Giulia Maistrello
Department, Institution: Epidemiology and Public Health, UCL
UBEL Pathway: Equalise: Centre for Lifecourse Health Equity
Supervisor: Baowen Xue and Anne McMunn
About Me
I am a PhD student in Epidemiology and Public Health at UCL, where my research focuses on the role of job quality in the formal care sector and its impact on health, wellbeing, and job satisfaction. Using a mixed-methods approach, my work seeks to generate evidence that can inform policies to improve working conditions for adult social care workers.
Originally from Italy, I moved to the UK over ten years ago after completing degrees in Clinical and Cognitive Psychology. For the past few years, I have been working as a Senior Analyst at RAND Europe, a non-profit policy research organisation in Cambridge, where I specialised in workforce health, safety, and wellbeing. I am keen to build on this experience by keep collaborating with UK policymakers to strengthen the evidence base for improving job quality in the adult social care sector.
Outside of my research, I enjoy countryside walks, listening to audiobooks, and exploring different crafts, from crochet and sewing to painting.
My Research
My PhD project investigates the health, wellbeing, and job quality of adult social care workers in the UK, a workforce facing persistent challenges with recruitment and retention, yet playing an increasingly vital role as our ageing population drives growing demand for care. Drawing on both quantitative and qualitative methods, I will explore the factors shaping job quality and how these intersect with migration, ethnicity, and disadvantage, with the aim of generating evidence-based recommendations for UK policymakers. The project is structured into several work packages, including a review of relevant policies and literature, statistical analysis of national datasets, interviews and focus groups with carers, and the co-design of research with stakeholders to ensure inclusivity and policy relevance.
Impact of My Research
Ultimately, my research aims to generate actionable insights to strengthen recruitment and retention while enhancing the working experiences of adult social care workers in the UK. As part of the ESRC Centre Equalise, which is dedicated to tackling health inequalities, my PhD will examine how job quality intersects with ethnicity, migration, and disadvantage to influence the health and wellbeing of this essential workforce. By framing workforce challenges through the lens of inequality, the project seeks to inform fairer and more effective policies that support both care workers and the communities they serve.
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