Dr Edith Poku, BSc, MBChB, MSc, FHEA

Research Associate in Systematic Reviewing

HEDS, ScHARR
The University of Sheffield
Regent Court
30 Regent Street
Sheffield
S1 4DA
UK

Office:

Tel: (+44) (0)114 222 0692
Fax: (+44) (0)114 272 4095

Biography

I joined ScHARR in April 2009, having gained my MSc in Medical and Health Sciences from the University of Sheffield in 2007. I have a background in medicine, and worked in higher education as a lecturer in Infection Control before joining the department.

I have undertaken systematic reviews of clinical effectiveness and safety of interventions such as amphetamines for the management of treatment-resistant depression, panitumumab for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)- expressing metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) and bevacizumab for particular ophthalmic conditions. I have also reviewed evidence relating to the impact of direct access clinics on the diagnosis of colorectal cancer; impact of visual acuity on health state utilities and the appropriateness of the EQ-5D in diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular oedema.

Currently, I am a member of the ScHARR Technology Assessment Group (ScHARR-TAG). ScHARR-TAG carries out reviews of clinical and cost effectiveness of health care interventions for the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the Health Technology Assessment Programme on behalf of policy makers, including the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). I am also a strategic member of the Health Economics and Decision Science (HEDS) Consultancy Functional Working Group and an active member of the ScHARR Research Ethics Committee.

Research interests

My research interests lie in the use of systematic reviewing methods to support evidence-based healthcare delivery and decision-making.

I also have an interest in pedagogical approaches used in the teaching of critical appraisal skills.

Teaching interests

My main interest relates to teaching and training in systematic reviewing methods.

I facilitate small group teaching sessions and deliver lectures on a number of undergraduate and postgraduate modules. I also teach on short courses designed for private organisations and individuals to meet relevant specific educational or training needs. In addition, I am interested in supervising research dissertations involving systematic reviewing methods.

Professional activities

Member of Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi)
Member of InterTASC (a collaboration of nine UK groups involved in health technology assessment)
Member of Society of Social Medicine (SSM)
Member of European Public Health Association (EuPHA)
Fellow of Higher Education Academy

Current projects

Consideration of bevacizumab as a comparator in eye conditions
Systematic review and cost-effectiveness analysis of pre-hospital non-invasive ventilation for acute respiratory failure

Key Publications

Simpson, EL, Stevenson, MD, Scope A, Poku, E, Minton, J, Evans, P.Echocardiography in newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation patients: a systematic review and economic evaluation, HTA journal series (in press, available May 2013 ) [link]

Poku E. More than a test: assessments for learning. Education in Medicine Journal, Vol 5 Issue 2 (in press, available online- June 2013)

Section

Edith Poku is based in the Health Economic and Decision Science (HEDS) section