We have a new vacancy for a risk-based screening project for colorectal cancer.
How do we strike the right balance between the benefits and risks of screening? As a postdoc, you will investigate how the benefits and risks of screening can best be defined, combining qualitative research, modeling, and stakeholder engagement.
What are you going to research?
Colorectal cancer is a significant health problem in the Netherlands. Since 2014, a national population-based screening program has been in place, screening everyone in the same way—also known as uniform screening. There is growing interest in risk-based screening, where the intensity of screening is tailored to individual risk, with the aim of improving the benefit-risk ratio of screening.
However, it is unclear how this ratio should be defined. Many outcome measures can be included in the benefit-risk ratio, such as the reduction in the number of new cases of colorectal cancer, the colorectal cancer detection rate, the number of unnecessary follow-up examinations, or the number of missed cancers. This project aims to identify a composite outcome measure that can be used to determine the benefit-risk ratio of risk-based screening and that can be used to evaluate risk-based screening. Your work will guide future health policy regarding risk-based screening.
What are you going to do?
You will begin with a literature review and focus groups to explore potential outcome measures for the benefit-risk ratio. This will be supervised by Dr. Marjolein Greuter and Prof. Veerle Coupé. You will then conduct a simulation study using an existing decision model to assess the relevance and usability of each of these measures. Based on the simulation study, you will conduct a Delphi study in which experts and policymakers will be consulted to reach consensus on the most useful and comprehensible definition of the benefit-risk ratio. Finally, you will use focus groups and a street survey to investigate how the benefit-risk ratio of screening can best be presented (e.g., visually or textually).
As a postdoc your main tasks are:
- conducting a literature review, focus groups, a Delphi study and a street survey;
- working with an existing microsimulation model to evaluate candidate outcome measures;
- publishing your research in biomedical, health economics and/or epidemiological journals;
- contributing to biostatistics education for medical students.
What are you bringing ?
We are looking for an enthusiastic postdoc with:
- a completed PhD in health sciences, medicine or a related field;
- experience with qualitative research;
- strong communication and organizational skills.
In addition, you enjoy working in a multidisciplinary team of epidemiologists, qualitative researchers, gastroenterologists and policy makers.