Research

Sustainable Healthcare and Equity Research Group

This research group is dedicated to advancing interdisciplinary research at the intersection of health system sustainability, equity, and health promotion.

Our work explores how health services can be designed, delivered, and evaluated to promote long-term environmental, economic, and social sustainability while ensuring equitable access and outcomes for marginalised and underserved populations.

The group investigates a range of issues, including healthcare systems, health inequalities, digital health access, and the social determinants of health, with a particular focus on vulnerable communities in both high-income and low- and middle-income countries. The group fosters collaboration across disciplines and sectors, and meets regularly to share research, support early-career scholars, and develop joint funding proposals and publications that shape policy and practice globally.

The aims of this research group are:

To strengthen our capacity for interdisciplinary and applied health research.
To support international research networking and partnerships focused on health equity and sustainability.
To produce research that informs health policy and promotes social impact
To engage policymakers, healthcare providers, and communities in co-producing research.
To promote a culture of inclusive research, collaboration and mentorship within the University.

This research group connects academics and practitioners who are committed to advancing equitable and sustainable healthcare systems. Our core areas of research include, but are not limited to:

Sustainable health systems
Health inequalities and social determinants of health
Disability-inclusive healthcare
Digital health access and innovation
Climate change and public health
Environmental justice and health
Maternal, sexual, and reproductive health in underserved populations
Participatory and community-based research methods
Spatial and mixed-methods health research

Rooted in York St John University's commitment to social justice and global engagement, the group serves as a platform for knowledge exchange and innovation in sustainable and inclusive health systems research.

The group welcomes research proposals from prospective PhD students and new members in areas such as health equity, climate-resilient healthcare systems, disability-inclusive health services, digital health innovation, environmental determinants of health, and the intersection of sustainability and public health policy in both high-income and low- and middle-income country contexts.

Research activity

Amanollahnejad, A. (2024). Exploring the Impact of Digital Social Innovations on Enhancing Healthcare Accessibility and Quality: The Role of Emerging Technologies. In The Second Towards Relational Public Services Conference.

Bolarinwa, O. A., Odimegwu, C., & Tapera, T. (2024). Improving the sexual health of women with disabilities in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review of published studies. Reproductive health, 21(1), 116.

Bolarinwa, O. A., Odimegwu, C., Mohammed, A., Gayawan, E., & Phiri, M. (2025). Spatial pattern and decomposition analysis of the place of residence and sexual violence among women with disabilities in sub-Saharan Africa. Discover Social Science and Health, 5(1), 1-17.

Bolarinwa, O., Adebisi, Y. A., Ajayi, K. V., & Boutahar, R. (2024). Sexual and reproductive health rights in the era of artificial intelligence. The Lancet, 404(10448), 120-121.

Bolarinwa, O., Mohammed, A., Adebisi, Y. A., & Oyewo, O. (2025). Left behind no more: ensuring equitable vaccine access to curb mpox in Africa. International Health, 17(4), 594-596.

Divan, A., Alzahrani, A., Shaik, F., Mitchell, J., Harrison, M. A., Odell, A., & Ponnambalam, S. (2023). A research‐led flexible cell biology practical for biological sciences undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 51(4), 394-401.

Fryer, J., Mason-Jones, A. J., & Woodward, A. (2025). Understanding diagnostic delay for endometriosis: A scoping review using the social-ecological framework. Health care for women international, 46(3), 335-351.

Gheyoh Ndzi, E. (2021). The devastating impact of gender discrimination on shared parental leave in the UK. International Journal of Law and Society, 4(4), 254-261.

Gheyoh Ndzi, E., & Holmes, A. (2023). Paternal leave entitlement and workplace culture: a key challenge to paternal mental health. International journal of environmental research and public health, 20(8), 5454.

Gracy, M., Balasundaram, R., & Raj, S. (2023). Enhancing data integrity in blockchain through fuzzy augmented lagrangian optimization and compact blocks to minimize redundancy. International Journal of Intelligent Systems and Applications in Engineering (IJISAE), 11(4).

Hill, A., Kim, H., Ashdown-Franks, G., & Pratt, V. B. (2025). An umbrella review of a decade of meta-analyses examining the correlates of multidimensional perfectionism. Canadian Psychology.

Mason-Jones, A. J., Bottomley-Wise, R. M., Okanlawon, A. A., Woodward, A., & Greenwood, R. (2025). Accessible, acceptable and equitable: a range of contraceptive methods are still needed.

Mazuruse, G., Nyagadza, B., Tumbure, A., Makoni, T., & Muvuti, A. (2025). Algorithmic Optimization for Efficient Air Quality Prediction Models through Machine Learning: A Case Study of Shillong City in India. Next Research, 100346.

Muposhi, A., & Nyagadza, B. (2025). Sustainable Green Marketing Strategies for a Circular Economy in Africa: An Introduction. In Sustainable Green Marketing Strategies for a Circular Economy: African Realities and Imperatives (pp. 1-8). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.

Rahman, M. M., Frongillo, E. A., Cunningham, K., Warren, A., Monroe, C., Manandhar, S., ... & Shakya, N. (2025). Sharing of Information by Mothers and Household Heads With Their Social Network to Improve Complementary Feeding Behavior: A Qualitative Study in Nepal. Current Developments in Nutrition, 9.

Shabbir, M. S. (2025). Exploring consumer behavioral intentions toward energy-efficient vehicles: an empirical study for advancing sustainable development goals. International Journal of Energy Sector Management, 19(4), 940-959.

Shabbir, M. S., & Salman, R. (2025). Corporate Sustainability Practice in Response to UNSDGs: A Bibliometric-Systematic Literature Review. In Academy of Management Proceedings (Vol. 2025, No. 1, p. 11505). Valhalla, NY 10595: Academy of Management.

Simkhada, P., Mahato, P., van Teijlingen, E., Regmi, P., Aryal, N., & Manandhar, S. (2024). Research Priorities and Needs in Global Migrant Health: A Systematic Review of Reviews.

Zaghmout, B., Achi, F., Padmini Ema, U., & Adeshipo, A. (2024). Ethical Leadership in Dubai Hospitality Industry: Navigating Cultural Sensitivity and Inclusivity in a Globalized Market. Open Journal of Leadership, 13(3), 385-411.

2025 British Academy Small Grant (£9,970). Awarded to lead a project on disability and displacement in conflict-affected settings.
2025 Joint Research Grant, Institute for Health and Care Improvement and Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (£21,760). Awarded to explore the relationship between mental health and cancer outcomes.
2025 Quality-Related Funding, Institute for Health and Care Improvement (£7,349.10). Awarded to examine awareness, acceptability, and uptake of gonorrhoea vaccination among migrant populations.
2025 Quality-Related Funding, York St John University (£1,500). Awarded to investigate cultural competence training among healthcare professionals.
2024 Research Grant, Union for African Population Studies and American Institutes for Research (US$10,000). Awarded to undertake a study on disability and motherhood in Nigeria.
2022 Early Career Grant, Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and National Institute for Health and Care Research (£4,500). Awarded to conduct research on sexual and reproductive health service delivery and COVID-19 in Nigeria.
2022 AfRes-Data Fellowship, Union for African Population Studies (US$2,500). Awarded to support a research project examining the intersection of sexual and reproductive health services and COVID-19 in South Africa.

Imaging technologies and cervical cancer detection and screening pathways.
Gamification approaches to enhance student engagement, learning outcomes, and assessment in higher education.
Climate change, maternal health service access, and disability-inclusive healthcare systems.
Social and spatial inequalities in non-communicable diseases across low- and middle-income settings.
Maternal and child health morbidity and mortality, with a focus on preventable risks and health system responses.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning applications to reduce health inequalities and improve population health outcomes.
Health system performance, service delivery efficiency, and quality improvement.
Regional and sub-national inequalities in sexual and reproductive health outcomes.

Research output presentation sessions to showcase ongoing and completed studies.
Practical workshops on grant identification, application development, and successful funding strategies.
Workshops focused on manuscript development, journal targeting, peer review processes, and effective publication strategies.

For more information or collaboration, please contact Dr Obasanjo Bolarinwa (o.bolarinwa@yorksj.ac.uk)