Understanding and addressing inequities in cancer care for people with a learning disability
People with a learning disability are not diagnosed with cancer as quickly as people without a learning disability. This means that by the time they are diagnosed their cancer is more advanced and harder to treat. We do not have a lot of information about what happens when people with a learning disability have cancer-related symptoms, or what can support a timely diagnosis.
Researchers at the University of Surrey are working with colleagues at Queen Mary University London, University of Exeter, University College London, University of Oxford and experts by experience to understand and address inequities in cancer care experienced by people with a learning disability.
Explore our research
Who we are
Experts by experience
People with a learning disability are involved in our research as co-applicants and advisors. They ensure that the questions we ask are relevant and meaningful for people with a learning disability and that the materials we use in recruitment and dissemination are inclusive.
University of Surrey researchers
Dr Sarah Beck
Research Fellow
Biography
Sarah is a Research Fellow and Health Psychologist at the University of Surrey with expertise in mixed-methods research. Her doctoral thesis explored the association between rumination and psychological and physical health outcomes in those diagnosed with cancer.
Since completing her PhD, Sarah has spent the last two years working as a research fellow across multiple projects. This has included an evaluation of the implementation of Schwartz Rounds in Higher Education Institutions. She currently project manages TEAM-QI, an intervention aimed at improving teamwork in multidisciplinary teams, and is working on the CARES-Well project, a collaborative partnership with colleagues in practice to create healthier workplaces. Within CARES-Well Sarah focuses on knowledge mobilisation and building system capacity.
Outside of these roles, Sarah is currently an Early Career Researcher (ECR) Rep for the School of Health Sciences.
Dr Anna Cox
Senior Lecturer in Health and Social Care
Biography
Anna is a Senior Lecturer in Health and Social Care in the School of Health Sciences at the University of Surrey. Her research focuses on the development and implementation of interventions to support the provision of good ethical care throughout the life course. Anna has a particularly interest in the care experience of older people and people with learning disabilities. Anna leads the Together Project funded by NHSE Workforce Training and Education Directorate, South East Region and the National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration Kent, Surrey and Sussex. The Together Project: Supporting the delivery of good practice in maternity services for parents with learning disabilities | University of Surrey
Esra Hassan
Research Fellow
Biography
Esra is a research fellow working on the NIHR Policy Research Unit for Cancer Awareness, Screening and Early Diagnosis.
Esra is an interdisciplinary, quantitative researcher with a background in dementia, public health, clinical neuroscience, and psychology. She did her PhD at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Centre for Dementia Studies. Her research focused on the determinants of dementia attitudes in young people, with the aim of identifying targets for public health intervention (modifiable factors and at-risk socio-demographic groups). Her work involved using structural equation modelling to understand the mediatory mechanisms driving dementia attitudes.
Esra also holds an MSc in Clinical Neuroscience from the University of Roehampton. Her MSc dissertation was based in molecular cancer biology, and explored the role of HOXA9 in mediating PARPi (Temozolomide and Olaparib) resistance in glioblastoma multiforme.
Outside of research, Esra has been actively involved in outreach for the past 10 years. Examples include being a mentor for the Diana Award for their social action programme for schools, STEM ambassador, and other global social action projects in the humanitarian sector.
Dr Robert Kerrison
Associate Professor and Co-Lead for Cancer Care
Biography
Dr Rob Kerrison is an Associate Professor in Cancer Care and Co-Lead for the Cancer Care Expert Group (School of Health Sciences). Rob's ongoing programme of work focuses on inequalities across the cancer care pathway, from symptom awareness, screening and early diagnosis, through to treatment. He holds several awards as principal investigator, including a prestigious Cancer Research Career Establishment Award, a Cancer Research UK Test, Evidence, Transition Award, and a Breast Cancer Now Public Health, Equity and Wellbeing Award. He is also a co-investigator on a number of research programmes, including the NIHR Policy Research Unit for Cancer Awareness, Screening and Early Diagnosis, and an NIHR Health and Social Care Delivery Research Award ('Cancer-Learn').
Rob's external appointments include Co-chair of the World Endoscopy Organisation (WEO) Coalition to Reduce Inequities in Colorectal Cancer Screening and Co-chair of the Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) Test Consortium's Communication Work group.
Lizzie Merrill
Research Fellow in Cancer Care
Biography
Lizzie Merrill is a Research Fellow in Cancer Care in the School of Health Sciences. Her fellowship explores inequalities in cancer care among marginalised groups, aiming to identify, understand, and address these disparities.
Lizzie’s academic background is interdisciplinary, with a BA in Fine Art and an MSt in Women’s Studies. Her research interests include the lived experiences of people with cancer, art-based interventions, and interdisciplinary feminist methodologies.
She recently completed her PhD at the University of York, where she developed and applied a new creative visual method - Photofantasy, inspired by the artist Jo Spence - to explore and express individuals’ experiences of cancer.
Professor Katriina Whitaker
Professor of Psychology and Co-Lead for Cancer Care
Biography
Katriina Whitaker is Professor of Psychology in the School of Health Sciences at the University of Surrey and co-leads the Cancer Care group with Rob Kerrison. Katriina's own programme of work focuses on early diagnosis and cancer, with a particular interest in healthcare-seeking and health inequalities. Katriina is a Chartered Psychologist and was made a Fellow of the British Psychological Society in 2017. Katriina is an expert review panel member for Cancer Research UK's Early Diagnosis & Detection Trials, Behavioural Health System and Health Economics research panel.
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