LSST Birmingham Lecturer Publishes Groundbreaking Study on Healthcare Inequalities in Urban Nigeria
By Kunal Chan Mehta | Article Date: 10 April 2026
LSST Birmingham is delighted to announce the publication of new research by Dr Michael Demehin, Senior Lecturer in Health and Social Sciences, examining the realities of healthcare access in urban Nigeria.
The article, “An Analysis of Social Determinants Influencing Healthcare Utilisation in Selected Urban Slum Settlements in Lagos State, Nigeria,” has been published in Healthcare Studies (Volume 4, Issue 1, 2026).
Focusing on communities often underrepresented in mainstream research, Dr Demehin’s study explores how residents of urban slum settlements in Lagos engage with healthcare services. Drawing on a mixed-methods approach – combining statistical analysis and qualitative field insights – the research offers a grounded and carefully evidenced account of healthcare decision-making in complex social environments and recommends the development of targeted health policies and public education programmes.
Dr Demehin said his latest research was driven by a commitment to bridging the gap between data and lived experience: “All too often, discussions about healthcare access are framed in abstract terms. What this study shows is that behind every statistic is a set of complex and difficult choices. For many people, seeking care is not delayed out of preference, but because of circumstance. If policy is to be effective, it must begin with that reality.”
Mr Mohsin Riaz, Dean of LSST Birmingham, added: “This is research with both intellectual depth and human relevance. It reflects the strength of our academic community and our commitment to work that engages with real-world challenges. Dr Demehin has produced a study that is not only analytically robust but also attuned to the lived experiences it represents. It’s the kind of work that resonates with our students, informs our teaching, and contributes meaningfully to wider societal debates.”
Centrally, the study identifies that healthcare utilisation is predominantly reactive rather than preventive. The presence of a known or diagnosed illness emerges as the single most influential factor in prompting individuals to seek medical care. The research shows that other commonly cited determinants, including income, education, and wider socioeconomic conditions, played a comparatively secondary role.
The paper goes on to recommend a renewed emphasis on preventive healthcare strategies. For example, working alongside targeted public health education and policy interventions that address the structural barriers faced by marginalised communities. In doing so, it speaks not only to a local Lagos context but to broader global conversations around health equity and access.
Dr Demehin brings significant interdisciplinary expertise to this work. His academic background spans social work, sociology and adult nursing, and he holds a PhD in Sociology alongside a PGCert in Higher Education. A Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), he also serves as a DMU Course Coordinator and Module Lead at LSST Birmingham. His professional trajectory reflects a sustained commitment to research that is both academically rigorous and socially relevant.
Read the full paper here: https://fpub.org/journal-admin/uploads/articles/hs4111.pdf
For additional information or interviews, please direct questions to LSST’s Public Relations Manager via kunal.mehta@lsst.ac.
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