PhD Studentship - Prevention Across Conditions - improving cancer screening uptake among ethnic minority adults living with Type 2 diabetes

People living with Type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of multiple long-term conditions, including breast and bowel cancer, making cancer screening particularly important. South Asian, Black African and Black Caribbean communities are also disproportionately affected by Type 2 diabetes and experience inequalities in access to healthcare and preventive services, including lower cancer screening uptake.

This PhD will explore how community-centred and asset-based approaches can improve cancer screening engagement among ethnic minority adults living with Type 2 diabetes. Building on co-designed, peer-led, culturally tailored and faith-based interventions, the project will investigate how these approaches can be adapted within Type 2 diabetes self-management.

The successful candidate will:
- Use qualitative methods to explore barriers and facilitators to cancer screening among ethnic minority adults living with Type 2 diabetes
- Work with community members to adapt the intervention
- Support delivery of the adapted intervention in community settings in North East England
- Explore the acceptability and feasibility of the intervention qualitatively
- Potentially use a pre-post survey to assess changes in knowledge, attitudes, intentions and behaviours and inform future implementation

This cross-ARC PhD will be supported by researchers from the NIHR Applied Research Collaborations North East and North Cumbria and East of England, alongside voluntary, community and faith-based partners.

Funding: 100% of home tuition fees paid, annual stipend of £21,805 and additional funding of £15,000 to cover research costs. This studentship is only available to those eligible for UK home tuition fees.

Supervisors: Professor Floor Christie-de Jong, Dr Sarah Sowden, Professor Daksha Trivedi.

Sponsors: NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) North East and North Cumbria.

Eligibility: Applicants must hold at least an upper second-class honours (2:1) bachelor's degree and a master's degree in a relevant social or health sciences subject, or equivalent professional experience, with an interest in or experience of health and social care research. Qualitative or mixed-methods research experience is advantageous. Applicants whose first language is not English will normally need an IELTS overall score of 6.5, with at least 6.0 in each component.

A pre-application support workshop will be offered on Thursday 15 October, 9.30am–11am (in person at Darlington University campus, exact location TBC).