Using Data and AI to Tackle Health Inequalities
The University of Sheffield is working with stakeholders in the health and social care sector to maximise the potential of big data and AI to tackle health inequalities and drive economic growth
South Yorkshire has some of the worst health outcomes in the country and a significant share of economic inactivity can be attributed to long-term illness. Life expectancy lags behind the national average, and people are not only living shorter lives – they are living those lives in poorer health. Without urgent action, health inequality gaps will widen and productivity in the region will remain low.
To address these challenges, the University has invested in Data Connect, which helps researchers access health data from across South Yorkshire to better understand the health conditions that affect people living in the region, and gives policymakers the evidence they need to make decisions that will improve people’s health.
Using regional health data in this way allows researchers and local authorities to identify, understand and target diseases and conditions more quickly; design treatments and services that are personalised to the people who live here; and spend money on things that have the greatest benefit to the most people. Partners include the NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, Yorkshire and Humber Academic Health Science Network and Health Data Research UK.
The University also leads the South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub – a £4 million initiative in collaboration with Sheffield Hallam University, and alongside the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – which is exploring how we can use data analytics, AI and mobile health monitoring to diagnose diseases more quickly and make treatments more targeted and effective. Sheffield was one of five hubs across the UK to be awarded part of a £16.5 million investment in healthcare technology from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
Many of us now use different technologies in our daily lives and it is increasingly common for people to use a smartphone or wear a smartwatch, sleep ring or other health tracking sensors or implants. These devices can provide invaluable information about our health, like the number of steps we take, the hours we sleep, our heart rate and blood oxygen. This data is currently underutilised in healthcare and could hold significant potential in helping us diagnose diseases earlier and quicker. The University is exploring how it can integrate this information with routine healthcare data, like treatments, medication or hospital procedures, to improve care for patients. Taking such a personalised approach could also reduce costs for the NHS.
In February 2024, Google announced it would be partnering with the South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub to invest in health tech research and training. Google will fund research, digital skills training scholarships and apprenticeships for local students and businesses.
The first research project – the PUMAS study – aims to understand whether Pixel smartphone sensors that detect light, radar, and electrical signals from the heart could aid the detection of common conditions such as hypertension, high cholesterol and chronic kidney disease. Early detection of these conditions could help people to make informed lifestyle choices which could slow down and even in some cases prevent their progression.
The University also leads the ESRC Centre for Care which is generating new insights into the use of digital health technologies and the outcomes of this use for all involved in the care sector.
Bringing health and social care data together in a way that it can be used effectively by researchers, including through the application of AI, provides innovative ways to address health inequalities, develop diagnostic tools and preventative approaches to disease and improve people’s lives and livelihoods, as well as reducing the burden on the NHS.
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