Aziz Sheikh
Biographic Data
| ID | 3862948 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Aziz Sheikh |
| GIVEN NAMES | Aziz |
| FAMILY NAME | Sheikh |
| SIGNATURE | SHEIKH A |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Edinburgh |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-7022-3056 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 107 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 19 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 107 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2002 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Unlocking the potential of community pharmacies to address hypertension in South Asia: The Cope-BP programme
Hypertension is a leading contributor to cardiovascular disease in South Asia, affecting over 40% of adults, of whom most remain undiagnosed or poorly managed. Despite urgent healthcare needs, the already overstretched public primary care systems in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in rapidly growing urban areas, are falling short. Community pharmacies, often the first point of contact for low-income urban residents, represent an op…
Community Health Participatory interventions in the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases including mental health in crisis-affected Low-and Middle-Income Countries – a scoping review
The rising burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) requires a comprehensive strategy by integrating community-based interventions - especially in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). Over the past decade, researchers have emphasized communities as key agents of change in health systems. While Community Health Participatory (CHP) interventions show promise in NCD management, their application in crisis-affected contexts remains underexplor…
Tracking the Track-and-Trace: Two waves of cigarette pack surveys on tax administration in Pakistan
Within 2 years of TTS implementation, cigarette tax administration improved significantly for the two leading multinational manufacturers, but not for local manufacturers
BNT162b2 Covid-19 vaccination uptake, safety, effectiveness, and waning in children and young people aged 5–11 years in Scotland
Background: Few large-scale population studies have examined both safety and vaccine effectiveness (VE) specifically for 5-11-year-olds during the Omicron-dominant period in a setting with low vaccine uptake. The BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) vaccine, administered in two doses, has shown strong efficacy against symptomatic and severe COVID-19 in clinical trials involving children and young people (CYP). Accordingly, we examined the uptake, real-worl…
Ideometrics: A scientific approach to generating, evaluating, and prioritising ideas
Background: This paper introduces and describes a new integrative scientific approach - ideometrics - building on the 'sense of ideas' and 'value of information' concepts. Ideometrics is the emerging field of generating, evaluating, and prioritising ideas. Methods: Focused on the generation, evaluation and prioritisation of ideas, we identified and then mapped the landscape of methodological approaches that have been used over time, disciplines, …
The Covid-19 pandemic in children and young people during 2022–24: What new did we learn
The research conducted between 2022 and 2024 has advanced our understanding of COVID-19 in children and young people (CYP), particularly with the emergence of the Omicron variant and its subvariants. The findings have reinforced that, while Omicron infections are often milder compared to earlier variants, the overall seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in children has increased, with notable regional and demographic disparities. COVID-19-related hospita…
Exploring the disease experience and supportive care for people with very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Malaysia: A multiperspective qualitative study
Background: In Malaysia, palliative services are almost non-existent for those with severe organ failure such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Access to palliative care services and awareness among the public and healthcare professionals remain low. While recognised as important in high income settings, the literature on palliative care for non-malignant disease is relatively uncommon in low- and middle-income countries, and none …
Global burden and strength of evidence for 88 risk factors in 204 countries and 811 subnational locations, 1990–2021: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021
BACKGROUND: Understanding the health consequences associated with exposure to risk factors is necessary to inform public health policy and practice. To systematically quantify the contributions of risk factor exposures to specific health outcomes, the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 aims to provide comprehensive estimates of exposure levels, relative health risks, and attributable burden of disease for 88 ri…
Global fertility in 204 countries and territories, 1950–2021, with forecasts to 2100: A comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021
BACKGROUND: Accurate assessments of current and future fertility-including overall trends and changing population age structures across countries and regions-are essential to help plan for the profound social, economic, environmental, and geopolitical challenges that these changes will bring. Estimates and projections of fertility are necessary to inform policies involving resource and health-care needs, labour supply, education, gender equality,…
Global burden of 288 causes of death and life expectancy decomposition in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations, 1990–2021: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease…
BACKGROUND: Regular, detailed reporting on population health by underlying cause of death is fundamental for public health decision making. Cause-specific estimates of mortality and the subsequent effects on life expectancy worldwide are valuable metrics to gauge progress in reducing mortality rates. These estimates are particularly important following large-scale mortality spikes, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. When systematically analysed, mort…
Global age-sex-specific mortality, life expectancy, and population estimates in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations, 1950–2021, and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic: A compr…
BACKGROUND: Estimates of demographic metrics are crucial to assess levels and trends of population health outcomes. The profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on populations worldwide has underscored the need for timely estimates to understand this unprecedented event within the context of long-term population health trends. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 provides new demographic estimates for 204 cou…
Conducting tobacco control surveys among schoolchildren in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan: A feasibility study
Most of the world’s 300 million smokeless tobacco (ST) users live in South Asia but ST policies for that region are poorly researched, developed and implemented. Longitudinal studies to understand the uptake and use of ST and smoking, and influences on these, such as health promotion strategies, are lacking. We planned to conduct longitudinal surveys among secondary school students in three countries with the highest ST burden: Bangladesh, India …
Hypertonic saline nasal irrigation and gargling for suspected or confirmed Covid-19: Pragmatic randomised controlled trial (Elvis Covid-19)
Background: In a previous pilot randomised controlled trial conducted on UK adults, we found that hypertonic saline nasal irrigation and gargling (HSNIG) reduced common cold symptoms, the need for over-the-counter medications, viral shedding, and the duration and transmission of the illness. It is unclear whether HSNIG improves outcomes of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Hypertonic saline can be prepared and HSNIG performed at home, maki…
Building on the Covid-19 in Pregnancy in Scotland study to support ongoing surveillance, research, and pandemic preparedness for maternal and child health
During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Public Health Scotland and the University of Edinburgh led the COVID-19 in Pregnancy in Scotland (COPS) study [1]. COPS involved linking and analysing national vital events and health data sets held by Public Health Scotland to examine the impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus two (SARS-CoV-2) infection [...]
Selecting the most informative positive and negative controls for self-controlled case series (SCCS): Rationale, approach, and lessons from studies investigating the safety of Covid-19 vaccines
The self-controlled case series (SCCS) is a study design used in epidemiology to test for variation in outcomes for a group of individuals before and after an exposure or intervention, with each pre-intervention individual serving as a control for themselves in the post-intervention period. The design is particularly useful for studying rare events or outcomes [...]
Caveats in reporting of national vaccine uptake
During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, policymakers and public health agencies urgently required contemporaneous data on vaccine uptake across whole populations and within their subsections. This was challenging because several doses of vaccine needed to be administered to different age groups at different times following their specific approval, and the number of doses may [...]
Setting research priorities for global pandemic preparedness: An international consensus and comparison with ChatGPT’s output
Background: In this priority-setting exercise, we sought to identify leading research priorities needed for strengthening future pandemic preparedness and response across countries. Methods: The International Society of Global Health (ISoGH) used the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) method to identify research priorities for future pandemic preparedness. Eighty experts in global health, translational and clinical research id…
Feasibility and acceptability of bubble continuous positive airway pressure oxygen therapy for the treatment of childhood severe pneumonia and hypoxaemia in Bangladeshi children
Background: Effective management of hypoxaemia is key to reducing pneumonia deaths in children. In an intensive care setting within a tertiary hospital in Bangladesh, bubble continuous positive airway pressure (bCPAP) oxygen therapy was beneficial in reducing deaths in this population. To inform a future trial, we investigated the feasibility of introducing bCPAP in this population in non-tertiary/district hospitals in Bangladesh. Methods: We con…
Can ChatGPT draft a research article? An example of population-level vaccine effectiveness analysis
We reflect on our experiences of using Generative Pre-trained Transformer ChatGPT, a chatbot launched by OpenAI in November 2022, to draft a research article. We aim to demonstrate how ChatGPT could help researchers to accelerate drafting their papers. We created a simulated data set of 100 000 health care workers with varying ages, Body Mass Index (BMI), and risk profiles. Simulation data allow analysts to test statistical analysis techniques, s…
Understanding and reporting odds ratios as rate-ratio estimates in case-control studies
Background: We noted that there remains some confusion in the health-science literature on reporting sample odds ratios as estimated rate ratios in case-control studies. Methods: We recap historical literature that definitively answered the question of when sample odds ratios (ORs) from a case-control study are consistent estimators for population rate ratios. We use numerical examples to illustrate the magnitude of the disparity between sample O…
Ethnic inequalities in positive Sars-CoV-2 tests, infection prognosis, Covid-19 hospitalisations and deaths: Analysis of 2 years of a record linked national cohort study in Scotland
BACKGROUND: This study aims to estimate ethnic inequalities in risk for positive SARS-CoV-2 tests, COVID-19 hospitalisations and deaths over time in Scotland. METHODS: We conducted a population-based cohort study where the 2011 Scottish Census was linked to health records. We included all individuals ≥ 16 years living in Scotland on 1 March 2020. The study period was from 1 March 2020 to 17 April 2022. Self-reported ethnic group was taken from th…
Changes in preterm birth and stillbirth during Covid-19 lockdowns in 26 countries
Preterm birth (PTB) is the leading cause of infant mortality worldwide. Changes in PTB rates, ranging from −90% to +30%, were reported in many countries following early COVID-19 pandemic response measures ('lockdowns'). It is unclear whether this variation reflects real differences in lockdown impacts, or perhaps differences in stillbirth rates and/or study designs. Here we present interrupted time series and meta-analyses using harmonized data f…
Cancer Incidence, Mortality, Years of Life Lost, Years Lived With Disability, and Disability-Adjusted Life Years for 29 Cancer Groups From 2010 to 2019: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of …
IMPORTANCE: The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2019 (GBD 2019) provided systematic estimates of incidence, morbidity, and mortality to inform local and international efforts toward reducing cancer burden. OBJECTIVE: To estimate cancer burden and trends globally for 204 countries and territories and by Sociodemographic Index (SDI) quintiles from 2010 to 2019. EVIDENCE REVIEW: The GBD 2019 estimation methods were used t…
Symptoms and signs of long Covid: A rapid review and meta-analysis
Background: Long COVID is defined as symptoms and signs related to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that are present at least four weeks following acute infection. These symptoms and signs are poorly characterised but may be associated with significant morbidity. We sought to synthesise the evidence on their incidence to guide future research, policy and practice. Methods: We searched Medline and Embase for longitudina…
Hajj health examination for pilgrims with asthma in Malaysia: An ethnographic study
Background: Asthma was one of the top causes of hospitalization and unscheduled medical attendances due to acute exacerbations and its complications. In Malaysia, all pilgrims must undergo a mandatory health examination and certified fit to perform pilgrimage. We studied the current organisational and clinical routines of Hajj health examination in Malaysia with a focus on the delivery of care for pilgrims with asthma. Methods: We conducted non-p…
Conducting Research Using Online Workshops During Covid-19: Lessons for and Beyond the Pandemic
Social distancing rules in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic have necessitated a move to online research for many social science researchers. In moving data collection online, academic literature on Internet-mediated research has resurfaced and been enriched, providing researchers with a useful resource when planning data collection online. In sharp contrast, there is limited published work for online workshops, indicating new opportunities for d…
Beyond professional boundaries: Relationships and resources in health services' modernisation in England and Wales
This article draws on theories of social capital to understand ways in which the negotiation of professional boundaries among healthcare professionals relates to health services change. We compared reconfiguration of respiratory services in four primary care organisations (PCOs) in England and Wales. Service development was observed over 18 months during a period of market-based reforms. Serial interviews with key clinicians and managers from hos…
The practice of hope: A longitudinal, multi-perspective qualitative study among South Asian Sikhs and Muslims with life-limiting illness in Scotland
ObjectivesWe explored the role of faith and religious identities in shaping end of life experiences in South Asian Muslims and Sikhs with life-limiting illnesses.DesignSecondary analysis of data from a longitudinal, multi-perspective qualitative study of the experience of life-limiting illness and access to palliative care services among South Asian Sikhs and Muslims in Scotland. Up to three semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 parti…
Changes in preterm birth and stillbirth during Covid-19 lockdowns in 26 countries
Preterm birth (PTB) is the leading cause of infant mortality worldwide. Changes in PTB rates, ranging from −90% to +30%, were reported in many countries following early COVID-19 pandemic response measures ('lockdowns'). It is unclear whether this variation reflects real differences in lockdown impacts, or perhaps differences in stillbirth rates and/or study designs. Here we present interrupted time series and meta-analyses using harmonized data f…
Mapping inequalities in exclusive breastfeeding in low- and middle-income countries, 2000-2018
Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF)-giving infants only breast-milk for the first 6 months of life-is a component of optimal breastfeeding practices effective in preventing child morbidity and mortality. EBF practices are known to vary by population and comparable subnational estimates of prevalence and progress across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are required for planning policy and interventions. Here we present a geospatial analysis of E…
Life expectancy of different ethnic groups using death records linked to population census data for 4.62 million people in Scotland
BACKGROUND: Few countries record the data needed to estimate life expectancy by ethnic group. Such information is helpful in assessing the extent of health inequality. METHOD: Life tables were created using 3 years of deaths (May 2001-April 2004) linked to Scottish 2001 Census data for 4.62 million individuals with self-reported ethnicity. We created 8 ethnic groups based on the census definitions, each with at least 5000 individuals and 40 death…
Legislation on male infant circumcision in Europe: A call to avoid paternalism and to promote evidence-based, patient-centred care
Male infant circumcision is a controversial and debated topic in both scientific and public discourses in parts of Western Europe. Debates are heated and it is not always entirely clear what is in the best interest of the male infant. In this article, we discuss the importance of returning to core principles of evidence-based, patient-centred care that may help move the discussion away from the current, increasingly polarised positions. According…
Palliative care for Muslims and issues before death
National and European directives have now enshrined within European law the requirement that health-care professionals provide their patients with culturally appropriate and sensitive care. Although well intentioned, many health professionals find it difficult to translate these directives into practice. Barriers to providing culturally competent care include racism, institutional discrimination and gaps in our understanding of the interface betw…
Should Muslims have faith based health services?
At a time when many government and public bodies are recognising the importance of engaging with faith communities, Aziz Sheikh advocates that the UK should provide specific health services for Muslims. But Aneez Esmail argues that such services could enhance stigmatism
‘Fasting and prayer don't concern the doctors … they don't even know what it is': Communication, decision-making and perceived social relations of Pakistani Muslim patients with long-term illnesses
Shared understanding about the context in which patients manage long-term conditions is a precursor to effective lay-professional partnerships. Religious identity influences the health beliefs and practices of many British Pakistani Muslim patients. Failure to acknowledge and discuss this influence on long-term illness management leads to a vacuum in professional knowledge, inadequate support for patients' decision-making and poor responses to th…
P48 Modifying health promotion interventions for ethnic minority groups: Systematic overview of guidelines and reviews
Background Some UK ethnic minority groups experience disproportionate levels of morbidity and mortality when compared with the majority White population. For these populations, access to and use of health promotion interventions may be limited. Adaptation of smoking cessation, physical activity and nutrition interventions of proven effectiveness for the majority population could represent an efficient strategy for reducing persistent health inequ…
P49 Modifying health promotion interventions for ethnic minority groups: Systematic review of empirical evidence
Background Health promotion interventions have proved to be cost-effective strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with smoking, physical inactivity and poor diet in the general population. Some ethnic minority groups are disproportionately affected by these lifestyle factors, and existing evidence suggests that adapting evidence-based health promotion interventions for these populations may prove to be an effective strategy to ta…
The case study approach
The case study approach allows in-depth, multi-faceted explorations of complex issues in their real-life settings. The value of the case study approach is well recognised in the fields of business, law and policy, but somewhat less so in health services research. Based on our experiences of conducting several health-related case studies, we reflect on the different types of case study design, the specific research questions this approach can help…
The Impact of eHealth on the Quality and Safety of Health Care: A Systematic Overview
From awareness to involvement? A qualitative study of respiratory patients’ awareness of health service change: From awareness to involvement
BACKGROUND Despite the policy rhetoric, patient involvement in health service decisions remains limited. Highlighted barriers include a concern that most patients are unable to see beyond personal aspects of their care in order to contribute meaningfully to health service development, and a perception that professionals do not welcome patient involvement. OBJECTIVES We aimed to explore respiratory patients' awareness of changes in local health se…
Shared decision making or paternalism in nursing consultations? A qualitative study of primary care asthma nurses’ views on sharing decisions with patients regarding inhaler device selection: Shared d…
BACKGROUND: Although patients with asthma would like more involvement in the decision-making process, and UK government policy concerning chronic conditions supports shared decision making, it is not widely used in practice. OBJECTIVE: To investigate how nurses approach decision making in relation to inhaler choice and long-term inhaler use within a routine asthma consultation and to better understand the barriers and facilitators to shared decis…
Experiences of outreach workers in promoting smoking cessation to Bangladeshi and Pakistani men: Longitudinal qualitative evaluation
Outreach workers expanded reach of the service through taking it to diverse locations of relevance to Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities. The optimum method of outreach to retain and treat Bangladeshi and Pakistani smokers effectively in cessation programmes needs further development
P2-284 The impact of the pay-for-performance contract and the management of hypertension in Scottish primary care: A six-year population-based repeated cross-sectional study
Background The introduction of pay-for-performance (in 2004) has increased the proportion of income general practitioners are able to earn from targeted quality care to patients with chronic diseases such as hypertension. We wished to investigate the impact of pay-for-performance on the management of patients with hypertension in Scottish primary care. Method A population-based repeated cross-sectional study using data from 826 973 patients regis…
Methodological reflections on the evaluation of the implementation and adoption of national electronic health record systems
The International Journal of Integrated Care (IJIC) is an online, open-access, peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes original articles in the field of integrated care on a continuous basis.IJIC has an Impact Factor of 5.120 (2020 JCR, received in June 2021)The IJIC 20th Anniversary Issue was published in 2021
Legislation on male infant circumcision in Europe: A call to avoid paternalism and to promote evidence-based, patient-centred care
Male infant circumcision is a controversial and debated topic in both scientific and public discourses in parts of Western Europe. Debates are heated and it is not always entirely clear what is in the best interest of the male infant. In this article, we discuss the importance of returning to core principles of evidence-based, patient-centred care that may help move the discussion away from the current, increasingly polarised positions. According…
Clinical effectiveness and service implications of telemonitoring for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: The Telescot COPD randomised controlled trial
The International Journal of Integrated Care (IJIC) is an online, open-access, peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes original articles in the field of integrated care on a continuous basis.IJIC has an Impact Factor of 2.913 (2021 JCR, received in June 2022)The IJIC 20th Anniversary Issue was published in 2021
The practice of hope: A longitudinal, multi-perspective qualitative study among South Asian Sikhs and Muslims with life-limiting illness in Scotland
ObjectivesWe explored the role of faith and religious identities in shaping end of life experiences in South Asian Muslims and Sikhs with life-limiting illnesses.DesignSecondary analysis of data from a longitudinal, multi-perspective qualitative study of the experience of life-limiting illness and access to palliative care services among South Asian Sikhs and Muslims in Scotland. Up to three semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 parti…
Culturally adapting the prevention of diabetes and obesity in South Asians (Podosa) trial
Type 2 diabetes is extremely common in South Asians, e.g. in men from Pakistani and Indian populations it is about three times as likely as in the general population in England, despite similarities in body mass index. Lifestyle interventions reduce the incidence of diabetes. Trials in Europe and North America have not, however, reported on the impact on South Asian populations separately or provided the details of their cross-cultural adaptation…
Beyond professional boundaries: Relationships and resources in health services' modernisation in England and Wales
This article draws on theories of social capital to understand ways in which the negotiation of professional boundaries among healthcare professionals relates to health services change. We compared reconfiguration of respiratory services in four primary care organisations (PCOs) in England and Wales. Service development was observed over 18 months during a period of market-based reforms. Serial interviews with key clinicians and managers from hos…
Experiencing Loss: A Muslim Widow’s Bereavement Narrative
Global and regional estimates of COPD prevalence: Systematic review and meta–analysis
BACKGROUND: The burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) across many world regions is high. We aim to estimate COPD prevalence and number of disease cases for the years 1990 and 2010 across world regions based on the best available evidence in publicly accessible scientific databases. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search of Medline, EMBASE and Global Health for original, population-based studies providing spirometry-based preva…
Adapting health promotion interventions for ethnic minority groups: A qualitative study
Adaptation of health interventions has garnered international support across academic disciplines and among various health organizations. Through semi-structured interviews, we sought to explore and understand the perspectives of 26 health researchers and promoters located in the USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Norway, working with ethnic minority populations, specifically African-, South Asian- and Chinese-origin populations in the areas of …
Does sharing the electronic health record in the consultation enhance patient involvement? A mixed‐methods study using multichannel video recording and in‐depth interviews in primary care
BACKGROUND: Sharing the electronic health-care record (EHR) during consultations has the potential to facilitate patient involvement in their health care, but research about this practice is limited. METHODS: We used multichannel video recordings to identify examples and examine the practice of screen-sharing within 114 primary care consultations. A subset of 16 consultations was viewed by the general practitioner and/or patient in 26 reflexive i…
Barriers and facilitators to health information exchange in low- and middle-income country settings: A systematic review
Life expectancy of different ethnic groups using death records linked to population census data for 4.62 million people in Scotland
BACKGROUND: Few countries record the data needed to estimate life expectancy by ethnic group. Such information is helpful in assessing the extent of health inequality. METHOD: Life tables were created using 3 years of deaths (May 2001-April 2004) linked to Scottish 2001 Census data for 4.62 million individuals with self-reported ethnicity. We created 8 ethnic groups based on the census definitions, each with at least 5000 individuals and 40 death…
Standards for Reporting Implementation Studies (StaRI) Statement
Implementation studies are often poorly reported and indexed, reducing their potential to inform initiatives to improve healthcare services. The Standards for Reporting Implementation Studies (StaRI) initiative aimed to develop guidelines for transparent and accurate reporting of implementation studies. Informed by the findings of a systematic review and a consensus-building e-Delphi exercise, an international working group of implementation scie…
Setting health research priorities using the CHNRI method: VII. A review of the first 50 applications of the CHNRI method
BACKGROUND: Several recent reviews of the methods used to set research priorities have identified the CHNRI method (acronym derived from the "Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative") as an approach that clearly became popular and widely used over the past decade. In this paper we review the first 50 examples of application of the CHNRI method, published between 2007 and 2016, and summarize the most important messages that emerged from tho…
Medicine (92 works) · Environmental health (51 works) · Population (35 works) · Disease (33 works) · MEDLINE (31 works) · Political science (29 works) · Public health (29 works) · Nursing (27 works) · Internal Medicine (26 works) · Demography (24 works)