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Funded PhD studentship at Northumbria University


"Understanding the impact of gathering, tracking and exchanging information via social media on health decision making (advert reference: HLS/DRFPSSR7/53455)"

Deadline March 31st 2014

The Internet is well established as a major source of health information, but both the source and the nature of e-health content is changing rapidly. Patients are increasingly the first source of information and advice for other patients in a new peer-to-peer process in which patients are turning to others like themselves for advice and support and where detailed patient experiences (PEx) are offered online and used to inform health decisions. In addition patients are increasingly ‘life logging’ - tracking and monitoring information about their own health, for example, objective data on weight, blood pressure and treatment response, alongside subjective reports of mood and anxiety. Whilst some sites encourage people to share this information (see for example Patients Like Me) little is known about the ways in which people combine all this information and use it to better understand their own condition and importantly make decisions about their health and wellbeing.

Using a mixed method approach and different patient groups (segmented around, type and stage of disease, level of active management, age and gender) this programme of research aims to understand how the gathering, tracking and exchanging of information and experiences via mobile applications and social media influences health decision making. The project will explore the following questions:
• How does increased awareness and monitoring of health variables affect peoples’ attitudes towards their health condition and sense of wellbeing?
• How are different sources of information (self-collected, GP provided and peer-to-peer) integrated over the longer term?
• What are the pathways by which this type of information influences decision making?
• Finally, given the choice agenda within the NHS - ‘no decision about me without me’, how do people want to be able to share, view and monitor their health as a way of enhancing their input to the decision making process.

Enquiries regarding this studentship should be made to Dr Liz Sillence: [log in to unmask]

Applicants should hold a first or upper second class honours degree (in a relevant subject) from a UK higher education institution, or equivalent. Students who are not UK/EU residents are eligible to apply, provided they hold the relevant academic qualifications, together with an IELTS score of at least 6.5.

To apply, contact Paul Agnew to request the appropriate application form, quoting the advert reference above, via email to [log in to unmask] 

or by using the application link on the findaphd page http://www.findaphd.com/search/ProjectDetails.aspx?PJID=53455

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