When Risk and Crisis Collide: An Intersectional Risk Theory Lens on the Lives of Older Minority Ethnic People in the UK During COVID and its Aftermath

Makande, Bridget (2026) When Risk and Crisis Collide: An Intersectional Risk Theory Lens on the Lives of Older Minority Ethnic People in the UK During COVID and its Aftermath. Doctoral thesis, Buckinghamshire New University (awarded by the University of Staffordshire).

Preview

Text 21463_Makande.pdf - Published Version Download (2MB) | Preview

Abstract

This study explores the experiences of older minority ethnic people in the UK during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing on focus groups and interviews. Using intersectional risk theory, I examined how multiple identities - age, ethnicity, gender, class, disability, comorbidities - shaped participants’ experiences differently. What emerged was a complex picture of epistemic mistrust. Participants questioned government messaging not from conspiracy thinking, but from lived experience of being overlooked by systems meant to protect them. Death and bereavement took on particular meaning when filtered through intersecting identities. The pandemic hastened decline and produced multiple losses, yet participants found strength in religious worldviews and collective traditions. Living in multigenerational households proved both protective and risky, offering care networks while increasing exposure. Resilience emerged as central, but not in the way policy makers typically understand it. Rather than individual grit, participants demonstrated collective coping rooted in cultural values and community bonds. However, this community-generated resilience had limits. Without institutional support, it became insufficient against structural disadvantages. The findings challenge assumptions about “hard to reach” communities. Participants made rational choices based on their lived contexts and historical experiences with healthcare systems. Their apparent “non-compliance” often reflected deeper systemic failures rather than personal shortcomings. This research argues that sustainable health equity requires more than targeting individual behaviours. Structural interventions must support and amplify existing community resilience while addressing the root causes of health inequalities. As we prepare for future uncertainties, centring the voices and experiences of those most marginalised offers crucial insights for building more equitable responses. The study demonstrates how researcher positionality and “safe spaces” can elicit hidden stories that traditional research approaches miss.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Keywords:	COVID-19, Older Minority Ethnic People, Intersectional Risk Theory, Polycrisis, Resilience
Divisions:	College of Health and Society
Depositing User:	Research and Knowledge Exchange Office Admin 1
Date Deposited:	10 Aug 2026 10:21
Last Modified:	10 Aug 2026 10:21
URI:	https://bnu.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/21463

Actions (login required)

Edit Item