Researchers awarded over half a million pounds for study into health inequalities

Published on 5, February, 2025

The University of Sunderland has been awarded more than half a million pounds for a new study which aims to tackle health inequalities in Black communities.

EQUITA (EQUITy in Black Adult health), which has received £618,000 from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), will focus on a co-produced, faith-placed intervention designed to increase the uptake of breast, cervical, bowel, and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening in the north-east of England, Leeds and Scotland.

Research shows that uptake for these life-saving screening tests among ethnic minority groups, particularly Black African and Caribbean communities, remains lower than average. This can lead to later diagnoses, reducing the effectiveness of treatment.

To address this, the EQUITA study will trial a workshop aimed at informing and encouraging Black men and women to attend these screenings while addressing barriers such as lack of awareness, embarrassment, or previous negative healthcare experiences which can often deter people from taking part in screenings.

The workshops will be delivered to 300 Black individuals aged 25 to 74 across churches in the north-east, Leeds and Scotland. Participants will be divided into two groups, with one attending the workshop and the other not, to assess the intervention's effectiveness.

Over 24 months, the study will assess whether this faith-placed intervention can improve screening rates.

Dr Floor Christie-de Jong, Associate Professor in Public Health for Medicine at the University of Sunderland, leads the research alongside co-lead Dr Judith Eberhardt, Associate Professor of Psychology at Teesside University. The Sunderland and Teesside researchers are part of Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health.  

Dr Christie-de Jong, who is also Associate Director of Fuse, said: "Health inequalities are a persistent issue in the UK, and they disproportionately impact Black communities.

“By placing this intervention in trusted spaces like churches and working hand-in-hand with the community, we aim to break down barriers to accessing life-saving screenings.

“EQUITA is about more than just numbers; it's about creating lasting change that ensures everyone has an equal chance at early diagnosis and better health outcomes.”

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Irene Kabuye will be responsible for recruiting members of the public onto the EQUITA workshops in the north-east.

She said: “This study is important because it will address the barriers to screening participation in Black African and Caribbean communities, which can lead to late-stage diagnoses and worse health outcomes. 

“By improving participation in screening programmes through culturally tailored, faith-based, and peer-led interventions, the study aims to reduce health disparities and ensure earlier detection and treatment, ultimately saving lives and promoting better overall health in these communities.”

Commenting on Dr Christie-de Jong and her team receiving the funding, Professor Scott Wilkes, Head of the School of Medicine and Professor of General Practice and Primary Care at the University of Sunderland, added: “I am delighted that Floor’s expertise has been recognised and justly rewarded.

“This is the first significant NIHR research grant success for the University’s medical school. Floor’s work is an excellent example of our focus on population health and disadvantaged sectors of society.”

This collaborative project involves researchers and practitioners from the Universities of Glasgow, Teesside, Northumbria and Leeds Beckett, as well as Middlesbrough Council, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust.

EQUITA builds on the PROCAN-B and IMCAN studies.

PROCAN-B (Early diagnosis of PROstate CANcer for Black men), a two-year study led by Dr Christie-de Jong and her team, focuses on raising awareness of prostate cancer risks in Black men in the north-east and Scotland. PROCAN-B was funded by charity Prostate Cancer Research’s racial disparities research programme, aimed at addressing the health inequalities in prostate cancer. 

IMCAN (Improving Muslim women’s Uptake of Cancer Screening), a collaboration between Sunderland and Glasgow universities, is funded by Cancer Research UK and seeks to enhance breast, bowel and cervical cancer screening among Muslim women.

Read more about PROCAN-B here. 

For IMCAN, click here.