Thesis Title:
Bridging Data for Equity: Linking Health Records to Address Ethnic Inequities in Mental Health and Social Care
Thesis Abstract:
The barriers facing ethnic minority groups in accessing mental healthcare are well documented and are associated with poorer clinical outcomes within these populations, including a higher risk of involuntary admissions. While care pathways can play a mediating role in reducing this risk, ethnicity is a key variable which can significantly impact how these groups engage with mental health services. This interaction between ethnicity and care pathways can lead to both negative outcomes, with increased challenges in accessing health and social care, as well as positive outcomes, particularly in ethically concentrated areas where individuals may benefit from stronger social networks, fewer experiences of racial discrimination and increased community support.
These findings highlight the importance in considering ethnicity, not in isolation, but within the broader context of the systemic and social determinants, to contribute to improved health outcomes within this population and reduce involuntary admission rates for at-risk groups. Through the linkages of both census data, as well as person-level social-care data to routine mental-healthcare records, this PhD offers a unique exploration into how structural and service-level factors interact, to influence involuntary admissions.
In collaboration with Lambeth HEART, this PhD will centre the perspectives of individuals with lived experiences and local stakeholders to ensure that the findings of this research are meaningfully translated into recommendations for service delivery and policy.
Primary Supervisor:
Prof Jayati Das-Munshi