Research Poster - WHEN CATEGORIES BECOME CLINICAL JUDGEMENTS: Investigating the effects of categorical thinking on misconceptions and stigma surrounding Sickle Cell Disease in UK healthcare
Research Poster -
WHEN CATEGORIES BECOME CLINICAL JUDGEMENTS: Investigating the effects of categorical thinking on misconceptions and stigma surrounding Sickle Cell Disease in UK healthcare
Sickle cell disease (SCD) affects over 19,000 people in the UK, yet genotype labels (HbSS, HbSC, HbS/β-thal) are often treated as fixed predictors of severity and pain, at times overriding the individualised assessment clinical guidelines like NICE CG143 actually call for. This poster traces that gap: from diagnostic essentialism to stereotyping to real clinical consequences, drawing on comparative NHS funding data and actual patient case examples. The alternative I have proposed is: care that takes into account the intersectionality of SCD, that is built on genotype, modifiers, environment, history, and current symptoms, not category alone.
I have also created a thematic literature review to accompany this poster, drawing on a broader range of source types such as, peer-reviewed clinical literature, sociological accounts of stigma, patient advocacy reports, and NHS system data to build out the categorical thinking argument in full. This will be uploaded separately.
Hi! I'm Radiyat, a Biomedical Sciences student at the University of Leeds. I'm extremely interested in healthcare inequality and what it compromises, patient advocacy, and improving experiences within the UK healthcare system.
My research focuses on Catgorical thinking (the tendecy to make assumptions based on race, diagnosis, or racial stereotypes) as an issue in the treatment and lived experience of those with Sickle Cell Disease within the UK healthcare systems and wider society. I aim to centre the voices of patients themselves, exploring how bias, misunderstanding, and systemic inequalities can affect pain management, trust in healthcare professionals, and access to quality care.
Outside of research. I love staying active through badminton and going out on walks/hiking with freinds. I enjoy playing videogames and discussing politics 😊!
Please reach out to me If you'd like to talk about health equity, and ensuring underrepresented communities are genuinely heard within medical research and policy discussions. Or even to speak about new videogames or places to walk!
