Studentship description/person specification
REF: AL/DL
Summary details
Unit name:
Division/Section:
Job title
*Salary range:
MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
Measuring Health Programme
PhD Research Studentship: Spatial modelling
of air pollution, deprivation and mortality in
Scotland
£13,590 pa (plus £3,000 pa enhanced stipend
while undertaking PhD)
N/A
3 years or 1+3 years
36/week
*Band (Grade):
*Contract type (e.g. Open/Fixed term):
*Hours (e.g. full or part time):
Detailed job description
Studentship details
We can offer a great opportunity if you have a 1st or 2:1 Honours degree or a Masters degree in
Statistics or a similar subject with a substantial statistical component to study for a PhD in a
leading research institution, representing a major stepping stone to a research or academic
career.
Recent publications on long-term air pollution and mortality have identified an association
between long-term increases in pollution and mortality (Pope et al, 2002; Hoek et al, 2002;
Jerrett et al, 2005). Each of these papers attempted to take account of deprivation using
surrogates such as education status (Hoek at al, 2002), "contextual" neighbourhood
confounding (Jerrett et al, 2005) or multiple individual indices (e.g. race, education, marital
status) (Pope et al, 2002). Recent work from Oslo used individual deprivation indicators
aggregated over small areas and long-term mean concentrations for pollutants and showed
that socially deprived neighbourhoods have higher exposure to air pollution. Deprivation is
associated with air pollution, and as such accounted for some of the excess mortality
apparently associated with air pollution in these neighbourhoods (Næss et al, 2007). This, if
replicated, has important consequences for concentration-response functions for use in the
health impact assessment for pollutants. A recent review has highlighted the need for further
investigation of this issue of environmental equity (Luarent et al, 2007).
This studentship will use Bayesian spatial modelling techniques to examine the association
between various measures of population health (cardiorespiratory mortality, cardiorespiratory
hospital admissions, and mortality among a vulnerable cohort) and air pollution in Scottish
cities, and the extent to which such relationships may be modified by deprivation.
References
Hoek et al. Association between mortality and indicators of traffic-related air pollution in the
Netherlands: a cohort study. Lancet 2002; 360: 1203-09.
Jerret et al. Spatial Analysis of Air Pollution and Mortality in Los Angeles. Epidemiology 2005;
16: 727-736.
Laurent et al. Effect of socioeconomic status on the relationship between atmospheric pollution
and mortality. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 2007; 61:665-675.
Næss at al. Air Pollution, Social Deprivation, and Mortality. A Multilevel Cohort Study.
Edpidemiology 2007; 18: 686-694.
Pope III CA et al. Lung Cancer, Cardiopulmonary Mortality, and Long-term Exposure to Fine
Particulate Air Pollution. JAMA 2002; 287: 1132-1141.
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Working relationships
The successful student will be supervised by Professor Alastair Leyland of the MRC/CSO Social
and Public Health Sciences Unit (SPHSU) in Glasgow, Dr Duncan Lee of the School of
Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Glasgow, and Professor Eugene Waclawski of
the Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at the University of Alberta. The
student will join the programme of research “Measuring Health, Variations in Health and the
Determinants of Health” at the SPHSU led by Professor Leyland. Further details of this
programme can be found on our website at http://www.sphsu.mrc.ac.uk/researchprogrammes/mh/.
About the Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
The aim of the Social and Public Health Sciences Unit is to promote human health via the study
of social and environmental influences on health. Our more specific objectives include:
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studying how people’s social positions, and their social and physical environments,
influence their physical and mental health and capacity to lead healthy lives;
designing and evaluating interventions aiming to improve public health and reduce
social inequalities in health; and
influencing policy and practice by communicating the results and implications of
research.
Current research programmes are (programme leader in brackets):
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Measuring health, variations in health and determinants of health (Alastair Leyland).
Ethnicity and health (Seeromanie Harding)
Evaluating the health effects of social interventions (Lyndal Bond)
Gender and health (Kate Hunt)
Neighbourhoods and health (Anne Ellaway)
Sexual health and families (Danny Wight)
Social patterning of health over the lifecourse (Michaela Benzeval)
Understandings and use of public health research (Shona Hilton)
The Unit is centrally located in the Glasgow University campus and has its own specialist library
and librarian, a network of PCs running a wide range of software, access to e-mail and the
internet, and skilled in-house computing, statistical and clerical support. We use standard
Microsoft packages and more specialised software. There are currently around 45 researchers,
15 support staff and 12 full-time PhD students in the Unit.
Our researchers and students have backgrounds in statistics, epidemiology, psychology,
sociology, anthropology, medicine, economics, history, geography and human sciences. We are
the largest concentration of health social scientists in the MRC’s intramural programme, and
have an active PhD programme.
We are jointly funded by the Medical Research Council and the Chief Scientist Office at the
Scottish Government Health Directorate, and receive grant funding from Government
Departments, charities and other Research Councils (e.g. DfID, CRUK, ESRC, NIHR).
For further information about the Unit, including details of the research programmes, visit
http://www.sphsu.mrc.ac.uk/.
About the Measuring Health Programme
The health of individuals varies according to socio-economic characteristics reflecting, at least
in part, different exposures to factors that influence health.
Since populations comprise groups of individuals, and these groups tend not to be random, e.g.
groups defined by geography or on the basis of occupation, there are differences between the
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health of different populations. As an example, the health of the Scottish population is poorer
than that of the UK population as a whole. Understanding such health inequalities plays an
important part in improving the health of the population.
Core funded by the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health Directorates, the
principal focus of the programme is on the health of the Scottish population. The programme
seeks to improve the methods used to measure population health and its determinants.
More specifically, the aims of the programme are:
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to improve our understanding of the health of the Scottish population, and of the
inequalities in health between particular subgroups
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to consider the importance of different contexts, e.g. school, workplace, area of
residence, at different stages in life on subsequent adult health
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to ensure that the statistical methods needed to address complex public health research
problems are developed and disseminated
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to evaluate the effects of Sure Start Local Programmes, an area-based intervention for
young children and their families.
The programme has a number of specific projects that capitalise on our expertise with the
analysis of routinely collected data, such as death records, Census records and hospital
discharge records or cancer registrations, and existing survey data. We also benefit from our
location in Scotland which offers access to linked hospital and mortality records covering over
25 years.
Details of the current and recent work of the programme can be found on the Unit’s website
www.sphsu.mrc.ac.uk.
Qualifications/requirements:
It is essential that candidates should have, or expect to receive, a 2.1 or 1st class degree or a
Masters degree in Statistics or a subject with a substantial statistical component. Qualifications,
or a combination of qualifications and experience, which demonstrate equivalent ability and
attainment may also be considered. For example, a less than sufficient first degree may be
enhanced to meet the requirements by the acquisition of a Masters degree to enhance the first
degree, e.g. from 2.2 to 2.1.
Duration and conditions of award:
The studentship is funded by the MRC. The successful candidate will be located in the MRC/CSO
Social and Public Health Sciences Unit and will register for a PhD at the University of Glasgow.
Both the MRC and the University place a high value on training in generic and specific research
skills and in transferable skills.
Those without a Masters degree in a relevant discipline will receive a 1+3 years award, with the
requirement that they successfully complete a Masters in Public Health at the University of
Glasgow (or suitable equivalent course) during their first year, before proceeding to register as
a PhD student.
The Unit and Glasgow University have review processes in place to ensure that all students are
making adequate progress and the student will be obliged to comply with these.
The starting date for the studentship is expected to be September 2012.
Further details about MRC studentships can be found in the MRC Postgraduate Studentships
handbook:http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Newspublications/News/MRC002630
Eligibility:
This studentship is open to UK, EEA and international students.
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Equality & Diversity
The MRC values the diverse skills and experience of its employees and is committed to
achieving equality of treatment for all. Our objectives are that all individuals shall have equal
opportunities for employment and advancement on the basis of their skills, aptitudes and
abilities. The MRC is committed to the engagement and retention of the best possible talent
and to creating an environment that encourages excellence in scientific research through good
equalities and diversity leadership and management.
Corporate/Local responsibilities & requirements
The student must at all times carry out their responsibilities with due regard to the MRC’s:
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Code of Conduct
Equality and Diversity policy
Health and Safety policy
Data Protection and Security policy
The above lists are not exhaustive and the student is required to undertake such duties as may
reasonably be requested within the scope of the post. All employees are required to act
professionally, co-operatively and flexibly in line with the requirements of the post and the
MRC.
How to apply
If you would like to apply, please send a covering letter and CV to Susan Wilkie
(s.wilkie@sphsu.mrc.ac.uk), quoting REF: AL/DL. Please also supply the details of two
academic referees. Closing date for applications:
12th January 2012 at 12
noon. Interviews are expected to be held in February 2012.
Please note that appointment will be made subject to eligibility, health and security screening
and suitable academic references.
Additional information
Shortlisted candidates will be requested to provide a sample of their written academic work
(e.g. an essay or chapter from a dissertation) prior to interview, and a brief outline of their
ideas for the studentship (no more than one page of A4).
Please note that appointment will be made subject to pre-employment health, security
screening and suitable academic references.
Person requirements
Education/qualifications/training:
Essential: 1st or 2:1 Honours degree or a Masters degree in Statistics or a similar subject with a
substantial statistical component. Qualifications, or a combination of qualifications and
experience, which demonstrate equivalent ability and attainment may also be considered. For
example, a less than sufficient first degree may be enhanced to meet the requirements by the
acquisition of a Masters degree to enhance the first degree, e.g. from 2.2 to 2.1.
Software and data handling
Essential: Good working knowledge of one or more standard statistical packages e.g. SAS,
Stata, R. Experience of file handling.
Desirable: Experience of using WinBUGS or comparable software. Experience of merging data
from different sources. Experience of working with large and complex datasets.
Subject knowledge
Essential: A sound understanding of and practical experience of regression analysis. Ability to
use syntax/command language in a major statistical package or to program using a major
programming language.
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Desirable: Understanding of Bayesian statistics; understanding of health inequalities.
Communication
Essential: Good oral and written communication skills.
Time management
Essential: Ability to work to clear deadlines without close supervision.
Self direction
Essential: Ability to direct work in an efficient and productive manner, and to respond to
constructive criticism. Motivation to gain a PhD.
Team working
Essential: Readiness to participate in, and contribute to, Unit-wide activities and activities of
the Measuring Health team.
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