2023 PhD Project
About The Project
Research shows that there is a correlation between trust and health outcomes (Birkhauer, et al. 2017), that (in the US) there is a correlation between low income and low trust in physicians (Blendon et al, 2014) and that low levels of trust within an ethnic group create barriers to taking up social and financial opportunities (Smith, 2010). Research has also shown that, generally, high degrees of ethnic diversity (initially) correlate with low levels of trust (Dinesen et al, 2020); low levels of education correlate with low trust (Wu, 2021), and that poverty and deprivation correlate with low levels of trust (Jachimowicz, et al, 2017). Other findings have reinforced the intuitive notion that trust in social ‘outgroups’ is low (Gundelach, 2014). In sum, low levels of trust correlate with poor health outcomes and low levels of trust correlate with poverty, low educational attainment, and ethnic diversity. This leaves Nottingham facing a significant challenge.
These specific issues should be viewed against a backdrop of generally declining trust in institutions, especially government. The UK has consistently experienced lower levels of trust in government than other liberal democracies. Though there was an uptick in trust during the COVID-19 pandemic, this has now returned to pre-pandemic levels (IPPR, 2021: 15). Despite the national outlook, Adams and Lalot (2021) report higher than expected levels of trust in local government, with this trust proving more resilient than trust in national government. Generally, then, during the pandemic there were significant changes to all aspects of interpersonal attitudes and relationships and to the attitudes and relationships between healthcare providers, governance mechanisms, and the populations that they serve—including in the area of trust. There are known correlations between trust and a range of other phenomena.
Overall, the health of people in Nottingham is generally worse than the England average. This can be clearly seen when comparing life expectancy and healthy life expectancy in Nottingham to other parts of the Country (Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy 22-25). Through exploring the changes that have occurred in Nottingham City, especially as they impact trust, we hope to ultimately improve the health of the local area through listening to the local voice and the resultant impact on health-promoting activities.
This project has been co-created and is supported by researchers from Nottingham Trent University, the University of Nottingham and partners at Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
Project Aims
This project will explore how relationships and interactions affect traditionally excluded populations’ health. In doing so, it will maintain a specific focus on the changes that have occurred through the Covid-19 pandemic and the extent to which social attitudes towards healthcare and local support services are supporting/inhibiting improvements to health outcomes.
The Project Team
- PhD Candidate: Amreen Aslam
- Lead Supervisor: Prof Jonathan Tallant, UoN
- Co-Supervisor: Dr Leah Jayes, NTU
- Co-Supervisor: Dr Jo Morling, UoN
- Community Supervisor: Rich Brady, Nottingham City Integrated Care Partnership