UK: Fully-funded PhD Studentship in Mobile Phone Monitoring of Chemotherapy, University of Worcester
Fees will be paid in full at the UK/EU rate for home and EU citizens. Overseas students are welcome to apply but will need to fund the balance of fees for Overseas Research Students.
Project Summary
In the last few years, the UK government has been highlighting the importance of self responsibility and self management in health and illness. The mobile telecommunications industry offers one means of supporting patients in this endeavour. It is widely recognised that the use of chemotherapy results in side effects that adversely affect patients’ quality of life. If side effects can be reported early, then with prompt intervention, they may be minimised and ultimately lives saved. Mobile phone systems allow patients to alert healthcare professionals (HCPs) automatically, in real time, only when necessary and have been successfully piloted for diabetes and asthma.
A feasibility study has been completed by a specialist team from Oxford University and the 3 Counties Cancer Network [including one of the supervisors (AY)], demonstrating that mobile phone technology is capable of delivering the requirements of allowing patients to enter their symptoms and enabling research nurses and doctors to respond to these symptoms. Furthermore, on the basis of the reported toxicity symptoms the chemotherapy drug regimen could be altered to deliver a safer and more intense dose. This novel application of real-time telemedicine in patients with advanced cancers, will build on the completed feasibility study. The study aims to individualise chemotherapy dose (reduction and escalation) and explore the patient experience of using a mobile phone for chemotherapy toxicity monitoring and its psychological sequelae.
The experience of the patient has also yet to be fully articulated. On the one hand, it is possible that the active monitoring and recording of symptoms via mobile phone makes the individual patient anxious, concerned and liable to have a negative perspective on their condition and its treatment. In contrast, it could be suggested that self-monitoring and self-reporting via a mobile phone will increase patient’s self-awareness of their condition and therefore feel engaged with their treatment and their condition and therefore promote active coping strategies which can benefit psychological and physical outcomes.
The project will aim to explore the experience of advanced colorectal cancer patients using a mobile phone for the real time monitoring of toxicity of chemotherapy and to determine if using this technology will allow delivery of safer and more dose intense combination therapy with capecitabine and irinotecan.
Qualifications
Applicants should normally have, or be about to gain, a good First Degree in psychology, nursing, health studies/science, or a related discipline (II.1 or above). The applicant should have good communication skills and the ability to get on with patients and a range of professional groups. They should also have experience of SPSS.
Further details relating to the project are available to download by clicking here.
Application forms can also be downloaded by clicking here.
The closing date for applications is Friday 29th June 2007. Interviews are expected to take place on Thursday 12th July.
For further information or an informal discussion on this project, please contact:
Prof. Dominic Upton
Institute of Health, Social Care & Psychology
University of Worcester, Henwick Grove
Worcester, WR2 6AJ, UK.
Tel: 01905 855517
e-mail: d.upton@worc.ac.uk
or Dr Annie Young
e-mail: a.young@worc.ac.uk
If you have any questions regarding the application process, please contact:
Dr John-Paul Wilson, Manager of the Graduate Research School
Completed application forms should be sent by e-mail to j.wilson@worc.ac.uk, or by mail to:
Dr John-Paul Wilson
Graduate Research School
University of Worcester, Henwick Grove
Worcester, WR2 6AJ, UK.