A multi-state Markov model integrating socioeconomic status and health-related determinants to estimate recovery from functional disability

*THIS IS A RE-ADVERTISED PROJECT* *INTERVIEWS WILL BE HELD ON, WEDNESDAY 8 MARCH 2017*

As the population ages, policy makers need to learn more about the determinants of healthy aging. Longitudinal studies provide the means for studying the processes of individual lifecourse development and dynamics. Longitudinal studies can dynamically track changes in the population, providing the best opportunity to disentangle these determinants. By combining both socio-economic and behavioural risk factors in the model, we can gain insight into the effect on transitions to and recovery from a state of disability, as welfare circumstances are changed over time. This research is particularly acute in Northern Ireland, as the province currently has the highest disability claimant rates in the UK, with 22% of the population aged 65 and over in receipt of disability living allowance compared with a rate of 8.9% for Great Britain (DSDNI, 2013). Cross-national comparisons will be made by making use of data from the British and Irish Longitudinal Studies of Ageing consortium of ageing research studies.

Additionally, by combining the flexible framework afforded by Multi-state models for analysing the transitions between various states with causal inference methods we can extend these covariate specific transition estimates to population average effects, crucially allowing the assessment of the effect of hypothetical interventions on the population.

REQUIREMENTS

ACADEMIC

Candidates should have or expect to obtain a 2:1 or higher Honours degree or equivalent in a relevant biomedical, life sciences, public health, epidemiology or statistics subject.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Candidates applying from countries where the first language is not English should produce evidence of their competence through a qualification such as IELTS or TOEFL score.

The minimum recommended score for the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science is:
• IELTS score of 6.0 with not less than 5.5 in each of the four component elements of listening, reading, speaking and writing taken within the last 2 years;
• TOEFL score of 80+ (internet basted test), taken within the last 2 years, with minimum component scores of; Listening 17, Reading 18, Speaking 20, Writing 17);
• A valid Certificate of Proficiency in English grade A or B;
• A valid Certificate of Advanced English grade A; or
• A first or upper second class honours degree from a university based in the UK, Republic of Ireland or other suitably quality assured location in a country deemed by the UK Border Agency to be majority English speaking.

For a list of English Language qualifications also accepted by the School and University please see the following link:
http://www.qub.ac.uk/International/International-students/Applying/English-language-requirements/

The English Language Unit (ELU) offers both pre-sessional and in-sessional courses in English for academic purposes and study skills. Courses vary in length and full information can be obtained from the ELU http://www.qub.ac.uk/tefl/