Funded PhD opportunity
Suping Ling, Isobel Ward (The Office for National Statistics, ONS) and Luke Vale from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine are currently advertising a funded studentship (in association with ONS), which will use population-level linked data to address research questions relating to gynaecological cancers.
The deadline for application is Monday, 3 March 2025, 23.59. Please contact Dr Suping Ling (suping.ling@lshtm.ac.uk) for an informal discussion and for further details on how to apply.
Project title
Productivity costs in health economic evaluations: an application in women diagnosed with gynaecological cancers at working age
Academic supervisors
- Principal Supervisor: Dr Suping Ling
- Secondary Supervisor: Dr Isobel Ward, Professor Luke Vale
Department and institution
Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Collaborative organisation
The Office for National Statistics
Project description
The goal of the project is to draw on linked health, social and census data sources to estimate the labour market participation and productivity costs and to explore to what extent the new government agenda on reducing waiting times may affect cost-of-illness, including productivity costs, in women with gynaecological cancers.
There are more women than men who are economically inactive due to long-term sickness, and other sociodemographic factors may also lead to inequalities in labour market participation among working-aged women with gynaecological cancers. Productivity costs, the economic impact associated with the loss of productivity due to illness, disability, or premature death, can be accurately estimated using population-based earning and employment data, which will support future cost-of illness studies and health economic evaluations. Backlogs in cancer waiting time have led to worse outcomes and increased productivity loss. The new government intended to speed up people’s return to work by cutting waiting time, to boost economic growth.
The project will use population-level linked data, including data on earnings and employment, census, hospital inpatient, cancer registry, cancer waiting time, and radiotherapy and systemic anti-cancer treatment to address following research questions:
- How may labour market participation change by time and differ by sociodemographic factors in women diagnosed with gynaecological cancers?
- What are productivity costs associate with gynaecological cancers in short-, medium-, and long-term by different characteristics of women?
- How may reducing cancer waiting times affect cost-of-illness including productivity costs associated with gynaecological cancer?
In addressing these questions, the PhD will review and build on the health economics methodologies and gynaecological cancer epidemiology literature. Throughout the project, the PhD will need to conduct large-scale data linkages and data processing to prepare for data analyses and apply advanced statistical methods in the field of health economics and cancer epidemiology.
The project will be co-supervised by epidemiologists, statisticians, and health economists at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and the Office of National Statistics (ONS). The PhD will be expected to work at ONS for part of the time. This project will therefore offer a rare opportunity to conduct research with an important policy organisation, advance epidemiological and economic analysis on productivity costs in women with gynaecological cancers and contribute to policy evaluations in the area of health and social care.
Key references
- Krol M, Brouwer W, Rutten F. Productivity Costs in Economic Evaluations: Past, Present, Future. PharmacoEconomics 2013; 31(7): 537-49.
- Hanly P, Maguire R, Drummond F, Sharp L. Variation in the methodological approach to productivity cost valuation: the case of prostate cancer. Eur J Health Econ 2019; 20(9): 1399408.
- Ortega-Ortega, M., Hanly, P., Pearce, A. et al. Projected Impact on Labour Productivity Costs of Cancer-Related Premature Mortality in Europe 2018–2040. Appl Health Econ Health Policy 21, 877–889 (2023).
- Chauvin, P., Josselin, JM. & Heresbach, D. The influence of waiting times on costeffectiveness: a case study of colorectal cancer mass screening. Eur J Health Econ 15, 801812 (2014).
- O’Dowd A. Risk to patients’ lives grows as cancer treatment delays double in past year. BMJ 2024; 385: q1316.
- Department of Health and Social Care, The Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP. Secretary of State makes economic growth a priority. 2024.
Studentship details
UBEL DTP co-funded studentships cover tuition fees at the UKRI rate and an annual maintenance stipend.
Stipend and fee levels for the 2024/25 academic year:
- a minimum stipend of £21,237 (including London Weighting Allowance)
- support for home tuition fees at £4,786.
Studentships for 2025-26 are open to all applicants (both 'Home' and 'Overseas' fee status)
Please note that international applicants will be expected to top up the award with an alternative scholarship or funding arrangement to cover the higher cost of overseas fees. As outlined on the ESRC UBEL website, awardees may not use family/personal funds or their ESRC living cost stipend to cover the necessary top up for fees.
Candidate requirements
We are seeking a highly motivated individual who has a strong interest in health economics, cancer epidemiology, or health data science.
The candidate must have:
- Substantial training in or experience with quantitative methods;
- Excellent written and oral English communication skills.
The candidate should have a background in statistics, health economics, epidemiology, health data science or a related discipline. Some experience with health economic modelling with be of advantage.
Government security clearance level vetting will need to be secured prior to the research. This process is expected to take 6 weeks. To allow for meaningful checks to be carried out, the candidate will normally need to have lived in the UK for the 3 consecutive years immediately prior to applying. Please also note the requirements by ESRC regarding the award of the studentship.
How to apply
To apply, please fill in this web application form: 2025 Student Application: Co-funded and Collaborative Studentship - UCL, Bloomsbury and East London Doctoral Training Partnership (UBEL DTP). Applications received in any other format will not be considered.
Read more information and further guidance about applying.
When completing the ESRC application form, please follow the below instructions:
- In the main form, tick the appropriate project and add your personal information. Please then select:
- Study route: 3.5 years award
- AQM: Yes
- In the training plan, please describe your training needs based on your background and the project description. This will be indicative at this stage.
- CV upload: Please upload a 500-word (max) letter of motivation and your CV with two academic referees.
Deadline
The deadline for application is: Monday, 3 March 2025, 23.59