People who suffer from psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, find that their perceptions or interpretations of reality are distorted: for example, they may hear voices from people that that are not there. In the UK rates of psychosis are especially high in East London boroughs, such as Newham or Tower Hamlets. Over 50% of people with psychosis are diagnosed with a long-term health condition, such as diabetes or heart disease. In fact, over a third experience a greater number of long-term conditions than the rest of the population, contributing to a reduced life expectancy of up to 18 years in people with psychotic disorders. Little is known about the social factors, such as stress, that might increase the risk of multiple long-term conditions in this group. This PhD project will address this knowledge gap by investigating the individual and combined impact of social factors on multiple long-term conditions among people with psychosis by analysing available data East London, as well as collecting real-life perspectives and accounts from people with psychosis and clinicians in East London. The results of this work will be important to how we deliver services since it will highlight those most vulnerable to multiple long-term conditions and who would benefit most from clinical support and treatment. This PhD will be completed in partnership between NHS services, Queen Mary, University of London and University of Oxford.
