An example of the impact of this theme’s work
The EXCEED study looks at the causes of long-term health conditions by collecting information about genes and lifestyle. A staggering 11,000 patients across Leicester and Leicestershire have taken part in Exceed since it began 10 years ago. During that time, they have contributed to 54 research studies improving our understanding of heart, lung, liver, mental health as well as response to treatments.
More about this theme’s work
It is estimated that 65 per cent of adults over 65 will be living with multiple long term health conditions by 2035. As life expectancy increases, it is likely that more people will live with these for larger parts of their lives.
The percentages of people living with multiple long term health conditions is higher in ethnic minority communities compared to White communities, which also increases the healthcare needs in these groups. Ethnic minorities and other groups of people with higher rates of multiple long term health conditions are also underserved in research, limiting how much we can apply existing evidence to their care.
We are using state of the art computer coding and statistics to create vast amounts of information that help upscale up our research findings to improve disease prevention, treatment and outcomes for people from minority ethnic communities and those with single and multiple long term health conditions.
We are addressing this through work across three main research areas:
- Understanding what factors determine how and when disease arises, the common symptoms, trajectories, and likely outcomes of single and multiple long term health conditions across different ethnic groups
- Improving our methods for predicting the risk of developing single and multiple long term health conditions across different ethnic groups
- Developing and refining innovative research methods to make sure that our experimental medicine studies have the best chance of impacting patient care and outcomes, and maximise the use of linked local, national and international data to answer important clinical questions.
This theme works with the University of Leicester’s Department of Population Health Studies, Real-World Evidence Unit and Centre for Ethnic Health Research to drive innovation in understanding the impact of ethnicity and multiple long term health conditions, including what that looks like in younger populations, on how long people live, and their quality of life.
Leadership
Theme Co-Lead – Professor Kamlesh Khunti
Professor Khunti directs the University of Leicester Real-World Evidence Unit and Centre for Ethnic Health Research. He is National Lead for Multiple Long-Term Conditions within the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC), co-Chair for the NIHR Multiple Long-Term Conditions Translational Research Collaboration (TRC) and Director for the NIHR Global Research Centre for MLTCs. He chaired the Ethnicity Subgroup of the UK Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), and was an advisor on the UK government Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities. Read Professor Khunti’s full biography and research portfolio here: https://le.ac.uk/people/kamlesh-khunti
Theme Co-Lead – Professor Laura Gray
Professor Gray co-leads the Biostatistics Research Group within the Department of Population Health Sciences and leads the Data2Health theme of the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC). Professor Gray’s research focuses on the identification, prevention and management (particularly through complex interventions) of chronic and multiple long-term conditions (MLTCs). Her statistical methods research is motivated by the practical problems she encounters when supporting applied health research, with a particular interest in the design and analysis of clinical trials. Read Professor Gray’s full biography and research portfolio here: https://le.ac.uk/people/laura-gray
