Dr Olufikayo Bamidele

With a background in Microbiology and Public Health, Olufikayo’s research is broadly focused on addressing ethnic inequalities in cancer experiences and outcomes, particularly in relation to the psychosocial aspects of prostate cancer survivorship in Black men and their partners. She completed her PhD at Ulster University, Northern Ireland, where she was a recipient of the Vice Chancellor's Research Scholarship for her thesis titled 'Post treatment experiences and psychosocial needs of Black African and Caribbean men treated for prostate cancer and their partners'. Olufikayo is passionate about improving understanding on how ethnicity intersects with other determinants of health to influence illness and healthcare experience among underserved groups.

Her methodological expertise is in qualitative research and evidence synthesis. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health (FRSPH) and Higher Education Academy (FHEA), she has authored several peer-reviewed journal publications and delivered national and international talks. She also teaches a Scholarship and Special Interest Programme (SSIP) module to Year 1 HYMS MBBS students on ‘Ethnicity and Cancer Service Provision and Uptake’, as well as supervision for PhD students at Hull York Medical School and the University of Bath.  

Active projects

• DESTIGMATISE: Understanding Stigma to inform Public Health Messaging, Decision-Making and Help-Seeking for Early Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Care Among Black Men
• PATIENT-SEA: Quality improvement for cancer diagnosis in primary care: incorporating the patient voice through significant event audit (Co-Investigator)
• DOORSTEP: Evaluating the effectiveness and acceptability of free door to door transport to increase the uptake of breast screening appointments in Yorkshire: A cluster randomised GP pilot trial. (Co-Investigator/Qualitative Lead)

• Module leadership and Teaching on the MBBS Phase 1 Scholarship and Special Interest Programme (SSIP). Module Title: 'Ethnic Inequalities in cancer service provision and uptake'
• Year 4 SSIP project Supervision

View Olufikayo's publications on ORCID.

 Selected publications 

• 1. Bamidele, O., Greenley, S., Ukoha-Kalu, B.O. et al. A Scoping Review of Stigma Related to Prostate Cancer in Black Men. J. Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities (2024).
• 2. Ogunsanya, M.E., Kaninjing, E., Ellis, T.N. Bamidele, O.O., Morton, D.J., McIntosh, A.G., Dickey, S.L., Kendzor, D.E., Young, M.E. & Odedina, F. T. Quality of life assessment among ethnically diverse Black prostate cancer survivors: a constructivist grounded theory approach. J Cancer Surviv (2024).
• 3. Gillen P, Bamidele O, Healy M (2023) Women and maternity care providers experiences of planned home birth in Northern Ireland: A descriptive survey. Women and Birth.
• 4. Ogunsanya ME, Sifat M, Bamidele OO, Ezenwankwo EF, Clifton S, Knight JM, Odedina FT, Greer JA, Dwyer K, Kendzor DE. Mobile Health (mHealth) Interventions in Prostate Cancer Survivorship – A Scoping Review. Journal of Cancer Survivorship. 2023 Jan 11. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36627464.
• 5. Wray A, Pickwell-Smith B, Greenley S, Pask S, Bamidele O, Wright B, Murtagh F and Boland J. Parental death: a systematic review of support experiences and needs of children and parent survivors. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care Published Online First: 16 November 2022.
• 6. Ogunsanya ME, Kaninjing E, Bamidele OO, Shahid M, Ton C, Anmol A, Ellis T, Parker D, Kendzor DE, Dwyer K, Young ME, Odedina FT. Quality of life in ethnically diverse Black prostate cancer survivors: A convergent parallel mixed‑methods approach. International Society for Quality-of-Life Research (ISOQOL) 29th Annual Conference, Prague, Czech Republic, October 19-22, 2022.
• 7. Ezenwankwo E.F, Nnate D.A, Oladoyimbo C.A, Dogo H.M, Idowu A.A, Onyeso C. P., Ogo C.N, Ogunsanya M, Bamidele O, and Nnaji, C.A. Strengthening Capacity for Prostate Cancer Early Diagnosis in West Africa amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: Moving to Re-think the World Health Organization 2017 Guide to Cancer Early Diagnosis: A Realist Research Approach. Annals of Global Health. 2022; 88(1): 29, 1–12.
• 8. Cairns, J.M., Greenley, S., Bamidele, O. et al. A scoping review of risk-stratified bowel screening: current evidence, future directions. Cancer Causes Control (2022).
• 9. Bamidele, O., Green, T., Tookey, S.,Walabyeki, J., & Macleod, U. (2022). A qualitative exploration of women's perspectives and acceptability of including new cancer awareness information in all-clear breast or cervical screening results. European Journal of Cancer Care,1–10.
• 10. Bamidele O., Alexis. O., Ogunsanya. M., Greenley. S., Worsley. A. and Mitchell. E. (2022) A systematic review of barriers and facilitators to access and utilisation of post treatment psychosocial support by Black men treated for prostate cancer. Supportive Care in Cancer.
• 11. Bamidele, O. O., & McCaughan, E.(2021). A constructivist grounded theory study on decision-making for treatment choice among Black African and Black Caribbean prostate cancer survivors. European Journal of Cancer Care, e13516.
• 12. McIlfatrick, S, Slater, P., Bamidele, O., Muldrew, D., Beck, E., & Hasson, F. (2021). ‘It’s almost superstition: If I don’t think about it, it won’t happen’. Public knowledge and attitudes towards advance care planning: A sequential mixed methods study. 2021. Palliative Medicine 1-10.
• 13. McIlfatrick. S, Slater.P., Beck. E., Bamidele. O., McCloskey. S., Carr. K., Muldrew. D., Hanna-Trainor. L and Felicity Hasson. Examining public knowledge, attitudes and perceptions towards palliative care: a mixed method sequential study. 2021. BMC Palliative Care 20 (44).
• 14. McIlfatrick, S, Hasson, F. Slater, P., Beck, E., McCloskey, S., Carr, K., Muldrew, D., Bamidele, O., & Hannon-Trainer, L. Advance Care Planning: Exploration of the public’s understanding. Online Poster Presentation at the European Association for Palliative Care, 7.11.2020. P01-377.
  
• 15. Hasson. F., Nicholson E., Muldrew. D., Bamidele. O., Payne. S. and McIIfatrick. S (2020) International palliative care research priorities: A systematic review. BMC Palliative Care 19:16.
• 16. McCaughan. E., O’Connor. S., Flannagan. C., Maguire. R., Connaghan. J., Bamidele. O., Ellis. S., Steele. M., Wittmann. D., Thompson. S., Jain. S., Kirby. M., Brady. N., Parahoo.K. (2019) Maximising Sexual Wellbeing after diagnosis of Prostate Cancer. Developing and Testing Support Resources: A Global Approach. The Journal of Sexual Medicine 16 (4 ): S27.
• 17. Bamidele. O (2019) Post Treatment for Prostate Cancer: The Experiences and Psychosocial Needs of Black African and Black Caribbean Men and their Partners. Doctoral thesis, Ulster University.
• 18. Bamidele, O., McGarvey, H., Lagan, BM., Ali. N., Chinegwundoh, F. and McCaughan, E. 2019 ‘Man in the driving seat’: a grounded theory study of the psychosocial experiences of Black African and Caribbean men treated for prostate cancer and their partners. Psycho-Oncology.
• 19. Bamidele, O., McGarvey, H., Lagan, BM., Ali. N., Chinegwundoh, F. and McCaughan, E. (2018) ‘Hard to reach, but not out of reach’: barriers and facilitators to recruiting Black African and Black Caribbean men with prostate cancer and their partners into qualitative research. European Journal of Cancer Care.
• 20. Bamidele, O., Lagan, BM., McGarvey, H., Wittmann, D and McCaughan, E. (2018) “…It might not have occurred to him that this woman that is taking care of me has some emotional needs as well…”: The unheard voices of wives of Black African and Black Caribbean men with prostate cancer. Journal of Supportive Care in Cancer.
• 21. Bamidele, O., McGarvey, H., Lagan, BM., Ali. N., Chinegwundoh, F., Parahoo, K. and McCaughan, E. (2017) Life after prostate cancer: a systematic literature review and thematic synthesis of the post treatment experiences of Black African and Black Caribbean men. European Journal of Cancer Care.
• 22. Bamidele, O., Ali, N., Papadopoulos, C. and Randhawa, G. (2017) Exploring factors contributing to low uptake of the NHS breast cancer screening programme among Black African women in the UK. Diversity and Equality in Health and Care 14(4):212-219
• 23. Ali, N., Bamidele, O., Randhawa, G., Hoskin, P. and McCaughan E (2017) Constructions of masculinity and help-seeking for prostate cancer. Diversity and Equality in Health and Care 14(5):254-256

Building on past successful collaborations, I have further expanded my collaborative network to include academic and non-academic partners (including Clinicians, Charity organisations, Black Community Leaders) across the UK, US and Africa for my current and future research projects.

REFRORM-BC: Reducing ethnic inequalities for black women with breast cancer: the role of treatment uptake, engagement and support (REFORM-BC) - led by UCL

University of Bath

Practice-based supervisor for professional doctoral student - Kayode Fadina

Research Title: Ethnic inequalities in care experiences of prostate cancer patients who use NHS secondary care services: exploring the perceptions of care providers and Black African and Black Caribbean men living with Prostate Cancer (2021-2027)

Hull York Medical School, University of Hull

Primary Supervisor for Doctoral Student - Modupe Bolanle

PhD Research Title: Developing and testing a psychosocial intervention to facilitate communication and mutual problem-solving among Black men with prostate cancer and their partner

Secondary Supervisor for Doctoral Student - Zoe-Anne Baldwin

PhD Research Title: Understanding and Improving Adults’ Experiences of Living with and Beyond Blood Cancer and Pre-existing Long-term Health Conditions

• Mentor on the In2research programme affiliated with Cancer Research UK to support students from low socio-economic backgrounds and under-represented groups to pursue a career in postgraduate research in STEM, Arts and Humanities and Social Science Subject
• Member, Black Men's Health Advisory Group, Prostate Cancer UK
• Member, Clinical Advisory Group,  Empowering People with Prostate Cancer Project (EPPC), Prostate Cancer Research (PCR)
  
• University of Huddersfield - Invited PhD Viva Examiner, March 2023
• Mentor on the Academic Intersectionality Mentoring in Medical Schools (AIMMS) Scheme, which is a national initiative run by the University of Southampton in collaboration with nine UK medical schools to support the career development of minority women towards equal and authentic leadership in academic medicine.
• Invited member of clinical advisory group for Prostate Cancer Research on their ‘Infopool’ study - ongoing
• University of Bath - Practice-based supervisor for professional doctoral student Kayode Fadina. Research title: Ethnic inequalities in care experiences of prostate cancer patients who use NHS secondary care services: exploring the perceptions of care providers and Black African and Black Caribbean men living with Prostate Cancer (2021-2027)

Invited peer reviewer for the following Journals

• Supportive Care in Cancer
• European Journal of Cancer Care
• Ethnicity and Health
• Cancer Causes and Control
• Qualitative Health Research in Psychology
• Health Expectations
• Nursing Open

• Vice-Chancellor's Research Scholarship Award for PhD Research, Ulster University (2015 - 2018)
• Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Ulster University - Pioneering travel award of £2000 for knowledge exchange and research collaboration visit to the Department of Urology, University of Michigan, Karmanos Cancer Institute and Wayne State University, Detroit. (December 2017)
• Doctoral College, Ulster University - Semi-finalist, Maiden Edition of the Vitae 3MT Competition (May 2018)
• Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Ulster University - Runner up, PhD Researcher Impact Award (March 2019)
• European Journal of Cancer Care - Certificate of recognition for review paper (Bamidele et al. 2017) making the top 20 most read/most downloaded article for 2017 - 2018 (June 2019)
• Winner, KE Poster Competition 2022, Knowledge Exchange Conference, University of Hull, 15th June 2022. Received a certificate and £500 prize to be used for conference attendance/KE Training
• Cancer Research UK ECR Travel Bursary Award to enable me present my research at the Ca-PRI conference 2024 in Melbourne, Australia in April 2024 (17 - 19 April 2024). 27th Nov 2023. £1500
• Dean’s recognition award for living the Hull York Medical School value ‘Everyone Counts’ (Oct 2022)

Knowledge Exchange

• Invited interview and special feature by Yorkshire Cancer Research as part of the 100 years celebration and to celebrate International Day of Women and Girls in Science, 11th February 2025 “People who participate in cancer research play a vital role in helping to reduce cancer inequalities.” - Dr Olufikayo’s experience
• Invited panellist by the Open Data Institute to their Executive Stakeholder Roundtable discussion on ‘Enhancing Diversity in Clinical Trials’ – 6th February 2025
• Invited consultation by Prostate Cancer UK Black Health Equity Team to help shape their evidence review on “Prostate Cancer treatment allocation, choices, decisions for Black men.” 3rd December 2024
• Invited Guest by PCUK to their ‘Prostate Cancer UK’s programme for government: Faster. Fairer. Better’ to influence policy on prostate cancer screening at the UK Parliament on 16th October 2024.
• Invited Chair of a session on ‘Prevention and Patient Behaviours’ at the Ca-PRI 2024 conference themed ‘Equity, Policy and Transforming Care’. Melbourne Connect, Australia. 18th April 2024
• Invited abstract to the West England Clinical Research Network NIHR Cancer Research Meeting themed ‘Inclusivity Unleashed: Acceleration and Diversity in Cancer Research – 17th November 2023. Abstract title: Cultural Intelligence – a creative approach to accelerate inclusivity and diversity in cancer research.
• Special feature in a Blog at the Centre for Research Equity, University of Oxford by Prof Margaret IKpoh (Vice Chair for professional development at the Royal College of General Practitioners) to recognise and celebrate Black women who are making impact in health and social care research. Celebrating Black Women in Health & Care Research: Advancing Equity, Inclusion, and Impact
• Invited Panel Member at the University of Hull’s Research Festival. Topic: People and Culture in Research: Is There Enough Diversity and Inclusion in Research – 13th January 2023
• Invited external PhD Examiner at University of Huddersfield, March 2023 PhD Title: “An exploration of survivorship and care continuity among UK Black African and Caribbean cancer survivors and their family caregivers”
• Invited workshop on Developing a Research Protocol. Postgraduate Workshop. Institute for Clinical and Applied Health Research (ICAHR), Hull York Medical School, University of Hull. February 2020
• Invited consultation by national prostate cancer charities/funders PCR (consultation exercise to shape their funding call to address racial disparities in prostate cancer research) and PCUK (Black consensus exercise
• 3 Next (Nursing Now Next Generation): project to inspire nurses and student nurses in global nursing leadership. Chiba University, Japan, March 2021, Invited speaker, 3Next | Global Nursing Leadership