Dr Chandan is an NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer on the West Midlands Public Health Registrar Training Scheme based at the University of Birmingham. His primary research focuses on a public health approach to abuse and violence. He has expertise in population health data science, data linkage and medical education. Joht completed doctoral work focussing on the outcomes of individuals who have suffered childhood maltreatment and domestic abuse. In the topic area he has numerous high impact factor publications which have been disseminated with frequent news appearances on BBC News, Sky News and other leading international media outlets.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Joht has highlighted the need for the introduction of a public health approach to tackling domestic abuse and childhood maltreatment. This includes factors such as research into finding what works to support survivors of abuse and maltreatment as well as methods to improve surveillance in the context of domestic violence and child maltreatment. His research has shown that victims of domestic abuse are nearly three times more likely to suffer from mental ill health during their lifetime and have above-average rates of diabetes, heart disease and death. All of which could be exacerbated during the pandemic lockdown. The findings of his published work have been highlighted in the House of Commons and Lords during the COVID-19 pandemic. Joht has since been appointed as a scientific advisor to the Lancet Commission for Gender-Based Violence and Maltreatment of Young People.
Joht is the public health co-director for the UoB Centre for Crime, Justice and Policing, deputy stream lead for the transnational crime theme at the UoB Institute of Global Innovation and also member of HDRUK being the Midlands theme lead for mental health.