancer and diabetes) among transgender people in comparison to cisgender people. You will work alongside a clinical PhD student who is working on mental health outcomes.

This studentship is funded by the Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office (CSO) and will provide training in epidemiology, data science and analysing large-scale linked electronic health records. Patient and public involvement will be a key part of the research, with your work informed by discussions with an existing panel of people with lived experience of being transgender. You will also engage with relevant policy stakeholders, including at Scottish Government and relevant NHS Scotland organisations (such as the Sandyford Clinic and Public Health Scotland). We anticipate the successful candidate will complete some research outputs during the conduct of their PhD, allowing timely dissemination.

The research will build on an existing approach developed at the University of Glasgow to study the health of transgender people within electronic health records. We anticipate analyses drawing on two sources. First, the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (www.cprd.com) brings together data from 18 million patients currently registered with participating GP practices, with additional information available through linkage to hospitalisations and deaths in England. Second, the Sandyford Clinic provides specialist NHS transgender healthcare within Scotland. The longer-term outcomes of these patients in Scotland can be studied through linkage, allowing more detailed analyses of a smaller cohort of patients. The exact research questions will be developed by the student but will complement the existing activity of current students who are focusing on cardiovascular disease and mental health outcomes among transgender people. An area of specific interest is exploring if and how experiences and outcomes vary by age e.g., the health outcomes among older people.

You will be based at the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit (SPHSU), a leading MRC/CSO funded public health research unit. Our dynamic and interactive research environment is made up of researchers, clinical fellows, administrative and technical staff, postgraduate research students and visiting fellows. It is an ideal environment for anyone looking to work with, and learn from, colleagues from a range of disciplines, including epidemiology, public health medicine, statistics, and social sciences. Find out more about being a PhD student at the Unit.

If you would like to informally discuss the studentship, please contact vittal.katikireddi@glasgow.ac.uk

Please note that this opportunity is only available to people meeting home (UK) residency requirements and it is not available to international students. To be classed as a home student, candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or
• Have settled status, or
• Have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or
• Have indefinite leave to remain or enter

How to apply

The University of Glasgow requires a 2.1 Honours degree or equivalent

Apply through Postgraduate Admissions to MVLS - MRC/CSO PhD Studentship

The full set of supporting documents are required to be uploaded at the point of application:

• Final or current degree transcripts including grades (and an official translation, if needed) – scanned copy in colour of the original document.
• Degree certificates (and an official translation, if needed): scanned copy in colour of the original document.
• Two references on headed paper and signed by the referee. One must be academic, the other can be academic or professional [except iPhD applicants, where only one academic or professional reference is required]. References may be uploaded as part of the application form or you may enter your referees contact details on the application form. We will then email your referee and notify you when we receive the reference. We can also accept confidential references direct to rio-researchadmissions@glasgow.ac.uk, from the referee’s university or business email account.
• 2-page research proposal
• CV (max 3 pages)
• Completed College of MVLS Postgraduate Research Cover Letter
• Passport

Once you have submitted your application, please email susan.wilkie@glasgow.ac.uk to confirm.

Closing date 8^th November 2023 (interviews will be held in early December)

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