Impact of the social determinants of health on urinary tract infection
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Examining the socio – cultural determinants of health and health seeking behaviour in vulnerable populations at risk of and affected by antimicrobial resistant urinary tract infections
IRAS ID
321258
Contact name
Alison Holmes
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
WDA1 – G00000, Imperial College Department code for this research
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 2 months, 0 days
Research summary
Infections are caused by different types of organisms. As organisms evolve they develop mechanisms to increase their ability to survive. Bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics and as organisms mutate, they can develop resistance to antibiotics, this is termed antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR is a serious health emergency with bacterial AMR causing approximately 495,000 deaths worldwide per year (Murray et al., 2022).
AMR is complex affecting many different diseases and people. This research will specifically focus on bacterial urinary tract infections (UTI) in vulnerable people located in England. UTI are the second most common infection in primary care. The aim is to examine health seeking behaviours (how people access treatment and the barriers to access), the social and cultural determinants of health and the corresponding links with drug-resistant infections.
The study population will be recruited from deprived populations as outlined in the NHS England Core 20 PLUS 5 document, addressing health inequalities (NHS England, 2021). Representative populations will be selected from elements of the framework. Core 20 represents the most deprived twenty percent of the population. The PLUS section is represented by ethnic minority groups and people with protected characteristics. The 5 identifies five clinical focus areas (NHS England, 2021). The research will be conducted with charities, community organisations, public events e.g., Imperial Great Exhibition, G. P. Practices and hospitals.
The four studies will use a mixed methods approach. However, the research will predominantly be qualitative research using ethnographic observation, interviews and focus groups. The research will be conducted to address all aspects of care from prevention through to secondary / tertiary care. The research will include the public, healthy participants, patients and healthcare staff. Public participation will provide detailed insights for the development of public / patient tailored resources.REC name
London - Brent Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/PR/0916
Date of REC Opinion
13 Sep 2023
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion