Gayasha Batheegama Gamarachchige
About
My research project
Data-driven solutions to address inequalities in Prostate Cancer: Using a UK-representative primary-care databaseProstate cancer identified as the most common type of cancer among the males in the UK is strongly affected by inequalities due to age, ethnicity, and deprivation. The burden on people and healthcare systems is expected to increase with ageing populations and environmental factors. Hence, data-driven, and evidence-based solutions are needed to combat inequalities and make necessary plans to improve healthcare services.
This study investigates inequalities in adherence to clinical guidelines to find which groups of men do not receive the recommended, high standard of healthcare and to understand the underlying factors affecting such disparities in diagnosis and treatment. The objectives of this study include developing a cohort profile to describe the cohort characteristics and inequalities in cancer diagnosis, clinical presentation and outcomes across age, ethnicity, geographical locality, socio-economic status, service delivery, and usage followed by the investigations of disparities and risk factors in each aspect of diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of prostate cancer. Through this research, we will also propose recommendations for healthcare commissioners and policymakers on how to improve healthcare equality in this arena of prostate cancer.
This will be a population-based, observational research where retrospective cohort studies or matched case-control studies will be conducted to uncover trends in data. This secondary data project will utilize data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), provided by the Brighton and Sussex Medical School, and will consist of 1.6 million primary-care longitudinal medical records and demographics with linkages for Cancer Registration (NCRAS), Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES) and Mortality data (ONS).
Supervisors
Prostate cancer identified as the most common type of cancer among the males in the UK is strongly affected by inequalities due to age, ethnicity, and deprivation. The burden on people and healthcare systems is expected to increase with ageing populations and environmental factors. Hence, data-driven, and evidence-based solutions are needed to combat inequalities and make necessary plans to improve healthcare services.
This study investigates inequalities in adherence to clinical guidelines to find which groups of men do not receive the recommended, high standard of healthcare and to understand the underlying factors affecting such disparities in diagnosis and treatment. The objectives of this study include developing a cohort profile to describe the cohort characteristics and inequalities in cancer diagnosis, clinical presentation and outcomes across age, ethnicity, geographical locality, socio-economic status, service delivery, and usage followed by the investigations of disparities and risk factors in each aspect of diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of prostate cancer. Through this research, we will also propose recommendations for healthcare commissioners and policymakers on how to improve healthcare equality in this arena of prostate cancer.
This will be a population-based, observational research where retrospective cohort studies or matched case-control studies will be conducted to uncover trends in data. This secondary data project will utilize data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), provided by the Brighton and Sussex Medical School, and will consist of 1.6 million primary-care longitudinal medical records and demographics with linkages for Cancer Registration (NCRAS), Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES) and Mortality data (ONS).