There have been a number of successful pilots of community-based low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) lung screening services (or ‘Lung Health Checks’). Undertaking screening in the community aims to reduce potential barriers to uptake from travel and encourage people from lower socio-economic groups to attend screening to improve equity of access. Before the widespread introduction of a Lung Health Check service, evidence is needed to quantify: potential uptake; the number of false positives and over-diagnosed cases; effect on cancer-specific mortality and all-cause mortality; the health care resources required.
Aim: To quantify the potential uptake and cost-effectiveness of a national Lung Health Check service in specific sub-groups of the population eligible for targeted lung screening.
Objectives:
1. Critique the economic evidence base for the use of targeted LDCT screening in a Lung Health Check service and describe if, and how, uptake was considered as a factor affecting its relative cost-effectiveness (using systematic review).
2. Critique the use of a stated preference method, a discrete choice experiment (DCE), to quantify the uptake of healthcare programmes and the impact of internal validity checks on results (using a systematic review).
3. Quantify the stated preferences of potential users of a Lung Health Check service to understand its uptake taking account of the internal validity of using DCE results (using DCE and eye-tracking).
4. Understand the cost-effectiveness of alternative service models to deliver a national Lung Health Check Service while taking account of varying potential rates of programme uptake by specified sub-groups (using a decision-analytic model).
This PhD programme will be supervised by a Manchester-based multidisciplinary team comprising experts in economic analysis of screening programmes, systematic reviews and DCEs (Katherine Payne and Stuart Wright) and lung cancer screening (Phil Crosbie). The PhD also involves collaboration with an expert in inclusivity in research Arpana Verma (public health).
Entry Requirements
Candidates must hold, or be about to obtain, a minimum upper second class undergraduate degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in a relevant subject. A related master's degree would be an advantage.
How to Apply
To be considered for this project you MUST submit a formal online application form. Details of how to apply are available here (https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/study/research/funded-programmes/mcrc-training-scheme/apply/). For Visa requirements, international candidates must select the full-time study option.
General enquiries can be directed to [Email Address Removed].
Interviews: Week commencing 10 January 2022
Commencement: October 2022
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Equality, diversity and inclusion is fundamental to the success of The University of Manchester and is at the heart of all of our activities. The full Equality, diversity and inclusion statement can be found on the website https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/study/research/apply/equality-diversity-inclusion/