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Sai Campbell, Dphil student at the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science (LCDS), has been awarded a Best Student Poster prize at this year's Oxford Population Health's OxPop Showcase for her research examining the contribution of infections to premature mortality in England.
Banner image: Sai receiving her prize from Professor Prabhat Jha, Head of the Oxford Population Health.
Sai's poster, titled More than 1 in 5 deaths before age 75 in England are infection-related, presented findings from an analysis of English death registration data between 2003 and 2024.
The research found that infections were involved in one in five deaths before age 75, with infection-related mortality three times higher in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived. These findings highlight the importance of better understanding the contribution of infections to the overall mortality burden and inequalities.
The study also demonstrates how conventional mortality statistics can underestimate the role of infections when only the underlying cause of death is considered, rather than all causes recorded on death certificates.
Sai's poster was recognised for its clear presentation of complex statistical findings and methodology, as well as its relevance to public health research.
The research was conducted in collaboration with Professor Ben Lacey, Senior Researcher Daniel Valdenegro and Professor Jennifer Dowd at the University of Oxford.
Congratulations to Sai on this achievement!
