PhD Studentship: Promoting Healthier Behaviours Among Black African and Caribbean Populations in the UK: A Positive Deviance Approach

Obesity and related non-communicable disease (NCD) rates remain high in the UK, with the highest prevalence among people of African and Caribbean origin. Existing policies and interventions promoting good health behaviours have not effectively addressed the needs of African and Caribbean populations who often face additional barriers as they tend to reside on more economically disadvantaged areas. New approaches are therefore required to improve the health of this population.

This project aims to explore a promising novel approach to promoting healthier behaviours among the Black African and Caribbean populations in the UK. Existing evidence indicates that some individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, termed positive deviants, do engage in healthy behaviours. PD are therefore those who have successful health outcomes despite facing the same challenges as their peers. There is a growing interest in learning from PD to foster community empowerment and to inform more impactful interventions and policies.

This PhD studentship aims to explore mechanisms underlying positive deviance among people of African and Caribbean origin in the UK using innovative mixed methods i.e. through quantitative analysis of large existing datasets and qualitative community based participatory research approaches.

Loughborough University is ranked number one in the world for sport-related subjects (QS World University Rankings). The School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences offers an exciting, interdisciplinary research environment, where research students work alongside expert staff with a diverse range of interests and experience.

The research training provided will be tailored to the applicant's needs and the doctoral researcher will also benefit from support from others. For instance, engagement with the Lifestyle for health and wellbeing group and the Centre for Lifestyle Medicine and Behaviour- CLIMB  .

The supervisory team for this project bring a wealth of expertise to support the research. Both supervisors have a strong track record in health inequality research. Dr Osei-Kwasi is a public health nutrition academic with specialist research interests in lifestyle behaviours and behaviour change interventions for people of African and Caribbean origin. Rebecca Hardy is Professor of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, and she has been at the forefront of developments in life course epidemiology for over 25 years. Rebecca uses data from longitudinal population studies and has expertise in quantitative methods.

Primary supervisor: Dr Hibbah Osei-Kwasi

Applicants should have achieved at least a 2:1 in their undergraduate degree in a public health, nutrition or dietetics, health science, or social science background, with relevant experience and or with a UK master's degree (with average programme mark of no less than 65%) or international equivalent.

Applicants must meet the minimum English language requirements. Further details are available on the International website (http://www.lboro.ac.uk/international/applicants/english/).

The studentship is for 3 years full time and provides a tax-free stipend of £19,237 per annum for the duration of the studentship plus tuition fees at the UK rate. Due to funding restrictions, the studentship is only open to UK students who identify as being from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic background.

All applications should be made via the above ‘Apply’ button. Under programme name, select School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences. Please quote the advertised reference number: SSEHS/HOK24 in your application.

To avoid delays in processing your application, please ensure that you submit the minimum supporting documents.

The following selection criteria will be used by academic schools to help them make a decision on your application

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