Factors Affecting Campylobacter Disease Rates in Scotland

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    FACTORS AFFECTING VARIATIONS IN CAMPYLOBACTER DISEASE RATES IN SCOTLAND

  • IRAS ID

    179229

  • Contact name

    Norval Strachan

  • Contact email

    n.strachan@abdn.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    University of Aberdeen

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    2 years, 11 months, 31 days

  • Research summary

    In Scotland campylobacteriosis is a reportable gastrointestinal disease. Previous work has established that there is an apparent lower incidence of reported Campylobacter infections in deprived populations. However this is not observed in hospitalised cases. This project investigates the origin of these differences between deprived and prosperous populations in four ways. First, analysing retrospective and prospective case data to determine whether the reported variation in disease still occurs. Second, analysing retrospective and prospective hospital discharge data to determine whether the incidence of hospitalised cases still remains constant by deprivation. Third, carrying out a case control study to identify the sources of human campylobacteriosis and performing a case-case analysis to determine differences in risk factors for deprived and less deprived (affluent) populations. Fourth, investigating potential biases at three different levels of the reporting pyramid: the community level, the GP level and the reported case level. This work will provide the scientific evidence to inform Food Standards Scotland policy on dealing with the Campylobacter risk in the Scottish population.

  • REC name

    North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2

  • REC reference

    15/NS/0072

  • Date of REC Opinion

    1 Sep 2015

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion