Multimorbidity PhD programme for Health Professionals

Malawi faces a growing burden of Long-Term Conditions (LTCs), including noncommunicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes, alongside chronic infections such as HIV and hepatitis B. This has led to high rates of physical multimorbidity (two or more LTCs). At the same time, depression and anxiety are common but often underdiagnosed, especially among those with LTCs. Evidence shows a bidirectional relationship i.e., multimorbidity worsens mental health, and mental disorders increase LTC risk. However, how this evolves over time in low-income countries remains unclear.

This PhD will also explore the emerging threat of extreme heat, driven by climate change, which may worsen mental health symptoms, especially in Malawi’s fragmented health system with limited mental health resources.

The student will:
• Conduct a literature review on the intersection between physical conditions, mental health and heat.
• Analyse longitudinal data to investigate links between multimorbidity and mental health
• Identify high-risk disease clusters and disparities by socioeconomic status, gender, and location
• Examine interactions between seasonal heat variations and physical health multimorbidity on mental health

The student will use existing datasets at Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU) and linked meteorological data, and engage communities through advisory groups. Primary data collection will be qualitative interviews with patients or collection and analysis of 24-hour ambient temperatures in multiple settings depending on the student interests and skills.

The student will gain expertise in systematic literature reviews, longitudinal analysis, multimorbidity research, mental health and climate change, and community-engaged methods in low-resource settings.