Global Burden of Stroke: A Pharmacoepidemiological Approach to Optimise Prevention and Treatment

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, with its burden disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Despite advances in stroke prevention and treatment, global disparities persist due to differences in healthcare access, medication availability, socioeconomic factors, and regional prescribing patterns. Pharmacoepidemiology—the study of medication use and effects in real-world populations—offers a powerful approach to understanding these disparities and optimising stroke prevention strategies across diverse healthcare settings. To address this urgent need, this project will leverage global pharmacoepidemiological data to examine stroke prevention, treatment patterns, and medication safety across different healthcare systems and populations. Using Big Data and real-world evidence, this research will generate critical insights to inform international clinical guidelines and health policies aimed at reducing the global stroke burden. Project Phases: The student will be part of the Big Data, Epidemiology, and Prevention Division within the Stroke and Ageing Research (STAR) group at Monash University, working on the following: Phase 1: Conduct a systematic review of global pharmacoepidemiological studies on stroke prevention and treatment, identifying disparities in medication use and effectiveness. Phase 2: Analyse international Big Data sources to investigate real-world patterns of stroke prevention medication use (e.g., antihypertensives, antithrombotics, lipid-lowering agents) and treatment outcomes across high-, middle-, and low-income countries. Phase 3: Assess the impact of healthcare system factors, medication access, and socioeconomic disparities on stroke prevention and outcomes, with a focus on informing equitable global health policies. What the Student Will Gain: With strong mentorship and interdisciplinary collaboration, the student will independently lead this high-impact research program while developing expertise in: ✅ Global Pharmacoepidemiology & Big Data Analytics – Analyzing large-scale international healthcare datasets to evaluate stroke prevention and treatment strategies. ✅ Health Equity & Policy Translation – Identifying medication access disparities and informing global stroke prevention guidelines. ✅ Advanced Statistical & Causal Inference Methods – Applying state-of-the-art pharmacoepidemiological techniques, including propensity score matching and emulated target trials. ✅ Scientific Communication & Publication – Publishing in high-impact journals and contributing to global stroke prevention research. Research Training & Impact: Each phase will involve securing ethics approval (as required), refining research protocols with iterative feedback, collecting and analysing data, and disseminating findings through high-impact publications. Upon successful completion of annual milestone reviews, the student will submit a PhD thesis by publication. This project provides a unique opportunity to generate real-world evidence that informs global stroke prevention strategies, enhances medication safety, and ultimately reduces the burden of stroke worldwide.