Kate Dunn

Biography

I lead research into back pain and other musculoskeletal pains in children, young people and adults, mainly in primary care settings. My main area of expertise is epidemiology of musculoskeletal pain, but I also have experience in systematic reviews, randomised controlled trials and qualitative research. All of my research is conducted in multidisciplinary teams. Key funders of my research have been the Wellcome Trust, Arthritis UK and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).

I started at Keele University in 1995, completed an MPhil in 1998 and a PhD in 2003. I have been Professor of Epidemiology since 2014.

Research and scholarship

My key research focus is the epidemiology of musculoskeletal pain in primary care and the general population. I have much experience in back pain, and focus on the study of the long-term course of pain conditions, looking at definitions, trajectories and prognostic factors. My research began by studying adults with musculoskeletal pain, but my focus has moved towards studies with children and young people. I also work with my multidisciplinary colleagues investigating how findings from our research can influence treatments and services for these conditions.

I am lead of the Keele University Centre for Musculoskeletal Health Research.

Research grants and studies include:

• Primary care encounters for foot and ankle problems in children and young people: an epidemiological analysis. Funded by NIHR RfPB.
• Addressing Child and Adolescent Musculoskeletal Pain: the CAM-Pain Programme. Funded by NIHR Programme Grant for Applied Research and Arthritis UK.
• Management of musculoskeletal pain in ChiLdren and young people wIth Mental health or neurodivergent comorBidity (CLIMB). Funded by NIHR SPCR.
• Stratified care for musculoskeletal pain. Funded by NIHR Programme Grant for Applied Research.
• Clinical Epidemiology Consortium, Funded by Arthritis UK.

Teaching

I teach a variety of sessions on epidemiology, prognosis and research methods.

Further information

I am a Member of the International Society for the Study of Pain (IASP), the Society for Academic Primary Care (SAPC) and the Society for Back Pain Research (SBPR). I hold editorial roles at the journals Pain and European Journal of Pain, and regularly peer review for a range of grant giving bodies and scientific journals.