Dr Natalie Darko

Dr Natalie Darko is an Associate Professor at the Stephen Lawrence Research Centre. Prior to this role, she was a Research Fellow and Academic Research Lead at the NIHR Applied Research Collaborative (ARC) East Midlands Centre for Ethnic Health. She was also a Senior Lecturer of Sociology for eleven years at Nottingham Trent University.

Dr Darko is an experienced academic and researcher and has been working in higher education for over 15 years, leading on national and international research exploring health inequalities, ethnicity and race.

She has completed various research projects for public, private and voluntary sector organisations including the Antigua and Barbuda Ministries of Education and Sport, the International Olympic Committee, Sport England, NIHR, Bangladesh Youth & Cultural Shomiti Centre, DEFRA, Leicester City Council, Leicester City Commissioning Group, the Academic Health Sciences Network, Genomics England, the NHS and Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organisation (GMCVO).

Natalie specialises in research and practice that addresses equality, equity, diversity and inclusion of ethnic minority groups in the UK. She has extensive experience in supporting researchers and health practitioners on how to capture the seldom heard voices of ethnic minority groups, and how to work collaboratively to inform equitable health and research practice.
Natalie currently works across a broad portfolio of research within social, health and clinical sciences of which her current research projects focus on;

• Experiencing maternity care during the SARS-CoV-2 Covid-19 Pandemic: the access, care and support provided to women from black and ethnic minority groups in the UK.
• Type 2 Diabetes in 18-45yr olds (Millennials to Middle Age: A Multifactorial Intervention to Address Multimorbidity (NIHR).
• SARS -CoV- 2 Coronavirus (Covid-19) and the Impact to Teaching, Learning and Wellbeing for Secondary Students in Leicester City (Leicester City Council).
• Type 2 diabetes self-management amongst adults of black African and African Caribbean ethnicity.
• Social constructions of the NHS: perceptions and experiences of ethnic minority groups in the UK. 

Centre for Reproduction Research (CRR)

• Darko, N., (2021) Engaging BME Groups in Health Research: Hard to Reach? 'Demystifying the Misconceptions', Policy University Press, Manuscript, Available at: https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/engaging-black-and-minority-ethnic-groups-in-health-research https://www.amazon.co.uk/Engaging-Minority-Ethnic-Groups-Research/dp/1447359127
• Routen, A., Darko, N., Willis A., Miksza J., & Khunti, K. (2021) "It's so tough for us now"- Covid-19 has negatively impacted religious practices relating to death amongst black and minority ethnic groups. Journal of Public Health. 2021; Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33906088/.
• Darko, N. (2021) Are black and minority ethnic groups vaccine-hesitant and ‘hard to reach’, Bristol Policy Press Transforming Society, Available at: https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2021/05/05/are-black-and-minority-ethnic-groups-vaccine-hesitant-and-hard-to-reach/.
• Darko, N., & Williams, G. (2021) Covid-19 Vaccine Acceptance & Uptake, Understanding barriers and facilitators of acceptance and uptake amongst African and African-Caribbean groups Report. Available at: https://hes32-ctp.trendmicro.com:443/wis/clicktime/v1/query?url=https%3a%2f%2fdrive.google.com%2ffile%2fd%2f1xePw8vkIJ%2doOKz0lupfHbpnP0D972ymx%2fview&umid=1ba36f73-a920-47e9-b443-936e24de2d22&auth=abf3dc013bb623204479f0e1f803993cdb4617ca-c340fccbb2e5e838ec34417e53c6ea8338b870a5
• Yahaya, H., Darko, N., Seidu, S., & Hindy, K. (2021) Cultural Competence in Diabetes Management: why is it important? Diabetes Africa, Available at: https://hes32-ctp.trendmicro.com:443/wis/clicktime/v1/query?url=https%3a%2f%2fdiabetesafrica.org%2fcultural%2dcompetence%2din%2ddiabetes%2dmanagement%2dwhy%2dis%2dit%2dimportant%2f&umid=1ba36f73-a920-47e9-b443-936e24de2d22&auth=abf3dc013bb623204479f0e1f803993cdb4617ca-a41c3151e2ce2d39bbc202ca7586d172c4abdf17
• Routen, A., Darko, N., Willis, A., Miksza, J., & Khunti, K (2020) The impact of Covid-19 and lockdown measures on self- reported life satisfaction and social relationships does not differ by ethnicity, Journal of Public Health, 2020; fdaa160, https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdaa160.
• Darko, N., and Czyznikowska, B., et al., (2020) BAME Communities: Ageing in Place- exploring the social infrastructures that enables BAME communities to age in place (Leicester City) Research Report, GMVCO, Big Lottery and University of Leicester. Available at:
• https://www.ambitionforageing.org.uk/sites/default/files/Leicester%20-%20Ageing%20in%20Place%20Summary%20%28Web%20Version%29_0.pdf
• https://www.ambitionforageing.org.uk/sites/default/files/Leicester%20-%20Ageing%20in%20Place%20Report_0_0.pdf
• Riaz, C., Yates, T., Davies, M., Khunti, K., Edwardson, C., Henson, J., Comber, A, Jones, A., and Darko, N. (2020) Association of depression and anxiety with clinical, sociodemographic, lifestyle and environmental factors in South Asians and white Europeans, Diabetic Medicine, May 2019. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31081286/
• Darko, N., Khunti K, T, Dallasso, H., and. Davies MJ, and Hadjiconstantinou, M (2019) Safer Ramadan: Structured Education programme for Muslim diabetic patients, Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, Dec 2019, Available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diabres.2019.107979.
• Darko, N., (2019) Evaluation Report: Let's Learn Together: helping Bangladeshi and Pakistani women develop parenting skills to build self-confidence and knowledge as parents, BYCS and National Lottery.
• Darko, N. (2019) Evaluation Report: Evaluating the effectiveness of South-Asian women only physical activity programme, BYCS and Sport England.

• Covid-19, race, ethnicity and health.
• Racial and ethnic health disparities/inequalities
• Health and health care for ethnic minority groups.
• Equity, equality and sensitivity in research and practice.
• Issues of inequality, inequity and social justice.
• Qualitative research methods. 

• PGCHE (HEA Fellow)
• PhD Sociology
• MPhil. Social Research Methods
• BSc. Sociology

Current projects

• Experiencing maternity care during the SARS-CoV-2 Covid-19 Pandemic: the access, care and support provided to women from black and ethnic minority groups in the UK.
• Type 2 Diabetes in 18-45yr olds (Millennials to Middle Age: A Multifactorial Intervention to Address Multimorbidity (NIHR).
• SARS -CoV- 2 Coronavirus (Covid-19) and the Impact to Teaching, Learning and Wellbeing for Secondary Students in Leicester City (Leicester City Council).
• Type 2 diabetes self-management amongst adults of black African and African Caribbean ethnicity.
• Social constructions of the NHS: perceptions and experiences of ethnic minority groups in the UK. 

Recent Presentations

• Darko, N., and Seidu, S., (2021) Having Comfortable Conversations – Cultural Competency in Diabetes Care for African and African-Caribbean People, Diabetes Africa and Novo Nordisk. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzpJ40TaAhQ
• Seidu, S., Darko, N., Goff, L., and Odiase, C., (2021). Getting the Treatment Right- Diabetes Care for African and African- Caribbean People, Diabetes Africa and Novo Nordisk. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAc3OmU9bzo.
• Mirza, H., Ochieng, B., Darko, N., and Brown, I (Director of Public Health) (2020), Covid -19 and Racial Inequality in the UK Webinar, Panel Discussion. The Exchange, Stephen Lawrence Research Centre.
• Darko, N and Byron, M (2019) 'Migration, the Caribbean Diaspora and Migrant Wellbeing’ Understanding intersectionality and the management of health amongst British African-Caribbean Women, UoL West Indies Summer School.
• Xu, G, Darko, N, and Highton, P (2019) Cultural acceptance of Type 2 Diabetes and Hypertension within Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups may hinder the awareness of chronic kidney disease in some UK communities – an opportunity to increase engagement. UK Kidney Week, June 2019 Brighton.
• Omeni, A., Darko, N., Thomas, R., Levine, D., and Professor Nishan Canagarajah VC (2019) Africa Research Group Launch, University of Leicester, Dec 2019.
• Darko, N., Khunti, K., Davies, M., Ackroyd, C., and Harrington, D. (2018) All-Party Parliamentary Group International Diabetes Summit, Houses of Commons, Changing Cities Diabetes for BME Populations, Dec 2018
• Darko, N., Willis, A., and Farooqi, A. (2019) NIHR Strategy Board – Invited Speakers- How are we serving underrepresented BME groups? Dec 2019, NIHR, University of Leicester, College Court Leicester.
• Darko, N. (2019) High Performance Sport Summit, Invited Speaker- Policy, Sport and Health in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados.

Dr Darko has undertaken a number of advisory roles providing strategic oversight and guidance on how to improve inclusive research and access to services for black and minority ethnic people. She has completed consultancy for various public, private and voluntary sector organisations including; the Bangladesh Youth & Cultural Shomiti Centre, Leicester City CGG, Lilly, Diabetes Africa, Triple Skillz in the Community, and KB in the Community. 

I have previously supervised research students within the fields of health, ethnic health inequalities and culturally relevant health inventions for ethnic minority groups. I currently supervise research students in the following area:

• Post-COVID-19 spatial inequalities, housing, ‘race’ and wellbeing for people with Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia and their families.

I am interested in supervising research students in the following areas:

• Sociology of Health and Illness
• Racial and ethnic health inequalities
• Covid-19 and ethnic minority groups
• Health and healthcare.
• Equity, equality and sensitivity in health research and practice.
• Inclusive and tailored health interventions 

Recently awarded grants

• Type 2 Diabetes in 18 – 45 years olds (Millennials to Middle-Age): A Multifactorial Intervention to Address Multimorbidity (2020 – present) NIHR, PHR, Davies, M., et al., (Co-I) £2.8M.
• Understanding Attitudes and Beliefs about COVID-19 and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the health and wellbeing (2020) NIHR ARC EM, Centre for Ethnic Health, & University of Leicester, Darko, N., Routen, A., Willis, A., Highton, P., Khunti, K., et al., (PI) £50,000.
• BAME Communities: Ageing in Place- exploring the social infrastructures that enables BAME communities to age in place (2019- 2020) Ambition Ageing & University of Leicester (PI) £10,000.
• Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC) – East Midlands, NIHR, (2018) Khunti, K., Waring, J., Walker, M., Armstrong, N., Darko, N, Morris, R., Farooqui, A., Abrahams, K et al., (Co-applicant and Panel Member) £10M.
• The effectiveness of BME women-only physical activity and yoga programme for improving participation, social isolation and well-being amongst South-Asian women (2018-2020) Sport England, BYCS & University of Leicester (Co- PI with BYCS) £18,000.
• Understanding AHRC researchers’ practices regarding the equality of participant involvement in applied ARC health research (2020) NIHR ARC East Midlands (Co-PI) £162,000.
• Exploring the impact of Covid-19 school closures on learning, teaching and mental health among Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) in Leicester City Secondary Schools (2020- present) Stephen Lawrence Research Centre, DMU Local & Leicester City Council. Hammond Perry, K, Darko, N, Overton-Edwards, S and Byran, R (Co-I). £6,372.
• Tiger Team BECAP: Bespoke EndometriaL CAncer Follow-uP (2020) University of Leicester, Tiger Team Grant, Moss, E., Darko, N., Cooper, N., Clarke, D., Jones, E., Guttery, D., Gore A., and McDermott, H. (Co-I). £10, 000.
• 10 x 10 challenge Fund- University of Leicester- EXCEED study – extended cohort for e-health, environment and DNA- recruitment of BME groups (2020) Tobin, M., Khunti, K., Darko, N., et al., (Co-I) £10,000.
• Ethnicity, Dementia and Aging (2019) University of Leicester Tiger Team Grant, Maltby, J., Darko, N, Willis, A., Khunti, K., et al., (Co-I). £5,000
• Migration, Mobility and Citizenship Research Network Grant (2019) University of Leicester Byron, M., Eborall, H., Darko, N., Pareek, M., Bernard, R., Aissaoui, R., Kefalidou; G., and Groves, Z. (Co-I) £40,000.

0000-0002-6384-9269