MRC DTP in Precision Medicine

Developing a Scottish Type 1 Diabetes Policy Model

Supervisors

Jim Lewsey, School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow

David McAllister, School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow

Sarah Wild, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh 

 

Summary

Approximately 1 in 200 people in Scotland have a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes (T1DM); a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke and lower limb amputation. As in many other countries, the numbers of people with diabetes is rapidly increasing largely because of increasing survival. This will lead to an increase in diabetes-related complications that affecting length and quality of life. This PhD project will exploit Scotland’s excellent administrative and clinical databases to develop a T1DM policy model to inform decision making about how to spend money in the health service. This is timely as the number of health care technologies developed for people with T1DM is rapidly increasing and treatment costs for T1DM are very high. Our model will inform how best to use limited resources to achieve the best population health gains and to make decisions equitable for sub-groups of the population.

As well as involving exciting and important research, this PhD project will train the student in key contemporary data science skills using software and version control. Further, the student will develop expertise in statistical and health economic modelling, and learn how to develop web-based apps to improve the translation of results for use by clinical audiences.