Exploring the effects of Caring on Mental and Physical Health using Population Database Linkages

This PhD will examine how being an unpaid carer, impacts on mortality and health outcomes. To do so, linkages between population-level data sources, including the Census, Mortality, Longitudinal Study and Hospital Episode Statistics will be used to explore the consequences of unpaid care on mortality, suicides, alcohol use, and hospital admissions. In particular, this study will utilise the Census & Mortality data linked to the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) - a database containing details of all admissions, Accident and Emergency attendances, outpatient appointments at NHS hospitals in England, as well as clinical (diagnoses and operations), patient, administrative and geographical information. The research will be conducted using a range of quantitative methods to track individuals over time and capture changes in life circumstances, unpaid caregiving and health outcomes. It will also explore trends and patterns across the life-course in terms of age, sex, social class and ethnicity. This work will provide insights into important inequalities in unpaid care trajectories according to these characteristics and establish an evidence base for support and interventions. The findings will provide policy-makers and practitioners with evidence to better understand the implications of unpaid care on health outcomes and NHS service use.