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Dr Irene Petersen

  • Email:

    i.petersen@ucl.ac.uk

  • Appointments:

    Senior Lecturer in Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Primary Care & Population Health, Institute of Epidemiology & Health

Summary

Over the last ten years my work has focused largely on the use of electronic health records for aetiological and epidemiological research. I moved to UCL in 2003 as a junior researcher. I have since built a vibrant and productive research environment around analysis of primary care databases at UCL. In 2007 I was awarded a MRC training fellowship to examine prescribed medicine in pregnancy and became Senior Research Associate. I was promoted to Principal Research Associate in 2011 and became Senior Lecturer in 2012.

Research Summary

My main interest is in epidemiological and methodological research. I work with a large team of epidemiologists and statisticians across a number of research areas and projects. This includes topics such as prescribed medicine in pregnancy, physical health in people with severe mental illnesses, development of new methods for longitudinal imputation of missing data in electronic health records. I supervise a large group of PhD students and (postdoctoral) research associates and we often have national and international researchers working with our team for shorter or longer periods of time.

For more details about our research  please see http://www.ucl.ac.uk/pcph/research-groups-themes/thin-pub

Research Activities

  • Interface between physical health and mental health

Recent Publications

Displaying 50 most recent publications. For the full list please visit UCL Discovery

  1. Horsfall L,Walters K,Petersen I (2013) Identifying periods of acceptable computer usage in primary care research databases. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf, 22(1), 64 - 69. 10.1002/pds.3368.
  2. Nicholson A,Ford E,Davies KA,Smith HE,Rait G,Tate AR,Petersen I,Cassell J (2013) Optimising use of electronic health records to describe the presentation of rheumatoid arthritis in primary care: a strategy for developing code lists. PLoS One, 8(2), e54878. 10.1371/journal.pone.0054878.
  3. Langan SM,Benchimol EI,Guttmann A,Moher D,Petersen I,Smeeth L,Sørensen HT,Stanley F,von Elm E (2013) Setting the RECORD straight: Developing a guideline for the reporting of studies conducted using observational routinely collected data Clinical Epidemiology, 5(1), 29 - 31.
  4. Meeraus WH,Petersen I,Chin RF,Knott F,Gilbert R (2013) Childhood epilepsy recorded in primary care in the UK. Arch Dis Child, 98(3), 195 - 202. 10.1136/archdischild-2012-302237.
  5. Horsfall L,Petersen I,Walters K,Schrag A (2012) Time trends in incidence of Parkinson's disease diagnosis in UK primary care Journal of Neurology, 1 - 7.
  6. Horsfall LJ,Nazareth I,Petersen I (2012) Cardiovascular events as a function of serum bilirubin levels in a large, statin-treated cohort. Circulation, 126(22), 2556 - 2564. 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.112.114066.
  7. Wijlaars LPMM,Nazareth I,Petersen I (2012) Trends in Antidepressant Prescribing in Children in the United Kingdom, a Study in The Health Improvement Network (THIN) PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY, 21, 136 - 136.
  8. Man S-L,Petersen I,Thompson M,Nazareth I (2012) Discontinuation of Antiepileptic Drugs in Pregnancy; a UK Population Based Study in The Health Improvement Network (THIN) PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY, 21, 320 - 321.
  9. Man SL,Petersen I,Thompson M,Nazareth I (2012) Antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy in primary care: a UK population based study. PLoS One, 7(12), e52339. 10.1371/journal.pone.0052339.
  10. Osborn DPJ,Limburg H,Walters K,Petersen I,King M,Green J,Watson J,Nazareth I (2012) Relative incidence of common cancers in people with severe mental illness. Cohort study in the United Kingdom THIN primary care database Schizophrenia Research.
  11. Woodman J,Freemantle N,Allister J,de Lusignan S,Gilbert R,Petersen I (2012) Variation in Recorded Child Maltreatment Concerns in UK Primary Care Records: A Cohort Study Using The Health Improvement Network (THIN) Database PLoS ONE, 7(11).
  12. Welch C,Petersen I,Walters K,Morris RW,Nazareth I,Kalaitzaki E,White IR,Marston L,Carpenter J (2012) Two-stage method to remove population- and individual-level outliers from longitudinal data in a primary care database. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf, 21(7), 725 - 732. 10.1002/pds.2270.
  13. Wijlaars LP,Nazareth I,Petersen I (2012) Trends in depression and antidepressant prescribing in children and adolescents: a cohort study in The Health Improvement Network (THIN). PLoS One, 7(3), e33181. 10.1371/journal.pone.0033181.
  14. Fardet L,Petersen I,Nazareth I (2012) Risk of cardiovascular events in people prescribed glucocorticoids with iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome: cohort study BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 345, e4928 - e4928. 10.1136/bmj.e4928.
  15. Prah P,Petersen I,Nazareth I,Walters K,Osborn D (2012) National changes in oral antipsychotic treatment for people with schizophrenia in primary care between 1998 and 2007 in the United Kingdom Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, 21(2), 161 - 169.
  16. Woodman J,Allister J,Rafi I,de Lusignan S,Belsey J,Petersen I,Gilbert R,Audit RMS (2012) A simple approach to improve recording of concerns about child maltreatment in primary care records: developing a quality improvement intervention Br J Gen Pract, 62, e478 - e486. 10.3399/bjgp12X652346.
  17. Melzer M,Petersen I (2012) A re-audit of outcomes in patients with ESBL producing Escherichia coli bacteraemia The Journal of infection, 65, 283 - 284.
  18. Fardet L,Petersen I,Nazareth I (2012) Suicidal behavior and severe neuropsychiatric disorders following glucocorticoid therapy in primary care. Am J Psychiatry, 169(5), 491 - 497. 10.1176/appi.ajp.2011.11071009.
  19. Walters K,Rait G,Hardoon S,Kalaitzaki E,Petersen I,Nazareth I (2012) Socio-demographic variation in chest pain incidence and subsequent coronary heart disease in primary care in the United Kingdom. Eur J Prev Cardiol. 10.1177/2047487312449415.
  20. Osborn DPJ,Horsfall L,Hassiotis A,Petersen I,Walters K,Nazareth I (2012) Access to Cancer Screening in People with Learning Disabilities in the UK: Cohort Study in the Health Improvement Network, a Primary Care Research Database PLOS ONE, 7(8). 10.1371/journal.pone.0043841.
  21. Man S,Petersen I,Thompson M,Nazareth I (2012) DISCONTINUATION OF ANTIEPILEPTIC DRUGS IN PREGNANCY: A UK POPULATION BASED STUDY IN THE HEALTH IMPROVEMENT NETWORK (THIN) JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND COMMUNITY HEALTH, 66, A48 - A48. 10.1136/jech-2012-201753.124.
  22. Man S,Petersen I,Thompson M,Nazareth I (2012) DISCONTINUATION OF ANTIEPILEPTIC DRUGS IN PREGNANCY: A UK POPULATION BASED STUDY IN THE HEALTH IMPROVEMENT NETWORK PRIMARY CARE DATABASE EPILEPSIA, 53, 6 - 6.
  23. Petersen I,Carpenter J,Welch C,Walters K,Morris R,White I,Marston L,Nazareth I (2011) Missing Data Imputation in Electronic Health Databases: Development of a Longitudinal Model for Cardiovascular Risk Factors PHARMACOEPIDEM DR S, 20, S231 - S232.
  24. Carpenter J,Petersen I,Welch C,Bartlett J,Walters K,Morris R,White I,Marston L,Nazareth I (2011) Multiple Imputation for Missing Data in Electronic Health Databases: Practical Issues and Some Solutions PHARMACOEPIDEM DR S, 20, S163 - S163.
  25. Petersen I,Gilbert RE,Evans SJ,Man SL,Nazareth I (2011) Pregnancy as a major determinant for discontinuation of antidepressants: an analysis of data from The Health Improvement Network. J Clin Psychiatry, 72(7), 979 - 985. 10.4088/JCP.10m06090blu.
  26. Horsfall LJ,Rait G,Walters K,Swallow DM,Pereira SP,Nazareth I,Petersen I (2011) Serum bilirubin and risk of respiratory disease and death. JAMA, 305(7), 691 - 697. 10.1001/jama.2011.124.
  27. Osborn D,BAIO G,Walters K,Petersen I,Limburg H,Raine R,Nazareth I (2011) Inequalities in the provision of cardiovascular screening to people with severe mental illnesses in primary care. Cohort study in the United Kingdom THIN Primary Care Database 2000- 2007 Schizophrenia Research. 10.1016/j.schres.2011.04.003.
  28. Fardet L,Petersen I,Nazareth I (2011) Prevalence of long-term oral glucocorticoid prescriptions in the UK over the past 20 years RHEUMATOLOGY, 50(11), 1982 - 1990. 10.1093/rheumatology/ker017.
  29. Fardet L,Petersen I,Nazareth I (2011) Description of oral glucocorticoid prescriptions in general population REV MED INTERNE, 32(10), 594 - 599. 10.1016/j.revmed.2011.02.022.
  30. Hayes J,Prah P,Nazareth I,King M,Walters K,Petersen I,Osborn D (2011) Prescribing trends in bipolar disorder: cohort study in the United Kingdom THIN primary care database 1995-2009. PLoS One, 6(12), e28725. 10.1371/journal.pone.0028725.
  31. Hardoon SL,Whincup PH,Petersen I,Capewell S,Morris RW (2011) Trends in longer-term survival following an acute myocardial infarction and prescribing of evidenced-based medications in primary care in the UK from 1991: a longitudinal population-based study. J Epidemiol Community Health, 65(9), 770 - 774. 10.1136/jech.2009.098087.
  32. Marston L,Carpenter J,Walters K,Morris R,Nazareth I,Petersen I (2010) Missing Data in Primary Care Databases; Problems and a Possible Solution..
  33. Petersen I,Gilbert R,Evans S,Ridolfi A,Nazareth I (2010) Oral antibiotic prescribing during pregnancy in primary care: UK population-based study JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY, 65(10), 2238 - 2246. 10.1093/jac/dkq307.
  34. Marston L,Carpenter JR,Walters KR,Morris RW,Nazareth I,Petersen I (2010) Issues in multiple imputation of missing data for large general practice clinical databases. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf, 19(6), 618 - 626. 10.1002/pds.1934.
  35. Rait G,Walters K,Bottomley C,Petersen I,Iliffe S,Nazareth I (2010) Survival of people with clinical diagnosis of dementia in primary care: cohort study. BMJ, 341, c3584.
  36. Davé S,Petersen I,Sherr L,Nazareth I (2010) Incidence of maternal and paternal depression in primary care: a cohort study using a primary care database. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, 164(11), 1038 - 1044. 10.1001/archpediatrics.2010.184.
  37. Evans HE,Mercer CH,Rait G,Hamill M,Delpech V,Hughes G,Brook G,Williams T,Johnson AM,Singh S,Petersen I,Chadborn T,Cassell JA (2009) Trends in HIV testing and recording of HIV status in the UK primary care setting: a retrospective cohort study 1995-2005 Sexually Transmitted Infections, 85(7), 520 - 526.
  38. Raine R,Wong W,Ambler G,Petersen I,Hardoon S,Morris R (2009) Sociodemographic variations in the contribution of secondary drug prevention to stroke survival at middle and older ages: cohort study BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.), 338, b1279. 10.1136/bmj.b1279.
  39. Evans HER,Tsourapas A,Mercer CH,Rait G,Bryan S,Hamill M,Delpech V,Hughes G,Brook G,Williams T,Johnson AM,Singh S,Petersen I,Chadborn T,Cassell JA (2009) Primary care consultations and costs among HIV positive individuals in UK primary care 1995-2005: A cohort study Sexually Transmitted Infections, 85, 543 - 549.
  40. Rait G,Walters K,Griffin M,Buszewicz M,Petersen I,Nazareth I (2009) Recent trends in the incidence of recorded depression in primary care British Journal of Psychiatry, 195(6), 520 - 524. 10.1192/bjp.bp.108.058636.
  41. Davé S,Petersen I (2009) Creating medical and drug code lists to identify cases in primary care databases Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, 18(8), 704 - 707. 10.1002/pds.1770.
  42. Morris R,Petersen I,Marston L,Walters K,Carpenter J,Nazareth I (2009) QRISK validation and evaluation. Bespoke cohort studies needed BMJ, 339, b3512. 10.1136/bmj.b3512.
  43. Hayward A,Knott F,Petersen I,Livermore DM,Duckworth G,Islam A,Johnson AM (2008) Increasing hospitalizations and general practice prescriptions for community-onset staphylococcal disease, England Emerging Infectious Diseases, 14(5), 720 - 726.
  44. Omar RZ,O'Sullivan C,Petersen I,Islam A,Majeed A (2008) A model based on age, sex, and morbidity to explain variation in UK general practice prescribing: cohort study BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.), 337, a238. 10.1136/bmj.a238.
  45. Walters K,Rait G,Petersen I,Williams R,Nazareth I (2008) Panic disorder and risk of new onset coronary heart disease, acute myocardial infarction, and cardiac mortality: cohort study using the general practice research database European Heart Journal, 29(24), 2981 - 2988. 10.1093/eurheartj/ehn477.
  46. Rait G,Walters K,Bottomley C,Petersen I,Iliffe S,Nazareth I (2008) Survival following diagnosis of dementia in primary care.
  47. Melzer M,Petersen I,Cheasty T (2008) The difference in serotypes between extended-beta-lactamase (ESBL) and non-ESBL-producing E. coli blood culture isolates at a UK district general hospital Journal of Hospital Infection, 68(4), 367 - 369. 10.1016/j.jhin.2008.01.006.
  48. Hardoon S,Whincup P,Petersen I,Islam A,Capewell S,Morris R (2008) Trends in survival following acute myocardial infarction in the United Kingdom: Relation to changes in prescribing of evidence-based medication in primary care J EPIDEMIOL COMMUN H, 62, A14 - A14.
  49. Melzer M,Petersen I (2007) Mortality following bacteraemic infection caused by extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing E. coli compared to non-ESBL producing E. coli Journal of Infection, 55(3), 254 - 259. 10.1016/j.jinf.2007.04.007.
  50. Petersen I,Hayward AC,SACAR SS (2007) Antibacterial prescribing in primary care Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 60(Sup1), i43 - i47. 10.1093/jac/dkm156.

Biography

Over the last ten years my work has focused largely on the use of electronic health records for aetiological and epidemiological research. I moved to UCL in 2003 as a junior researcher. I have since built a vibrant and productive research environment around analysis of primary care databases at UCL. In 2007 I was awarded a MRC training fellowship to examine prescribed medicine in pregnancy and became Senior Research Associate. I was promoted to Principal Research Associate in 2011 and became Senior Lecturer in 2012.

Qualifications

  • 2010: Master of Science, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
  • 2008: Postgraduate Certificate, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
  • 2007: Postgraduate Diploma, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
  • 2002: Doctor of Philosophy, University of London
  • 1997: Master of Science (by research), Aarhus Universitet